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Learn to play blues guitar.

Easily remember and use minor licks by connecting them to basic chord shapes – Guitar Lesson – EP632

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to connect minor key licks to basic chord shapes so that you can easily remember them and access them in the future.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

    • naftali k says

      Thank you this is what I have been looking for. If I can master everything in this lesson and slowly learn how to use it apprpriately in the music I play I will have reached a level I have been trying to get to. ever since I got back to the guitar. Jewish music is minor on steroids because of our exile travel influences. We have the East European natural minor and the Middle East harmonic minor influencing almost every song . Israeli music is a powerful blend of those two. There are songs that have been composed that follow the Western ballad influence and outgrowth of our journey here in the USA. A Chassidic Rabbi in Milwaukee has composed many beautiful songs with that genre. The pioneer in contemporary Jewish inspirational music had a genius for powerfully emotion tunes with amazing musical simplicity.. Noone has yet matched his greatness. There are songs that after 50 years haven’t lost their emotional power. To play his songs all you need to know is Am Dm and E7th and yet they are emotionaly powerful. Just thought you might find all this interesting and you can understand why I am so excited about the tools you provided for me to work on. Thank you so much!!!

    • Lesley O says

      Ideas Love this – it sounds so great, but is achievable, and as always, it’s so helpful to know where the notes come from. I would love to be able to play your backing track too Brian. Maybe I will give it a try…love the chord progression!
      Thankyou again…this will keep me busy all week, and beyond!

  17. Thomas J says

    Brian, I love this lesson. Thank you for helping teach me to become a guitar player. Something I’ve wanted do to for over 20 years. When I started watching your lessons, I would think…I can’t do that or be overwhelmed. Today, I watch, think…I can do that (often times you tell me I can). Pick up my guitar with confidence and enthusiasm and start playing. My wife will say, “that sounds good.” Keep doing what you’re doing Brian. Clearly, you’ve found your why! Tom

  18. Daniel H says

    What a soulful and colorful piece!
    Brian, I love that you keep us challenged with new and different genres and styles. Don’t get me wrong, I love the mini series of lessons you give us…
    but these “now for something completely different” sounds are refreshing and stimulating. Over the six years I have followed your instruction you have never left me in a rut. THANK YOU BRIAN!

  23. Peter W says

    Brian this is a outstanding composition. Please do, as many other collegues have already writen, also the rhythm part for us, maybe as next ML.
    Then we can play both parts by ourselfs.

  28. Paul N says

    When I first heard you play the whole song in the Part 1 video, I did not think I liked the genre/style. But as you dove into the lesson, by the end I did a compete 180. It’s a beautiful composition. And I learned a lot from it! I always have more room to eat, using your metaphor. I can’t get enough of what you teach. Thanks for a great lesson and your hard work Brian. I really appreciate it!

  29. Paul N says

    When I first heard you play the whole song in the Part 1 video, I did not think I liked the genre/style. But as you dove into the lesson, by the end I did a complete 180. It’s a beautiful composition. And I learned a lot from it! I always have more room to eat, using your metaphor. I can’t get enough of what you teach. Thanks for a great lesson and your hard work Brian. I really appreciate it!

  30. charjo says

    Brian,
    I think your explanation of the notes in bar 5 was a little off. You showed how the notes fit a D minor scale pattern but the D minor iv chord is diatonic to the key of A minor and has a dorian function. It didn’t make a difference to the notes on the B string as composed but to stay diatonic the pattern would have included frets 5, 7 and 8 on the E string, not 5, 6 and 8.
    I only mention it because the idea of changing the key to D minor confused me. Hope I haven’t confused myself here.

    • Brian says

      ahh ok – yes you are correct. D Dorian would sound better in that spot. I guess it depends on how long the D minor chord lasted – if it lasted longer you could switch to D natural minor and make it make sense, but for such a short time, Dorian would be the better choice. Good eye! err ear.

  34. Dan B says

    Really enjoying how you’re now giving mini-explanations of how you came up with each part – I know you’ve done this before – but the way you’re weaving them in is great. I also loved that previous lesson that showed you coming up with a composition, I’d be keen to see more of those behind the scenes.

    • Michael Krailo says

      The natural minor scale does not have any two fret gaps between notes (minor 3rd interval). The 2 & b3 are right next to each other and the 5 & b6 are also right next to each other. The harmonic minor is used to create a stronger resolving pull to the root using the major 7 note instead of the b7 that is in the natural minor. The only negative with the harmonic minor is the fact that there is a two fret gap between the b6 and the major 7 note.

  39. James M says

    Brian, I really appreciate the time and effort put into these lessons! So much to learn here: play the fifth of the chord you’re going to; the minor add 9 chord; A-minor diatonic scale from the fourth string pattern; the G7 run down the neck starting on the twelfth fret……etc….. thanks tons!

  41. Eduardo G says

    Thanks Brian for all the Lessons. It is amazing how you come with quality new lessons every week.

