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(Easy) Slow, Country Guitar Lesson – Learn to play the chord changes – EP291

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a slow (and easy) country lead by playing the chord changes. This lesson is designed to show you a different way of playing lead, by focusing on chords and arpeggios instead of scales. This technique works especially well over slow songs where the band stays on each chord for extended periods of time.

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. dmundy says

    January 11, 2019 at 6:07 pm

    Driving home from work today thinking “I hope it’s a country lesson”, and sure enough. Spot on, Brian, love all your lessons but especially fond of the sweet twangy leads!

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    • Ramona M says

      June 26, 2020 at 11:40 pm

      Brian I just love the sweet warm melodic guitar sounds in your playing. EP291 and EP173 are just beautiful. Both these tunes I am learning, so thank you brian.
      Would love to see more of this country style.

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  2. Jimmy W says

    January 11, 2019 at 6:12 pm

    Nice country tune . Even slow enough for me. thanks

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  3. sunburst says

    January 11, 2019 at 8:02 pm

    Nice voicing and reminds me of the Willie Nelson ( with you too for slow country solos) another great lesson ! Still taking my time on the last week lesson and impressed with both slow study , all your lessons are great for good concentration on voicing timing feel! Always fun never boring because they sound so melodic and enjoyable too!

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  4. Michael R says

    January 11, 2019 at 8:19 pm

    This feels so natural that at the 0:56 mark, I thought you were going to burst out into vocals… then i remembered this was a lesson. Duh!

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  5. Jeem says

    January 11, 2019 at 10:42 pm

    Wow! REALLY nice Brian!

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  6. Hans R says

    January 12, 2019 at 7:36 am

    Hello Brian,
    i love your Country lessons in the style of the 60′ s.
    Its great for me and easy to play .In german : Danke Brian
    and Tack sa mycket in swedish.

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  7. scattercreek says

    January 12, 2019 at 10:13 am

    Brian,

    There are enough helpful tips and practical theory pointers here to make this a really valuable lesson. Thanks!

    Gene

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  8. Michael says

    January 12, 2019 at 11:21 am

    Renewed today Brian! Thanks for a great catalog and really like the blues/country lessons.

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  9. Raymond P says

    January 12, 2019 at 11:30 am

    Thanks Brian
    Another great lesson with a lots of good take-a-ways.

    Ray P

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  10. mritalian says

    January 12, 2019 at 12:15 pm

    Another great lesson Brian, thanks this stuff is starting to sink into my little pea brain finally, what fun. I do have one question though and this about you’re tone, what amps do you use? I know you talk about pedals and guitars but I haven’t heard what you plug all that stuff into. I really like what I hear. Thanks Ron

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  11. kenny says

    January 12, 2019 at 4:26 pm

    Another one straight to the favorites list.Ihave no idea how you manage this on a weekly basis but it is very much appreciated. Terrific work mate.

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  12. Blaine L says

    January 12, 2019 at 4:47 pm

    Brian, you comment about your steel playing got me thinking: would you consider doing a video sometime on how you record the backing tracks? I think a lot of your members, like me, would like to make their own tracks, but are at a loss as to how to do it. Maybe it could just be an “extra” on your website? Just a thought. Love these sad country tunes, by the way.

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  13. JohnStrat says

    January 13, 2019 at 5:18 am

    Hi Brian thanks for the lesson I haven’t got into this one at all yet but I have just listened to it with Soundslice and think it looks to be very instructive and readily got to grips with.
    so thanks again fro the goody. JohnStrat

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  14. David T says

    January 13, 2019 at 12:59 pm

    Brian, this masterpiece needs lyrics, it would make a great song.

    David T

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  15. 6thstring says

    January 13, 2019 at 1:30 pm

    Great lesson.

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  16. drlknstein says

    January 13, 2019 at 2:21 pm

    very cool lesson… just got thru part one..wow……!

    .love the harmonizing 3rds…and 6’s..etc…very useful and excellent esplanations of why these idea work!

    you know we are gonna notice that guitar even tho you say its not about the guitar ””””-but if i remember right—in a prior lesson you said that was a B-bender…anyway its hard not to notice it…very nashville.. and cool looking I think may be ketih richards played one , I read somewhere
    I ve only seen one around these parts..I m down South.

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  17. Steve M says

    January 13, 2019 at 4:19 pm

    Love it Brian! Really feel this one pays back a plethora of learning for a small investment of time!

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  18. Jared B says

    January 13, 2019 at 6:35 pm

    Love a great CAGED lesson! A great track here Brian

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  19. dave d says

    January 14, 2019 at 7:40 am

    I needed something new, and your country lessons are it, thanks for all your hard work always trying to do the right thing. I love all your other lessons as well, they all have a good sound, something you would like to learn.

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  20. charles m says

    January 14, 2019 at 5:47 pm

    I do fairly well with switching between chords A D E C D G Am Em and 1 4 5 ,2 finger power chords, but when i comes to tabs, I get lost and this is do to not knowing the scales or even what key I’m in. I’ll get there I am following the lessons, when i get to F chord I hit a brick wall.

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    • charles m says

      January 17, 2019 at 5:12 am

      No replies….. where do I go from here?

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  21. charles m says

    January 14, 2019 at 5:58 pm

    I do good with switching chords, not the greatest with single notes and following tabs.

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  22. Terry H says

    January 15, 2019 at 8:01 am

    I like that guitar….Would like to own one…not an easy one to find for sale!
    The lesson is Great!! Lots of Take a ways!!

