Play the 12 Bar Blues for Absolute Super Beginner Guitar Lesson

My Favorite Guitar + Filming Gear at Sweetwater

Disclosure: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. The link above is an affiliate link, that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission on.

[maryketchmark]

I'm 75 and just started playing the electric guitar.  I'm loving it.  Thanks for this lesson.  I'm going to impress my grandkids.  hahahaha

[edwardegan]

I've been sober for seven months now and Marty has helped me so much. Thank God for music and A.A.

[randombananas]

I’m 112 years old and I just started playing on my grandsons piano. I’ve been playing for 2 weeks and this video was so helpful! Thank you Matty!!

[nickb]

0:52 (When your Sim levels up in guitar skill)

[anthonybuford]

Im 55 and have always wanted to play just didn't have a chance when i was young. After seeing a couple of martys vedios i went out and bought a tele. Since have bought a strat and a hot rod amp. This was 6 months ago and i have came a long way i have watched hours of these vedios. Best guitar teacher . Makes it fun and easy to get better. Thanks marty

[anthonymckay]

Im 60 been playing for a year . Found your site on my pc . I don't know why since i have been getting your lessons i find it very relaxing and has helped with my epilepsy thanks. A.J.MCKAY

[OldGreyBeard]

40 years old and just bought my first guitar for christmas. I can see why people quit so fast, but Marty gives you the tools to keep you going through the ruff spots, and after a month, I am hooked and think about playing all day

[nathanbutler]

I need a recording of Marty saying "Hey what's up you guys, it's Marty Shwartz" to wake me up every morning

[angellodontreadmyname]

I learned this in 20 mins Jesus God bless you man.

[michaeldouglas]

Hi Marty,
I just wanted to say thanks for helping my dad learn to play the guitar at nearly 60! He's wanted to play guitar forever and when I picked it up (I've been playing approximately 17 years give or take now) he always really enjoyed listening! It's been a lifelong dream of mine to get him to a skill level of playing where we can jam on a 12 bar blues together and in the past month or so after watching your videos, we're finally able too!
Keep making the great videos,
Mike

[coldsharkride]

My Squire Strat has been sitting around for YEARS collecting dust (and looking cool). Now, after just one session with Marty, I am playing it and IT DOES NOT SOUND BAD! Thank you Marty, you are a truly professional teacher!

[georgelasko]

68 here, and just bought a Les Paul Standard.
Getting back into playing and learning, now that I have so much time on my hands.
Great lesson. The next one is good too!
Bless you all-

[micktheobald]

I'm currently working my way through this lesson. Its taking me weeks owing to work and family commitments, not to me tion being an old dude who learns slowly, but it's fun.

[pauldantuono]

I started to play the guitar three weeks ago. Today I youtube your 12 Bar Blues for the beginner and in 20 minutes I'm strumming the blues. Thank you.

[SaltyChip]

Best thing bout this lockout is one morning I waked n baked and grabbed my dads unused guitar and watch a couple of these vids and finally got over that hump of mentally open to learning notes and the most basics. Before it was just too daunting for me to start but now with all the boredom in world, it was time. It was time. And now I think about “my” new guitar all day long when it’s not in my hands. Fingers tips are sore!!! Love it!

[tilsenmulalley]

Dude, seriously. Your lessons kick ass. The more I watch, the better I get. I've always wanted to learn Blues techniques, but I always wrote them off as too complicated. But with your help, I'm getting closer and closer every day. Thanks so much man.

[kent]

"for absolute super beginners"
and then Marty starts this jingle on 0:53

[JohnOhkumaThiel]

This is a great lesson for me because I’ve been doing the Blues Learning Path on TrueFire, been playing for 14 months total, very serious student—originally a sax player and Berklee alumni to be transparent, so of course I ‘get it’—but everything I learned so far is sort of partitioned. I can play all the chord, riffs, licks, turnarounds, slide, bend, hammer and pull, barre chords, all the basics. But if you said to me, “Play a basic twelve bar Blues, ” I didn’t know how to do that without the music in front of me. I could solo over the changes in pentatonic, play it in a different key, even sight read, but even the basic jam night progression I learned is about ten chords not counting embellishments.

So thanks for making me ready for the impromptu Blues jam. I needed the break from my usual strict practice routine.

[paullevine]

Thank you for using your 5 fingers to explain the 1-4-5! Holy crap I finally get it!!! A-D-E or GCD OR CFG. this alone makes this video worth it!! I’ve awoken from my coma! 🤣

[visitingearthmedia]

Marty, I'm 72 this year. As a kid, I took 6 years of classical piano and made all my spending money as a teenager playing in a jazz/dance band. Picked up a guitar many times through the years and just didn't get it. Now, thanks to you Marty I'm getting it. Haven't had so much musical fun for years. You are absolutely the best.