How to Play Travis Walk Intro by Stevie Ray Vaughan

When it comes to electric blues guitar, few names carry the same weight as Stevie Ray Vaughan. His catalog is a masterclass in tone, feel, and phrasing. But nestled among his more iconic tracks lies a lesser-known gem—“Travis Walk.” Clocking in at just under three minutes, this instrumental off “In Step” (1989) may be short, but it packs a serious punch. It’s SRV unleashed, with a nod to country swing, rockabilly, and of course, Texas blues. Check out the Travis Walk – Stevie Ray Vaughan Intro below:

Video Lesson

Tabs

Here are the tabs to accompany the video lesson: Travis Walk Tabs

What Is “Travis Walk”?

“Travis Walk” is an instrumental track named in tribute to Travis County, Texas, where Austin—SRV’s musical stomping grounds—is located. It’s the only instrumental on In Step, Vaughan’s final studio album with Double Trouble released during his lifetime. The song is raw, fast, and full of attitude—almost like a jam session that caught fire.

The Style: Texas Shuffle Meets Rockabilly Twang

From the moment it kicks off, “Travis Walk” feels like an amphetamine-fueled joyride through southern juke joints. It’s fast-paced with a swinging shuffle beat, reminiscent of a country hoedown on steroids. But make no mistake—this is SRV’s playground. His signature tone and blues phrasing are unmistakable, even when he steps into more rockabilly territory.

Musically, the track draws from the Travis picking tradition (think Merle Travis), but this is electric Travis. Stevie uses hybrid picking, slashing chords, and gliding slides that flirt with chaos but never lose control.

Gear Talk: That Signature SRV Bite

On “Travis Walk,” Stevie likely played his No. 1 Strat, loaded with heavy strings (reportedly .013s), running through his usual rig of Fender Vibroverbs and Tube Screamers. The result is that unmistakable, punchy, overdriven blues tone that still breathes and twangs.

Pay attention to his right-hand attack—he digs in with ferocity. The track is a study in how technique and gear combine to create something visceral. No studio polish, no overproduction. Just raw energy.

Why It Matters

Though it’s not his most famous song, “Travis Walk” captures the spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughan as much as any of his hits. It’s loose, fearless, and joyfully unhinged. And in a way, it offers a glimpse of SRV just having fun—stretching out, bending genres, and doing it all with soul.

For guitarists, it’s a great piece to study if you want to understand hybrid picking, phrasing in fast shuffles, and how to inject personality into every note. And for fans, it’s a hidden track that shows yet another dimension of Vaughan’s genius.

Try It Yourself

If you’re looking to learn “Travis Walk”, be prepared for a workout. You’ll need speed, accuracy, and a good sense of groove. Today we’re starting with the first part of the intro which is a great joy to play. Start slow and really focus on the phrasing—it’s easy to get caught up in the tempo and lose the feel.

Bonus tip: Practice it with a metronome and try emulating that SRV bite by adjusting your pick attack and tone settings.

If you want to play blues shuffles that are a little bit easier and lots of fun to play check out 5 Cool Blues Shuffle Riffs

Have a great one!

Hi folks, looking for some Eric Clapton Easy guitar songs to get started on guitar? You’re in the right place! Eric Clapton has written some truly beautiful classic songs that are perfect for beginners.

Although the original songs can sometimes be challenging, here the songs are simplified so they are accessible for all levels of playing.

The songs are simple and fun to play, even if you’re just learning. In this post, you’ll find 10 Clapton songs that will help you build confidence with strumming, chord changes, and basic riffs.

What is the easiest Eric clapton song to play on guitar?

One of the easiest Eric Clapton songs to play on guitar is “Wonderful Tonight.”

Why it’s easy:

• Simple chords: The song uses basic open chords like G, D, C, and Em.
• Slow tempo: It’s played at a very manageable, slow pace.
• Repetitive structure: The chord progression repeats throughout the verses and chorus.
• Beginner-friendly solo: If you want to try the solo, it’s melodic and slow—great for beginners working on phrasing and vibrato.

Now let’s take a look at the 10 Easy Eric Clapton Guitar songs.

Have a great one!

10 Easy Eric Clapton Songs to Learn on Guitar

1. Wonderful Tonight

This one’s a slow, romantic ballad with a soft feel. It’s built on open-position chords: G, D, C, and Em. The tempo is steady and laid-back, making it perfect for beginners practicing chord transitions. Try a gentle strumming pattern, and add the signature intro riff later on.

