Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Blues Rhythm and Lead Guitar Lesson – LEG007

Description

I asked the question on Facebook what type of lesson should I create next? And a few people responded that they would like a lesson on how to make a more interesting rhythm, by mixing in some lead licks at the same time. I grabbed my guitar and came up with a really cool way to play a slow blues rhythm / lead part in the key of A. This is a combination of various artists licks including Eric Clapton and Albert King. The nice thing about learning how to play this way is that you can play all by yourself and sound good – without the need for someone else to accompany you. I’m not much of a singer, so if I’m sitting around the house playing, I find myself playing this style a lot because it sounds good on it’s own – no singers required.This lesson has no jam track or tablature (I simply didn’t have time to create them), so you’ll have to watch the video to learn the parts. If you get stuck or need further clarification with anything, leave a comment on this page and I’ll respond.

Blues Solo Guitar Lesson - No Accompaniment

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Comments

  1. Eddie Wilson says

    Great Lesson Brian!!!!  and It Gave me Help on a song I was Allready working on Cuz I Dont Sing eather lolol . Love This and Thanks For a great lesson. Eddie.

  2. Brian says

    Yeah, it’s always hard when you’re not a singer and you pick up a guitar because people just sort of assume that you’re going to play and sing something.  So through the years I’ve had to learn how to play things that don’t require a vocal.

  3. Eddie Wilson says

    LOLOL Thats True But its Harder When your Doing Blues and Rock Leads with a 12 String Acoustic Guitar> Somethings Just Dont work with it but if was easy I Woulndt do it lol.Your Lessons AllWays Help me and Give me Good Ideas on what to add. If we were closer i would Love to have you as a teacher. Just cuz I Love the way you Play Nice and sweet with something to say.Keep Up the Great Work Brian you Are the Best online teacher There is.. Eddie.

  4. demmykro says

    Phenomenal teacher, that’s what you are brother. I cannot wait for you new lesson. Your lessons have taught me to play the guitar. You will never know how grateful I am to you…..
    Demmy from Livermore CA (near SF)

  8. Warren2j says

    I agree with all the above. Solo rhythm/lead lessons are great when you are alone to practice . Bring on some more! Thanks and I ‘m passing you along to all my FB !

  11. StreakyPete says

    I agree with the above comments - a really good helpful lesson.
    At first I thought I wouldn’t get it, but after re-watching the lesson a few times, I can now play it pretty seamlessly.
    Thanks Brian

  13. freebee says

    Excellent teaching style!
    As a beginner this lesson is the perfect side track from the scales / chords drills. It opened my eyes to the fact that speed is much less important than voice and phrasing.
    I needed to learn a song that would keep my from getting discouraged with my poor chord skills…. Well Done Brian and THANKS !!

  14. john123 says

    HEY BRIAN HAD TO TURN OFF THE PACKERS AFTER COULDNT TAKE THE PAIN ANY MORE!!!  I LOVE THIS LESSON THAT SLIDE YOU DO FROM 3RD FRET TO 5TH AND SAID ITS KIND OF JAZZY FEEL THAT MADE ME THINK MAY BE YOU COULD GET INTO SOME LIGHT JAZZ AT SOME POINT THAT WOULD BE VERY INTERESTING ALSO JUST A THOUGHT FROM JOHNNY123 KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!!

  15. john123 says

    hey brian still working on this great lesson did you think about that idea i had about doing some jazz riffs ,i think people would really enjoy it thanks again keep up the good work your buddy jonny 123

  17. txfldtone says

    Hey, Brian, I would love to know or see the set up you are using on your blues lessons.  Do you have anything on line about that?  Obviously, your guitar is a nice Gibson of the ES335 genre.  The amp sounds like a Fender with some fairly thick reverb, but I think I detect a hint of supplemental growl, perhaps from some sort of distortion box.  Anyway, it sounds great!  Thanks.

  18. tommc says

    Thanks for a very thourgh lesson.  One suggestion, after all the slow detail, it would be helpful if you played the whole thing trough at tempo at the end just to tie it all together.

