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Learn to play blues guitar.

Blues Lead Guitar in a Minor Key (Key of A) – Guitar Lesson EP249

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a blues lead over a minor progression. Most of what you’ll be playing comes from the minor pentatonic scale and you’ll be staying in the key of the song (not playing the chord changes). Lot’s of good blues licks to steal in this one 🙂

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. jimbostrat says

    Hey!! First to comment!!

    Funny and ironic you put up this lesson Brian because………the last couple of days I’ve been concentrating specifically on the A minor soloing genre!! This one fits in perfectly!! Jim C.

    • Dennis B says

      I’ve heard the little riff in the seventh measure a lot of times but never new where it was. Now, there it is in tablature. Thanks, Brian. Robert Cray and Stevie Ray amongst others have used this riff.

  21. caymandiverjj says

    Hey Brian,

    Would you post some theory detail, beyond what is briefly in the lesson, with regard to this progression ? It is obviously not diatonic for the key of A major or the relative minor of C which is A minor. How boring would it all be if we stuck to the theory. But, knowing how you looked at composing your lesson, from a chordal point of view, would be a help. Many thanks

  22. Craig35 says

    Good lesson Brian – Speaking for myself I tend to get a lot of take aways from these direct blues lessons.

    Anyone else notice that after all these years and all these lessons that you’re able to pick Brian’s playing out because of his specific tone/sound? He plays many different guitars through different effects and amps but I can still pick out his playing. I say this in a good way, the same way you can tell when its Robert Cray or Gary Clark Jr etc. just from the sound of a couple notes. For some reason this lesson really made the point pop out at me – hope that made sense???

  25. Rich F says

    Hi Brian,

    Beautiful lesson! I agree with Allan here: I absolutely love Minor Blues: I could listen to this a
    all day. And I agree with Aussie Rick about the chord progression. I love the way that you break away from the standard 12 bar blues chord progression, and show us that blues does not have to be straight-jacketed by rigid rules. That makes the backing much freer. The chord progression and the licks sound very sophisticated and jazzy..,

    Finally (!!!), Craig is right: Brian’s sound is unique: his blues is very cool, and sophisticated. With all of these great and genius compositions you produce week after week, have you thought about writing your own album, Brian?

    Sorry about the essay here!

    Rich F.

  26. JimD says

    Nice lesson, Brian. As others have said, I can really hear a Robert Cray vibe to it, especially as I am playing it on a very clean Strat.

    Also, nice shirt! I went to Songbirds last summer when they had the Strat/Tele collections in all of the colors in the Green Room, plus the Firebird collection. That place is so great to visit. And Irv Berlin has been Facebook live feeding parts of the concerts they have. You should definitely follow him if you like that kind of thing.

  27. Frodo Fender says

    Hi Brian! This lesson suites your chimy and sparkling Strat very well – thank you 🙂 Just one question: Which string gauge do you use on your Strat? 009 – 042? Your bending is smooth as butter…

    Greetings from Norway!

    Frode Andersson

  28. sunjamr says

    My favorite quote (re the multiple bends on the 10th fret): “Try and make it sound like you’re in pain, and maybe you are depending on what gauge strings you’re using.” I was chuckling for 5 minutes on that one.

    • sunburst says

      no bout a doubt it,certainly need to feel the notes here,,haven’t started it,, actually took a break today ,no guitar,, did bluegrass all day yesterday need rest my fingers ! I’ll be on this sometime in the week.. really going to enjoy this too!

  30. wrightclick says

    Getting it crisp and sharp with nice fast hammer ons and then adding some feeling is the hardest bit not to mention vibrato lots to think about . This is premier league material and guitar stalkers on Youtube are loving this . Its a hit as soon as you hear it for sure this is where the producer says ” that’s a number 1 ” . Well done

  31. Angelo I says

    I learn more in a single lesson like this then any lessons on the internet. So glad I’m a member. Your lessons allow my to jam for hours an improvise and add licks from previous lessons. This is is like finding gold on the internet. Youve made guitar playing fun and addicting to me again….Thank you

  32. Rodney W says

    Wow Brian! How on earth do you keep coming up with such good material?