Chords

2. Lay Down Sally

This country-blues shuffle is simple and rhythmic. You’ll only need A, D, and E chords—all open and easy to switch between. It’s great for locking in your timing and getting familiar with a groovy rhythm.
Pro tip: Practice with a metronome or drum loop to master the shuffle feel.

Chords

3. Sunshine of Your Love

Built around one of the most famous guitar riffs of all time, this rock classic relies more on a repeating riff than on chord strumming. It’s a great introduction to pentatonic riffs and power chords, especially in D minor.

Chords and Tabs

4. Badge

‘Badge’ is a song by Eric Clapton’s band Cream features dreamy chord progressions and a clean, emotional tone. The main chords— Am, D, Em, Bm, C and G—are all easy to play. This one’s great for practicing dynamics and smooth changes.

Chords

5. Crossroads

This live Cream version is a fast-paced 12-bar blues in A, using just A, D, and E or add 7th chords to make it really blues sounding. While the rhythm is quick, the structure is simple and repeatable. Ideal for getting into blues jamming.

Chords

6. Cocaine

This blues-rock hit is driven by a hypnotic groove. The chord progression—E, D, C, and B(7)—loops throughout the song. You can choose to play the easy open chords and strumming part or learn to play the riff from the video.

Chords

7. After Midnight

Short, punchy, and upbeat, “After Midnight” uses D, F, and G. It’s an excellent track for working on rhythm, quick chord changes, and keeping a tight strumming hand.
Beginner tip: Keep your strumming light and consistent to maintain the groove.

Chords

8. I Shot the Sheriff

Clapton’s reggae-inspired cover introduces a new rhythm feel. The main chords—Am, Em, Cmaj7 and Bm —are all open or simple barre shapes. A great introduction to offbeat reggae strumming.

Chords

9. Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out

This jazzy blues standard features C, E, A, Dm, F, G, and a few 7th chords like A7 and D7. While it includes more chord movement, they’re all open-position shapes and great for building chord confidence.

Chords

10. Tears in Heaven

This heartfelt ballad can be played easily with the capo on the 2nd fret. Chords like G, D, Em, C, Am, Dm and Bm form the basis. Start with a basic fingerpicking pattern or even light strumming to get used to the progression.

Chords

Final Thoughts: Eric Clapton Easy Guitar Songs

These easy Eric Clapton guitar songs are perfect for beginners who want to build their skills while enjoying this legendary music. Each song helps you improve rhythm, chords, or riff playing in a natural, musical but still simplified way.

Tips: Learn the chord shapes and finger positions first, then practice verse, chorus, and bridge separately, go slow and repeat tricky transitions or riffs until they’re smooth and try to keep your rhythm steady.

Want to take it further?

• Add intros, finger picking and licks later once you’ve mastered the chords
• Practice with a backing track or looper pedal
• Try singing and playing at the same time

Looking to spice up your blues guitar playing? You’ve come to the right place! In this post, we’ll break down a Blues Lick in D that’ll add some serious flavor to your solos. Whether you’re just starting out or an intermediate player looking to expand your skills, this lick is a fun and powerful addition to your repertoire.

Why Play in the Key of D?

Before we dive into the lick, let’s take a moment to explore the key of D—a fantastic key for blues guitarists. Why is D so popular? For one, it’s relatively easy to play in, thanks to its open strings and familiar chord shapes. But more importantly, it has a raw, distinctive sound that feels right at home in blues music.

In the key of D, the primary chords are D7, G7, and A7—the classic I-IV-V progression that forms the backbone of countless blues songs. When improvising, you can lean on the D blues scale (or D pentatonic scale) to create those soulful, expressive lines.

A Simple 12-Bar Blues Progression in D

Let’s set the stage for this lick with a 12-bar blues progression in the key of D, a standard format in blues music. This is the perfect structure to practice over:

| D7 | D7 | D7 | D7 |
| G7 | G7 | D7 | D7 |
| A7 | G7 | D7 | A7 |

Feel free to jam over this progression to really get the feel of the key. Now, let’s move on to the good stuff—the lick itself!

The Cool Blues Lick in D

In the video lesson, we’re playing a Blues Lick in D based on the D blues scale. The lick incorporates double stops—playing two notes at once for a fuller, richer sound—and uses bend-ups and bend-downs. These techniques are classic in blues guitar and help create that signature emotional pull in your playing.

The beauty of this lick lies in its simplicity and expressiveness. By combining these techniques, you’ll be able to craft a line that sounds both bluesy and melodic, with just the right amount of tension and release.

How to Play a Blues Lick in D

Ready to play? Below, you’ll find the tablature for the lick as demonstrated in the video. Take it slow at first, and focus on nailing the bend technique and the timing of the double stops. Once you’ve got the feel, try speeding it up or adding your own personal touch.

