Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

  • Log In
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up

Learn a percussive fingerstyle rhythm and a blues lead in this minor key jam – Guitar Lesson – EP584

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn the how to play both the rhythm and the lead tracks for a minor key blues composition. The rhythm track using a percussive fingerstyle technique that makes playing a solo rhythm sound so full (includes the bass, percussion, and melody). In addition, you’ll learn a bluesy lead to play on top of the rhythm track. The jam tracks allow you to practice either rhythm or lead parts.

Part 1 (Rhythm) - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 (Lead) - Free Guitar Lesson

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Slow Walkthrough (Rhythm)

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Slow Walkthrough (Lead)

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

  1. Thaddeus W says

    August 30, 2024 at 6:56 pm

    Love it, very cool. Can’t wait to try it.

    Log in to Reply
    • MANUEL M says

      September 1, 2024 at 5:30 am

      Bravo, vous êtes un musicien formidable, Manuel Wollman,

      Log in to Reply
  2. Michael Allen says

    August 30, 2024 at 6:57 pm

    I dig the Mule! I can always use a good rhythm and lead lesson combined. Thanks Brian

    Log in to Reply
    • Eik M says

      September 5, 2024 at 2:11 pm

      When brain says middle and body lifts pinky… this will take some time … Love it 😃

      Log in to Reply
  3. kennard r says

    August 30, 2024 at 7:17 pm

    beautiful guitar. awesome sound.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Jim M says

    August 30, 2024 at 7:28 pm

    Your versatility makes you awesome as a mentor, Brian !!!

    Log in to Reply
  5. Mike R says

    August 30, 2024 at 8:04 pm

    The rhythm part is challenging but the entire piece sounds a little spanish and bluesy like. Very cool. Have to work on this one.

    Log in to Reply
    • David D says

      December 16, 2024 at 7:53 pm

      It’s the slap for me.

      Log in to Reply
  6. Don R says

    August 30, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    Congrats on the new guitar. Is it a vintage instrument or built to look that way?

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      August 30, 2024 at 8:30 pm

      new build

      Log in to Reply
      • George R says

        September 1, 2024 at 9:06 am

        Great sound! Which Mule model?

        Log in to Reply
  7. David H says

    August 30, 2024 at 8:52 pm

    Brian, is that a wood body or is it finished to look like wood? I’ve never seen a Mule like that before.

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      August 30, 2024 at 10:23 pm

      it’s a wood body.

      Log in to Reply
  8. Kevin L says

    August 30, 2024 at 9:04 pm

    I think the riff you referred to is reminiscent of “I heard it through the grapevine”. Thanks for a catchy new tune to play, Brian.

    Log in to Reply
  9. Jeff H says

    August 30, 2024 at 10:57 pm

    Great lesson, nice laid back feel. Good having the Rhythm and Lead to work on. Thanks Brian.

    Log in to Reply
  10. Malcolm D says

    August 31, 2024 at 5:47 am

    Super sweet and cool, happy weekend hear again 🙂 much appreciated Brian..

    Log in to Reply
  11. Kevin S says

    August 31, 2024 at 6:59 am

    Nice groove, can’t wait to get to work on it. Thanks. I get up early and Saturday mornings are my check out what’s new at A-M, you never disappoint

    Log in to Reply
  12. guy g says

    August 31, 2024 at 8:56 am

    Beautiful guitar!

    Log in to Reply
  13. Harry B says

    August 31, 2024 at 9:08 am

    I have a resonator although not nearly as cool as that one and don’t play it much. I’ll pull it out and work on this lesson. I love to check out your lessons every Saturday, Brian. They keep me inspired.

    Log in to Reply
  14. Lawrence B says

    August 31, 2024 at 9:37 am

    having trouble chewing gum and making a sandwich at the same time. maybe this lesson will help.

    Log in to Reply
  15. Patrick J. G says

    August 31, 2024 at 11:08 am

    Oh no! I want a Mule resonator. Gonna be hard to get this by the wife. Love that sound. That guitar is beautiful. Oh ya, pretty good lesson Brian.

    Log in to Reply
  16. DAVID G says

    August 31, 2024 at 12:12 pm

    Love everything about this: The groove, the minor vibe and especially that sweet resonator. Great choices, Brian, and something really fun to work with.

    Log in to Reply
  17. slopace says

    August 31, 2024 at 12:38 pm

    Brian definitely a nice sound. Is that a wide neck guitar? I know the camera can make it appear that way.

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      August 31, 2024 at 9:49 pm

      average size i would say

      Log in to Reply
  18. Lennart v says

    August 31, 2024 at 3:34 pm

    I found the ryhtmn in Amy Winehouse version of monkey man live .great lessons..no thanks really .:)do i get higher grade ?greetings from the netherlands

    Log in to Reply
    • Lennart v says

      September 4, 2024 at 5:24 am

      not rhytmn but the hook .and no points here just personel growth .

      Log in to Reply
  19. James G says

    August 31, 2024 at 6:23 pm

    Great Lesson Brian! It has a little David Gilmore in the rhythm…

    Log in to Reply
  20. Lars S says

    September 1, 2024 at 1:50 am

    Well I got the rythm down but the only sound i hear is that i imagine in my head. I guess its therfore you use resonator becouse its easyer to bar?
    Othetwise i would like to get some good tip for that.

