Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Acoustic blues guitar that you can play by yourself – Guitar Lesson – EP569

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson you’ll learn an acoustic blues composition that you can play on your own, no jam track required.

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

  2. Michael Allen says

    I love these stand alone compositions! I can’t wait to get this one under my fingers. Next month will be 12 years that I’ve been with you and I can honestly say I learn something new that keeps me enthused every week. Thank s Brian

  8. Chris R says

    I always love these stand-alone solos, Brian. After years of learning so many of them, the lick library is full of ideas that are making it easier and easier to improvise.
    It’s also very refreshing to be building up many variations on the standard 1-4-5 blues progression that could otherwise become tedious.
    For what it’s worth, some of my very favorite lessons are the ones that have pushed a little further into the jazzy space with chord extensions, substitutions and borrowed chords, like secondary dominants.
    Thanks again for making the weekend feel like Christmas with your new lesson as a gift.

  10. slopace says

    Yeah same here Brian. I first signed up with you Dec 2012. I missed a few in between then and now but I’ve seen you come a long way.
    I agree with Michael. There are a lot of valuable nuggets even in your old courses!

  12. John S says

    Brian

    When you’re referencing the A major pentatonic pattern 1 at 7:48. Isn’t that pattern 5 for the Major and 1 for the minor?

    I’m just trying to get things straight.

    Thanks

  17. daniel M says

    I have been working on your essential theory and lead guitar courses, so this was a good break for me. I still think your beginning lessons are worthwhile and show you’ve grown with the business. I continue to pick up on new information with each lesson. Thanks for all your work!

  20. Robert G says

    Hi, Brian,
    Love this one! So many ideas coming together in one composition!
    I play mostly acoustic solo pieces, blues and ragtime being my preference, so this is a great one for me. And I Love the inclusion of those “gospel piano style” moves, as you call them…haven’t ever heard any other guitar player even mention these.
    After watching so many of your past lessons,I find myself easily understanding now what you’re doing when you play the “Fifth of the fifth”, borrowed chords, major and minor pentatonic scales…excellent. Let’s have more of this style of piece to work with and put this stuff into practise!

  24. charjo says

    So many takeaways in this lesson, Brian. A double stop 2-5-1 walkdown! How do you show me new things after 9 years? Your playing has become more sophisticated over the time I’ve been a member. Even things you’ve previously shown me resonate in a different way in the context of a new composition. Those are the reasons I’m still a member after so many years.

  26. Keith S says

    Really like the chord diagrams! Helps me learn new chords easily. Always like these type lessons that link together the patterns and chords. I gig out about once a month and helps me embellish covers. Thx!

  29. Patrick J. G says

    Brian , this lesson is right on for me learning to solo over the chords . I know there are plenty of lessons you have taught this , but for some reason my brain doesn’t absorb things until it’s ready. Don’t know why, just does. Funny how things eventually fall into place. My light bulb moments must be on a delay. Love your style of teaching ,it works for me. Plus there are plenty of reference lessons to refer to. I’m having a great time!

  30. Tim A says

    Happy Saturday Brian!
    Spent the last 1 1/2 hrs this morning on this lesson. Great stuff, and makes sense how it all connects. Thank you! Best money ever spent on lessons. Do you do any live in person classes?

  35. Georg B says

    Hello Brian,
    You’re the first teacher who finally made me understand how the music is structured. For me, this is the basis for no longer having to learn everything by heart. I also love these stand-alone compositions. It’s great to have you as a guitar teacher.
    Georg

  36. James S says

    Great lesson. This one really helps me understand how to use a chord and scale pattern and change up the rhythms to create something entirely different. That’s something I struggle with so thanks.

  40. drlknstein says

    Well. I ve been here 6 or 7 years and I owe you a lot . I try to learn something new every day . And I wanna learn things that I can play in any key..sound familiar.?
    When I started I was dying to play with people but could t find anyone..fast forward ..I’m in a small band with a standing weekly gig ..I’m lead guitar. I. E got 2 to three other jams a week..I m in heaven..
    I’m usually. Called on to take a ride in most songs.
    .and most other players stay in first position , and they are good there..with capos etc and funny thing ..most the time they can’t tell me the key but I can usually figure it out.
    .sorry to go on..

    anyway thanks
    my fav lessons involve harmonies 3rd s 6. S relative minor etc
    I’ll usually stay on a lesson several weeks tryin to get a few things to add to use regularly ..
    Great job and thanks again

  42. David O says

    Thank you for another great stand alone lesson- I really enjoy these. I’ve been with you about a year and early on I felt overwhelmed; but your method of explaining the patterns (CAGED System, pentatonic scales, and triads especially) is starting to click for me now. I learn something from each video even if I can’t keep up with learning each song. It is really fun to have those “AHA!” moments; especially at my age (64). Your teaching style really helps put the pieces together.

