Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Bluegrass guitar lick ideas! You can play this one by yourself – Bluegrass Style Guitar Lesson EP548

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn several classic Bluegrass licks that are played in open position. You can do this one by yourself (no jam track needed).

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Slow Walkthrough

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Video Tablature Breakdown

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Curious about the benefits of
Premium Membership?
Try it for FREE!
arrow_downYou need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets. Learn More

Add to "My Favorites"

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.

Comments

    • Peter M says

      Love all the Music Brian plays. I’m an old-timer, 75 years old, born completely deaf in my right ear, and now with tinnitus and cochlear hydrops and hyeracusis in my left ear, I still play the blues, not very well and only in the key of A. Born into a white working-class home, I started playing in my teens way up in the Great White North, David Wilcox gave me some lessons before his electric guitar days, always visited the blues bands or solo performers in Toronto–Buddy Guy, Muddy Waters, Charlie Musselwhite. Hammond taught me a few licks, super nice guy. I loved the blues so much, I tried playing a few songs in the local pubs in the 70s–went under the name Blue House (after Son House). That didn’t last long. Just a few gigs. Had a Martin D-35 in those days. Went on to become a grade school teacher and then a university professor and was hired byMiami of Ohio and then UCLA, retired after 20 years at UCLA. Taught 10 years after that–always talking with my students about the blues. Used the lessons of the blues to teach about racism. Been living nearly 40 years in California. I’ve always thought that sharing blues music could somehow bring with divided country together. It speaks so profoundly to the human soul. I’m not a good player…been trying since 1972 to try to play Kind Hearted Woman by Robert Johnson. Haven’t quite put it all together. Maybe one day I will.
      Happy New Year to everyone…and God Bless all of you.
      Peter

  3. David W says

    Thank you Brian ! These are my favorite, I normally play acoustic without backing tracks, (I’m working to break that habit) but boy I sure do love the Bluegrass stuff! I pray you and your family have a blessed Christmas and I just want to say I so appreciate your teaching, God Bless!

  5. Harry B says

    This is the kind of guitar playing that I grew up on many many years ago before I had ever heard of terms like mixolydian and all the other information and insights that I have learned from your lessons these last few years, Brian. Back then I was just making music as a kid. A lesson like this one reminds me of how much your lessons have taught me about guitar playing that I never even imagined when I was young. Thanks so much, Brian..

  8. Peter R says

    I find bluegrass so much fun to play on the guitar even though it is not the type of music I would normally listen too. I also really like your stand alone compositions that I can play wherever I can get my hands on a guitar. What would help me Brian, if you could place the relevant scale briefly on screen when you are referring to it. I notice that although I can now play the scale patterns across the neck, I am constantly thinking; ‘wait what.. pattern 2 major scale.. in relation to the chord’ Than again, perhaps I am just to lazy and should figure this out myself. I think it is also because my wife and kids do not always appreciate me locking myself up in my office to work through the guitar lessons after work. 😉 thanks for the lesson, and happy holidays! 🎄

    • slopace says

      Hey Peter I used to want the same thing but then I realized if Brian did 100% of our work we could end up just monkey see, monkey do. I find that when I have to figure those things out I retain it so much better and it also helps me at being a little less dependent at composing my own stuff.

      Anyway, just food for thought. Not trying to degrade you in any way!

  14. Torquil O says

    Thanks Brian for this route to Doc and his flat pickin! This reminds me of the old blue grass tradition of guitar pickers leaving church on Sunday and then setting up in a circle in the church parking lot to share the fun! Merry Christmas to you and your family and thanks again for your gift of teaching and playing🌲🪴🎄🪕

  17. houliAK says

    I learned the basic G run over 40 years ago when I lived in GA as a survival technique when hanging with some of my bluegrass boys. I drifted away from that when I moved to Alaska but this lesson has me excited to learn some other “essential bluegrass licks” for C and D. I been working the Mixo scales that you highlighted recently and this falls right into my studies!
    Merry Christmas to you, your family and the Active Melody family!

  19. Mike R says

    This is a lot of fun Brian. I usually drift to more emotionally moving pieces but you are convincing me how useful and entertaining bluegrass really is. Thanks and Happy Holidays to everyone.

  23. Stan says

    This is the style i first started learning years ago and i am ok at it but after this lesson the way you explained it was Awesome Greatly helped me like a Lite was turned on I never realize pentonic was part of that little lesson but Thanks Brian My 3 rd year as a member Im enjoying it more all the time. Stan

  26. Daniel H says

    Merry Christmas Brian, to you and your loved ones. Thank you for emphasizing the utility of these bluegrass licks in other styles of music. This is a lesson to master so can fit those licks into my catalog of songs… and this great little composition on its own!

  34. Paul M says

    Thank you Brian and thanks also to your patient and understanding family who are so much a part of our Active Melody community. I wish you every happiness for this wonderful season and look forward to next year-is there anything you haven’t covered so far?
    Best wishes.

  38. Marcel v says

    Thanks Brian, as if you could read my mind. Lately I’m focussing on bluegrass licks, this lesson gives many ideas to apply in the songs I’m studying. Looking forward to more bluegrass!
    And to all of the readers: Happy New Year from the Netherlands!
    Marcel

  41. Jeff ("Jeffro ") J says

    Thanks again, Brian!
    This is another good one that I’m gonna learn. (I have several of these pieces that you wrote that I use to practice and/or warm up.)
    I often modify them just a wee bit.
    Like, right before (or after) the D7 close to the end, just chop off the G7 and I can start over & go around again!
    That’s what I’ma gonna do, at least until I learn it completely so i can use it as a warm-up piece. I think I’ll always use it, just like the others .
    I likes it!
    >>Jeffro

  42. John A says

    Hi Brian. Another great lesson. I have played some blue grass in my time and presently working on a tune with a mandolin player. I find myself struggling to improvise an interesting guitar lead break. We’re doing Bob Dylan’s “Senor” in blue grass style. Problem is it’s in Gm and has lots of chords with quick changes. Too much to follow, as this lesson does. I’m trying option 2, Gm pentatonic over everything . Kind of boring. Any advice how to add some spice. Of course it could be simply a lack of imagination on my part..
    Thanks

  43. Lindsay M says

    Awesome lesson, Brian!

    I love the idea of doing some traditional songs like Cattle in the Cain, Blackberry Blossom, and Old Joe Clark (as mentioned in the video) in a future lesson.

    Best, Lindsay

  44. Don R says

    Loved tackling this. Small technicality in that at 13:06 on Part 2 you play a G note on the 4th string 5th fret, but the tab shows open G 3rd string. The fretted note sounds better!

  46. Alan L says

    Brian , what string gauge and pick thickness would you recommend as a starting point for this style of playing? (Intermediate player who plays mostly electric and thin-pick acoustic strumming.)

    Thanks for all the great lessons! 🙂

    Al

Leave a Reply

Recent Lessons

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com