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Country Lead Guitar Lesson – Bluesy with Pedal Steel Licks – EP191

Description

In this country guitar lesson, I’ll show you how to improvise using harmonized leads (included harmonized 6ths and 3rds). I’ll explain this from a theory perspective, and then give you a practical application by showing you how they relate to chord shapes that you already know. Several classic pedal steel licks are also included.

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. barry says

    February 10, 2017 at 10:23 am

    Another Brilliant Piece of Creativity and Wonderful Playing Brian!But you keep repeating this week in week out:-)Amazing
    Barry

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    • jeff h says

      February 17, 2017 at 4:51 pm

      Sounds great . I like style of string bending even though I use my b-bender once in a while . Thanks

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      • Ray A says

        October 19, 2017 at 3:08 pm

        What is the setting on the guitar and the setting on the amp to get that sound?

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  2. tpro47 says

    February 10, 2017 at 10:49 am

    Great lesson! Love this country twang stuff!

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  3. Maradonagol says

    February 10, 2017 at 10:51 am

    Well Brian, I always have to give you credit for the great lessons…..even though I’m not a much of a country guy….there’s a lot there to use elsewhere!! The hat…well, we already discussed that on FB..LOL!! Thank you!!

    Roberto

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  4. Nick P says

    February 10, 2017 at 10:53 am

    That sounds terrific. I’ve spent all afternoon working on the Drop D tuning, EP085, from Throwback Thursday, and have just about got there with that … but this new one I’ve just found is dragging me away …. Great stuff Brian. Too much!!!

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  5. justin N says

    February 10, 2017 at 11:28 am

    So many great licks! I can’t wait to see how I can apply them to other styles as well. Thanks so much for another great lesson. Have a great weekend.

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  6. JohnStrat says

    February 10, 2017 at 1:18 pm

    Herr raisin stuff Brian! Thanks for the great lesson. JohnStrat

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  7. Katherine D says

    February 10, 2017 at 2:02 pm

    Wonderful as always, Brian! Love the “country” stuff! Would you mind sharing your tone settings on this? I don’t have a clue about how to go about getting this sound. Thanks!

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    • Brian says

      February 10, 2017 at 5:01 pm

      Hey Katherine, I’m using a delay pedal with a little slap back delay

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      • Adrian Z says

        February 11, 2017 at 12:49 am

        Brian – just starting my pedal odyssey (heard it can be a slippery slope 🙂 but looking into delay pedals at the moment. And as with all effects there are SO many options. Wondering if you have any suggestions/recommendations for a newbie in this area

        Cheers

        Adrian

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        • Brian says

          February 11, 2017 at 10:02 am

          I’m a big fan of TC Electronic Flashback delay pedal.

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  8. kenny says

    February 10, 2017 at 4:07 pm

    Sorry Brian, bending strings with my pinky is way too difficult for me.

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    • wrightclick says

      February 18, 2017 at 9:36 pm

      Use 2nd and 3rd fingers , yes I found that strange using 3rd and 4th on them intro bends duo bends but I stuck with it to improve their strength and was amazed at the improvement in a couple of days.

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  9. Jon J says

    February 10, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Hi Brian, that’s a cool Hat you have on. The 52 Tele would have been perfect for this lesson. Thanks for another fantastic lesson

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  10. Ed H says

    February 10, 2017 at 6:18 pm

    Perfect, I am working on songs for an up and coming summer 70th anniversary deal I am playing in , this fits in well. The lesson EP 173 Slow Country Lead is being polished up also for this deal.

    Funny, Im paying for this but the first thing comes in my mind is Thanks Again Brian !

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  11. Michael J says

    February 10, 2017 at 8:32 pm

    G/day Brian,
    What Barry said up above. Brilliant work.
    Regards, M.J.