  19. DrGolf says

    Hey Brian,

    Brilliant lesson!  Never thought I would be able to play something like this and it has been the most difficult thing for me to learn so far, particularly as you have to keep time yourself.  However, the new Tele Deluxe has been put to a lot of hard work.  The interesting thing I find is that I really struggle to start with, break it down into small segments and keep trying for hours.  Next day I sit down and it all comes together with no stress - amazing.  You have done some great rhythm lessons but wonder if you could do some “comping” techniques sometime?  I often see rhythm players in the background going up and down the neck during a song with chords and it is so much more interesting than strumming and shuffling!  Really looking forward to the next premium lesson! Sorry about the long comment but you have made a huge improvement in my guitar playing and I get carried away.  Won’t do it again!

    Dr Golf

  20. Brian says

    Dr Golf, glad to hear the Telecaster is working well for you.  There is simply no better thing on this planet than a great sounding / playing guitar, one that you’re really proud of.  Out of all of the things that I’ve ever owned (houses, cars, etc.) - my most prized possessions are my guitars and banjos.  I know instinctively that if my house ever caught fire, they would be the first thing that I’d try to get first. 

    I like your comping suggestion a lot - because I’ve received many requests on that very thing.  How to play more interesting rhythms up and down the neck - so I definitely feel another lesson or two coming on to address this very issue.

    I hope all is well with your health and that your guitar playing is bringing you joy to see you through the rough patches.

  21. DrGolf says

    Hi Brian,

    As well as being a great teacher you are a very nice person. Can’t imagine other teachers sending such personal replies.

    Glad to spark you off on the comping idea.  Do a premium lesson - I’ll buy it! If you ever cross the pond my wife and I will give you a place to rest your head! 

    The Tele is better than I could have imagined - great sound, great sustain and the smoothest neck I have played.

    Thanks for everything,

    Dr Golf

  22. luch_handt says

    Brian, hey thanks for a great lesson. It’s so cool to be able to comprehend a lesson in guitar. Your the greatest, thanks for being an instructor that I can follow. I’m really having a great time with guitar.

  24. JazzySammy says

    Hey Brian … I bought a Suzuki hollow body (similar in style to your Gibson) and a Roland Jazz Chorus over 30 years ago. Long story short … I never learned how to play. 

    Your site is fantastic and was the kick in the butt I needed to learn.  You have a gift for explaining things in simple terms and your video quality is excellent.

    I will buy your new lesson as soon as you post it!!!

    I am interested in learning the blues.  I was thinking about a new guitar and amp.  Any suggestions?

    Cheers

  25. Brian says

    JazzySammy - a good guitar for the money to get back in the swing of things would be a Fender Strat MIM (or made in Mexico) - those usually run somewhere around the $400 price point and are excellent guitars for the money.  As for an amp - just get a little practice amp, Vox or Fender make some great quality small amps.

  28. bobdeans says

    This lesson was really helpful. Thanks Brian. I love the feeling you put into your playing.
    I read on one of your posts that you learned to play along with The Ventures. Have you considered doing a lesson on that style of playing?

  30. billy b says

    This is a relly good website I have learned alot in one day and I just joined yesterday and its free what a deal its the best I’ve found on the web trust me I’ve looked at 100s of sites and it’s the best I’ve found bill B

  31. DrGolf says

    Hi billy b,

    Too right. It is good.  I recommend the Blues Lead Guitar Premium course too. (Don’t worry I’m not a family member)

    There’s been another course being pushed at the moment which I bought some time ago and it is more expensive and less helpful that this one.

    Good luck.

    Dr Golf

  35. romo1948@yahoo.com says

    I love it!! You have a talent for presentation and I like listening to your music!  I had not picked up a guitar for 50 years but I recently bought one to help me keep my brain active since I seem to be slipping a little.  My grandson pointed out to me that I can get lessons on the web.. I’ve watched many videos but I think now I’ve found a home.  This is much better than crossword puzzles. I see a lick in your lesson from the Allman Bros “Stormy Monday” I’ve been trying to duplicate. I do love bluesy music.. Albert King, Gary Moore, Lynyrd Skynyrd etc. I like yours too (maybe better). To me blues just doesn’t sound bluesy when played by the shredder wannabees.  I wish I would have found this site earlier. I’m buying the Jimi Hendricks rhythm lesson.. that sounded beautiful.

  37. Brian says

    Ok, between DrGolf and romo1948 I now have 2 new slogans for ActiveMelody. 

    ActiveMelody.com : Much Better Than Crossword Puzzles!

