Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

  • Log In
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up

Use Minor Triads to create Dreamy Major 7 sounds – ML144

Description

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to use simple minor triad shapes to create dreamy Major 7 sounds over major chords.

We’ll apply this idea to a standalone composition in the key of A and connect it back to familiar CAGED shapes, major scale notes, and lead ideas.

Free Guitar Lesson

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

  1. Michael Allen says

    July 3, 2026 at 7:30 pm

    I love it! Thanks Brian and Happy Fourth of July!

    Log in to Reply
  2. Glen L says

    July 3, 2026 at 7:53 pm

    Another wonderful lesson. Greetings from Vancouver, BC. So glad I am a premium member.

    Log in to Reply
  3. Mike R says

    July 3, 2026 at 8:55 pm

    Nice sounding progression. I also like ML102 for that major 7th sound. Brian is it still alright to slide into these major 7th chords when trying to blues it up some?

    Log in to Reply
  4. Brian B says

    July 4, 2026 at 12:07 am

    Great Lesson Brian!

    Log in to Reply
  5. Imerio A says

    July 4, 2026 at 3:03 am

    Brian this lesson is gold. Beautiful little song full of interesting, comprehensive and useful music theory. Thanks.
    Love that little Martin.

    Log in to Reply
  6. willi s says

    July 4, 2026 at 3:26 am

    It’s fantastic how you’re teaching me major 7 chords. The 6 and 9 chords are also explained so well—thanks, Brian.

    Log in to Reply
  7. Michael W says

    July 4, 2026 at 3:31 am

    Great lesson.

    Log in to Reply
  8. Willy L says

    July 4, 2026 at 4:04 am

    just what i need. i’m so inspired by it .

    Log in to Reply
  9. Jeff H says

    July 4, 2026 at 5:09 am

    Brian, as soon as you started playing this, I knew I would love it. So Beautiful! This is one I would like to expand on and make the song longer. You surprise us every week.

    Log in to Reply
  10. Daniel H says

    July 4, 2026 at 8:07 am

    Nice lesson Brian! I reckon “Mr Young” uses the Maj7 chords to get the predominant sound in Harvest moon.

    So the equation for a Maj7 is to keep the root of the major chord but drop the other 1 by a 1/2 step?

    The equation for the 6 chord is increase the 5 of the major chord by 1 full step?

    Thank you for doing this lesson as an ML.

    Log in to Reply
  11. Olivier P says

    July 4, 2026 at 10:43 am

    Such beautiful sounds, all very well explained.

    Log in to Reply
  12. Jim M says

    July 4, 2026 at 11:12 am

    Mellow spice!!!

    Log in to Reply
  13. Raymond P says

    July 4, 2026 at 11:50 am

    Another great one. Finally getting a better understanding the 6 to 9 you’ve shown us so many times. For some reason today it clicked. Thanks Brian and Happy 4th.

    Log in to Reply
  14. houliAK says

    July 4, 2026 at 12:04 pm

    Watching this lesson I couldn’t help thinking how much I have enjoyed being a member for over 10 years. Your lessons have given me the tools to increase my skills and enjoyment on the guitar. Your teaching method and explanations resonate with me and I am amazed at how you can keep doing it every week. I appreciate you and the effect it’s had on my life. Happy 4th!

    Log in to Reply
  15. JEROME L says

    July 4, 2026 at 12:14 pm

    So beautiful, and very smooth.
    Your way of explaining these concepts is fantastic.
    I have a question:
    in several lessons on minor triads, you suggest that we can play any minor triad and the same one two semitones (or two frets) up, and then go back;
    Why does it work?
    Is this related to the fact that, doing this, we alternate between the ninth version of another chord and its sixth version?

    Log in to Reply
  16. JEROME L says

    July 4, 2026 at 12:31 pm

    For the ones who like it,
    there is another great and interesting lesson about “minor triads on top of major chords”,
    that (unfortunately) the search engine doesn’t show even if you ask for it :
    see ep587

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Don’t have an ActiveMelody account? Sign Up.

Links

  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Sitemap

Recent Lessons

Play the Blues by yourself using Triads as your guide! Guitar Lesson – EP638

Your Blues solo may be missing this! Hint (it’s chords) – Guitar Lesson – EP637

Learn how to construct a classic Chicago Blues style guitar solo – Guitar Lesson EP636

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2026 · Active Melody. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Free Weekly Guitar Lessons

Enter your email address below to have the weekly guitar lesson delivered to your email address. I take privacy very seriously and will not share your email address.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Active MelodyLogo Header Menu
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up
  • Log In

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.