Description
In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a solo delta blues guitar composition that’s played fingerstyle (meaning no picks with the right hand). This is not a difficult fingerstyle composition because the bass (thumb) stays on one string at a time, matching the chord that you’re playing. This makes it much easier to master than alternating bass lines where the thumb goes back and forth between different strings. You’ll hear some Robert Johnson influence in this one as well.
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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squirewire1963 says
I have to say I love every lesson you give even if I can’t learn each one. I have to pick and choose since time is limited but I have to say, you really kill it when you post acoustic blues lessons! If it weren’t for you I’d have given up learning the guitar ages ago.
madams says
Yay! Another Delta Blues fingerpicking lesson! An nice surprise for the Easter weekend.
I’m looking forward to learning this one.
Michael
JohnStrat says
Not sure when i will get to tackle this but i love the sound. I susspect it will take me quite a while to having the playing capability in my hands and fingers but i shall be tstrat. Thanks for the Easter Treat… Happy Easter All
John Strat
sierrabravo says
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4yd2W50No
JohnStrat says
Correction
I shall be trying
teamspy says
Love it! I really wanted to get into fingerstyle but just couldn’t commit to putting down the pick. This looks challenging but very doable. Thank you.
Cattuli68 says
Thanks Brian great lesson!
Jermaine B says
Cool! I thought that was an Alvarez because I have the AD60 and it doesn’t have fret markers either, but the sound is killer for an acoustic!
Aussie Rick says
Great composition and lesson Brian. You have captured the feel of the early unaccompanied acoustic blues beautifully. Really looking forward to working on this one.
Cheers,
Rick
smilefred says
Love Delta blues. Your composition is great..reminds the old feelin But it sounds fresh
Thanks looking forward to learning it
Ale
Doug T says
This type of playing is what brought me to you for instruction. I’m starting at ground level with this finger style playing. Well fixin’ to start on this one.
magpie says
Brilliant. First fingersyle blues in quite a while. This is my weekend project. Thank you so much Brian.
Jeff says
beauty!
Michael Allen says
I love it!!
pierre p says
Very nice lesson, love this delta blues finger style…will be the week end work..thank you Brian for your boosting lessons, you gave me the guitarmania back after 20 years without playing…i know play every day and see lots of progress.
EOST says
I have been waiting for this one 🙂
strattastic says
Love it. Love it. Love it. Finger style blues is what I picked up the guitar to play but got distastracted to folk, jazz then classical. It my nails could stand it I’d be all over this. Might try it on the nylon strings.
Gunnar Harald says
Hi – I love your small blues and jazzy compositons and always get excited wishing to learn play like that. Thanks a lot!
But as they are indeed “one-off” compositions with technical titles I tend to forget them as time goes by. Did you ever consider including some well known song titles in your tutorials?
hansell says
Another gem Brian (as always). Thank you so much – I really look forward to your acoustic compositions as that is where my head is.
I have an Alvarez MPA 70 as well (on your recommendation). Are you using some type of pick-up/amp system with it? If so, what for the guitar and amp as I’d like to plug in as well. Thanks!
Tom H says
Love it!!! What amazes me is your ability to put lessons together each week from different artists. You are a great example of someone who has an excellent grasp of the instrument. Too many great lessons to keep up with, but KEEP THEM COMING. Thanks.
sunburst says
You are very good, man original composition! really cool Brain!
Maradonagol says
HI Brian, wow, awesome lesson…….love it…..still not a full finger style…but making good progress…..
Thanks…..
Roberto
drlknstein says
wow! jam packed lesson w/ great ideas.
I noticed your teaching method in action yesterday. I was playing w/ a couple of guys who were better than me-faster with riffs etc. but they only knew songs. I could play along with any of them, even if I didn’t know the song by finding the key and playing your riffs. I noticed that when they didn’t know the song- they didn’t play.
a testament to your teaching method. I heard you say somewhere that you teach people how to play music not just songs
-but some of your songs are pretty good too.
thanks
mark
sunjamr says
Well said, @drlknstein. I notice the same thing: All the people I know who play guitar only know how to play their favorite songs, and as soon as they depart from their repertoire, they are either totally lost or have to resort to sitting-around-the-campfire-style strumming. On the other hand, I can play along with anything they come up with – in any key – even though I may never have heard it before. That’s all thanks to Brian’s teaching method.
Jennifer Ruby says
This is beautiful, so evocative. I’m looking forward to learning it. Thanks, Brian!
Neiles335 says
what a super composition Brian… I’ve been watching your lessons for several years now and I’ve got to say you personally have become an excellent fingerstyle blues player in your own right….
magicrising says
the Taylor is sounding a little out of tune to me
whidbeywarrior says
This might be my favorite lesson so far…creative, fun, and not crazy hard. Love the vibe and sound you get with your acoustic guitar. Keep challenging us.
