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How to use a Diminished Scale and Chord in a 12 Bar Blues – EP170

Description

If you’re looking for a simple way to add a little jazz to your blues rhythm or lead, then you’ll love this lesson. I’ll show you how to use a diminished arpeggio and chord over the 4 chord in a 12 bar blues. This is a simple technique for adding a jazzy flair to your blues. The first time through I’ll show you the rhythm part, the 2nd time through I’ll show you how to add fill licks to that rhythm.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Comments

  1. jimbostrat says

    September 16, 2016 at 4:35 pm

    Hey!! I can actually be the very first commentator again this week!! This reminds me very much of Chicago Blues………coincidence here, Brian??!! Jim C.

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  2. billfresh says

    September 16, 2016 at 5:06 pm

    like the song but please no yellow shirts in the future.

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    • Tommy B says

      September 20, 2016 at 7:53 pm

      Great Lesson! For some reason the yellow shirt against the red guitar bothered me as well…isnt that weird…but please feel free to wear anything you like and keep the wonderful material coming…you are great!

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  3. strattastic says

    September 16, 2016 at 5:41 pm

    The lesson, like the shirt, is a stand out.
    Thanks Brian,

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  4. Tim Lee says

    September 16, 2016 at 5:59 pm

    Love the lesson and the shirt! Yellow is cool.
    Tim

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  5. SugarmillMan says

    September 16, 2016 at 6:51 pm

    Great lesson! I think I actually prefer the tune played slowly, as in the slow walk- through.
    Keep ’em coming!

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  6. JohnStrat says

    September 16, 2016 at 6:51 pm

    Nice one Brian. Another ton of goodies emanating from here requiring urgent attention! Thanks John
    PS dont ge too near to a bee hive!!

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  7. charjo says

    September 16, 2016 at 6:52 pm

    This one, in no way, diminishes your track record of great lessons. Thanks, again, Brian.
    John

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  8. Aussie Rick says

    September 16, 2016 at 8:06 pm

    Great lesson Brian. Have been keen to introduce a jazzy feel to my blues playing – and this lesson, besides being a great unaccompanied tune itself, has the take-aways to do help do that. Thanks again Brian.
    Rick

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  9. Maradonagol says

    September 16, 2016 at 8:27 pm

    great lesson Brian……and I love yellow…..

    Roberto

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  10. sciencefiction says

    September 17, 2016 at 7:42 am

    This one is worth learning just that riff at 0:46. Another mystery of guitar playing solved for me. Thanks, Brian.

    Larry

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  11. Doug T says

    September 17, 2016 at 7:55 am

    Thanks for another GREAT rhythm lesson, you are really helping out my playing bro. those two licks over the diminished 4th WAY COOL thanks.

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  12. Frank66 says

    September 17, 2016 at 8:28 am

    Hi Brian,

    Great and interesting lesson. I’m developing more and more interest in jazzy guitar, thanks to you, so this is very much appreciated!
    As i only play acoustics, could you please always mention if the electric lessons will work / sound good / make sense on acoustic guitar to?
    That would be great to know before i set myself to learn the whole and sometimes pretty difficult lessons.

    Thanks.

    Eric

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    • macullam55 says

      September 25, 2016 at 4:46 am

      I think they all sound great on acoustic, as long as I can play them and they don’t go to far up the neck.

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  13. Michael Allen says

    September 17, 2016 at 9:15 am

    Love it

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  14. joe c says

    September 17, 2016 at 9:53 am

    B, That was great fun, never thought of doing that, short, sweet, and simple plus leaving excellent moments for improv. J

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  15. Biker13 says

    September 17, 2016 at 11:45 am

    GREAT lesson. Already one of my very favorite unaccompanied lessons! Really fun to play. So much to work with and build upon.

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  16. sunburst says

    September 17, 2016 at 6:19 pm

    Enjoy this lesson and you description about using the diminished chords

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  17. Donzo says

    September 17, 2016 at 7:21 pm

    Great lesson again. I now hear that diminished scale played in Allman Brothers Elizabeth Reed, now I hear it in context. As I’ve learned more from your lessons, I hear them when I listen to other music!!

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  18. Bret S says

    September 17, 2016 at 8:30 pm

    sounds like the awesome Steely Dan song Chain Lighting

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  19. Debra says

    September 17, 2016 at 10:48 pm

    Another amazing lesson, Brian. Thank you so much!!

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  20. Michael Allen says

    September 18, 2016 at 9:56 am

    I love it even more today!

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  21. Stephen S says

    September 18, 2016 at 12:03 pm

    I just cannot TELL you how this lesson made light bulbs go off in my head! I’ve always loved 9th and diminished chords, but never thought to work diminished chirds into a 1-4-5 blues. Add the chord-based licks AND the arpeggio! WOW! Heaven. THANKS BRIAN!!!

