Description
In this MicroLesson (ML117), you’ll learn how to play lead over the Blues Turnaround. Specifically, which note to land on and how to get the timing right.
Free Guitar Lesson
Slow Walkthrough
Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
Video Tablature Breakdown
Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
You need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets.
Learn MoreAdd to "My Favorites"
You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.
Thanks for the lesson much appreciated.
Great turn around lesson. This helped me grasp the A shape turn arounds. Just what I was looking for. Thanks!!
Brain ,Embed allowlist Failed and no soundslice, would be much appreciated if you could please sort out.
fixed
Thank you Brain
Sounds great and looks like a lot of fun. Thanks Brian
ya what Malcolm said thx
Nice turnaround ideas
So when you say “quick change” that means putting the 4 chord in the 2nd measure of the beginning instead of the 1 chord? Nice lesson for me as it makes more clear the “turnaround” measure and the “hot sauce” splashed into that measure, i.e. the 5 note.
sometimes in a 12 bar blues you quickly go to the 4 chord (in measure 2) and then back to the 1 chord for measure 3… that’s called a quick change to the 4 chord. otherwise, you just stay on the 1 chord for 4 measures, then to the 4 chord for 4 measures… etc.
Thank you!
No sound slice here either
fixed
Brian, I’m locked out of premium. Picture is just blurry and won’t move. Please help.
Make sure you’re logged in. you can login here: https://www.activemelody.com/login
Message from sound slice. Failed embed allowlist check.
If you’re the slice owner, add http://www.activemelody.com to your embed allowlist.
fixed
Brian,
Failed embed allowlist check. If you’re the slice owner, add http://www.activemelody.com to your embed allowlist.
Thanks
fixed
Brian, embed add-on doesn’t work. The transcription isn’t available ????
fixed
Hi Brian, great short lesson on understanding how to count the I,IV, V turnaround and the money note!
Thanks,
Tim
No sound slice here either
fixed
Brian, your level of skill in playing, explaining the concepts from a simple song or composition, your ability to break down the elements, in simple terms, showing how to think of these elements as lego’s and then providing all this with soundslice tabs and backing track, makes you the perfect teacher! Enjoying every lesson! Thank you for doing what you do (and so well)!
very helpful job Brian, thx you
But I blush to have to confess that I need all the notes for the 4 complete 12 bar I IV V
That would be very very helpful for me
Greetings KLaus
So cool.! Your lessons shows me things that help me play music. I’m not interested in being the Music Encyclopedia guy. Great lesson.
This several minute lesson really packs a punch. Love how the 4 examples target the E notes and focus on several positions on the neck adding another layer of how to visualize the position you’re in and heading to. Plus it allows you to noodle around and try new intervals while playing along with the backing track. Cool.
Wow Brian ! You are so right. Internet is filled with variations of walk down turnarounds but no help with lead playing.
A micro lesson with Major impact so many take aways.
Thanks
Clapton’s turnaround on Crossroads is another one you can steal
I can see from example 1 that the a is from pattern 1 and the D and E are from their respective pattern 5. But how do I help myself see the patterns on the fly?
Is there a lesson on that?
I’m not sure where you are getting a pattern #5 from. Maybe you think that we are following the chord changes. I see a mix of A major pentatonic scale (BB box position #2 at the 5th fret or pattern #1 at 2nd fret) or A minor pentatonic also the BB box but in different position (3 frets higher from 5th fret). So in example #1 your playing out of the E shape not because of chord changes, but because it’s in the key of A. If you recall from the CAGED system lesson on the E shape, there is the dominant 7 note (flat 7th) which makes it A Mixolydian mode for the lead parts. It’s identical to the major scale except for that flat 7th note and if we’re playing the blues, you could add a flat 5th blue note as well but Brian did not use the blue note in any of these examples. It was just straight A major/minor stuff with that flat 7th as well.
b7 = G
6 = F#
5 = E
4 = D
3 = C#
2 = B
1 = A
As far as knowing where the patterns are, if you know how to play a simple I IV V chord rhythm using CAGED, the patterns can be each visualized from each respective chord shape. So in the middle of the neck he used the E shape for the A, The A shape for the both the D and E. However, down lower on the neck, the A is the A-shape and the D and E are both the C-shape.
Likewise up higher on the neck, the low A is on the A string 12th fret and high A is on the B-string at the 10th fret. Guess what shape that is? The good old C-shape. Of course the D and E are now in the E shape (but we usually only focus on those upper three strings). If we were playing the chord changes, then you would have to constantly change patterns, but that’s not what we are doing here. Everything is in the key of A and the lead parts just shift from major to minor.
It’s all basic CAGED system stuff and after lots of practice, you just start to get the hang of it.
Thanks for sharing these well phrased turn arounds with us Brian. Was a nice nice easy lesson to absorb right away.
Great topic. Brian is there any chance you could do a similar turnaround lesson but with a two minor five turnaround? iim V7.
Cheers David 😎
Dig the hat and glasses!