Here is a fun way to learn your E blues scale on an open string! Press play on the player to the right to hear what you are about to learn! Don't worry if you don't read music, you'll see :)

E, G, A, Bb, B, D, E
1, b3, 4, b5, 5, b7, 8

Blues scales are minor pentatonic scales with an extra note called the b5th (flat 5th). In the case of an E blues scale it is Bb (B flat). More about scales.

Practicing scales on one string is a great way to see the intervallic relationship between notes (half steps, whole steps and in the case of blues scales, a minor 3rd) and it allows us to have some fun with pull offs.

To play this riff fast it becomes all about the picking. Use pick pattern from the first beat throughout. Down, pull-off, down, up. Very important.

Try to count as 1 e & a 2 e & a 3 e & a 4 e & a

Listen (right click to open in new window) - this is a midi file and therefore sounds kinda cheesy but crank the distortion and play it with tons of attitude :) Be sure to drop your E string to D so you can play the low D power chord. The riff is at half speed to make it a bit easier to figure out.

Sorry there is no breakdown for this riff and I forgot to make an mp3 of this. I will eventually. If you need more help with drop D tuning or the power chord or anything else involving the guitar, join the members part of the site.