How To Play The 3-String
Cigar Box Guitar
With Rick McKeon
Right and Left Hand Techniques
The Steady Bass
Using The Slide
The Ten Mile Stomp
Playing Blues Licks And Creating A 12-Bar Solo
Applying All This In A
12-Bar Jam Session
© Rick McKeon 2014
Table of Contents
Welcome
Lesson 1: Tuning The 3-String CBG
Figure 1: Tuning The 3-String Guitar . . . . . . . . . . page 3
Lesson 2: How To Read The Tab
Figure 2: Steady Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5
Lesson 3: Steady Bass
Figure 2: Steady Bass . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 5
Lesson 4: Licks For The 3-String
Figure 3: Licks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 7
Lesson 5: Ten Mile Stomp
Tab: Ten Mile Stomp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 9
Lesson 6: 12-Bar Blues Introduction
12-Bar Blues Chord Progression . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 11
Stranger Blues Lyrics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 12
Figure 4: I IV and V Chords . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 13
Figure 5: 12-Bar Licks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 14
Lesson 7: Blues Licks
Figure 6: The Major Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 15
Figure 7: The Blues Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 16
Figure 8: Blues Licks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 17
Lesson 8: 12-Bar Solo
Figure 9: 12-Bar Solo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . page 18
Lesson 9: 12-Bar Jam
Closing Comments
2
Figure 1: Tuning The 3-String Guitar (1 5 1)
Standard Tuning For The 6-String Guitar
6 5 4 3 2 1
E A D G B E
1 5 1 Tunings for the 3-String CBG
Using Different Strings From a Standard Set
E Tuning
Using Strings
654
G Tuning
Using Strings
543
3 2 1
E B E
3 2 1
G D G
E Major Scale
G Major Scale
E
F# G#
A
B
C#
D#
E
G
A
B
C
D
E
F#
G
1
2
4
5
6
7
1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
1
3
Notes:
1. Guitar strings are designed to have a certain amount of tension in standard tuning.
2. Too loose and they will be sloppy. They will buzz and not project well.
3. Too tight and they will break or put too much tension on the neck.
4. Therefore, we choose the strings and tuning somewhere near standard tuning. You can tune them up or
down a whole step without problems.
3
This page left blank to avoid page turning on the Figures
4
Figure 2: Steady Bass
Lick #1 Steady Bass
E
B
E
4
4
0
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
Lick #2 Pinch On One
3
0
0
0
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
1
0
2
0
3
0
4
0
3
0
4
Lick #3 Add A Syncopated Note
5
0
0
0
1
0
2
&
0
0
3
0
4
0
0
1
0
2
&
Lick #4 Rag Lick
7
0
0
0
0
0
1
&
0
0
0
2
&
0
3
0
4
0
1
&
0
2
&
0
3
0
4
Lick #5 Hammer On Lick
9
0
0
2
0 [H]
1
&
0
0
0
0
2
&
0
3
&
0
2
0 [H]
1
&
0
4
5
0
0
0
2
&
0
3
&
0
4
Figure 2: Steady Bass (cont.)
Lick #6 Banjo Roll
11
0
0
0
0
1
&
2
0
0
0
&
3
&
0
0
0
4
0
1
&
5
4
5
5
5
1
7
[S] 7
7
2
2
0
0
&
3
&
0
4
Lick 7: Ten Mile Stomp Lick
13
4
4
4
1
5
[S] 5
5
2
15
5
5
&
5
3
0
&
0
0
0
1
&
7
7
&
7
3
&
0
0
0
2
0
3 (4)
0
0
2
&
0
3
0
4
0
1
6
&
7
4
Figure 3: Licks
Lick #1
E
B
E
4 0 2
4
[H]
1 &
0
2
[S]
2
3
0
0
2
3 (4)
1
2
3 (4)
Lick #2
3
0
0 2
[H]
1 &
5
Lick #3
2
2
[S]
2
3 (4)
2
2
7
0
3
0
1
&
0
2
&
0
3
0
2
3 (4)
0
0
0
2
4
0
2
1
&
0
0
0
4
0
1
0
0
1
2
7
&
2
2
&
0
3
0
4
Figure 3: Licks (cont.)
9
0
11
0
0
0
[H]
0 2
0
0
0
[H]
0 2
0
0
0
[H]
0 2
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
15
0
0
0
13
-
Lick #4
0
0
2
[S]
0
0
2
[S]
0
0
0
0
17
0
0
0
3
0
3
0
3
0
0
0
0
2
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
[S]
0
8
2
0
0
Ten Mile Stomp
Part 1
E
B
E
2
4
4
0
0
0
0
2
0
0
2
0
0
0
2
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
[H]
0
2
0
0
0
[H]
0
2
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
4
0
[H] 0
0 2
0
0
2
4
[S]
0
0
2
[S]
0
0
4
0
2
[S]
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
2
2
2
0
0
Part 2
8
1
0
0
0
4
4
4
0
0
0
0
9
5
[S] 5
5
5
5
5
5
Ten Mile Stomp (cont.)