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  12. drlknstein says

    February 10, 2017 at 9:36 pm

    great lesson- it dovetails for me with the western swing . lesson .no ep 185. that .i ve been working on…and a lot of other lessons..I see the repetition of some important things in the lessons and I find it very helpful

    keep hammering on that stuff- we ll get it….

    I’m down with the “chords ” explanation of the lead and rhythm -” always use a chord to dance around”…makes sense ..

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  13. smilefred says

    February 11, 2017 at 4:23 am

    Hey Brian aside the fact you keep posting awesome lesson ..I start loving new kind of music..I never thought to love country. Music ..thank you so much
    Ale

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  14. Jim M says

    February 11, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Brain….Awesome !!!

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  15. sunburst says

    February 11, 2017 at 8:07 am

    awesome lesson, too busy with ep001 last couple days.. I’m amazed at how much country guitar you know and teach so well..This should be a lot easier after completing ep001 which should be today.. So appreciative for the sound slice and latest features here Brian, you are amazing teacher and sure you must be quite a performer as well on stage! cheers!

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  16. Allan says

    February 11, 2017 at 8:16 am

    Hi Brian great lesson just bought a delay pedal so will give it a workout on this lesson cheers.

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  17. jimbostrat says

    February 11, 2017 at 11:21 am

    I do not pretend to be an expert on guitar or country music or steel guitar but I do have a pretty good ear/mind for what’s pertinent and what Brian has produced here is a HUGE step toward getting down this style of guitar playing. Brian’s pointing out that these licks are easily transferrable into any key plus purposely playing them as close to the 12th fret as possible to get the best pedal steel effect is key……….I’m still the biggest fan of blues/rock guitar but this fits into that style as well plus it’s an absolute blast to play and stand out as well!! So….bravo, Brian!! Jim C.

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  18. scott d says

    February 11, 2017 at 2:05 pm

    Hello Brian, That’s a great one dude..I love that….

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  19. Robert J says

    February 11, 2017 at 11:51 pm

    whoo ee. tough one this week. maybe I’m getting light weight. challenges are good.

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  20. BRENDAN G says

    February 12, 2017 at 5:36 am

    Great one Brian, is there any trick in getting your tone. I have a Tele but just don’t sound as good as that. Keek up the great lessons.
    Brendan

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  21. Ken H says

    February 12, 2017 at 8:18 am

    Thanks, Brian. Lots of take aways. Appreciate you going into different styles of music. It rounds out my guitar playing.

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  22. William F says

    February 12, 2017 at 8:57 am

    Brian….Great lesson, as usual. You’ve brought fun back to my guitar playing. I have to ask, what gauge strings are you using on the Tele?

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    • Brian says

      February 12, 2017 at 9:12 am

      10 gauge

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  23. San Luis Rey says

    February 12, 2017 at 2:06 pm

    This style is so cool and I never imagined playing it but always appreciated listening to the great guitar licks in country. Even though I have been playing every day the bending involved in this lesson is giving my left hand a workout. Using the ring and middle finger makes some of those bends easier for me. Thanks for expanding my musical outlook!
    Mike

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  24. Hyland says

    February 12, 2017 at 10:15 pm

    You’re killing me. Every week is a keeper. I just get into one lesson and I’m keen to go on to the next before I master one. But at least I get several ” takeaways” every week. Kudos…

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  25. Andrew G says

    February 13, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    Coincidentally, I have been obsessed this past week in learning the 3rd and 6th intervals throughout the fretboard, and how they relate to each other. I noticed you can stack 3rds and 6ths and play together using hybrid picking; not sure if that is useful yet. Love country, anxious to learn these bends. Thanks for another great lesson.

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  26. Aaron R says

    February 14, 2017 at 12:28 pm

    Oh my god. This is the best lesson ever!!! Love it. Thanks Brian!!!

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  27. Art M says

    February 14, 2017 at 12:59 pm

    SIMPLY OUTSTANDING BRIAN AS ALWAYS.

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  28. Jess I says

    February 14, 2017 at 7:58 pm

    I just love the sound of that kind of picking….Blues and Country blended…more!

