While to some folks The Blues and Christmas don’t exactly go hand in hand, there have been some truly great Christmas blues songs recorded throughout the years.
Honestly I really didn’t know about this until one of my students brought it to my attentionand I started to investigate further all of the Christmas songs out there done by blues artists.
This particular one, “Merry Christmas Baby” was recorded by Elvis Presley. It’s such a perfect example of one of the Blues Guitar Unleashed lessons at work, that I just had to make a video out of it and show you how it’s put together.
Granted, this is not a note-for-note transcription of the tune, that would be illegal. This is, however, very much in the style of Merry Christmas Baby and is a common idea that could be used for dozens of blues songs. Enjoy and Merry Christmas Everyone!
Downloads:
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Hey Griff…
Thanks for the AWESOME lesson…something REALLY easy but sounds SO cool on my electric guitar!!! Just love this little tune….
I really like your teaching style, I’ve learned some cool stuff, like having a guitar teacher just dropping by… Hey, don’t worry about not having the ’set-up’ and just doing this from your office with no preperation…WHO CARES, a ‘low key’ lesson like this is just like learning a cool lick from a friend, please do more of these Griff! Thanks again, Merry Christmas!!!
Thanks Griff,good to hear from you.I like your lessons a lot they are a big help to me.
Thanks,Griff… Merry Christmas to you and your family.
you\’re a great teacher Griff … thanks
Cool sound, I really like playing this. Thank you and Happy Holiday to you and yours
Another super idea/lesson Griff. I do get some things out of every lesson. Thankyou
nice clean and simple. I gotta get that slide down though. Thanks
Hi griff I’m just starting with you ,ordered blues guitar unleashed and wondered if you have an archive section of past lessons that have been sent out or if there’s a way to receive them. I’m looking forward too the blues course when it arrives
Thanks
Terry
Ps I live in northern Canada -30 + the wind chill it was -52 I would trade you for a hot winter some time
griff, thanks for all your lessons and help,your style is great and you come off as a average guy giving lessonsdown the street,as for some tech guy in a fancy studio giving bullcrap laessons u can;t understand,wishing u much suscess and a merry christmas to u and your family !
Hey Griff
Thanks for your help I am trying to learn played in my 20s now 62 took out time to raise family now my time can\’t get enough.
Thank\’s agian
Great Lesson! I realized that I have been playing this incorrectly for a long time. Please keep it coming.
Hi Griff, just a quick thank you for the video& tab.
Wishing you and your family a Very Merry Christmas and a Happy and successful NEW Year in 2010.
P.S. There ias plenty of snow here in Bonny Scotland.
Take care and have a good Christmas Griff.
Ian
Hey, Happy Holidays from way to the North of you in Santa Monica ….where it is at least 1 degree less hot.
Hio Griff
Another good one. I\\\\\\\’m still practicing for my \\\\\\\’exams\\\\\\\’, but your blues style helps me free up a little.
Keep em coming. One day I may even buy the whole bunch, butfor now I\\\\\\\’ve got to fund my other course.
Have a great christmas, and a prosperous new year. We have snow here in England, looks great but it\\\\\\\’s a pain for getting around and working
Cheers
Mike F
FoxTrax
Merry Christmas Griff!
I just got your \\"Blues Unleashed\\" discs two days ago and am extremely happy with it. You are an excellent teacher and do a great job of explaining and demonstrating what you\\\’re teaching. I\\\’ve been playing for many years, and a lot of people think I\\\’m a very good player, however, I\\\’ve never been happy with my own playing and know there\\\’s a lot I can learn. I know I\\\’d be much better than I am now if I\\\’d ever had a really good teacher in the past. Of course the DVD format makes learning very easy, as you can slow down and repeat things as neccessary, without being afraid of irritating the teacher. The $137.00 price is a real bargain when you consider how much private lessons cost these days. Because I just got the series I\\\’m not sure how deeply you go into the subject, but you should consider expanding it into more of the jazz blues voicings. modes, and progressisons, and put together Blues Unleashed II.
Thanks again, and keep up what you\’re doing.
Hmmm, I guess my Macs punctuation comes across as some form of literary tab on your site.
Hey Griff, That guitar sounds so sweet. The Bluesy sound is fantastic and the fingers behind it make it better which is the trick.
Here’s my chance to thank you for the wonderful lessons on the cd which have been put together incredibly well. You support has been tremendous.
I wish you and your family the best for the Xmas and New Year Period and also all your pupils? as well.
GaryA from Downunder
Hello Griff,
Nice to hear from you again. It\’s been quite a while. Thanks for the Xmas video and Tab. Soon as I can get some money together I shall get whole package. I really enjoy and look forward to your Email lessons. Have a very Merry Christmas and a great New Year. \’Bye for now from Robin Hood country.
Cheers, Vic
merry xmas eveyone, the
blues aint so bad
Hi Griff
thanks for another great lesson,what a great teacher you are, you make every thing so clear to understand.