    Towards the end of the play through I felt sure you had a whammy bar bending the strings, but when you moved you arm and I looked closely it had disappeared!

    Rod

  34. David McAloney says

    Brian, so many colourful tones and influences here, from Santana, The Beatles, SRV, Allmän Bros, your own. It’s a delightful jam piece. As jimbolsrat said, it’s timely (as most of your lesson presentations are). Achieving some basic mirroring may we’ll be possible for me. Fun trying. Thanks mate.

  36. Michael P says

    Hi Brian

    I’ve been a member for a quite a while but not commented before – what a brilliant lesson, definitely one of your best.

    Your site is easily the best I have ever found on the internet and my playing has improved enormously since I joined – thanks for that.

    Mike

  37. Robert J says

    Great lesson, as always. Super useful stuff. I gotta tell ya, more often than not, i’m looking at the screen, and we are dressed almost exactly the same. Great minds! Hilarious. Thanks again for the excellent instruction.☺

  41. Paul S says

    Brian:

    You most likely don’t want to hear how gr8 you are; therefore, I would just like to say that playing this along with you just makes my entire month! Thank you for the care, compassion, and learning methods you use to teach us these wonderful bits of music.

    Regards,

    Paul

  43. Darrell G says

    I’m a new premium member here and loving it! My question is what lesson is the Blues Lead course you mention in this lesson? There is so much good material on this site I’m having a hard time finding that lesson. Keep up the good work!

    • Andy N says

      Hi Darrell,

      Did you find this yet? If not, you can find the courses, including the Blues Lead course, from the Home page, by selecting MY ACCOUNT and then MY COURSES.

      Plenty to keep you busy there 🙂

      Good luck!
      Andy

    • Andy N says

      Hi there,

      I’ve not tried this myself, but I think I’ve seen others mention that you can print out music and tab together by printing from soundslice. There’s a ‘print’ option after selecting the ‘settings’ cog wheel.

      Cheers
      Andy

  46. Andy N says

    Just got back from holiday and plenty to catch up on! Was going to start on EP248 cos’ I do like the unaccompanied lessons but after hearing, this just had to have a bash at this first!
    Such a cool composition, I think you may be channeling a bit of you inner Knopfler with those melodic lines.

  48. Pat S says

    This one really caught my imagination (along with EP078 BB King style) I just had to become a Premium Member!
    This will keep me entertained for quite a while.

    Thanks Brian
    Pat S (log in problems, a lot of detective work, now resolved, thanks).

  51. Craig K says

    Brian; is it better to follow your playing to get the correct feel or follow the tab when it differs from what you are playing? For example, between 5:30 and 6:10 or so when you’re going over the first two parts you leave out that last 7th fret upstroke in bar 2 right before the rest and after the two downward bends on the double stop 7th fret you just play the double stop on the 5th fret and leave out the 7th fret double stop before it that the tab shows. Love the sound of this one and want to get it right!

  52. Kent Schneeweiss says

    Echoing previous comment, beautiful composition. Sooooo looking forward to actually practicing, learning and playing this when my no-glamour toil of painting renovation work ebbs enough for me to grab my guitar and GO! So far watching and listening while suiting up in my painting duds and running to my stinking JOBS to get my pay (which I’m grateful for). But the guitar and musicianship is my passion. You’re helping me to get through my grueling days. That’s why I subscribe and support Active Melody. I always look forward to your lessons, even if I only have time to watch and listen while invoicing (I run my own biz) like you. Great lesson. REALLY!

  53. Patrick J D says

    I’m I the only one who hears traces of Alice Cooper and the Beatles? Welcome to my nightmare and I want you. I don’t know, I guess it’s just me. This gives me the direction I need because if you don’t know where you’r going any road will take you there.

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