Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Complement a rhythm guitar player with melodic fills – Rhythm Ideas – EP419

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn several creative ideas for how you can be complimentary to a rhythm guitar player by creating simple melodic phrases using harmonized 6ths and Sus chords.

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Comments

  11. alasdair L says

    What I like about this (before trying it out, of course) is that it looks/sounds like something that is within my capabilities! Incidentally, my wife was lying in bed when she heard this and sat up immediately saying, Wow, I love this, you must learn this one! Pressure, Brian! Anyway, lovely piece and I will enjoy spending the next 7 days trying to get somewhere vaguely near it! Thanks.

  12. Daniel H says

    Brian, your teaching style of explaining why the music works and sounds right is so helpful. It sets you apart from the crowd of teachers. It also helps me remember the licks! Thank you.

      • Brad H says

        Hey Brian,

        Great lesson. Was looking forward to something like this but I have been looking for ways you can change the sound of the song with those embellishments. For example, using the same chord progression or even something simpler like a G, D and C and using the same chord rhythm strum on all the examples can you change the sound (style: country, blues or rock) by playing with different licks( major, minor or even modes). I think this lesson is very similar but your lesson has so much information it’s difficult at times for me to retain. I realize you have a range of guitar players at different playing levels.

        Thank you in advance.

  20. Rob N says

    Beautiful choice of chord shapes and great choice of notes. Restrained and meaningful as ever.

    Could I request a complimentary lesson about fitting your melody or lead breaks around a vocalist? I have heard so many players drowning the singer (even their own singing) with non-stop aggressive electric lead or acoustic chord work. The same less is more idea. Blues or country or rocky stuff would be interesting, short guitar phrases slotted into the pauses for breath and using dynamics to quieten down if you have to play during the vocals to accompany. You said you don’t sing much but you must know a good singer to work with?

  21. Rob N says

    Sorry to follow up my accompanying a singer request/suggestion, its because unlike when accompanying a rhythm guitarist the vocalist dictates most of the melody and an accomplished guitarist who wants regular work tries to slot around the performance, showcasing the song and the singer.
    It’s maybe not a beginner topic but a lot of us play and sing and would value your advice on a situation like that. Little filler licks between phrases. I’m thinking a blues singer and harmonica player. You can’t sing and play the harp at the same time unless you are Sonny Terry. 😀

  23. Alan S says

    Thanks for such wonderful Ballard. Keep up the great work learning a lot. Back in the 50s and 60s nobody showed you how to play songs on the guitar. You had to figure it out on your own . Guitar players of today are really lucky to have a service like yours. Thanks

  24. David E says

    I find it so helpful to understand when you use triads on the top 4 strings in many lessons. How it connects up the fretboard using the CAGED system. Then using harmonized 6ths and 3rds. rather than whole bar chords. So less really is MORE. And it’s much more fun to play musically too. Thanks.

  25. Richard R says

    Last week and this weeks lessons really opend up how i see the fret board. Thanks.
    I like the part you touched on the chord structure major major major minor etc (i dont know it) ive seen it and what u said ther kinda seen what its about will hopefully go back and look into this.
    Tha ks brian

  27. Geof C says

    Nice job explaining what looks so effortless for some people, but it remained a mystery to me as to how it’s done. I’m starting to fit the bigger pieces of the fretboard together now that I have these small shapes to the overall puzzle. I think these gaps in one’s knowledge are the critical ones to not to much memorize, but understand in context of other possibilities. I haven’t come across anyone else teaching guitar on the internet that puts things in quite this way.

  28. Mwendabai K says

    Hi Brian, beautiful and lovely melody and harmony, loved every bit of, however struggled to count in last rythym section from Am-G-F back to C, not sure how ,many beat each chord lasts. Not sure if you can assist with that of share 1st tab with just rythym and timing, got a 4/4 feel but cant place finger on the last section before it loops

  29. Mwendabai K says

    2nd Rhythym is quiet beautiful and easy to follow but one must be careful with timing, found myself going in too early (fast) and late on some sections. I figurred if I can internalize timing of chord progression am dressing over will make it easier for me to be accurate with timing on 2nf rhythym part.

  32. jimbostrat says

    Dang!! Now I just can’t decide which ancient Martin’s tone and sound I like better……..my trusty 50 year old D-35 or Brian’s old girl here!! Nice dilemma to have though!! :>) Jim C.

  33. Rich F says

    Woooo dreeeeamyyyyy! Beautiful dreamy sound to your brilliant piece Brian! I love the dreamy (sorry to keep repeating that word for emphasis!) sounding sus chords and harmonised 6th chords… and the chord strumming arrangement is interesting in itself… always so many golden nuggets in each of your lessons… if hanging on a chord, quickly go to the 4 chord of that chord and back again… that is a great light-bulb moment!

    I am always looking for more interesting chords beyond the cowboy chords… your dreamy sounding chords reminded me of these two lessons from Papastache and Marty Scheartz respectively… some further dreamy freaky way-out beautiful chords…

    https://youtu.be/dX1Ccg3JVCA

    Papastache…

    https://youtu.be/5WnXbVQK9M8

    Marty Schwartz Land of e7

    • Mark D says

      Seen (and borrowed from) every YouTube guitar teacher from here to Mars. I now confidently point beginning guitarists (and those playing covers) to Justin, and advanced guitarists looking to find their own voice to Active Melody

  39. John M says

    Good one Brian. It said to me shut-up and let the song breath. I tend to fill-up a song with to many fills. After playing the tune for a couple of days I really see the value of less is more.

    Thanks

  41. Douglas S says

    Brian.
    I can’t seem to ever get past the first few bars on any of your lessons. You start talking about how you can go from here to other places.
    But that doesn’t do me any good if I can’t get they an entire song.

    I want to learn this song first and foremost. All the extra commentary is not relative to this song.

    I need a video where you tell me how to play this song from beginning to end and nothing else. No extra comments.

    I have been a paid member for some time and this is keeping me from playing any of your songs from beginning to end

  43. michael f says

    Your make sense of the E minor chord by explaining it in terms of its relation to its previous chord of A minor chord, the relative minor to the key of the song (C).; however you might have explained that E minor chord in terms of it being the 3 chord of C major.. Both explanations work but you were not thinking of that chord like that. Why not? Is that a way to think in terms of composition: go to the 5 chord from the relative minor of the key to the song?
    Kind of “in the weeds” question, but I m pretty comfortable with playing relative minors. Your explanation seems more advanced

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