BEST WISHES ROS
Griff……. thanks Matey and a very Happy Christmas to you and yours.
Really nice riff that you have given us.Thanks
Here’s to a bluesy 2010
Thanks Griff
Another Christmas gift from you that was under the tree. Hope you and yours have a great time, and a Happy New Year.
ps Warm down here in OZ at Christmas time too.
Derek
Thanks Griff you’re the best
i have learned a few things from you,but i have never said thanks.im.46,and i hurt my back a few yrs.back .and about a year ago i started playing the guitar.i dont have a very big income.or i would have bought your lessons.everything i have learned,i have gotten from people like you .from youtube.and if it wasnt for you guys,i would hate to thank of were i would be right now.i would allmost say,you all have saved my life.im, not very good yet,and i cant practice for very long.but its the only thing in my life right now.
i just wanted to say thanks,you have made a huge difference in my life.im sorry about the spelling.i guess i should be trying to inprove that.well anyway,i hope you and your family have a merry xmas,and thanks
ray
Hey Griff,
thanks for taking the time to show us these great tricks and tracks. You have made the blues easy for us to learn , enjoy and most of all understand. Thanks so much for the free lessons , when times get better, I\’ll get the full monty. Can you put a few back tracks on some of the lessons so we can practice with them? that would be great.
Thanks again,
Dan
Thanks Griff for all your help, and you and the family have a very happy new year.
Griff,
Thanks for all your tips and another great lesson.
Hope you and your family had a good Christmas, and have a Happy New Year from me in South Wales, UK.
GOOD,I GUESS…!!!
Very cool and “simple” practice lesson… Lot’s of room for getting personal with it. It’s a cool, bluesy lesson that I plan on repeating again and again until I drive my wife & pets completely insane!
Thanks for this and all the other lessons! Finding someone as personable as yourself that is willing to openly share their knowledge is golden, and I feel as if I’ve discovered a pot of it at the end of a rainbow in your lessons. Have a great 2010!
Griff, thanks for the lesson it’s a good one,I hope you have a change to do some more if thease. happy newyear!!!
Griff, All the best in 2010 from Slovenia
marko
havn’t received my course yet, but sure am enjoying the lessons on the web. keep up the good work. finally a teacher who puts it out there straight forward with no b.s. thanx.
Hey Griff,just waiting for my dvd lessons to arrive ,getting good tips from your email lessons in the meantime.
Another great lesson from the best!
This simple step by step method- with just you and the guitar make it seem very personal and soooo easy to learn this way…
I love this format.
Hey Griff…..Just new and I’m still waiting for the CD’s to arrive but I,m enjoying the little morsels you are sending in the mean time, even the wife is asking…what are you playing….that’s not her usual response to me playing in front of the computer…..she is not always so interested in my endeavors and most certainly not ever so tolerant of the noise I’m making…..”I’ll make her a lover of blues yet”…you wait and see!
Anyway….enjoying what you have sent so far and I’m picking up lot’s of little handy hints to improve my playing along the way…Cheers Mate…..from the out back blues lover…Dale
Hey Griff…..Just new and I\’m still waiting for the CD\’s to arrive but I,m enjoying the little morsels you are sending in the mean time, even the wife is asking…what are you playing….that\’s not her usual response to me playing in front of the computer…..she is not always so interested in my endeavors and most certainly not ever so tolerant of the noise I\’m making…..\"I\’ll make her a lover of blues yet\"…you wait and see!
Anyway….enjoying what you have sent so far and I\’m picking up lot\’s of little handy hints to improve my playing along the way…Cheers Mate…..from the out back blues lover…Dale
Hi Griff,
Just purchased your instructional course last night. I am looking forward to beginning when the materials arrive. It looks like a quality product.
Thanks again.
Mike Penovich
Los Alamos, NM
Nice lesson Griff. Reminds me a bit of Allman Brothers version of Stormy Monday Blues.
Do you also have a country guitar series?
Gooday Griff, I’m from Australia and have been playing lead guitar in a rock band for many years. I saw your site about 5 days ago and immediately sent for your course. I love playing what you’re showing us. Never enjoyed playing my guitar as much as I have over the last few days. This latest little riff is just great. I look forward to getting stuck into your course as soon as it arrives.
Wish I saw this years ago ..Thanks.
Ray.
Hi Griff, I finally ordered the blues unleashed course. I’ve been playing many years,self taught, and was really impressed on how you can manipulate the various pentatonic scales. I’ve also been stuck in a rut with these scales.I believe that I’m finally starting to make sense with the scales. I cant wait for the coarse to arrive.
griff
your product i s what everyone needs to get if they want to play better guitar i got mine about 2 weeks ago and the lessons are very informative and to the point i started with the clips off the net and liked them very much i recommend that if everyone liked them they should get the course hands down it lives up to the title it is really blues guitat unleashed thanks again john b
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