Active Melody

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Acoustic Jam: Acoustic lead inspired by Jerry Garcia – Guitar Lesson EP595

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn an acoustic lead over a basic chord structure that was inspired by Jerry Garcia (Grateful Dead). Learn to play over the 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

  4. Mark M says

    Hi First let me say the I have learned 10X from you what I have learned from anyone else. But all of your Jerry/Dead stuff is just a tad out of my reach. I really really wish you would make a few lessons that would act as a bridge for me to be able to access this.

    • C.J. G says

      Hi Mark, I know what you mean in relation to the complexity of the Dead/Jerry inspired lessons. What I find helpful is to NOT try to learn the songs note for note but instead to try to internalize as many of the concepts as possible. As far as “bridging the gap” so to speak I have found that the following lessons provide a solid foundation for most of the other lessons available on Active Melody. I consistently reference these lessons and they have not only enhanced my playing but have provided a springboard into understanding a lot of the other available lessons. I could cite multiple lessons that cover similar ground but these are my absolute favorites: EP 273 CAGED System ( absolute game changer for me); the following triad lessons EP 362 and 574 both are pure gold. Also the lessons on blending major and minor are great (EP 530 is my fave) and finally the chords on chords lessons (EP 529 fave) are big game changers. IMO the Jerry/Dead lessons pull bits and pieces from these other lessons to create that Jam band sound. Anyway hope this is helpful and hope you have fun along the journey!

  5. Michael L says

    Hi Brian, great lesson. I would think most of us here play alone or with another one or two friends occasionally. Some may be in a band, but not most of us. This style of music and lesson is exactly what we need to work on to keep our jams sounding good, and keep us motivated. I would always welcome more.

  11. Mike R says

    I really enjoy how smoothly you connect one chord to another using the caged style. I am getting better at this, just slow. The way you mix up the rhythm makes it all a lot of fun. You sure manage to get a lot out of 3 chords using the caged system. It almost sounds like a small orchestra rather than one instrument. A very complete sound. I am learning a lot from all these lessons and have been for several years now. Thanks

  13. NICOLA T says

    Hi Brian, I have been a subscriber for a few months now and, as I hoped, I have found your lectures beautiful, interesting and informative. I wanted to ask if it is possible for you to give lectures on the major and minor scale modes, especially Doric, Lydian, Mysolid etc., to understand in depth some theoretical aspects and others regarding the sonorities of these modes. Thank you.

  15. Robert G says

    Hi, Brian,
    Another great lesson…thanks for taking the time to explain again the connection between the lead and the chords using the CAGED system…it’s really opened up my world. I have a favour to ask; if you have the time, would you take a listen to a traditional fiddle tune called “Hector the Hero”?
    I play regularly with a loosley connected group – NOT a band, more like a “kitchen session” – which meets in a local pub (the owner welcomes us in for our practise sessions – he says we bring people in …?…) and the focus is mainly on traditional Irish tunes. Think squeeze boxes, Irish whistles and recorders, fiddles and, of course, me with my guitar.
    This tune is a waltz which I was introduced to first by the group, a stunningly beautiful melody, in spite of the name. It sounds wonderful on the lead instruments, and I can hear something in it for a guitarist. But I just can’t figure out how to approach it, quite.
    I realize that you’re busy with the ongoing lessons, and I know that this type of music is not the focus of a lot of the members. But…if you have the time, and you’d be willing to spend some time on a more traditional tune…I’d love the hear your feedback on a piece like this.
    Thanks,
    Take care,
    And keep up the amazing work.
    Bob

    • Henry G says

      Just had anlisten; tyhanks for the info.

      And for those who would like a little historical perspective, from a YT listener comment”

      “Hector the Hero” is a popular fiddle tune by the great Scottish composer James Scott Skinner in 1903. This classic lament memorializes the death by coerced suicide of General Sir Hector (“Fighting Mac”) MacDonald, a popular war hero in Scotland and England, who had been the Commander-in-Chief of British forces in Ceylon. MacDonald was a brilliant military strategist, an accomplished commander, and a polymath — he spoke Hindustani, Urdu, Pushtu, Arabic, French, and English as well as his native Gaelic.