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  22. madams says

    September 18, 2016 at 11:08 pm

    Hi Brian,

    I really love your recent lessons. I am starting to visualize the fretboard which has improved my playing immensely.

    Please keep up the great work. It is very much appreciated.

    Best,
    Michael

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  23. smilefred says

    September 19, 2016 at 9:14 am

    Very very useful lesson..an another door will be unlock…almost
    Thanks a lot
    Ale

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  24. satellite says

    September 19, 2016 at 10:24 am

    i loved that Dave Rawlings lick over the V chord in part 2…thanks!

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  25. sunjamr says

    September 20, 2016 at 4:31 am

    Way cool! I spent 15 minutes watching the first video, then sat around for an hour just inserting the chords into a 12 bar blues shuffle in all kinds of different ways. Then I started working in some licks I know, and before long I realized “Hey, I’m actually creating an original song here”. And that’s why I love these kinds of lessons.

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  26. RobertBlower says

    September 20, 2016 at 7:20 pm

    More nuggets Brian. Keep um coming my friend, Loving that diminished scale run.

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  27. Gord M says

    September 22, 2016 at 4:47 pm

    Great lesson, thank you … Love the blues/jazz combo lessons.

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  28. Lionel Da Silva says

    September 22, 2016 at 11:13 pm

    great lesson brian! having fun with this one. you rock!!!

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  29. Michael S says

    September 24, 2016 at 7:38 am

    Real cool brother. I have been playing some of this stuff for years, but I always walk away with something from you. Nice to watch another picker at work, you inevitably learn something. Great job. Blow off the comments on the shirt, who gives a f… ? It’s your world.

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  30. Bill H says

    September 24, 2016 at 1:42 pm

    Hay Brian. Like this one a bunch. If you can expand on this format, other maj. practice sets, min sets, really anything related, GO as far as you can take it. Linking chords and creating arpeggio links thru them is very helpful in expanding solo content in a very natural sounding way.

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  31. Harris (Sebastian) T says

    September 26, 2016 at 8:52 am

    Another good lesson, Brian. Thanks for being so thorough with the whys as well as the hows. Part 2 is a blur for me—something defective—can it be corrected? I live in Chiang Mai, Thailand, not too far from China. I bought a great copy from China of a Gibson es345, with 6-position switch for a fraction of the cost in LA, California (my former home). If anyone wants some help ordering from a reliable Chinese company, I can be reached at [email protected].

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  32. Don D. says

    September 27, 2016 at 2:07 pm

    This is a really great lesson, along with EP167 and EP168, a trio of lessons that are going a long way to freeing up the way I look at the neck.

    There’s something I want to mention that may make it easier for people to understand why the G6 works over the A chord; looked at a different way, the G6 is actually part of the A9 chord, and it’s not far from being the typical T-Bone Walker A9 voicing. It’s G, B, E, G ascending, there you have the 7, 9, 5 and 7 of the A9. If you take away the high G and add a C# below (5th string, 4th fret), you have the T-Bone Walker A9 (and you can also slide it down from a step above).

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    • Don D. says

      September 27, 2016 at 2:10 pm

      Thank you, Brian! Top-notch. And never mind what anyone says about your clothes or your monologues, both are just fine with me.

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  33. GreggC says

    October 9, 2016 at 11:11 pm

    Great stuff Brain! Love that diminished lick! Yowzer!

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  34. kai k says

    October 12, 2016 at 1:02 pm

    great lesson 🙂

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  35. wrightclick says

    November 27, 2016 at 11:41 am

    Great fun looping you play 1st verse while i play over with the 2nd the vice versa

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  36. Gary Boats'Blues. says

    August 20, 2017 at 5:12 pm

    Brian, You are doing that special guitar justice. I hope that Eric sees you playing it because I know that he would be pleased to know that you love it and play it well,
    Gary.

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  37. Rick L says

    January 23, 2020 at 10:02 pm

    just learned this! love it
    thanks Brian

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  38. Jan v says

    October 15, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    At what level can I best play 9th chords so that I stay in key?

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  39. gretchen H says

    November 27, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    Help me, Brian! I’ve been really enjoying learning ways to substitute dim, 2m, 9 and 6 chords for the ol’ reliables and this lesson helped a lot. BUT since you called this lesson “in Blues…work in a Dimished scale over the 4 chord” I’m trying to fit this into a 12-bar blues pattern and failing. Assuming the D9 and D#dim are variations on the IV chord as you were explaining, I interpret what you wrote as follows: After the Intro (I-V?), it appears to go like this: I-IV-I-I- IV- IV- I- I- V- IV (repeat intro leading into part 2: I -V ). Apparently you’re replacing the second I chord of a standard 12-bar blues with a substitute IV chord (D9-D#dim7). In other words, that D9-D#dim 7 chord measure is filling in for what would ordinarily be a measure of A or A7 chords, rather than a measure of D or D7, as in I-I-I-I-IV-IV-I-I-V-IV-I-I…Or is it?

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