    ActiveMelody.com:  Tapping is for plumbers

    🙂

  38. DrGolf says

    Hey Romo,

    I hope Brian doesn’t mind me answering you but I have a piece of software called JamVox which enables you to upload CD’s and backing tracks and slow them down whilst keeping the same pitch (you don’t have to re-tune your guitar all the time).  I pop Brian’s backing tracks into the machine, slow them down so that I can learn to play and then gradually speed them up again.  It makes you feel less inadequate. You can also use dozens of combinations of amps and effects pedals and play them through your own amp.  Very clever.  Its not the only one on the market but I have found it very helpful.  Get the latest Clapton, upload it, work out the key and the chords and off you go. I’m going to hint to Brian to do some of the cheeky laid back little solos and rhythms that J J Cale and Clapton have done together (Road to Escondido and Back Home are two good examples)whenever he gets a minute to do them. We could keep him working full time but his wife and kids might not be too pleased.

    All the best,

    Dr Golf

  39. romo1948@yahoo.com says

    I am happy to contribute something… On another “Note”.. I’m having trouble with the timing on this tune.  I can’t pick the riffs fast enough and I get lost between chord changes.  Any tips for “Picking” up finger speed?  I do practice scales but still to slow to “Pull off” this song.  Thanks much!

  40. romo1948@yahoo.com says

    Thanks for the tip.. you can email me directly at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)/*= 0){out += unescape(l[i].replace(/^ss*/, '&#'));}while (--j >= 0){/**/if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_nGtwXoLalr')){el[j].innerHTML = out;}}/*]]>*/ with any helpful hints.  I appreciate any information.

    I still want to develop a practice program with which I can measure progress.  I feel like I’m spinning my wheels in a lot of areas. I’m 69 yo and if I’m going to become a rock star I need to do in the next 10 years or so. ;)  I want to jump on that “Fast Track”.  Thanks and best regards.
    I’m happy with the blues.

  41. A. Minor says

    Just heaping on more praise. This lesson was just done so clearly and didn’t feel rushed. Your tone was so beautiful. Will you be posting the tab for this one?

    Very much appreciate what you’re doing and hope to buy some of your premium content. Keep up the great work. Alex

  42. Ollie says

    That is a really great lesson Brian!
    I tried to relate it to the scales and respective extensions and it makes things really clear to me. If you know your scale, you pretty much make sense of what you explain. Maybe few notes towards the end that are out of the blues scale, but it actually sounds great!
    Anyway, this is great fun to play and really have fun!
    Thanks a lot!

  43. gwalsh55 says

    Hi Brian. This lesson is really helping with learning the first two boxes, plus it really sounds cool! Any chance you could find the time to tab it. Your appreciative students minions would really appreciate it!

  44. jkbull says

    Hey Brian, I watched some of your stuff on podcasts back in 2010 so I decided to look for your site again. Glad I did and glad to see you’re still teaching guitar lessons. You’ve got a true gift for teaching. Keep it up.

  45. Neiles335 says

    Really good one Brian….love this style, much more ineresting and fun especially when you are playing olone as i do. Gives you a better command of the fretboa tord too.  I’d really like to see an intro jazz style lesson or two if you could manage it…

  47. Auntdoody says

    Hi Brian, Love this lesson. As a solo player,meaning one who accompanies themselves singing,the is very pertinent to me. You could do a premium course whith this in mind.Like how to embellish with lead fills based on the chord your on.I know I’d buy it. 🙂

  49. DaveS says

    That was a great lesson Brian, never thought I could follow
    these lessons, but hey, I am playing along with your video, can’t
    believe it. You explain it well, so easy to follow, took a bit of time but got there in the end. Cheers.

  50. Jose Pedro says

    Hello Brian this one is the first time that I inform of this forum, you are an excellent teacher, some possibility exists that you write this lesson in tablature? Thank you very much

    From Uruguay

        Jose Pedro Carlero

            Bye

  51. Mr. Gasoline says

    Superb lesson Brian.  It unlocks a few basic ideas that open whole new vistas of understanding.  Thank you for your patient friendliness - top-flight teaching skills.

  52. Mr. Gasoline says

    Excellent lesson !  Quick question.  In measures 10 and 9 ( the jazzy chord pair) my understanding is that the first three strings on the seventh fret ( measure nine) and the first three strings on the fifth fret (measure 10) are involved.  I don’t see either an E note in this array at fret 7 or a D note at fret five - are these notes implied somehow or are the chord names not E and D but simply nice sounding related chords?