    One question. Sorry if it is stupid. You say that the 5 of Dm is A7. I thought the 5 of Dm was Am. Can you explain this a bit further?

    Thank you
    Edu

    • Michael Krailo says

      Secondary dominate chords are always major seven chords and never minor versions. It has nothing to do with the key you happen to be in and only related to the chord you resolve to. So all you need to know is what is the V of the chord you are resolving to and make it a dominate 7 chord. On the guitar the V is usually right above the I assuming the I is on the 5th, 4th, 3rd, or 1st string. So if your on a D note (resolving to a D chord), the note on the string right above it will be the five of D which is A. That’s how I quickly determine the 5 chord of any other chord. The five of G is D (D7), The five of C# is G# (G#7). The five of A is E (E7). Hope that makes sense.

  46. Tim Moran says

    As someone who got stuck in the minor pentatonic scale, it’s cool to hear that more exotic, eastern kind of sound. I need to get my brain around the natural and harmonic minor scales to noodle around and figure out what I can do with them. Thanks, Brian, for expanding my horizons…

    • Michael Krailo says

      The formula for major scale is W W H W W W H
      In note names: C D EF G A BC (relative major is C major)
      The minor is just starting from the 6th degree: W H W W H W W
      In numbers: 1 – 2 b3 – 4 – 5 b6 – b7 –
      In note names for Am: A – B C – D – E F – G

      The harmonic minor simply shifts the b7 G note up to a major 7 Ab note. that leaves a larger gap between the b6 and major 7 notes but makes the scale have a nice resolving sound from that major 7 to the 1.

      Don’t feel bad if you don’t quite get it just yet. You will eventually see the light soon enough.

    • Brian says

      The 2nd video is hosted via Vimeo.com – you may have vimeo blocked in your antivirus or firewall settings. You might start by trying a different browser and see what happens. I recommend Google Chrome or Firefox

  52. T-Bish says

    A terrific lesson to visualize all your chord shapes on the first 3 strings. It really helps to understand where the root note is, but once you understand and can visualize that then the triads/chord shapes light up. Cool.

  54. Guy H says

    Epic minor composition. On the tabs I find myself noting if the lick comes from a chord or a scale, it would be slick to put that on the tablature notation, if there was an unassuming way. I find if I can mix up chord and scale licks it sounds ok. Can’t quite do it in real time, while keeping time, like you do, that seems to be the mastery level. Keep ‘em coming. As you said, this minor composition was particularly meaty!

    Thanks for your teaching, Guy

    • Michael Krailo says

      Anything and everything you learn here can be applied to virtually any genre. Jazz or jazz fusion are the ones that require the most amount of knowledge and theory. Metal is not something your going to get here. There are other teachers for that sort of thing. What type of music do you like to listen to and play?

  58. Jeffro345 says

    Excellent!! Just one suggestion – when you demonstrate the D minor pattern lick/run, at about 13:20-30, you go through it once and immediately stress it’s versatility by running off to C minor application.
    That’s great from a teaching standpoint, but to a student, who needs to look at it, and digest the pattern, the mechanics, and the timing, and the accents, in context – it is info overload. Maybe repeat the riff/run a few times – the move -ability comes after mastery.

    Excellent composition – reminds me of Spanish Eyes or Timothy B Schmidt’s ‘One More Mile’ Thanks again!!!

    • Michael Krailo says

      There is an entire slow walkthrough video for you to watch and listen over as many times as you need. Plus I hope you are utilizing the SoundSlice application, as it allows you to highlight any part of the composition and it will repeat over and over automatically. You can set the speed to whatever percentage you want.

      For the natural minor scale, the formula is:

      W H W W H W W
      1 – 2 b3 – 4 – 5 b6 – b7
      D – E F – G – A Bb – C

      So the scale shape that he played uses the fingering 1 2 – 4 on both the high E and B strings (symmetrical pattern). The D note is on 7th fret of 3rd string. I cannot attach an image to these posts, otherwise I would show you the scale, but it is very symmetrical in that area of the neck. You can also go to a website like guitarscale.org to find the scale shapes of any scale.

      https://www.guitarscale.org/d-minor.html

      Note: If you get rid of the 2 and b6 notes, you have the plain old minor pentatonic scale pattern #4

  59. Dave K says

    Brian – More of these please! Love the melody and foundation that enables us to create a performance piece from this. Variations of bluegrass, country, jazz, Spanish / Arabic flavors to complement your trove of Blues ideas will be greatly appreciated.

  60. Jeff T says

    I LOVE this one and keep coming back to it. Love the CHORD composition and explanation. And the middle section V > I over and over… so cool. AND THEN…. that cool Spanish melody and explanation of how each of those is just fitting in the chord shapes in various locations…. fantastic!!! I must learn this CONCEPT and then practice translating keys… oh boy. thanks!!!

  61. John I says

    Fantastic lesson in this minor key. And what a catchy change in the second half. Absolutely lovely to learn and just listen to.

    It is just so catchy. You never disappoint. Thanks!!

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