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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madams says
Have been hitting refresh waiting for the next lesson 🙂
Can’t wait to dig into this one over the weekend.
Thank you, Brian for consistently great lessons.
Michael
paul s says
I never met an arpeggio I did not like, especially diminished ones. Another good lesson emphasizing in chordtones.
Michael Allen says
Brian, I don’t know how you do it every week but great lesson! Thanks
sunburst says
I really like this very much! TY! THE NOTES THAT BUILD THE CHORDS EXCELLENT Brian!
William F says
Bryan…Great lesson, as usual. I’m curious about the SG, looks like you’ve filled a couple of holes south of the bridge. What model and year is it, and what do you think about it?
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 🙂
William F says
Whoops…..Brian…sorry about that.
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!
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.
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.
Rajiv D says
Awesome lesson Brian – look forward to Fridays !
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.
Richard B says
Excellent lesson again. I’m also finding playing from the tabs bar by bar very useful.
Keep em coming!
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 .
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?
Brian says
Yes, that should have been a C . I have corrected the tab so you can download the one with “C” instead of E. Thanks for catching that!
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 .
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
Pierre D says
How on earth did you get that gorgeous fat growl out of your SG in this great EP 241? How close can I get to it with my American Standard Tele?
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.
Edsel O says
Great lesson Brian. Always inspiring and learning something new.
crizmo says
At 13:37 of part one, I call that hammer- on -pull off thing a doodley-dop.
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
benny l says
BRIAN THIS IS ONE AWESOME LESSON I FEEL LIKE I BEGINNING TO LEARN MORE WITH EACH LESSON.
THANKS!
John D says
Thanks buddy another one that explains thing to me…stuff I’ve done but never knew why really.
Love these lessons,
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.
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!
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
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
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
Brian says
Thank you Kent 🙂 your email made me smile 🙂 I really appreciate that.
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
Raymond T says
great lesson Brian