Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Blues Phrasing Mini-Series (1 of 3) Easy 4 note box – EP311

Description

This is Part 1 (of 3) of a blues phrasing mini-series for guitar. If you’ve ever struggled with not knowing what to do with all of the scales and information that you’ve learned for guitar, this mini-series will be perfect for you. It’s designed to give you some essential tools to get you improvising right away. This lesson focuses on a very simple 4 note box that can be played in both minor and major pentatonic scale to give you a lot of variety from just a few easy to play notes.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  7. Matt Blues says

    Bravo Brain, this is what a lot of us newer members need simple but informative. We struggle with some of the more advanced lessons and we never really master them. You have hit a new stride. Keep it up!!

  15. Steve B says

    I love these style of lessons Brian and you are the best teacher out there for this type of thing.

    I think my mind works in a way where I feel that I need to know every scale in every position and the full CAGED system before I can attempt to play anything with confidence. This lesson shows that it is really not the case. Start small and work your way up. It is like learning a new language. You would not try to learn a whole conversation before learning the basics such as numbers, dates, directions and greetings.

    Simply brilliant and already looking forward to parts 2 and 3.

  17. Mike R says

    Thanks Brian, this one is just as powerful as EP251 which also deals with just 4 note leads. This type of simple phrasing over a few chords is really making me more of a thinking guitar player.

  31. Cardo says

    I’m a long time subscriber and this is just what I needed to help my blues lead improvising. As you have often stressed it’s not about the speed or complexity of your playing as it is being able to effectively express yourself. Sometimes less is more, especially with the blues.

  36. Brian K says

    These short but informative lessons every once in a while are a breath of fresh air. Thank you! Most everyone can benefit from this lesson….kick back and start making some of their own music….w just 5 notes. It’s so nice to be able to get through a lesson in one sitting.

    Cant thank you enough Brian for what you do for your playing community.

  38. Jack W says

    Brian,
    I’ve been trying for years to mix the major and minor pentatonic patterns, break out of the pentatonic boxes, and change keys dynamically. For me, this is just what I needed! I so appreciate your brilliant teaching, thoughtful methodology & slow and fast backing tracks, and Soundslice tablature. I can’t wait for the next lessons in the series.
    All the best, Jack

  41. guitarmanny says

    Hey Brian,Your right it is “A a’ha moment” just going down memory lane I’ve seen those 4 note’s in different times(EP’S),anyway find work and I thank you so much for being a great music teacher I glad I found your web page,3 yrs member.

  43. Ken R says

    Brian great lesson I have had trouble with phrasing never sounds like the blues to me this should get me on the right track .

    Thank you

    Ken R Perth . Western Australia

  44. Tom D says

    This is a simple exercise that is easy to remember and demonstrates the use of both the minor and major pentatonic scales when improvising. My problem is inventing a good instantaneous riff when playing. I can jam along with a 12 bar blues backing track and play a lot of notes that are all in tune, but lack feeling. i.e. they are all in both pentatonic scales. Maybe if I concentrate more on the chords as well as the scales. I used to have it once, but I fear I have lost it. Maybe I should listen to more blues music.

  45. Edwin D says

    Brian
    Thank you for creating this lesson. It is a brilliant lesson for the novice. I too would like to know how you played the rhythm part as well. I can play it until you get to the C and I’m lost.

  47. Geof C says

    Looking forward to more lessons from the start of your own guitar journey that you may have overlooked before. Great insight for someone new to jam tracks and lead licks.

  48. Nigel M says

    Fantastic lesson, I’m having a lot of fun with this. Great for working on string bending and vibrato. I’m looking forward to parts 2 and 3 to build on this and start improvising.

  49. David L says

    Thanks Brian…. I really like this approach, and the resulting enthusiastic anticipation of Parts ll and lll.

    It’s a really effective and enjoyable way of teaching/learning for me. It’s grabbed me in such a way that I’m committed to getting this ‘under my fingers’ before Part ll comes winging it’s way to my Inbox! (This is different to what is often my more ‘prevaricating’ approach!)

    All the best, Brian… and thanks again.

  53. Mark C says

    Thanks, Brian. Great lesson.