Fingertip says
I like Deltablues and played pima-fingerstyle.
Zachary C says
Wow this is simply amazing. Will be learning this one as a practice piece. Really nice sound and vibe.
Don S says
Living in Thailand I send away for 10 thump picks …going to use one on this song.:)) prefect!
Nihikai says
Excellent, as always. What is that little shuffle profession at 29:19?
drlknstein says
I am not much of a finger picker-butI found this one easier- and I am enjoying some success-the sound is really awesome with the finger style-
and PLEASE DON’T STOP POSTING THE “SLOW WALK THRU”- I FIND IT EXTREMELY HELPFUL.
THANKS
greg505 says
Fabulous! Especially as it is an original
drjuanster says
B., you never cease to amaze and challenge me. thanks
sciencefiction says
Also learning finger style picking for the first time. Blisters on my fingers are starting to slow me down.
Trevor Hemsley says
Just love this lesson, Brian. Great sound , Well explained and within reach. Keep the acoustic finger style blues coming.
Trevor
big red and whitey ford says
brian, can you recommend a lesson on the walk down to turn around like in 36.39 of this EP 145?
I play a lot of pentatonic and would like to vary my turn around based on the key I’m playing in, but I’m really a 1 trick pony when it comes to walking to the turn around and I only know how to do it in E blues.
thanks
Brian says
Check this lesson out: https://www.activemelody.com/lesson/learn-3-new-blues-turnarounds-in-3-different-keys/
Daniel B says
Brian, I do not know how to thank you enough! I have been working on this great piece for days, and something finally clicked. For the very first time I feel the groove and I find myself truly enjoying the sound and the rhythm coming out of my guitar without me having to concentrate constantly on what my fingers have to do.
I have been scratching the guitar (yes, scratching is the right terminology in my case!) for years now, without ever really being in the zone. Your outstanding teaching method and tools may still make a guitar player of this 67 year-old hopeful.
I am really grateful!
jiffypop says
Brian I really love this lesson. I’m a finger picker. so its right down my alley. hope to see more of this..
Thanks again
Jiffy pop
fresnojohns says
Thank you Brian. I love this style. This my favorite type of music.
Fresnojohns
sunburst says
I just started practicing this tonight! whew! I mean this is incredible.. so very happy I’m learning this the easy way slowing it down and going over and over watching Brian’s right hand finger-style and using both the sound slice and tab sure makes this fun and less frustrating ..but I have to put it away and practice again tomorrow until i get this to tempo..what a great amazing original delta song you put together, I’m quite impressed Brian!!!
John J says
Been working on this lesson for a few weeks now. I’m a slow learner but hope to finish it this week. I usually play alone so I love the arrangements for singular player. Love the delta blues thanks Brian for your commitment to teaching
bernie-blues says
hi Brian,
I do not get a clean tone in bar 26 (B7) en 26 (A). My action of the guitear is ok. My second string sounds bad. I do it now with 4 fingers to get it clean.
Any tip how to improve my Barré with my pointer finger to get the base clean?
Thx
Charles F says
Excellent tune and lesson without any doubt, but I must confess It’s frustrating when the tablature doesn’t accurately reflect what is being taught in the lesson (bends, slides, and in some cases notes).
sunburst says
Came back to EP145, this is one of my top favorite lessons on active melody,, feeling this under my fingers pretty good this 2nd time around playing along with tab and Brian;s incredible tips ..think I’ll have it down well tomorrow. Just glad he explains every step as well as he does..tab is fine but to listen to Brian explain in more detail is really the key to getting this right.
nicholas s says
great lesson, I can not figure out the timing 26:38 in, its played so fast I cant tell which notes are syncopated
Mikołaj W says
Yes, yes! More fingerstyle, please, Brian. With that thumb to keep the rhythm – great stuff. So far I learned 177 and will be doing 202, but that one looks reeealy hard…
john p says
I must say, “I always get a lot from your lessons”! I have a bit of experience playing finger style. Even with alternate bass. This was still challenging. And a great Delta Blues. Which is the biggest reason I picked up a guitar. I love R.J. and Eddie Son House. But that bar chord at the end on 7th and 5th fret is the toughest for me to lay down. I can play it but its not nearly as fluent as you. Please keep putting out Delta Blues and instruction on how to improvise the Delta sound. I play electric and bottleneck. But this is where my heart and soul lay. Many Thanks
Carl Z says
Fun and innovative. Great lesson. This will be my next project. Just perfect.
Mark says
I struggled with this lesson last night and got frustrated…but this morning I just started playing some of the riffs without the tabs and it actually sounded like a song! I definitely need to work more on this style but this lesson opened new doors.
Thank you!