How to play guitar like Jimmie Vaughan

[Bars 1-4] The concept at work in our first Vaughan-inspired study is to punctuate each C minor pentatonic phrase (C Eb F G Bb) with a harmonically appropriate C9 chord voicing. This is surprisingly difficult to do, especially at this tempo, so make sure you kick things off at a manageable pace and turn up the heat as your accuracy and coordinating comes together.

[Bars 5-8] Continuing along similar lines, here our harmonic sequence shifts to the expected IV chord (F9) before returning to the I in bar 7. We add the b5 into the single-note mix to create what is commonly known as the 'blues scale' (R b3 4 b5 5 b7) although this is far from the only melodic device used within the blues idiom. What we do get with these notes, however, is all the fun of pentatonic with a sense of extra dissonance, tension and bluesy grit so you should definitely familiarise yourself with this set of melodic intervals.

[Bars 9-12] More 'blues scale' action here in bars 9-10, along with a shift to a more chord-tone based soloing approach in the final two measures. It's important to watch how Vaughan 'boxes-in' the strongest notes of our underlying C7 tonic chord (C E G Bb), albeit in single-note form – a simple but highly effective improvisational device in many forms of music and not just blues phrasing.

[Bars 1-4] Simple, direct and bold statements are the order of the day for our second solo study. don't be afraid of space (Jimmie certainly isn't) and don't forget to clamp a capo onto the 1st fret so that our open string pull-offs are now in the key of F. From a notes perspective, it's F minor pentatonic all the way (F Ab Bb C Eb).

[Bars 5-8] Here we see how Jimmie expertly combines the first and second forms of minor pentatonic scale, the E minor and the D minor shapes along with a selection of open string-fretted note unisons. Melodic lines of this nature originate from the Mississippi delta region and date right back to the origins of the blues genre.

[Bars 9-12] We conclude our first 12-bar chorus with a simple, though effective, descending phrase derived from the F 'blues scale' (F Ab Bb Cb C Eb), maintaining interest through multiple repetitions by rhythmically placing the phrase at varying points within each bar. Clever stuff!

[Bars 13-16] Jimmie is equally adept at horizontal and vertical motion whilst negotiating pentatonic scales and here we see him in horizontal mode. Vaughan breathes life into our old friend, the minor pentatonic, with a choice selection of slides and bends.

[Bars 17-20] As Jimmie is going in the 'fingerstyle' direction, he really needs to use pull-of s and hammer-ons when he wants to turn up the pace when soloing. It's not that easy to alternate pick across the strings with one finger, although Jimmie sometimes tremolo picks on one string using his second finger. Here we see how he might negotiate some rapid pull-off s derived from, you guessed it, the minor pentatonic scale of F!

[Bars 21-24] Here's that tremolo picking technique. For the C note in bar 21 Jimmie flicks his second finger back and forth across the string, resting for support and balance by placing his thumb either on the bass strings, the guitar body or the top edge of the neck. Yet more rhythmic ingenuity in bar 22, with a clever triplet comprised six-against-four figure, before a couple of well-placed 9th chords bring our study to a close.