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  29. Kirk M says

    February 14, 2017 at 8:12 pm

    Thank you Brian. You do a really nice job and this is a particularly interesting lesson for me.

    I have an American Standard Tele that I feed into a 65 Princeton reissue amp. Love to know how to get this classic country sound.

    Saw the reference earlier to the TC Electronics delay pedal with slapback. I don’t have any pedals so I guess I am going to have to start collecting. : )

    Would you mind sharing a few more details? Specific settings on the pedal. Looks like you are using the bridge pickup on your Tele. Tone setting on the guitar? What amp are you using and what are the settings on the amp.

    Many thanks.

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    • Brian says

      February 15, 2017 at 10:46 am

      Kirk, i’m using slap back delay which you can achieve from any delay pedal – you just have 1 repeat and then change the timing so that the delay echo happens almost immediately after playing the string… it sounds like a quick echo (as if you’re in a small room) – you can use any amp just use clean channel and a little reverb.

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  30. blake d says

    February 15, 2017 at 10:03 pm

    yay! I finally “got it” – instead of bouncing around I did the basics then focused on the new lessons each week. this was the first one that sounded close to right and i got all the way through. big help was printing out and doing a couple of run throughs of the tabs. also getting the amp to sound something like what we are learning.

    I am really excited because this is the first time I’ve been able to play licks like I’ve wanted to play -that sounds incomprehensible but hopefully you understand what I mean.

    can’t wait for the next lesson – I guess this was a breakthrough

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    • Brian says

      February 15, 2017 at 11:49 pm

      Congrats on the breakthrough Blake! That’s a fantastic feeling of accomplishment.

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  31. wrightclick says

    February 24, 2017 at 7:55 am

    Brian on part two video at the begining the chord run through after the E turnaround you play a chord which i think is an Augmemted something chord , it would be great to learn about that and where and how to use it .I have seen the Beatles use this chord . Thanks for a great tune astounding .

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  32. Milan S says

    March 3, 2017 at 1:10 pm

    Thank You Brian, a great lesson

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  33. sunburst says

    March 21, 2017 at 7:47 pm

    So I finally decided to start this country solo lesson tonight!, any pedal steel bending is great exercise strengthening fingers..can tell this practice is going to be fun once up to speed! I can tell first hour trying,this isn’t easy controlling them bends but i like this a lot and find it challenging! really cool lesson!

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  34. Michael W says

    June 4, 2017 at 1:00 pm

    Thank you Brian, another amazing lesson.

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  35. Russel S says

    July 8, 2017 at 1:54 am

    Hey Brian, that has really unlocked a lot of things finally after many years ! Cheers Rusty

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  36. Steve G says

    July 21, 2017 at 12:05 pm

    Just started recently with active melody. Love how you teach and love this lesson in particular. Spent 40 years just strumming, now you are really helping me unlock this instrument. Thank you!!!

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  37. Christopher says

    July 30, 2017 at 11:32 pm

    Brian, this is an awesome lesson….man did this open doors.. Thank You so much. The most amazing feeling when you hear yourself playing something you never thought you were capable of..
    All thanks to you Brian.
    I owe you big time!
    Christopher

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  38. Robert D says

    August 11, 2017 at 2:37 am

    Why can’t I play the second video?

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    • Brian says

      August 11, 2017 at 6:49 pm

      It’s always a browser issue when this happens – Try closing your tabs and restarting your browser – or even clearing your cache.

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  39. Mark Z says

    January 29, 2018 at 9:44 pm

    All the lessons are really good, but this one seems to be extra well articulated for me. Thanks for the great instruction and demos!

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  40. wrightclick says

    February 7, 2018 at 3:16 pm

    After the last lesson EP242 I did a search for Harmonized and this number was one of the gems that came up . Man we love country , fantastic yet really simple when you consider the scale its fits into or relation to the chord and the Harmonized 6ths .

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