      MacDonald joined the Gordan Highlanders at the age of 17. He served gallantly in Afghanistan, Egypt, the Sudan, India, South Africa, and Ceylon. At the time of his death he was the most popular and widely known war hero in Brittain, having been knighted for his service in the Second Boer War. Betrayed by the empire he so faithfully served, MacDonald committed suicide in 1903 instead of facing a court martial following accusations of homosexual activity with the local Sinhalese.

      The scandal reaffirmed his heroic status among his native Scots, who understood that a similar scandal involving any of the aristocratic English officers would have been hushed up. They understood too that MacDonald was facing charges not so much for his being homosexual, but because as a Scot he had always been an outsider in the British military. The charges were brought by a jealous British officer corps angered by MacDonald’s real crime, that of being a low-born Scott who had risen through the ranks on merit alone, and who treated the local Sinhalese as equals, rather than colonized inferiors.

      His funeral in Edinburgh was attended by 30,000 countrymen. Immediately after, the British government, which had been so eager to prosecute him, destroyed all records of the case against him, declared that there had been no basis for the charges, and pronounced him a glorious and unparalleled hero.

      This beautiful funeral march has become one of the most popular tunes in the fiddle repertoire. It can be played as a light air, or as a military march.

  16. Daniel H says

    I am so happy to see a Jerry inspired lesson. I loved Jerry’s style of playing from the first moment I heard him as a young foolish youth. I know you have done “Jerry style” lessons in the past but please revisit him more frequently. Also, this lesson is another “drink from the fire hose” lesson. Wow, you have so many good licks and take aways packed into this with just enough repetition of licks/ideas you have covered before. It is this style lesson that hooked me on Active Melody years ago. Bravo! Thank you Brian.

  17. Daniel H says

    Question>> Does anybody know of a drummer’s equivalent to Active Melody?
    My wife is a drummer and she covets the style of instruction that Active Melody (that is to say Brian) offers guitar players.

  18. William H says

    Hi Brian,

    Thanks to you I continue to learn and improve, (I think). Once again a great lesson. Was lucky enough to see Jerry in the GD, JGB and acoustic as well.
    I’m finding that as you relate everything back to the caged system, the fretboard is starting to come together. Love Fridays when that new lesson drops

  21. shivalan says

    Thanks Brian – since you liked Jerry so much, and he never minded people copying his riffs and songs, I”m intrigued why you never gave more lessons based on his playing and his songs. Thanks for this, and I very much hope you will post some more. As always, huge thanks for what you do.

  22. Lyn C says

    Fun to play and very helpful for learning CAGED. I find it helps me to draw a diagram of the chord shapes to picture the notes, or draw a diagram of the scale you are referring to as a way to commit this stuff to memory. Also reviewing some triads where you are only using part of a barre chord, I draw them too.
    Finally figured out what you meant by saying the major lives inside the minor by drawing a diagram of the finger positions. I know you have explained this “sweet spot”in EP130 but this made more sense .
    Thank you for this.

  24. michael f says

    Thanks Brian. Big fan of Jerry’s guitar playing at his best, so melodic. The bond between Jerry and the recently departed Phil was i thought the great alchemy in the Grateful Dead. I can only imagine the vibe in their practices. Garcia brings his musical ideas transforming Hunter’s lyrics into a form before Phil weaves his unorthodox bass lines into the mix and the game is on with each member of the band contributing. It didn’t hurt that you had three songwriters (six if you count their respective lyrical collaborators). Weir’s contributions were ample as he grew as a musician. I think I read where he said Jerry was always urging him to work more on scales. I think of him as the eager student who learned from his older brothers eventually standing out on his own.
    As for your uncanny ability to, not mimic per se, but capture some of the essence of these guitar styles: that’s a real gift. It doesn’t hurt that we have the same musical tastes. I played “Bobbie Magee” at last night’s open mike deliberately choosing a three chord song so I could practice trying to play the changes in C ionian, F lydian and G mixo, as you said, Jerry’s oft played mode. Of course I got lost but Im getting better at landing on the root note, recognizing where I am on the fretboard, hearing the change, seeing the shape and playing that scale. Its a process but my goal is to “play free”.

  28. Andre H says

    Brian, on the harmonized sixth in the second of video” I get the position on the 1st and 5th fret. I wasn’t thinking of a harmonized sixth on the 8th fret like you’re saying. Was thinking of a F in a A position. What do you think about this?