    Can you do a lesson on controlling unwanted strings? Sometimes even after years I also hit the G when playing the B string— etc.,on an electric. How do you minimize that? Thanks. Mark

  55. Slackpica says

    I just want to assure all the people who may be undecided whether to sign up for full membership. Get it Now! You won’t regret it at all. The content and courses are worth every penny. If you only went thru one course it pays for itself and then you have all the other content to take at your leisure. Great stuff and awesome training and info about how to set guitar and amp for best results. 🎸🤘😎

  58. Geoffrey C says

    I love these comments, and sunjamr nailed it! (Less memorizing, more playing. Nothing could be better!)

    Brian, thank you! Please do a few more like this. Once I get through these 3, I’ll be ready for more!

  61. Ralph M says

    Another great lesson.

    Generally I owe a big thanks to this site as my playing as well as my understanding of the guitar as an instrument has increased significantly since signing up. Playing the guitar is fun again.

    Greetings from Austria, Ralph

    • Rick C says

      A combination of a palm mute, and dropping of bend tension, will kill a note at at the top of the bend.

      This lesson really challenges my counting. I’ve played for way too long w/o counting.

  63. Steve N says

    Hello Brian,
    Simplicity in all of its musical glory! At first I was busy playing the tablature getting a sense of the fingerings and rhythmic feel. Then I viewed the actual notes and the light went on — that you are starting and ending a phrasing on the note the key is in,, e.g. A, D., except when transitioning to another key. Knowing this help my improvising as it served as a guide to the start and ending of a phrase. So long as I came home to the key note, it improved the sound of whatever I played.

  68. donna p says

    Thank you so much for the PRINT function on the full screen mode viewer!!!!!!!
    I could never get the margins right when I tried printing the sheets – now it’s easy-peasy:)

    thanks alot, Brian.
    Donna

  69. Phil D says

    Hi Brian. You make it look so easy, as always.
    A question though. You use that 4 note Aminor pentatonic box over the IV chord, and the Bminor pentatonic box over the V chord. How come that still works, and why do it? (ie why not use the D major pentatonic box over the IV chord and the E major pentatonic box over the V chord?)

  70. Henry Y says

    Great lesson. What a great idea to take the “thinking out of the equation” so we can just concentrate on trying to be creative. One of the baby steps that will get us to another level.

  74. George I says

    So Brian… if I am jamming with another instrument that is locked into a certain key, like the Native American flute, and I am playing a guitar chord progression in the key of G, would the flute play nicely in Gm or Em? Either? Both? I am thinking that since the flute only plays minor pentatonic, that Em would best work with G on guitar.

  75. Zoltan N says

    This is absolutely incredible stuff!

    Brian you are one of the best teacher I’ve ever come across!
    Thank you for all these great lesson.
    I particularly like the finger style delta blues lesson, being a bass player I can appreciate the learning of the finger style on the acoustic guitar.

  78. Dan J says

    I have mostly been a rhythm and fingerstyle guitar player and recently signed up for ActiveMelody because I want to learn how to play lead and improvise. I am trying to take some of your lessons and match them to what I’m learning about scale patterns and the four note box on the G and B strings doesn’t seem to match the scale patterns I’m learning. Can you please tell me what I’m getting confused about? Which scale and pattern is this using? Whatever pattern it is using, it seems to work and sounds great! It’s just not clicking for me as to why it works.

    • Dan J says

      Sorry, I didn’t have my reading glasses on — they were on the D and G strings. So, to answer my question, that four note box on D and G strings can be used for pattern 1, 2, 3 and 5 depending on key and position on neck. For frets 2 and 4 in key of A, that would be position 1 of the A Major Scale and the focus is on the A note?

  80. Charles P says

    well, I think it’s time I look for an electric. Brian, have you played any of the Squire guitars from fender? I can’t see dropping the cash for a Fender Stratocaster, as I’m not going to start playing out. But it’s so hard to bend the strings on my Takamine acoustic, and I swear the frets seem further apart. Anyone have a recommendation for a decent electric??

  87. Bruce H says

    i was recently introduced to the 4 note box but this helps me take it to a whole new (and more fun) level! i was humming this lesson in the shower. there is so much clarity in how you present things.

  89. Kerry S says

    I’m playing this on an acoustic and it is difficult to get a full bend. He briefly mentions just sliding up two frets to get this full bend sound. I don’t want to get in a bad habit but not sure how else to get the correct note without doing it this way. Especially in the first position A.

  90. Todd B says

    Love this and all your lessons. Got to the tab viewer part and it is very small. I see that is says it is available full screen and just click the gear icon. I know what a gear icon looks like, but have been looking for it for an hor and do not see one. Have clicked every button there is. I can make Brian playing full screen but then the tab goes away. ????

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