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Easy Fingerstyle Blues with a Jazzy Turnaround – Blues Guitar Lesson EP336

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn a slow and easy fingerstyle blues that has a jazz style turnaround. This composition is a solo composition, so no jam track is required. As always, I’ll show you how to play everything note for note and explain why everything works so that you can start applying this knowledge when you play or write your own compositions.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

  1. Jim M says

    November 22, 2019 at 6:49 pm

    I’ve put off learning fingerstyle long enough. This lesson will be added to my daily practice regime.

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    • Timothy H says

      April 24, 2020 at 8:40 pm

      Brian,
      Thank you!
      I have followed you for the last three years and you have been
      Such and inspiration for me.
      No, I’m not an accomplished musician but…… you have inspired me in so many ways.
      Once again thank you and keep safe so we can continue to receive your expertise.

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  2. Michael Allen says

    November 22, 2019 at 6:58 pm

    I know it must look like I’m waiting for your new lesson to come out every Friday. Guilty. I really need to work on getting my thumb going in sequence with my ring, middle and index fingers. Being born and raised in the Delta just makes this type of tune seem like a natural thing for me to be drawn to. Thanks Brian. And Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. I am very thankful for the gifts you give us every week.

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  3. JohnStrat says

    November 22, 2019 at 7:30 pm

    A very nice tune Brian I am not sure when I will get to this but soon I hope. I love Delta sounds and I would love to master finger picking. i got 177 down way back but haven’t done much since so this is a good one to take up.
    thanks
    JohnStrat

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  4. Glenn says

    November 22, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    Tasty! Wow. A very nice composition, Brian. Good for those “Hey, play something on guitar” moments you have mentioned. Thank you.

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  5. Robert Burlin says

    November 22, 2019 at 9:25 pm

    I am on this right now. This is the third finger picking tune of yours that I will be able to play now. Played only with a pick for ever but not anymore. Sure takes a lot of wood shedding though. I mean LOTS!

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    • James M says

      April 21, 2020 at 6:26 am

      Hey Robi, can you recommend a finger picking lesson for a first timer. Cheers James

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  6. sunburst says

    November 22, 2019 at 10:15 pm

    This looks a lot of fun.. I hear the familiar Robert Johnson and you did some cool jazz mix ,,very cool! looking forward to starting this tomorrow!

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  7. Francisco Javier C says

    November 23, 2019 at 3:43 am

    Thanks Brian!
    LOVE fingersyle,
    And members see too ep257,
    Great lesson.

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    • Francisco Javier C says

      November 23, 2019 at 3:45 am

      Fingerstyle😅

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  8. Raymond P says

    November 23, 2019 at 11:20 am

    Great lesson Brian, some nice take away info. Happy Thanksgiving

    Thanks
    Ray

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  9. David S says

    November 23, 2019 at 11:57 am

    Happy Thanksgiving Brian and family. Another great finger style.I need these. David

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  10. Cary says

    November 23, 2019 at 1:28 pm

    Fabulous fingerstyle lesson ! It’s challenging, but definitely doable thanks to your great teaching style Brian. Keep ‘em coming 🙂 Maybe something in the style of Big Bill Broonzy in a future lesson? Thanks! Cary

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  11. Vagelis F says

    November 23, 2019 at 1:46 pm

    06:25 Premium Members

    Bob Dylan – Rainy Day Women #12 & 35

    well, they’ll stone you when you’re trying to be so good …. 😅

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    • George I says

      November 23, 2019 at 6:18 pm

      Right! They’ll stone you! Hahah. Funny how that stuff jumps right back in your brain since half a lifetime eh?

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    • james s says

      November 27, 2019 at 9:27 am

      but you would not feel so alone , everybody must get stoned ,,, sorry i didnt say that bob dylan did

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  12. Greg H says

    November 23, 2019 at 3:11 pm

    Fantastically beautiful! Incredibly hard. It’s too fun not to try though. Thanks again Brian! These are what makes my Sundays worth waiting for!

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  13. Jon B says

    November 24, 2019 at 10:25 am

    Brilliant, as usual.

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  14. Stephen F says

    November 25, 2019 at 1:17 pm

    Brian,
    Love the lesson. Is that a Martin CEO 7 that you are playing. Great sound!

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  15. David N says

    November 26, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    Brian,
    This is actually my first comment. Love the blues and fingerstyle stuff, you do a great job of breaking it down. I don’t know how you can generate this stuff weekly but I’m getting a kick out of it! Thanks for doing such a great job! Have a Happy Thanksgiving!

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  16. Israel U says

    November 28, 2019 at 7:50 am

    That did it. This lesson got me deeply into your website, and I subscribed to premium. Great lessons, Brian.

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    • Israel U says

      November 29, 2019 at 2:05 am

      Just seen the tab viewer full screen. Boy, that’s awesome!

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  17. Mark T says

    November 28, 2019 at 6:44 pm

    This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Always liked Lonnie Johnson’s style – good place to start Great use of working in jazz progression too. Lots to get out of this one.

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  18. Willy L says

    November 29, 2019 at 6:06 am

    still looking for Dylan tune ? …every body must get stoned !

