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Learn to play blues guitar.

Gypsy Jazz Lead Guitar Lesson – Understanding how to play the chord changes when improvising – EP502

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a Gypsy Jazz / Western Swing style lead that works on acoustic or electric guitar. Learn how to play over chord changes!

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2- For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

    • Mike G says

      “That’s how my fingers knew what to do. They were doing their own little dance down there, and my brain was trying to get out of the way.”

      I can’t be the only guitar player who understands this completely.

  11. Andre H says

    Love the different styles that are presented. on AM One week jam band, then it is blues, & now it’s gypsy jazz! As always the composition is great and that makes it really special in my view.

  14. Joe S says

    Thanks Brian, for letting me tag along with you on your musical journey! This is a fantastic lesson. I get something out of all of your lessons but lessons like these are the ones that take me to a new level of ability. I don’t know how you do it every week but I’m glad you do!

    • Keith P says

      I think he is using a series of secondary dominant chords to walk the from C chord in in measure 7 (the root of C Major scale) back to the G chord in measure 9 ( the root of G major scale). The twist is that instead of using D7 in measure 8 he has it notated as a D chord.

      Like he said in the video, instead of using an Am in measure 7, which would be the vi chord in C major, he borrowed the A major chord, but played it as an A7. The A7 is the V7 of the key of D, so that is why he used D in measure 8. I think he is implying the D as a D7, which would be the V7 of the key of G, which resolves back to the G in measure 9.

  20. Daniel H says

    Even when the lesson is way over my ability, I hang in there because Brian always includes some licks I can take away. I also appreciate the repetition of theory across all these lessons. Its finally sinking in. Thank you Brian. I think I will re-visit ep374 for a bit!

  22. Jimmy G says

    Great great lesson Brian. It’s a little more complexe than usual, but you explain it very clearly. I’m always struggling to write interesting chord progressions to get away from the traditional I IV V. You gave a lot of great tips in that lesson. Same thing with the explanation on the dorian, phrygian and mixolydian modes in relation to the major scale. It’s a lot clearer for me now.
    I must admit that I was skeptical when I saw the title of this lesson but I learned a lot of theory and enjoy playing it although outside of my usual style. It’s good to get outside of our comfort zone sometimes.
    Keep up the good work and no need to apologize.

  25. Rollover33 says

    Hello Brian, I love gypsy jazz so much that I bought a gypsy guitar a few years ago… (which remains a whim at my level). Here’s a good opportunity to have her play. This first day I manage to play half at 80%… Your composition is really excellent because it brings out the harmonic particularities of this really exciting style!
    Have a nice week to all ActiveMelody guitarists!!!

  26. Michael M says

    Yes…Django! I really have enjoyed your last two lessons (501, 502). Love your mostly stand alone acoustic blues and jazzier compositions. This 502 lesson, if I invest the time, will probably teach me quite about about finding single notes within the chords. Which is exactly what my instructor is working with me on. Really good stuff here. Thqnks!

  29. Ian M says

    A lesson such as this makes me particularly glad I’m a member. I’ve always wanted to attempt Django style but it sounds much easier than it actually is to play. Thank you so much, Brian!

  30. Robert Burlin says

    Following and practicing your lessons every week for a few years now
    has made it so this lesson is not that hard as you say. I wonder if other members feel that too.
    So, with that in mind can you be inspired to do something that is meant to be difficult and
    can really be a challenge?
    The way you teach even a beginner will get something out of it.
    The newness of every weeks lesson brings me such joy and fun, Thanks for that Brian

  32. jaimeiniesta says

    Hi again Brian, I’ve been working today on this song and I think it’s a fantastic lesson. The theory behind it is complicated for me but I’ll get it. Playing, a bit slower, is not so difficult and the song is fun to play.

    I’d like to know more about gipsy jazz, maybe you could make a lesson on the rhythm techniques?

  34. klox says

    Hi Brian,

    Great lesson, don’t apologise for its complexity.

    I agree that you used a Secondary Dominant chord technique throughout to transit to in-key chords. And from bar 14 could you not also call the sequence of 7ths just following the circle of 5ths to reach the tonic chord (G) ?
    Thanks

  37. James S says

    All the lead stuff is fantastic, but I have to wonder again if this lesson wouldn’t have been more useful and certainly more accessible if you’d kept the chord progression simpler. The progression in the first four bars is plenty interesting and would have allowed ample opportunity for exploring G major scale licks.

    Then to keep more advanced people happy you could have varied the progression in the second lesson but still offered a jam track with the easier progression so that people practicing the G Major licks wouldn’t have to be constantly trying to remember, is this where he goes to the C minor for half a bar, etc.

  38. Rex D says

    Love it. I’ve admired Django’s deft touch for 50 years since I was first exposed to his music.
    Thanks for all the great lessons you’ve given us over the years but this a real sweet one.

  41. Norman D says

    This lesson made the modes on the key of G suddenly relate to the different scale patterns up the neck. I found myself feeling my way from note to note without looking at the fretboard, not playing your tune verbatim but in the spirit of the number. It was so easy it was scary. Especially never having played in this style. Yes, TMI if you get paralysis by analysis while trying to play but a great project to spend time on if you slow way down and consider the theory —-which we all should devote a chunk of time to. I sure will.

