Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Adding Arpeggios and Chord Tones To Your Lead For a More Melodic Solo – Guitar Lesson – EP241

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, we’re going to be straying from scales when it comes to playing lead, and instead we’ll be focusing on using arpeggios and highlighting chord tones for a much more melodic sounding lead. The best part is that you’ll also have a stand-alone blues composition that you can play (in any key) that sounds great on it’s own.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through Video

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

    • Brian says

      It’s a 2007 (I believe) – when I bought it, the previous owner had mounted a left-handed tremolo (Vibrola) and I just took it off and put in a new tail piece. Those holes are not filled – just the holes from where that former tremolo used to be. I’m considering ordering a right handed one but haven’t decided yet. I love the way it plays now and hate to screw anything up with it 🙂

  7. sunburst says

    Great follow up ,if you are building chord with arpeggios and explain the term drop 2 and drop 3 chords .. I’m just getting into understanding R357 inversions ..really cool knowing the octaves finding the root and doing inversions four positions ..this is really cool intro here going into 7th chord inversions and of coarse the Dorian scale too for the minor 7ths! ..anyway this is great start in that direction!

  8. gbhstrat says

    ep150 was a lesion that stood out that I use a base for doodling around. I was just playing with it this week and you create this new one. great timing. Learning where all the Flat 7th are with respect to the root positions allows you to find those sweet notes. fund to mix in chords and arpeggios to keep it interesting. Because I play alone and need to be able to play for extended times when camping in the summer. These lesions are perfect for keeping the playing interesting.

  9. mritalian says

    Thank you for all of these great lessons. You’re really a great guitar teacher, this lesson like helped me to understand the neck much better. Keep up the great work Brian I enjoy looking forward to learning new lessons every Friday.

  11. Pat P says

    Thanks for another great lesson Brian and for letting me know that I can save a pdf version of the Onscreen Viewer tablature from the gear icon. I had noticed that and do prefer that format as a printout.

  13. wrightclick says

    awesome lesson good finger work out too . Sounds great playing along strumming the rhythm aswell QUESTION . the C chord don’t sound right on bars 14, 15 and 16 why is that i can’t work it out ? i don’t think there is a quick change there perhaps its my ears .

  14. pbay says

    Thanks! Sweet exposure to arpeggios! But I got a momentary bit of confusion looking at the PDF. On bar 7 you have it listed as an E chord. Typo? In the video you do say. “going back to the one chord” ( after the F). Unless I’m missing something?

      • wrightclick says

        We all knew that really , QUESTION . the C chord don’t sound right while strumming along behind the lead on bars 14, 15 and 16 why is that i can’t work it out ? i don’t think there is a quick change there perhaps its my ears . Tried a diminished nope don’t work weird .

  15. Caymandiverjj says

    http://www.scalerator.com/ Not trying to steal Brian’s thunder, but this little site” scaleator “really helps understand all the modes. In the first section of this lesson he mentions the F Mixolydian and plays F G A Bb C D Eb and says the flatted 7th Eb makes it F mixolydian and that is correct. So, where does the Bb come from ? If you count back 5 tones to Bb that is the parent key of the mixolydian mode which is the 5th mode of Bb and you are flatting the 7th E. This is exactly the same for all keys in keeping with the diatonic scale. Hopefully I have provided some helpful and correct information. another example is the Dorian mode of Bb which is C minor the second mode of the parent key Bb which contain a Bb and Eb. It is all a matter of the intervals.

    Caymandiver JJ

  17. James F says

    This is indeed a great lesson. In fact, I was watching it on Utube (the first part) and thought, “This is just what I’ve been looking for.” Your lessons are easy to follow, well-thought out, your explanations are clear, and the playing is outstanding. I decided to check out your website, and… well, I subscribed! Thank you for being such a great guitar player and teacher. BTW, I’ve been playing for around 55+ years, but was self-taught. I finally realized how valuable a teacher can be. And you’re the one.

  20. Huub L says

    he Brian, every time i gett beter in playing thanks to you .
    this is a good easy one .
    thank you so much .
    i love thé lessons you make, howe you explane thé lessons .
    Huub from thé netherlands

  23. Walter D says

    Love it! Call and response. So much fun. I also found it cool to play this lesson in different keys – I prefer G and A. When you do that it opens up more of the neck to noodle in other other chord positions. Thanks, Brian.

  24. Richard H says

    I really like the way you do things Brian,I am more of a sight/sound hands on kinda guy that can only handle small doses of theory,before it starts to all get confusing. Seriously thinking of becoming a premium member this week. Have a great day all!

  25. Kent Schneeweiss says

    The light bulb is going off, like a slow burn (between working gigs for my painting biz) I’m keeping at it. And I GOT one of the previous lessons DOWN, like I promised, EP whatever it was. This lesson is my new quest! Thank you for doing what you do. Getting a handle the beloved instrument GUITAR. Works for me ;o) Thanks – Kent

  26. Kent Schneeweiss says

    Hello Brian-thanks for all of your good work. Hey, if you have a difficult week and you cannot post a video, each and every week, that would be OK with me. I’m happy with my subscription. Your output is more than, I would venture to say most of your subscribers can keep up with. Nonetheless thank you for all that you do. Take good care of yourself, and take a holiday sometimes, so we can catch up on all of the great lessons, and be in step on our guitar adventures. Take your sweet time when needed – Kent

  27. Kent Schneeweiss says

    I’ve gone beyond in progress I set for myself. Your address to your students in the videos is so intimate and authentic. It transfers to me in a way that feels real (in a video) how does that happen? This is the best the internet has to offer in terms of benefit, results and satisfaction. Your lessons are GREAT. your personal demeanor shines through, like actually being with you. I even put a mic in front of my Fender amp to my monitor speakers to perform your stand alone lessons, filling my room with AWESOME sophisticated sound. It’s uncanny. Never though this could happen for me. Thank you for being so authentic and engaging. In a perfect world I’d love to meet you and the other students for a “pickers picnic” outside of Nashville. Just to see you once in person and share with other students who have benefited from this Active Melody learning platform you’ve set up. It’s that important. Playing guitar, really playing this great instrument has become a reality. Thanks – Kent

  28. Joseph A says

    Thanks for the lesson Brian, another great one as usual. I have to study the lesson on Dom7 arpeggios. I was wondering, can you use secondary dominant chords in addition to the primary dominant chords when making up a solo? If you harmonize the scale in the secondary dominant chords. does the family of chords have to be played in a certain order or as long as you use the V to I tension-release method, will it work. Hope you understand my question Thanks

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