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  19. Willy L says

    November 29, 2019 at 6:08 am

    sorry ;..to late

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  20. William F says

    November 29, 2019 at 5:53 pm

    Question: at 13:08 in part 2, the E9 to E6 is described played in conjunction with the open 6th string (E). In EP 208 (pt 1, 15:01), the same fingering on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd strings are played in conjunction with the open D and are described as a D9 to D6, so that in these instances, it’s all about whether one is playing the open E (6th string) or the open D (4th string). Is that correct?

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    • Israel U says

      November 30, 2019 at 3:12 pm

      If I got the theory correct, then it’s like so:
      When you play D with ‘A’ shape at the 5 fret, you get D9 on 3 upper strings at 5 fret, and D6 at 7 fret.
      When you Play E with ‘A’ shape, that would be on 7 fret. So you get E9 on 7 fret (3 upper strings) and E6 on 9 fret.
      So the 2 chords have a common place, the D6 and the E9, both on 7 fret. You can play the open D with D6, or play the open E with E9 if you like the sound of it, but you don’t need to. As long as a chord has a 3’rd and a 7’th (the guiding notes) it will sound correct.
      There are many chords that can serve as more than one chord. One of the chords can bee rootless, that is without the root note.
      For example, the E9 played on the first 3 strings of fret 7 is rootless. So adding the low E can help.

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      • William F says

        December 1, 2019 at 8:08 am

        Thanks – that was helpful and gives me some motivation to get a better grasp of chord theory.

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      • Phil G says

        December 4, 2019 at 8:50 pm

        Actually Israel, I don’t really look at the D9 chord or the E9 chord as an ‘A’ shape. Yes, it “looks like” an ‘A’ shape. BUT, a D9 at fret 5 is actually derived from the C shape D chord there. (Note: he isn’t explaining a D9 chord at 13:08. He is explaining the E9 chord at fret 7) The E9 chord at fret 7 is derived from the C shape there. He shows that at 13:18, but doesn’t explain it. The notes are: A7=1(E), D6=3 (G#), G7=b7(D), B7=9(F#), and e7= 5(B). He also shows the E6 chord around 13:13. That chord is derived from the G shape E chord at the 12th fret. So, fret 9 notes are: D9=5(B), G9=1(E), B9=3(G#), and e9=6(C#). (NOTE: baring G, B, and e at fret 5 with an open D is actually a D sus2b7 chord. D(1), C(b7), E(2), A(5))

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        • Phil G says

          December 4, 2019 at 8:57 pm

          NOTE: I guess that last sentence should be “is actually a D7sus2 chord”.

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          • Phil G says

            December 4, 2019 at 10:00 pm

            Correction. I just looked again, and in fact, the 3 string bar at fret 5 with open D can be a D9. I’ve just always played it with the C shape there. Don’t know why Chord Finder calls is everything else but that. I guess because there’s no 3rd in that voicing? My bad. AND I also, that is a D6 at fret 7 with open D. And I guess it could be derived from the ‘A’ shape or the G shape.

  21. mritalian says

    December 2, 2019 at 6:39 pm

    Finally got to this lesson and just wanted to say this was a very good. It hit the mark, had problems with the fingers in the beginning making that one bar Bminor 7 took me awhile and then I noticed the instructors fingers to get good tone. Anyways, I could go on and on, always looking forward to Brians lessons. This is the place to be if you want to learn really how to play

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  22. adarabos@mdlz.com says

    December 3, 2019 at 3:09 am

    This is a great lesson and music, thanks Brian. Lots of good songs but this is in the top 6 for me.

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  23. Bob B says

    December 5, 2019 at 1:42 pm

    Made me smile. I appreciate the ideas on how to play different shadings over the basic chord structure. Lots of lightbulbs..thanks.

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  24. freddie h says

    December 16, 2019 at 6:07 am

    Wow! I finally got all the way through this one. It’s a master class and one of the best lessons you have done. Definitely in my favorites. I learned so much. The Chet style thumb work (with muting makes it so much cooler) is starting to gel. There were so many pearls in here. I love the little tricks you pointed out. Keep these finger style lessons coming. Maybe one in Claptons or James Taylor. Thanks a million. This lesson was worth the annual subscription.

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  25. Thomas P says

    December 19, 2019 at 10:02 pm

    OK…it took me three weeks but I got it! So proud…lol

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  26. Norman says

    December 26, 2019 at 2:49 am

    I like this particular lesson, and day by day it gets easier. Only hitch is barring all six strings on an acoustic, but in the process am better learning to wedge my forefinger right at (almost on) the fret, and find that it works well.

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  27. Paul B says

    January 10, 2020 at 4:12 pm

    Hi guys I’m a new member to the site and am loving the lessons really struggling to make my thumb carry the bass note past the first count 🙄any tips or exercises that would be good for regimenting my thumb into doing as it’s told! Hope this made sense

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  28. Billy says

    February 22, 2020 at 10:15 am

    The Dylan part is from ” Everybody must get stoned”…been ages since I last looked at a lesson, Im tempted to give this one a try.

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  29. Douglas H says

    March 29, 2020 at 8:04 pm

    Brian,

    What model Martin are you playing on this lesson?

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  30. Pillarcat says

    November 6, 2021 at 8:48 am

    Hi, I was looking to learn more about 12 bar blues and turnarounds, as a beginner. This lesson is such a delight! There are so many little gems of knowledge thrown in, that would have taken me a lot of searching to find. Thank you!

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