Course Description


Playing guitar in open D opens interesting possibilities. For example, it isn';t necessary to hold down the bass E string when playing a D chord - a deeper bass gives the guitar a low down, bluesy feel but also lends itself to ragtime picking. The acoustic guitar lessons in this course explains how to tune down to open D and open G, and presents several videos teaching a variety of songs in these tunings.

Open G guitar tuning is of particular interest and we take a look how Robert Johnson, King of Delta Blues Guitar used it to create songs such as Walkin' Blues and Crossroads.


Acoustic Blues Guitar Instructor

Jim Bruce

Acoustic blues guitarist Jim Bruce was voted Number 2 top guitar instructor on Truefire in 2013 (Number 1 for acoustic blues). Jim still plays blues guitar on the street in Europe and also gives concerts - plus teaching old style finger picking wherever he goes! Now online students can benefit from over 40 years of real experience playing blues guitar in the authentic way. If you want to play real blues guitar just like the old blues men, then is where you come to find out how. Keep it real with Jim Bruce and play blues guitar like it was originally played. A word from Jim - " My playing career goes way back, to the folk clubs on the UK in the sixties, clubs pubs and bars in six countries, and on the city streets of Europe. This is how I learned my trade. One day someone asked me to slow down a lick to show them exactly what I was doing with my hands. As I tried to do this, I found that I was doing much, much more than I realized. It was these tiny hand movements that make acoustic blues so exciting when it's performed properly. This is the main focus of my lessons - to show students exactly how to play the blues in great detail. " Peace, Jim Bruce (Jim's guitar lessons follow a well proven and award-winning formula guaranteed to have you playing the blues in the shortest time possible.)

Course curriculum

  • 1

    New Chapter

    • Open G & Open D - An Introduction to the Course

    • VIDEO - Open G Tuning & Bottleneck Technique

    • Walkin' Blues

    • VIDEO - Walkin' Blues

    • PDF - Walkin Blues TAB

    • Crossroads

    • VIDEO - Crossroads

    • PDF - Crossroads TAB

    • Mobile Texas Line

    • VIDEO - Mobile Texas Line

    • PDF - Mobile Texas Line TAB

  • 2

    Open D

    • Down The Country

    • VIDEO - Down The Country

    • PDF - Down the Country TAB

    • Police Dog Blues

    • VIDEO - Police dog Blues

    • PDF - Police Dog Blues TAB