Blues & Rock Improvisation Course
Module 1
Who Is This For?
This Blues & Rock Improvisation course is ideal for guitarists who are new to improvisation or those who have already dipped their toes into improvisation but feel stuck, unsure how to progress, or find their solos sounding too “scale-based” rather than musical.
If you’ve learned a few pentatonic shapes but find yourself relying too heavily on Box 1, struggling to move freely around the fretboard, or unsure how to turn patterns into real, expressive music, this course is designed for you.
It’s also perfect if you want to build confidence using backing tracks, develop stronger phrasing and technique, and start connecting ideas across the neck so your improvisation begins to sound like real guitar solos rather than isolated exercises. By the end, you’ll have a clear, practical system for improvising with more confidence, creativity, and musical intent.
What You Will Learn
✅ Soloing over a 12-bar blues
✅ The pentatonic and blues scales
✅ How to change key
✅ Using licks in your solos
✅ How to use the major pentatonic scale
✅ Techniques: bends, slides, hammer-ons, vibrato, double stops
✅ Call and response phrasing
✅ How to approach your first blues jam
Whats Included?
This course includes 12 clear, jargon-free video lessons designed to take you step-by-step through the essentials of blues and rock improvisation. Each lesson is easy to follow, with practical explanations and printable resources to help you apply everything.
You’ll also get 7 downloadable backing tracks, the same ones James uses throughout the course, so you can practise at home and continue developing your ideas in a real musical context.
Alongside the lessons and backing tracks, you’ll gain a clear, structured pathway for what to focus on next, helping you understand exactly how to develop your solos and what you can add to make your playing sound more expressive, confident, and professional.
What You Will Get:
🔴 14 Step by step video lessons
🔴 Clear jargon free teaching designed to be easy to follow
🔴 Printable resources to aid your learning and practice
🔴 7 Downloadable backing tracks
🔴 A clear, simple plan of where to take your playing next
Meet Your Tutor
James has been teaching guitar for over 15 years and is the head of Kirklees Guitar School, which delivers over 200 lessons each week from its studio in Denby Dale.
Alongside his in-person teaching, he helps guitarists around the world through his YouTube channel and the Kirklees Guitar School Academy, focusing on practical, real-world playing.
As well as teaching, James is an in-demand session guitarist, performing with a variety of artists across the UK and Europe.
Martin Bown
If you are wondering about finding a place to learn guitar, wonder no more…..I cannot recommend James and his team highly enough!
Kate Pop
James is passionate about music and teaching guitar; his knowledge and expertise is second to none. I would highly recommend taking lessons
Dennis Micallef
James is a true master of his craft, and teaches in a way that few can.
KGS Academy
Members of the Kirklees Guitar School Academy receive free access to this course as part of their ongoing membership, along with full access to every other course in the academy library.
This means that as a member, you can work through a growing collection of lessons and resources at your own pace, continually developing your playing without any additional cost per course.
If you’d like to learn more about the academy and what’s included in membership, click the button below to find out more.
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Programs
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this course suitable for complete beginners?
This course is aimed at guitarists who already know a few basic chords and scale shapes. If you’ve started exploring the pentatonic scale but feel unsure how to turn it into real improvisation, this course will guide you step-by-step.
Do I need to be able to improvise already?
No you don’t need to be confident at improvising. The course is designed to take you from basic scale knowledge through to structured, musical soloing in a clear and simple way.
How long is the course?
The course contains 14 structured lessons that you can work through at your own pace. You can revisit the material as often as you like.
Do I get backing tracks?
Yes you’ll get 7 downloadable backing tracks used throughout the course so you can practise the same ideas you see in the lessons.
Will I learn actual solos?
Rather than focusing on copying full solos, this course teaches you how to create your own. You’ll learn the tools, phrasing, and techniques used by great players so you can build your own ideas.
What style of guitar is this for?
The course focuses on blues and rock improvisation, but the skills you learn can be applied across many styles including classic rock, Americana, and blues-based music.
How will this improve my playing?
You’ll learn how to move beyond scale shapes, develop stronger phrasing, add expression through technique, and start improvising in a more musical and confident way.
Can I access the course on mobile or tablet?
Yes the course is fully online and can be accessed on any device with an internet connection.
Do I keep access forever?
Yes once enrolled, you’ll have ongoing access to the course so you can revisit the lessons whenever you need.
Is there anything else included?
Yes printable resources are included to support your practice, along with a clear roadmap of what to work on next as you progress.