Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Gospel Style Blues Guitar Lesson – Solo Composition (No Accompaniment Needed) – EP248

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a gospel style blues composition that’s played solo guitar (no accompaniment needed). You’ll be using the “call and response” technique which is what allows you to play this on your own. I’ll break down everything and show you how to play it note for note and explain where those notes come from so that you can start to create your own compositions like this one. Also, there were no open strings in this so you can easily transpose it to any key.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Slow Walk-Through

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Video Tablature Breakdown

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Curious about the benefits of
Premium Membership?
Try it for FREE!
arrow_downYou need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets. Learn More

Add to "My Favorites"

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.

Comments

  15. pheartscott says

    Once again, awesome stuff Brian.
    Any possibility of having some lessons that mix both acoustic and electric together? Rhythm on one, lead the other type of stuff. I know you’ve done some in the past and I love those.
    No matter what you do, I always learn a ton. Thanks.

  16. Olivier B says

    Another great lesson as every week ! I love these pieces that can be played without accompaniment. And your method to teach how it’s built make me progress so much quicker than on any other online class. Thanks !

  19. Biker13 says

    Exceptional lesson Brian. I think this is my favorite solo no accompaniment lesson you’ve ever done. But I think I’ve said that a few times by now. I guess that means they just keep getting better. This sounds really challenging but it’s actually pretty manageable once it’s broken down. The perfect work : gratification ratio. A+++

  20. David S says

    Brian, at 72 yrs old,had all but given up on guitar.After seeing you on youtube my mind decided to try again and I have progressed faster than ever thought.I had learned from several but never had it all explained better than you.Had learned scales before but never could put them all together.Have learned more in a short time from you and your method.They are now saying that music is good for the brain to help against demencia and I’m enjoying more now than ever.Love this style of learning and playing.Keep up the good work. David

  25. Steve M says

    Hi Brian, love this but am having great difficulty at bar 12 at the D7. My hands are small and simply can’t do that stretch between the 7th and 10th fret no matter what fingers I use. Have you a suggestion of how to substitute something else similar? Thanks so much!

    • Terry G says

      Hi Steve , to get around the bar12 D7 you could substitute it with the D chord ‘ A ” shape at 7th position on fret board with your pinky on the 8th fret 1st string.
      hope this helps.
      Terry

      • Ian C says

        Yes…I had exactly the same problem and substituted by baring the 5th fret strings 1 to 4 and making A7 shape on the 7th feet strings 2 and 4. I tried both but found this was easier to slide into, and from for subsequent chord, than Terry’s suggestion.

        • STEWART C says

          Love this piece – as I do almost all that Brian provides.

          I also favour the D7 using an A7-shape on the 7th fret barred at the 5th.

          Although I am a fairly seasoned player at barring all over the neck with my “other” music – I find Brian’s
          approach quite a stretch – although I can just manage it.

          But also note that Brian is playing this on his beautiful Byrdland with the shorter “Gibson” scale length.

          My “best” guitar is my Epiphone Sheraton Pro 11 – coincidentally identical, even in colour, to Brian’s
          own Sheraton. However, my go-to guitar for working on new material is my well loved ESP LTD Strat-type,
          with the very tall Extra Jumbo frets and the longer “Fender” scale length. The longer scale definitely makes
          it noticeably more of a stretch.

          I wonder Brian – did you chose this particular voicing for a better sound ?

  27. wrightclick says

    Wasn’t keen first run through lol but now i love it probably the best work yet . I enjoyed the introduction about you must learn and appreciate a wide range styles etc and this site has taught me to love all styles there is value in everything . Especially like that banjo rolly thing lick best style of teaching where were you 20 years ago when i was stuck on open chords and a few bars with no control what so ever . Man i love love this instrument i’ve had some tough times chucked it in several times even told myself i would never be good enough and asked myself why bother but stumbling on this site changed all that i suppose i have got the bug for life now and lapping up every minute of it lol

  29. timothy9 says

    Lonnie Johnson lived in Toronto for the last 5 years of his life and clueless guys like me were too busy listening to imitators rather than the real thing. He owned his own club and we could have seen him any day of the week for the price of a cold beer. Sadly, his life was cut short when he was hit by a car.
    Thanks Brian for a great lesson; a real tribute to a father of the blues.