  42. Hal D says

    This is a great lesson and lots of fun to play. This style is new for me but I could play it all day. Thanks for talking through the key changes and how to understand what we are doing. At the end of the day, as you say, you have to put your brain to the side and let the fingers play. I am working on that muscle memory but I am getting there. Keep it coming.

    PS – Love the references to Jerry Garcia. You had me on Shop of Fools last week but really got me with the little chromatic lick. Brings back the memories. …

  45. Ken E says

    Great lesson Brian! Immediately brought me back (DEJA-VU) to lessons ep004, ep005, and ep006!
    You can essentially meld this lesson ep502 right in with them!
    Any chance you could add tabulature for the rhythm of ep502 similar to ep006?

  49. Bennet F says

    Any chance you might do a lesson on the rhythm guitar that is in the jam track for this one? That would be a nice tie-up, I think, and give some good practice with rhythm and syncopation.

    Just a thought.

  50. Abraham O says

    YES. I’ve been a member for a couple of years now and I’ve been hoping for this exact lesson. Certainly a stretch for me skill/theory-wise, but very excited to dig into this one. Thank you!!

  51. Christopher T says

    I have a question. I think I get the modal thing in the discussion at the beginning of the lesson. That is, the idea of playing the Gmaj scale over top of non-G chords while emphasizing the root note of each non-G chord in the progression. But, interestingly, if you look at the melody, it doesn’t really work out this way? That is, over the 4 measures of Bm>Bbm, there isn’t a B note to be found. Similarly, over the 4 measures of Am, there is an A, but it’s certainly not emphasized, and the same is true of the 4 measures of D7.

    I realize that I’m being a bit of robot about this, but I’m curious about how you guys think of it. If you slowed things down a bit, and ask me to just try improvising by playing the Gmaj scale over top of the progression, I’d be hammering away at B during the Bm7 chord, A during the Am, and so on. And when I do this it sounds pretty ugly. 🙂

    Not meant to be a criticism of the lesson, which I’m finding very useful.

  54. Pete S says

    As brilliant and as enthusiastic as always. Even when it’s all new and difficult, how can one resist hanging in there with Brian? Regardless of the topic he brings the same energy to each lesson, like it is lesson one, not lesson 500plus! Much appreciated, Brian. A whole new genre to explore

  55. Kenneth S says

    Hey Brian…

    What a fantastic lesson! Gypsy is such a great (and versatile) style of play. Once again, you break down the lines with the theory that makes it so easy to understand. Will be a challenge getting up to speed, but the I already have found the theory/thinking applicable with some of my other playing… Marked as “Fave” so I can replay over again.

  56. Michael L says

    Hi Brian, I’ve heard that “5 of the 5 of the 5…” referred to in jazz circles as “back-cycling”. Following the circle of 5ths/4th through a progression. It probably has other names too.

  57. BORJA G says

    Hi there Brian and rest of the crew!! This is Borja from Spain, I´ve been following you for a few months and premium member from january. Your lessons are so cool, they´re helping me improve a lot.
    The only thing is that sometimes, in some lessons like this one, I kinda miss you explaining, first of all, how chords go through out the whole song, I think with a little time as an intro it could make easyer sometimes, specially in a song like this one with changes, etc.
    I wasn´t sure about sending this message ´cause after watching you for some time I know you perfectly know how to explain things and I´m sure you have your reasons, but anyway, just a suggestion.
    Health and rockandroll!!

  58. Derrick H says

    Hi there Brian and all.
    I have always liked this Gypsy Jazz style, Django Reinhardt. But never played it or learned how to . So thanks for this.
    The only thing is, like always I end up pick the first beginnings and playing away from the lesson. As my brain picks out
    A song. enc, I changed the D7 for CM . And wondered off the lesson into .Simple red.
    I believe in anything ?. I think it is called. Then what I call twiddly bits round. it Just jump straight into my head.
    Thanks for this lesson. 100%

  62. Peter H says

    Great lesson. Love this style of music. Learned a ton and it is great practice. Love how it is pretty fast so once you get it down it really cooks. Thanks for running us through your thought process while writing music. It is a great help to those of us who are not great songwriters.

  65. Tom Gordon says

    Hi Brian. I’ve been a premium member for a few months now and haven’t posted before. I expected this lesson to be more challenging than it was in the end, which was a pleasant surprise. It just shows me how much progress I’ve been making since I started taking lessons with you. You are the perfect teacher for where I am in my guitar journey. Just the right level. And you play the kind of music I love with great style and feeling. Many thanks and keep up the good work.

  68. Jason S says

    Your fingers are greased lightning on this one Brian!
    I love these jazzy compositions that you create.
    I’ve always got one on the go for my technical practice and the the theory knowledge.
    I’ve just about got 454 and 396 under my fingers!
    This one is next 👍

  72. George R says

    Thanks Brian. One of my favorite lessons.

    I can’t quite make out what happens in the eighth measure between beats 2 and 3. The tablature doesn’t seem to show anything and I don’t see any right hand picking.

    What am I missing?

    Thanks.

  73. daniel M says

    Somehow i missed this lesson just wanted to let you know I loved it, yes much harder than just pentatonics but so much more to bring in to our abilities to play. Dont be afraid of challenging your students.

  74. Jeff T says

    I just love your style of teaching/explaining. I keep coming back to a few and this is definitely one of those. I love the chord progression! and of course the gypsy jazz rhythm and lead on top! !

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