  43. Rob N says

    Seems to be the week to declare how long we’ve been here and give some feedback…so here goes

    I’ve been a premium member for just over a year, but I’ve played more guitar and learnt more in that year than in the previous five put together. The best bits about the site, besides Brian’s friendly manner, great teaching ability/approach and the ton of content are:

    1. The tab player: this has been such a useful tool, being able to slow down and loop sections and really focus in on certain techniques
    2. New weekly content that inspires me to want to learn
    3. A good balance between theory and practice with actual music content taking precedent (lots of sites/online teachers give you one example and expect you to ‘get’ the concept)….last, but not least
    4. Everyone seems friendly and enthusiastic….it’s a non toxic environment.

    So, thanks Brian…and long may it continue.

  48. James B says

    Hi Brian – really loved this standalone piece – thank you very much

    a question ( or observation , not sure which ) . Are you following the 12 bar format as it seems to me that you are in some places but in others the lines are blurred

    For instance , in bar 11 you put the chord up as E7 where I would expect a D7 , but the lick that follows the E7 chord is a D mixolydian ( so it works / follows the expected format )

    Like wise from bar 13 onward it departs from the 12 bar format it seems to me but returns to it in places . I guess I’m asking if a 12 bar blues has to follow the expected format or not ?

    many thanks again – really enjoying the lessons

    James Broom

  49. Scott C says

    Morgan Wallen’s “Wasted on you” uses the intro bass walk up almost exactly – great lesson Brian- these are techniques being used by the most contemporary chart toppers!

  50. Pieter S says

    Hello Brian, Love the Lessons! 30 years ago after my last gig, I put my guitar away and didn’t play again until last October. I was watching a John Mayer u-tube video on watches, which led me to a u-tube JM guitar tutorial. I had never been an acoustic player let alone fingerstyle player, and decided to give it a go.. I was hooked again, but realized I had a lot to learn and relearn.

    I started watching U-tube tutorials of all sorts and happened on your free lessons early this year. There is a lot to choose from on u-tube , but I kept finding myself going back to your site, so I joined a few months ago .. Absolutely no regrets! I love the way you weave the theory into the lessons, some of it I needed to relearn and some I never knew, and even more I still need to learn.

    After 7 months, my 3rd set of callouses(I think these are staying), painful hand cramps from learning thumb chords, training my picking hand with a missing index finger , and a few new acoustic guitars later, I am finally feel I am making some progress!

    I can’t thank you enough for helping get me excited about learning again!

  54. Gilles C says

    I just love they solos that we can play without any need for a back track and that sound great.
    I stopped playing in Blues Jams a few years ago and still miss being able to do that. And these songs are the closest things to playing with someone.
    The funny thing is that I started playing guitar all by myself when I was young (before 20) and began teaching and playing with some friends when instrumental bands were popular… I’m that old :-). And it seems that I will go back to the beginning, with more experience, but having as much fun as I had back then…
    Btw, I turned 75 last week, but in my mind I’m still17…

  57. Bruce G says

    Another excellent lesson Brian!

    When you point out the “destination” for each lick, I find that very helpful…ie..”I wanted to get the 7th” etc. I’m mapping out the ending chord tones with each of your licks to understand this better.

    Any other insight into your choice for each particular lick would be very helpful….I cannot imagine that these are random… But also have a musical feel for the choice as well as the target chord tone?

    Thanks again! Loving this!

  58. Nick Ll says

    Another great standalone Brian, which leads me to request an enhancement to your website navigation. Could you please add ‘standalone’ as a flagged category search item as I’d really like to be able quickly to identify and navigate to all the lessons which don’t require backing tracks.
    Keep up the great work!

    • Nick Ll says

      Further to my earlier comment and for the benefit for anyone else who is interested, I have now found there is a search category “No Accompaniment (Just Guitar)” which does what it says on the tin.

  61. T-Bish says

    Ever since the analogy that hit you before recording lesson 552 about the CAGED system being just a 5 drawer system that everything can fit into one of those 5 drawers, there seems to be a renewed sense of purpose in your lessons. It’s been a terrific ride throughout all the lessons. Exploring old lessons makes more sense. You teach in a very similar way, but there is an excitement, at least for me, that I feel trying to learn your compositions and teachings. I never get tired of listening to you repeat yourself or explain things, it just helps reinforce the concepts. Don’t change a thing.