Tabs for the Lick:

Final Thoughts: Take This Lick to Your Next Jam!

With these new techniques under your belt, you’re ready to incorporate this lick into your own solos and jam sessions. Try it over the provided 12-bar blues progression, or adapt it to different keys and progressions for added variety. Remember, blues is all about expression—don’t be afraid to play around with the lick and make it your own!

Enjoy the journey, and keep on playing!

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If you’re a blues guitarist, you know that a good turnaround can give real flavor to your song, lift up the entire piece and make it stand out, so that’s what we’re going to do today!

A turnaround is a short musical phrase that leads back to the beginning of a song or progression and typically starts on the last two bars (or measures) of a 12-bar blues shuffle or 12-bar blues progression.

So if you’re playing a blues tune and you want to incorporate a turnaround, start by counting out the 12 bars of the progression, and then begin the turnaround on the 11th and 12th bars.

While turnarounds are often used to signal the end of a chorus or verse, and set up the next one, today’s heavenly blues turnarounds are only used at the end of a blues progression to finish the song with some raw and soulful blues elegance.

Add these two heavenly blues turnarounds to your repertoire and you’re good to go.

Remember, the key to mastering these turnarounds is practice, so be sure to spend plenty of time working on them. Grab your guitar, watch the video lesson and get started!

Happy playing!

TABLATURE

If you want more turnarounds you can also check out the Robert Johnson Style Turnarounds or 6 Cool Guitar Blues Turnarounds.

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Breaking Down the Blues Lick: Understanding the Key Elements

To fully appreciate the power of this blues lick, let’s take a deeper dive into some of its key elements. First, we’re working with the blues scale, which is a modified version of the minor pentatonic scale. It adds that all-important “blue note” (the b5) that gives blues its signature flavor. If you’re familiar with the minor pentatonic scale (1, b3, 4, 5, b7), the blues scale simply adds the b5, creating a more expressive, emotionally charged sound.

The hammer-ons and double stops we use in this lick are essential for capturing the gritty, soulful vibe of the blues. Hammer-ons allow you to create smooth, fluid transitions between notes, while double stops give the lick a richer, fuller sound, as you’re playing two notes simultaneously. Together, these techniques will add depth and character to your playing.

Tablature

Practice Tips: Start Slow, Stay Consistent

When learning this lick, don’t rush! Start slow and focus on getting the feel of the notes before trying to speed things up. One of the beauties of blues music is its expressive, laid-back nature, so playing at a slower tempo can often make your playing sound more soulful. As you become more comfortable with the lick, gradually increase your speed, but always make sure you’re hitting the right notes with precision.

If you’re struggling with the timing of the hammer-ons or double stops, don’t worry—these techniques can take a little time to master. Be patient, and keep practicing! One way to really get a feel for the phrasing is to listen to some of your favorite blues guitarists and try to mimic their phrasing and timing.

Adding Your Own Twist

Once you’ve got the lick down, don’t be afraid to make it your own! Try experimenting with slight variations in timing or phrasing, or even add in your own ornamentations like bends or slides. Blues is all about personal expression, so feel free to make this lick your own.

You can also try incorporating this lick into different sections of your own solos. It can work beautifully in both major and minor blues progressions, and you can adapt it to fit any key by simply moving it up or down the neck.

Final Thoughts

Remember, the more you practice and experiment with blues licks like this one, the more your musicality will grow. Blues guitar is about feel and expression, so don’t be afraid to play with emotion and put your personal touch on each note you play.

I hope you have as much fun learning and playing this lick as I did teaching it to you. Keep practicing, stay inspired, and most importantly—enjoy the journey!

Want more licks like this check out “Mastering a Gorgeous Blues Guitar Licks“

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Today we’re going to learn two beautiful blues licks in the key of A and in the key of E that are both suitable for beginners and intermediate. You can see blues licks as the words and sentences that make up your story line. By learning blues licks you create the skills and vocabulary for your soloing and improvisation. Let’s learn some blues language!

2 Beautiful Blues Licks for Beginners and Intermediate

We start with a blues lick in the key of A with the first couple of notes from the A minor pentatonic scale position 2 (D-shape) and the last 6 notes from position 1 (E-shape). We also added the major 3rd to give you that overall happy blues sound.

The second blues lick is in the key of E starting with notes derived the E minor pentatonic scale position 4 (A-shape) and then rolls down to position 3 (C-shape), then goes back using the same notes from position 4 (A-shape) and then goes higher up the fretboard to position 5 (G-shape).

