Description
In this MicroLesson (ML115), you’ll learn how to play a 1-4-5 Blues in the key of E with lots of open string licks. I’ll then show you how to transpose that composition and play it all in the key of F (closed position), so that you can play these licks in any key.
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Sounds great and I love the idea of learning to transpose this tune in other keys. Thanks Brian
beautiful lesson. the shuffle pulled me right on in. I live in the Delta, so this is special.
Love this blues cadence.You put so much with a little. Can put so much feelings into it. 💡 open strings pentatonic down by first three frets ! Always used never thought of it that way—duh! Thanks again!
If you think of the major keys as a family reunion clearly E and A are the perennial crowd pleasers while G, C and D have their own huge rollicking family table. F is the sulking difficult step child of E in the corner while F# has just returned from another trip to rehab. B is always the one who helps everyone out but is quietly resentful for being used to get to E. But despite all that, you make the party fun, Brian.
Funny. Write a song about that
So COOL! So fun! Love it, and I dig it. So much there to take away with. These licks will go anywhere !
Thanks Brian. I notice you roll your hand as you fret. Is that just a natural positioning for you or are you deliberately muting unwanted overtones with you thumb?
must be subconscious – i’ve never even noticed i do that
Really enjoy these simple blues progressions that we can build upon. I will try and incorporate some of last weeks licks, from the key of A, into this progression as well. Which Martin model on you playing this on? You have some nice sounding acoustic guitars.
Golden nugget lesson Brain.
Much appreciated and thanks for sharing this knowledge just what needed to move forward on the journey my friend.
I logged on to work on last weeks lesson, until I heard this one and had learn it. Love the open string twang, bluegrassy sound. glad you through in the transposing too. Love this lesson.
Love this type of lesson, great stuff.
Another great one for finger dexterity Brian, thankyou – and it sounds great too!
Lightbulb moment for me…replacing the tricky shuffle stretch with playing the 1 chord to the 4 chord! Thankyou 👍
Petit à petit j’essaie de comprendre vos analyses harmoniques sur le blues pour pouvoir être autonome et avoir des idées et des bases pour improviser et composer.
Ça commence à venir et je progresse grâce à ce genre de leçon comme ML 115,
Manuel,
Hi, Brian,
Great lesson, basic concepts of the blues.
Okay…Lightbulb moment…yes; when you explained that the switch from the 1 chord to the 4 chord and back in the base position is the same as the shuffle. I’ve learned a couple of your earlier blues and I’m currently trying to polish them. I’ve been playing these all this time without realizing that this is exactly what I’ve been doing with these tunes.
Once you explained this, I had that moment.
Yes, once I have an eye for the obvious, especially after they’re pointed out to me.
Thanks, Brian, keep up the good work. And thanks for keeping it simple enough for those of us who need a bit of spoon feeding once in awhile.
Terrific lesson Brian. I’m going to try to add a thump bass to this. I love how this and other recent lessons build on each other — like when going to the 4 chord, hit the minor third of the key scale, which is the flat 7th of the 4 chord.
Nice compact lesson Brian! When transposing the key to a bar chord using the E shape as the 1 chord, I find that playing the 4 chord using the G shape opens a lot of lick opportunities. This also leaves your hand in place for simple change to the 5 chord (using the A shape). I have been getting a lot mileage out of the G shape (learned from some previous AM lessons).
Brian- Any chance you “revisit” the G shape, with lots of licks, in a future micro lesson?
Wonderful lesson !!
I like it when things are right in front of me, and I don’t see it, until you show it to me.
Keep them coming!!
i would like a capo lesson to spice things up or else a different tunning for a change too .spice it up a bit
Good one. Simple with tons of info. After you pointed out how easy it is , can’t believe I never saw it. Can play a lot of blues licks with this.
Great lesson Brian. Very cool ideas of using pentatonic 1 to blues it up and how the 4 and 5 chord interacts. Thanks
Great lession, this is kind of light bulbs moments for me although you mention so many times in so many vedioes.
Transpose same licks along the fretboard, and make your own.
Thanks
Enjoy the micro lessons a lot . Keep them coming.
Lot of gems in these micro lessons.
I learned this shuffle when I was a kid, I love it. Fun to play and I happy to find that I can still make the stretch with the pinky on the 6th string.
Good lick – like the lesson. Just semi-retired now and have some more time to spend with my guitar. Tapped to join an old friends rock group. The theory I’ve learned here has really helped me take it up a notch.
Great lesson Mr B! as I can learn the basics quite quickly and then work on perfecting it over the next week. I have found I have already started to add a couple of slides and hammer-on’s & pull off’s already, whereas the longer lessons takes much longer to learn, by then another lesson has come out, so in the end I just cant keep up.
I understand everyone is a a different level, but for me this is cool to learn.
Nice! Another piece hiding there in plain sight!!
Good lesson! It makes you to think about the fretboard instead of memorizing notes (you’ll forget by the next lesson).
Light bulbs are getting brighter after each ML.
Thank you so much for giving a well thought out explanation of what’s going on in this lesson. I like how you are not like other guitar instructors and take a patient approach to your lessons. It might have been basic for some, but this filled in some gaps for me.
Hi Brian
I really like these micro lessons, not over whelming and I pickup stuff to use every time.
Thank You
I found this a great lesson. Especially the alterative grip that my hand can’t always handle so easily is the deciding factor to enjoy playing this.
Thank you very much, greetings from Holland
My question on ml115 is that the shuffle is in 1/8 notes do you do them as down up or all down strokes.
I thought this lesson was great because it worked well on my acoustic Maton guitar on which seem to have trouble fretting to sound right.
Really enjoy learning the stand alone rhythm and lead stuff, especially getting to understand how to transpose to other keys.
Nice lesson Brian. So much to take from the lesson. The shuffle hand stretch wont be a problem anymore. Thank you
Génial ! Merci pour cette nouvelle leçon
Fantastisch in al zijn eenvoud!
Where is the thumbs-up button?
Thumbs up button, where?
I love to know the “whys”. Why does sliding into that 4th fret 3rd string and 3rd fret 2nd string position sound so good against E. It’s the bottom part of a G triad, but it fits the key so well.
i really struggle with the one strum only of the 02 when playing the shuffle. Always want to strum it twice.
Thanks, Brian! Theory, sound, and execution came together for me in a great way in this lesson. I’ve heard old time bluesy sounding open string licks like these my whole life but never understood until this lesson how they relate both to the key they’re played in and the minor pentatonic scale.
Nicely done Brian! I have a physical limitation with a knuckle implant in my fretting hand. Really appreciate some of those work around techniques especially on some of those extended stretches that are overly challenging for me. Really liked the response alternative fingering in this little gem!
Some how while watching this lesson I forgot how my F chord is right under my nut….. very cool
This is awesome, more like this please!