10
5
5
5
7
[S] 7
7
12
7
0
7
7
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
0
0
4
4
4
5
[S] 5
5
0
0
5
5
5
5
1.
14
5
5
5
7
[S] 7
7
7
0
7
7
0
0
7
0
0
0
2
0
0
2.
16
0
0
0
0
0
0
18
0
0
12
12
12
10
2
12-Bar Blues Chord Progression
The 12-bar blues is 12 measures arranged in three sets of four measures each. The
following is a typical 12-bar progression (keep in mind there are plenty of variations on
this theme):
I
IV
V
IV
IV
IV
I
I
I
I
I
V
E
A
B
A
A
A
E
E
E
E
E
B
E major scale = E F# G# A B C# D# E
1 2 3 4 56 7 1
The following example is in the “call-response” format where the lyrics call out in the
first two measures and the guitar responds in the next two measures. The second line
is a repeat of the first. The first two bars of the third line are the conclusion, and the
last two bars are the turnaround.
Stranger Blues (Elmore James)
E
A
I’m a stranger here, just blowed into your
. . . . . . . . . . Verse = “call” . . . . . . . . . . .
E
E
town.
Response = fill
A
A
I’m a stranger here, just blowed into your
. . . . . . Repeat verse = “call” . . . . . . . . .
E
E
town.
Response = fill
B
A
If I ask you for a favor, please don’t turn me
. . . . . . . . . . . Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
E
B
down.
Turnaround
11
Stranger Blues
(Elmore James)
E
A
E
1. I’m a stranger here, I just blowed into your town.
2. Well, I wrote to my mama, send me some railroad fare.
3. Does my good gal know, does she know I'm here?
4. Well I wonder, why people treat a stranger so.
A
E
1. I’m a stranger here, I just blowed into your town.
2. I wrote to my mama, send me some railroad fare.
3. Does my good gal know, does she know I'm here?
4. Yes I wonder, why people treat a stranger so.
B
A
E
B
1. If I ask you for a favor, please don’t turn me down.
2. But if my mama don’t send it, I don’t mind walking there.
3. Well, if she does, She sure don't seem to care.
4. They’re gonna’ find out, You reap just what you sew.
12
Figure 4: I IV and V Chords
I = Open Guitar
3
5
IV = Bar at 5th Fret
7
V = Bar at 7th Fret
9
I = Bar at 12th Fret
12
15
17
19
21
13
Figure 5: 12-Bar Licks
Lick #1
E
B
E
¼
4
4
1
2
3
0
0
2 [B]
4
0
1
2
3
4
Lick #2
3
0
1
4
2
&
3
3
&
0
0
2
4
0
0
1
&
&
0
2
0
3
4
2
3
4
2
3
4
&
Lick #3
5
7
9
1
6
8
5
4
5
7
2
&
3
&
4
&
1
12
12
12
12
11
12
12
10
12
12
9
2
&
3
&
4
&
1
Lick #4
7
1
14
Figure 6: The Major Scale
12345671
Tuning = E B E (1 5 1)
5
= Root
2
6
2
3
7
3
3
4
5
4
7
5
2
5
9
6
3
6
4
7
7
5
12
2
6
2
3
7
3
15
17 4
4
19 5
2
5
21 6
3
6
15
Figure 7: The Blues Scale
1 b3 4 (b5) 5 b7 1
Tuning = E B E (1 5 1)
5
= Root
b5
3 b3
5
7
b7
b3
4
4
b5
b5
5
5
b3
9
b7
4
b7
b5
12
5
15 b3
b7
b3
4
17 4
b5
b5
19 5
5
b3
21
16
= Blue Note
Figure 8: Blues Licks
Lick #1 Major Sound
E
B
E
4
4
0
0
2 0 2
1
2
6 5 6 1
0
0
5
5
4
3
2
2
0
1
Lick #2 Minor Sound
4
0
0
3 0 3
1
2
b7 5 b7 1
0
0
5
5
3
b3
0
1
0
1
15
b3
12
1
12
1
Lick #3 (Lick # 2 an octave higher)
7
12
12
15 12 15
1
b7 5 b7 1
1
11
12
[S]
5
12
5
Lick #4
10
14
14
11
12
12
2
2
7
5
12
14
[S]
6
14 12
15
6 5 b3
1
17
12
1
Figure 9: 12-Bar Solo
E (I)
E
B
E
4
4
A (IV)
12
12
15 12
[P]
15
1
11
[S]
E (I)
12
12
15
12
E (I)
3
¼
12.
2
0
[B]
A (IV)
5
A (IV)
12
12
15 12
[P]
15
1
11
[S]
12
E (I)
12
15
12
14 12
[P]
15
E (I)
7
¼
12.
2
0
B (V)
9
14
A (IV)
14
11
12
12
12
[S]
14
E (I)
11
E (I)
7
9
6
8
5
7
4
5
12
18