  30. Richard J.R says

    Brian, This is so good on many levels ,actually, they all are. I’m grateful having found you, becoming a premium member was the best thing I did for” myself” in a long time. After playing for about 2 months, how I stopped is beyond me, but going forward is what counts. The thought you put into these lessons provides so much on so many levels, kind of subtle way to teach theory and not getting too much into it where many might become bored, but wanted to thank you for the above. I never played the blues years ago let alone Gospel Style, it’s very nice to broaden our horizons. Thanks again.

    Richard J> R

  32. sunburst says

    Really enjoying this morning here, I know the third into fourth measure, heard that before, know you made use of it in a previous lesson.. the sad little chromatic descending bluesy Cm arpeggio and know I learned this here in another older lesson .. very well put together composition/slow blues gospel progression.. mixing maj.7thschord patterns and ending G13 ..enjoying this much!

  36. Nick P says

    This appealed to me as soon as I heard it – lots of clever tricks and turns to pick up on – and I’m pleased to say I’ve cracked it. Not quite up to speed yet but I’ve got all the notes under my fingers and will just drill them into my head. It helps to just play around with all the different phrases, master each lick as it is but then try variations and string them together in different ways.
    I’ve learned so much in the last year!!!

  38. Mike W says

    Brian, the gospel tune is a terrific piece of music. My fingers are quite long but I found the D7 chord in bars 12 and 20 to be quite stretch. I found it much easier to play String 1 /fret 5; string 2/fret 3; and string 3 fret 5. This was also convenient for the next G chord. Thanks for the great lessons.

  40. jimbo50 says

    This my first comment on this site. Nice meeting everyone. ActiveMelody is chock full of tasty music, an excellent teacher (Brian), well laid out website etc and all at a resonable price. Oh man, awesome value! With practice and AM I’m a much better guitar player than I was. Thanks Brian….

  41. James C says

    Brian,

    Love your website and all the great lessons, but have one question. Have you ever considered going back to your earlier materials and adding the Soundslice technology? I find that very helpful.

    Ed

  42. bluesdaddy292 says

    Here’s a tip to make the 12th bar easier to play. Instead of playing the D7 the way Brian describes it on frets 10, 7, 10 on strings 2,3,4…. play frets 10,9,10 on strings 2,3,4. That’s also a D7. Actually a rootless D7. It contains a minor 7th, 3rd, and 5th from the D7. There’s no D note in there, but the sound still fits and sounds close to what Brian is playing. Try it. It’s a much easier shape to play.

  43. Marco M says

    Hi Brian I really love this lesson, thanx, I have a question:
    What is the definition of “Gospel style” ? I mean when can you call it Gospel Style , what is so specific about it?
    Thanx 🙂

    • Brian says

      This just had a gospel blues feel to me. There’s not anything really specific – I’m just try to be somewhat descriptive when I name these things so that everything isn’t just called “blues guitar lesson”

  45. Mark J says

    Hi Brian,
    Gday all the way from Cairns , tropical 🌴Australia 🇦🇺 . Just wanting to say Acitve Melody is the best !!
    This is the first, most comlpex compostion that i have been able to play through, a bit roughly that is. and it is worth
    the effort. Great lessons all round for all levels, and styles too, and moreover I like your teaching style and how it comes through the videos,
    These factors persuaded me to take up a membership, well worth it 🎸 . I would still be plodding along with chord songbooks
    otherwise.
    Thanks again mate!
    Keep it going

    Mark J

Leave a Reply

Recent Lessons

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com