  53. Lulu Maude says

    Wonderful! I can come back again and again and work on getting the notes and the feeling. Your site is a godsend. I used to go to lessons and forget some aspect of the piece, get overwhelmed, and give up. This format is perfect for me, and your presentation skills are the best.

    Many thanks.

  58. Benno_62 says

    Thanks once more, Brian! This is really great fun to learn and play, especially when combined with your grand five-patterns-blues-course (‘Blues Lead Guitar Course’) that goes into details and secrets. Very indtructive and helpful. I´m here in the right place at the very right time, I guess.
    Take care, Benno.

  59. big mark says

    great little ditty bein a lefty and not having played in 35 years i used to have an epiphone coronet till my brother broke the neck then i had to play all my buddies upside down and strung right handed now having to learn all over the left handed way you take time to show how to do it where you don’t insult folks. it’s like a mirror imagr if your playin left handed. thanks for the excellent way you teach

  60. SGZBluesBoy says

    Estoy muy agradecido por esta lección. Me ayudo bastante con el tema de composición que mucho no me salía. Espectacular, muchas gracias. 🙂

  62. Cooley Reese says

    when I was young and went to church with my family the church would take up two collections. The first one was for the Lord and the second one was to pay my father and I not to sing. I am doing Brians Blues lead course and I find that these little blues songs help me in learning and also keeps me from getting bored with scales.

  64. tronus53 says

    Your lessons are really good; I get something useful from every one.  But by the time you get done explaining the origin of the riff, I’ve forgotten where you were.  Perhaps it would be better to either make those explanations prior to the lesson, or after, so as not to break up the continuity of the lesson…

  66. vernedge says

    Thanks Brian At 84 years old I,m really learning stuff, I guess I always knew, but didn’t know how to use it. REALLY good stuff.  Vern Edgerton

  73. ochomarvo says

    Saw your comment on the mim strat.  I have a 1993 MIM strat and that is all I play electrically. I love it and will never sell it. I’ve had seasoned veterans want to buy it, but I won’t. I’ve learned everything on this and I’ll be buried with it :-)

  75. moosie says

    Hi Brian,

    I’m just now looking at this older lesson, and I found that the tab linked on the page is not this music that’s being played. It’s the tab for the video you posted on 2010-05-14.

    Any chance of getting the tab for this lesson?

    Thanks.
    -joe

  77. big a says

    brian this is not the right tab. just joined for a month. I really like the way you teach.I know this is an old lesson was going through and checking it out.Liked the feel of it.

    • Guillermo V says

      Brian, how are you doing mate? 🙂 Will be possible to add the video tab to this lesson? Because it’s amazing!! And some lesson about some blues like “Red house” or “Stormy Monday” by Cream would be amazing, there is a lot to learn in both songs.

      Thanks a lot in advance!!! 🙂

  81. slideguitar says

    Thanks Brian for this revision
    Now this document is consistent with video.
    A very good exercise to Blues solo without accompaniment.
    Kind regards

    Slide ( Michel )

  84. Biplab P says

    Thanks for sharing this. I’m currently working on the f# minor nocturne! they’re beautiful pieces.Don’t get me wrong, you have to be strong and confident to be successful in just about anything you do – but with music, there’s a deeper emotional component to your failures and successes. If you fail a chemistry test, it’s because you either didn’t study enough, or just aren’t that good at chemistry (the latter of which is totally understandable). But if you fail at music, it can say something about your character. It could be because you didn’t practice enough – but, more terrifyingly, it could be because you aren’t resilient enough. Mastering chemistry requires diligence and smarts, but mastering a piano piece requires diligence and smarts, plus creativity, plus the immense capacity to both overcome emotional hurdles, and, simultaneously, to use that emotional component to bring the music alive.
    Before I started taking piano, I had always imagined the Conservatory students to have it so good – I mean, for their homework, they get to play guitar, or jam on their saxophone, or sing songs! What fun! Compared to sitting in lab for four hours studying the optical properties of minerals, or discussing Lucretian theories of democracy and politics, I would play piano any day.

    But after almost three years of piano at Orpheus Academy, I understand just how naïve this is. Playing music for credit is not “easy” or “fun” or “magical” or “lucky.” Mostly, it’s really freakin’ hard. It requires you to pick apart your piece, play every little segment over and over, dissect it, tinker with it, cry over it, feel completely lame about it, then get over yourself and start practicing again. You have to be precise and diligent, creative and robotic. And then – after all of this – you have to re-discover the emotional beauty in the piece, and use it in your performance.

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