Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Delta Blues Fingerstyle Guitar Lesson – EP145

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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Comments

  1. 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.

  3. 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

  14. 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.

  16. 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.

  17. 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?

  18. 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!

  19. 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.

  22. 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.

  24. 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….

  31. 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

  35. 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

  36. 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!

  39. 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!!!

  40. 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

  41. 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

  42. 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).

  43. 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.

  46. 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

  48. 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!

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