If you want to learn more about licks, scales and positions / shapes, soloing and improvisation check out 50CoolBluesLicks.com

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Video lesson

Kickass Elegant Blues Lick in the Key of E

This Kickass elegant blues lick can be played over a blues shuffle or blues progression in the key of E. The notes are all derived from the blues scale and we end the lick with an E7 and E6/9 chord to give it that elegant finishing touch.

This is a great lick to memorize and ad to your soloing vocabulary so you can grab it out of your pocket whenever you need it to give your playing that extra touch.

Enjoy!

Tablature

If you want to learn more kickass blues licks and really want to learn to solo and improvise with the blues scale around the entire fretboard check out 50CoolBluesLicks.com

Video Lesson

Blues Lick Across the Neck – Key of E

This lick is in the key of E and is without bend ups. It uses up and down slides and a single pull off and the end. It’s a lick that can be played by both beginners and intermediate guitar players. Beginners can learn to play it at a slower pace and use it to develop their dexterity and build their chops, where intermediate students can get it more up to speed.

It’s a really nice straight forward blues lick to have some fun and add to your blues lick vocabulary.

Below are the tabs, and above the video lesson.

Enjoy!

Tabs

Talk to you in the comments!

Are you looking to spice up your guitar practice with a cool and nifty 12-bar blues riff? Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned player, the 12-bar blues is a fundamental structure that offers endless opportunities for creativity.

In this post, we’ll break down a simple yet impressive blues riff with hammer-ons and plucking the strings that’s easy to learn and guaranteed to add flair to your playing. Plus, don’t miss the included video lesson and the accompanied Tabs to help you master it step by step!

What’s in a Name

A while ago I was on holiday with my family and we went the to Veluwe National Park. It’s the largest forest area in The Netherlands. While I was enjoying my coffee, relaxing on the couch and fiddling on my guitar I came up with a 12 bar blues, hence the name Veluwe Couch Blues.

Tabs for the 12 Bar Blues

How to Play The Blues Riff

1. Bars 1-4: Start with a rhythmic pattern based on the E7 chord. Use alternate picking to keep the groove consistent.
2. Bars 5-6: Shift to the A7 chord. Notice the similar finger shapes, which make transitions smooth.
3. Bars 7-8: Return to the E7 chord and repeat the opening riff.
4. Bar 9: Move to the B7 chord and play the designated riff for one bar.
5. Bar 10: Transition to the A7 chord for one bar.
6. Bars 11-12: Play the closing riff in E7, resolving the progression beautifully and setting up the next loop.

What Is the 12-Bar Blues?

The 12-bar blues is a classic chord progression used in countless blues, rock, and even jazz songs. It typically follows a structure of three four-bar sections:

• The I chord (root chord) for 4 bars.
• The IV chord (subdominant) for 2 bars, followed by the I chord for 2 bars.
• The V chord (dominant) for 1 bar, the IV chord for 1 bar, and a closing riff in the I chord for 2 bars.

E7 | E7 | E7 | E7
A7 | A7 | E7 | E7
B7 | A7 | E7 | E7 (closing riff)

Why Learn the 12-Bar Blues?

The 12-bar blues is more than just a chord progression; it’s a gateway to musical improvisation and expression. Mastering a few riffs and licks can:

• Improve your timing and rhythm.
• Expand your knowledge of scales and chords.
• Prepare you for jamming with other musicians.
• Tips for Practicing
• Start Slow: Use a metronome to keep time and gradually increase your speed.
• Focus on Groove: Blues is all about feel, so emphasize the rhythmic swing.
• Experiment with Variations: Add slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs to make the riff your own.
• Jam with a Backing Track: Playing along with a track can help you internalize the 12-bar structure.

Enjoy!

A Marvelous Major Pentatonic Blues Country Lick is heading your way. This blues country, country blues guitar lick is a great one for intermediate and beginner players, because you can split it up into 2 licks and play it slow and fast. Either way it sounds pretty good.

Marvelous Major Pentatonic Blues Country Lick

The lick is played in the key of A and is derived from the major pentatonic scale. The lick runs through 3 or 4 different positions of the major pentatonic scale and includes hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides.

Lick Chords and Progression

The lick can be played over a 12 bar blues in the key of A or a Major key chord progression like the popular I – vi – IV – V chord progression: A – F#m – D – E

A chord progression in the key of A can consist of the following chords. (See video lesson below)

A – Bm – C#m – D – E – F#m – G#dim [ I – ii – iii – IV – V – vi – vii dim ]

Below you can find the TABS and the detailed video lesson for this blues country lick.

Have a great one ya’ll!

Tabs

Video Lesson

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