Last Updated on May 15, 2019 by Klaus Crow
Photo by Steve Garry
A good blues turnaround is the icing on the cake of every blues progression.
I always beg, borrow, steal and create my own nice sweet sounding turnarounds to add that extra magic when I’m playing a blues song. It’s one of the things that makes the blues sound so cool.
Blues turnarounds are played at the end of a section of a blues progression which then leads to the next section or the end of the song.
To get a good impression of how turnarounds are played listen to blues guitar players like B.B King, Albert King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton and study theirs.
Tip: Every time you play the blues try to play a different turnaround, so you don’t end up playing the same turnaround ten years from now. It’s easy to fall into that trap. Expand your vocabulary!
Enjoy these 6 turnarounds to spice up your blues:
Have a great one!
BLUES TURNAROUND #1e:-------0--------0--------0-----------------------------| B:-----------------------------0-----3--2----------------| G:----4--------3--------2------1-----3--2----------------| D:--6--------5--------4--------2-----2--1----------------| A:---------------------------------x-3--2----------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------|BLUES TURNAROUND #2e:---------4------4------4---4-------9--10--11-----------| B:-------5------5------5-----5-------8---9--10-----------| G:----/7------6------5-------4-------9--10--11-----------| D:-------------------------------------------------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------| E:-0-----------------------------------------------------|BLUES TURNAROUND #3e:------0-----0-----0------------------------------------| B:----3-----2-----1-------------------3------------------| G:--4-----3-----2-----0h1-------------2------------------| D:-------------------------2----------1------------------| A:----------------------------0-1-2---2------------------| E:-------------------------------------------------------|BLUES TURNAROUND #4e:-------------------------------------------------------| B:----9-------8-------7------5-------6---7---------------| G:------7-------6-------5----7-------7---8---------------| D:-9-------8-------7---------6---x---6---7---------------| A:---------------------------7---x---x---x---------------| E:-----------------------------------6---7---------------|BLUES TURNAROUND #5e:--3b-0---0---------------------------------------------| B:-------3----3p0-----------------------------------2----| G:-----------------3p2p0--2p0-----0h1---------------2----| D:-----------------------------2--------2p0---------1----| A:-------------------------------------------0h1h2--2----| E:-------------------------------------------------------|BLUES TURNAROUND #6e:-------------------------------------------------------| B:------0----0----0----0----0----5--6--7-----------------| G:-------------------------------6--7--8-----------------| D:-------------------------------5--6--7-----------------| A:-------------------------------------------------------| E:---0----4----5----6----7-------------------------------|
Very cool. You’re right. You can always use a new blues turnaround. They keep any blues from going stale. I do think for beginners trying to practice these that they should get them “installed” into your bag of tricks first, before trying to play a new turnaround every time. I see a lot of guitarists with ADD nowadays and it’s definitely hurting quality. Once you have a few of these down tho, man it gets fun to play them blues. :-)
~Johnny
Also makes a great fingerboard exercise to practice in all 12 keys, nice work!
I’m sorry but what is a “turn around”?
I’ve never really played blues (been more of a metal/grunge guy) but now I think I’ll have to reconsider. These are really cool and now I can play them with a more bluesy feeling rather than a straight rock rhythm. Thanks a lot!
these are interesting
Hi nick,
I used to a metal guy too. I spent many hours playing Slayer, Pantera, Sepultura, Death, Metallica, Megadeth and more.
I just wanna say blues soloing is perfect to mix with metal.
Okay blues turnarounds ain’t nothing to do with metal but it won’t hurt you either. It will expand your vocubulary and creativity.
Good luck!
Klaus Crow
YOU ARE AWESOME!!!
They are so easy and sound awesome! Thank you so much for these!!!
Hey Klaus,
Great post…But i’m not able to get the 5th one. Any chance of an audio reference? Thanks for these
Hi Aum,
I don’t do audio and video at this point of time, but I’ll be sure doing them in the near future.
I’m working on it.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
One of the coolest “knifs” in the blues is turnaround! This makes blues even more bluesy! Thanks for the lesson, very interesting:)
Dude, I LOVE these! Great post. I’ll definitely be trying these out for myself.
does anyone want to play audio sample for these, it’d help out beginners
Hi Klaus,
Great job done with the video lessons. Liked them all.
regards
I always think a good turn around is beautiful. Thanks a lot for this tip. Including all the other helps you published here.They are gold.More power.
I learned them all ty klaus!Now in different keys will take a lil more time.
Dear can you send me the this song’s ring tune in guitar version on youtube.
The song is jutt and juliet indian movie. challi vangra judai.
yeah i agree
What guitar (make and model) are you using in this series of videos?
Nice looking and sounding guitar!