    You’ve created another beautiful song that I’ll enjoy learning, analyzing and playing for years to come. Thank you.

  62. ian m says

    Hey Brian…the timing of composition aligns perfectly with sitting on my dock, surrounded by nature / water – ripping the acoustic guitar. Really value these solo blues lessons. Helped open the fretboard for me.

  64. Chuck S says

    Brian,
    These solo Acoustic Blues runs are great – I learn new things each time and this is just yet another instance of that. It does however take me some time (multiple weeks) to get one like this down at tolerable playable level.

    I also find that things I pick up here cause a light bulb to go on reflecting back on previous lessons where something may not have fully clicked before.

    Keep them coming.
    Thanks

  68. Paul J says

    Hi Brian, I have also been a member for a while, but I don’t recall any mention for the theory for a bridge section in a song. Is it just a temporary key change, or is there more to it?

  70. Rick B says

    Thank you again Brian…another great, interesting piece to build knowledge and skill from. I liked your little recap at the end…focusing on ways to end a song. Made me think that perhaps including a recap at the end of future compositions, of the most important skills and ideas from that piece to “walk away with” as you always say….might be a big benefit. Thank you again Brian

  71. Steve S says

    super great lesson. A lot of fun and so many great take aways. I have been working on some theory to help me put this all together better and it is just falling into place. So well done. Thank you!!!

  72. Reed H says

    Hey Brian, I’ve been with you now I think for about 3 years and I always find your lessons very challenging for me. The guitar ( at least for me) is not an easy instrument to learn and be proficient at. The consistency in your teaching method, explaining every note and pattern & where it comes from really helps to understand the guitar, the cage system, and how everything fits. Plus you have such a great set up at your home, I can see in the background, you’ve got a great sound system, tons of guitars and other instruments scattered about and lots of vinyl. Way to keep it analog. I love it. Thanks for everything you do.

  73. Todd W says

    Thanks Brian! So much fun to work on these, definitely my favorite online guru. I particularly like the theory lessons and the “why”s behind what you’re doing.

    Do you have any Spanish-country/country with Spanish flair acoustic arrangements? Bet that would sound awesome, and be a lot of fun, not to mention educational. Thanks again!

  79. Michael D says

    These stand alone comps are what sucked me in to your site. Been here two years now and having soo much fun. My playing has improved so much. Knowledge is power and you bring it every week. Frankly, I don’t know how you do it…

  80. Mike L says

    Hi Brian,

    Just to say how much I love these stand alone compositions, especially the acoustic blues ones. Over the years I’ve become a real fan of acoustic guitar playing and as I’m a massive blues fan, lessons like these are great in building up technique and an understanding of how the licks fit into the chords and scales. Please lets have some more.

  83. Dennis V says

    Brian, your more recent acoustic offerings have been very enjoyable to learn and play. I’m not ignoring the acoustic any longer and splitting my daily practice time between the electric and the acoustic. I love the stand-alone pieces. As I’ve commented on youtube, your online lessons are the best bang for the back.
    I would like to hear you comment more regarding specific fingering techniques, especially the bends with or without any muting. If you’re muting at the top of a bend for example, I’d like to know that. ….And, sometimes I can’t tell whether you’re just pulling off or hammering on and pulling off, because it’s a quick move. The TAB doesn’t always show what you play or what I’m hearing. Sometimes I’ll just slow the video down to 25% just to be certain what you’re actually playing if I think the TAB is wrong. My granddaughters really laugh when they hear you teach guitar at 25% speed.

    Anyway, great stuff. Keep it coming!

  85. Kay A says

    Hello, I am trying to watch the Part 2 Video of EP569 but unfortunately I can not click on the lesson .

    I can only see an embedded link to vimeo . I logged in as a premium member. It looks like that

    Part 2 – For Premium Members
    [embed]https://vimeo.com/…[/embed]

    I get the same problem with other Lessons and other Browsers.

    It would be nice if it would work again. Thanks Kay

  87. Dennis V says

    I’m getting back to this acoustic piece today…..At the 8th measure I couldn’t get the hammer onto the 3rd string, 6th fret to sound as nice as it did when you played it, even after retuning. I realized that you struck the open 5th string just prior to that hammer on, so it was ringing out as you played that hammer on. That open string really colored the sound of the hammer on in a positive way. I just had to increase the pace at which I played the hammer on while that open 5th string simultaneously did its thing too.

    Thanks for the continued best bang for the buck internet anything. That even includes my ZWIFT subscription which I’ve had for years. If I could only have one AM would get the nod.

    Dennis
    Reno……..PS, Brian, please occasionally mention when you mute

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