    Terry H.

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  23. jlg says

    January 15, 2019 at 7:46 pm

    Great lesson

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  24. Chris R says

    January 15, 2019 at 11:33 pm

    Brian, I just love this type of lesson. This sort of guitar is my favorite, I think. It’s so simple to play, but so melodic. I particularly love the ‘secret’ of how to play over the 5 chord – your secret little take from BB King. I’ve always struggled of the 5 chord and this just opens it up beautifully! Thanks for another fabulous lesson. Keep ’em coming.

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  25. Ron G says

    January 16, 2019 at 10:46 am

    Where’s the ending?

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  26. Kurt P says

    January 17, 2019 at 9:25 am

    Hi Brian. I was just wondering if maybe sometime you could show us how to play baby please don’t go?

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  27. Chris R says

    January 17, 2019 at 2:01 pm

    Hey Brian, what happened in the Premium video? The fretboard went right out of camera view for a long time, meaning we couldn’t see what you were playing.

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    • Brian says

      January 18, 2019 at 11:12 am

      I’m not seeing that at all. Make sure your browser window is opened all the way up

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  28. benny l says

    January 17, 2019 at 7:20 pm

    THIS IS A VERY GOOD ENCOURAGING LESSON BRIAN! THANKS A MILLION!!

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  29. richard t says

    January 19, 2019 at 12:00 pm

    Finally found time to run through this once. What a beautiful melody line. Made me want to slow dance with the misses. Now I will have to learn it.

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  30. Andy E says

    January 23, 2019 at 11:20 am

    Hi Brian,
    Loved the pedal in the backing. I’ve got a pedal but find it very difficult and so far I haven’t got much from the “experts” out there. Is ther any chance you could do a pedal course some time? I’d subscribe.

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  31. Trevor A says

    January 26, 2019 at 12:25 am

    Hi Brian. I’ve been a premium member for about 3 months and EP 291 is the “breakthrough” lesson I’ve been longing for. Now able to play chord based melodies all over the neck! It’s opened up whole new world for me, and putting the CAGED system into play with related melody has given me a much broader understanding of the fretboard and ability to call and respond. So excited.! Thanks so much!

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  32. John R says

    January 26, 2019 at 10:07 am

    Hi
    Can you download be transferred into iPhone music app. If it could- please advise how to go about it. I like to hear the beautiful melody occasionally when I am fee.

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  33. Andrea S says

    January 30, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    Hey Brian,

    Love the lessons. First foray into country music. Could you describe your amp/pedal settings to replicate your sound. Wold be most helpful.
    Thanks so much.

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  34. Thomas M says

    February 7, 2019 at 3:14 pm

    Brilliant

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  35. nomini says

    February 14, 2019 at 6:14 pm

    Brian == I am so happy to be a premium member. I love your lessons and your style of teaching not to mention the technology behind all this material. Keep the country coming and thanks.

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  36. christopher R says

    February 21, 2019 at 1:08 pm

    Brian….you are the best…great lesson…genius

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  37. Thomas M says

    March 30, 2019 at 1:29 pm

    Funny, I pretty well got the whole thing down, but I’m unsatisfied with my playing of the opening: the transition from the A triad to the A7. I can’t make it sound pretty like you do, Brian. The A sounds choked off when I move to the A7. Wash, rinse, and repeat, I guess

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  38. Brendan L says

    May 1, 2019 at 8:43 pm

    Brian, you have a really natural gift, and play beautifully. As I am a member can I download the (Part 2 – For Premium Members, and the Slow – Walk-Through videos.) To my hard drive.

    If so could you please tell me how to do this by e-mail as im not very well up on computer knowledge. My e-mail address is ( b.laird1@otulook.com ). Keep the good work up and God-Bless.

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  39. Omar G says

    June 5, 2019 at 7:37 pm

    Más ejemplos más ideas para continuar el track

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  40. Dennis J says

    July 16, 2019 at 4:09 pm

    Just signed up for the site. I am enjoying it. I appreciate the insight into where and how each of the licks work in conjunction with the chords and scales. This makes the lick usable in other songs. It’s so much easier to “steal” licks when someone shows you the how and why behind it.

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  41. Dana C says

    November 6, 2019 at 5:42 am

    I want to hear the rest of this tune that you wrote but didn’t include! I LOVE this piece!I can’t stop playing it!

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  42. scubatan says

    April 3, 2020 at 9:20 pm

    Love it! Remind me of “Oh Elizabeth” from the Statler Brothers, emotional, evocative, ecstatic!

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  43. Laura M says

    May 21, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    Are there lessons similiar to this???I m much better with the slow ones.

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  44. John D says

    December 26, 2020 at 6:56 am

    What is that guitar you’re playing, it looks like it has a B-Bender?

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    • Keith C says

      April 25, 2021 at 3:15 am

      It’s a Nashville telecaster

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  45. Rainer F says

    April 6, 2021 at 7:50 am

    I’d like to see more of this country style.

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  46. Michael Y says

    August 2, 2021 at 9:52 pm

    Its one thing to learn these, but man to make them sound as good as you do is a lot tougher!

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  47. billy b says

    September 29, 2021 at 6:39 pm

    Hay brain. love you picking. ? what strings are you useing on that fender.

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    • Caro M says

      November 20, 2022 at 4:12 am

      I just loved this lesson. It goes right to your heart strings. Wish I could play it like you do.

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