  30. Paul N says

    Brian, I consider your “Rambling” at times to be as importnat as the lesson material. You never know what words of widom can pop out of your mind at times, whether by accident or on purpose. Like at times you will drift off into deeper into a riff or chords showing diffrent uses, not meaning it to be a major part of the lesson, catch yourself and then go back to the lesson. I love that stuff! What you call “Rambling”is filled with “golden and valuable” info! The Guitar history stories, while not really Rambling, are always interesting. The guitar with the bullet hole I especially liked.

    Where you first heard a riff or style. Who your favorite artists are, What we shoukd listen to if we want to hear more music in that style. All valuable to me. Plus since we don’t meet in person, it lets us get to know you better. I like the person, and the teacher, who you are!

    Don’t stop Ramblin’ Brian! BTW, since I’m done Rambling, the lesson was great!

  32. John M says

    I love Jerry Garcia’s acoustic band songs and I’ve been working on playing acoustic guitar versions of ‘Ripple’, ‘Friend of the Devil’, ‘Deep Elem Blues’ and ‘Sugaree’ at open mics.
    The harmonic 6ths are a great sound, but I am still a bit confused about what’s going on with them. The first harmonic 6th in measure 17 has notes F / G and E which are the 4, 5 and 3 (none are the 6) of the C major scale. Is it that the last two notes G and E played as a double stop (the 5 and the 10) are 6 notes apart in the (extended) major scale. [If this is the case, does the same concept also work for minor scales?]

  39. Robert S says

    I am a huge Jerry Garcia fan. I actually met him through my nephew that worked for Bill Graham Productions in San Francisco. Jerry was such a personable, down to earth, just a nice guy. And what a great musician. I really miss him. I used to go see the JGB play at the Keystone in Berkley and Palo Alto. He would come out into the audience and hangout occasionally. Great times.

  40. Guy H says

    Awesome lesson, love the Jerry Garcia acoustic style! Over the past 5 years this lesson has hooked me the deepest. Have you done any lessons in the GD rock and roll electric jam style? Thanks so much for your style of teaching!

    • C.J. G says

      Hi Guy, I’m a big fan of this lesson as well. For some more GD and jam band electric rock inspired lessons you may also like EP 266, EP 196 , EP 409 and VG 30. These are more of my personal jam band favorites. Happy playing!

    • Chris H says

      Oh yeah … dig Jerry very much … he was a genius …. always remember he played the pedal steel guitar on CSN’s Teach Your Children … said he learned the instrument about 6 months earlier …. holy cow!!

  46. Uwe H says

    Hi Brian, I’m following your wonderful lessons with great interest. A question: You play the harmonized 6 from G chord with the A form, then the B flat note you are playing is not in the G major scale?

  48. Robert Burlin says

    Happy Holy days Brian. Could you do your annual holiday song in a jam band style and fashion this year. I shook Jerry’s hand one time at one of his art shows and spent many years holding on to the rail on the front of the stage listening to Jerry and many times it was like he was the only one of the whole band I was hearing. Needless to say my whole life was changed and he is the reason I change my major from International Marketing to music and 40 years later I am still going strong. I love Friday and everyday until the next Friday as I work to master each lesson. I hope to produce some new music this year and thanks to you I have a lot more understanding and ability to do that. I love you brother for all you have done for all of us here.

  51. Dennis O says

    Been working on this one for a while. Great licks in it that I am trying to incorporate into the songs I like to play. Also love the simplicity of the chords. Easy to call out the changes while playing with friends

  52. Hagstrom67@AM S says

    Love this one Brian – I really like your way of teaching. I’ve been playing for a long time and have messed some with scales and the CAGED system, but your approach is helping me connect the dots without getting overly inundated w/theory. Been through a half dozen lessons so far, and in addition to learning cool new songs like this Jerry lead, I’m also learning how to apply concepts to my general playing. Learning a lot and having fun doing it – Thx .

  53. Michael K says

    This particular piece of music has really connected a lot of dots for me and added some new licks that sound great. Playing guitar is all about making the connections so you can eventually play freely.

  54. Kenneth S says

    Hey Brian… great lesson. A further dive into his acoustic style is always appreciated. I have been way more of a fan of Jerry’s acoustic material far more than the electric Dead, especially his work with Dawg.

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