    /Lasse

    Log in to Reply
  21. Steve says

    September 1, 2024 at 3:42 am

    I really enjoyed when you showed the same scale shape tied to different caged patterns leading to different modes. This might make an interesting lesson where you say take one scale shape and show it in E Major, Mixolydian, Minor and Dorian for example. Not sure if it can be made into a song or just a practice routine, but it reminds me of what I heard about Miles Davis using modal interchange on A Kind of Blue.

    Log in to Reply
    • Victor M says

      September 5, 2024 at 9:57 am

      I too would like to see a lesson on moving the shape

      Log in to Reply
      • Victor M says

        September 5, 2024 at 10:01 am

        I bet all the information is in your archives I just don’t know how to find it

        Log in to Reply
  22. Joel R says

    September 1, 2024 at 6:35 am

    Great guitar, nice sound, great
    Teaching. Jerry Garcia

    Sounds
    Joe

    Log in to Reply
  23. Kevin S says

    September 1, 2024 at 9:23 am

    Hey Brian,
    I’m hearing “I’ll Take a Melody” by Jerry Garcia

    Log in to Reply
  24. John I says

    September 2, 2024 at 1:36 am

    A lovely enchanting duet for this lesson. Perfect choice for introducing the Mule.
    Thank you Brian. Bravo!

    Log in to Reply
  25. Michael J says

    September 2, 2024 at 2:30 am

    G’day Brian,
    I’m on a Fender(Yes Fender) Jumbo 12 acoustic, and I am lovin’ it.
    M.J., Kilmore, Australia.

    Log in to Reply
  26. Philippe R says

    September 2, 2024 at 7:38 am

    Bravo Brian, very good lesson !

    Log in to Reply
  27. Neil f says

    September 2, 2024 at 10:43 am

    Love the guitar and the Lesson!! Thank You for what you do.

    Log in to Reply
  28. J. Michael T says

    September 2, 2024 at 7:10 pm

    That chord change remind me of something by the Vaughan Brothers

    Log in to Reply
  29. John H says

    September 3, 2024 at 8:52 am

    Love it. Sweet, dulcet and just grabs a hold of my soul.

    Log in to Reply
  30. Jax says

    September 3, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    Really nice lesson Brian, thank you.

    Log in to Reply
  31. Tom D says

    September 4, 2024 at 1:41 am

    Hi Brian,

    I cheated and learned the melody first. I love the tune combined with the Rhythm. but the rhythm is the problem. I can’t play fingerstyle using steel strings, so I am now searching for my classical guitar which is hiding somewhere in the house. Hopefully I can handle the rhythm using nylon strings.

    Thanks for the lesson,

    Tom

    Log in to Reply
  32. Lawrence B says

    September 4, 2024 at 11:02 am

    Great lession..

    There was a key moment where you turned a picking patteren around….(12:49). You mentioned that you didn’t really know exactly what you played until you went back to explain it… which tells me..
    You were playing in the moment! Which i think is how most good players work…

    There is a discipline to the techniques you’re using which is important to try and master… I have my own style of finger picking… (thumb and 2 fingers) that seems to work well for me.. But learning note for note… not my strong point…. So at some point I have to adapt it to my own playing style… Or I’ll never get anywhere. 🤣

    I believe you’ve often alluded to the idea that… There is room for variations on these themes!

    Thanks again for a great lesson!

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      September 5, 2024 at 12:46 am

      Yes, exactly! well said.

      Log in to Reply
  33. Michael G says

    September 4, 2024 at 5:59 pm

    Absolutely brilliant rhythm guitar. It’s a nightmare, I’m still working on bars 3 and 4. I don’t see myself getting this anytime soon. Please provide more of the percussive playing., I love it. Another great lesson

    Log in to Reply
  34. Pierre L says

    September 4, 2024 at 6:42 pm

    I’m really enjoying these rhythm + lead lessons! Please keep ’em coming!

    Log in to Reply
  35. Robin S says

    September 5, 2024 at 8:59 am

    This really awakened my enthusiasm after a slack period. Doubt that I will ever get there but it still sounds good with enormous simplification !
    Best wishes to all. Brian is THE BEST !
    Robin

    Log in to Reply
  36. Tony T says

    September 6, 2024 at 3:50 pm

    Great melody & percussive rhythm, which is added to by the resonator A cracker of a lesson!

    Log in to Reply
  37. Robert B says

    September 9, 2024 at 2:27 pm

    Brian – There is a lot of new stuff on this lesson that I am not familiar with. As much as I love the sound and the guitar I feel like an idiot trying to learn it – the slap and the finger style is kicking my butt. But I am determined. Also the last bar when you quickly bar and slide from G to A to B then back again to G. I can try it 20 times and maybe 2 tries is almost passable. I may have to modify that. Frustrating, absolutely! but I will keep trying!

    Log in to Reply
  38. Daniel H says

    September 10, 2024 at 7:59 am

    Wow. It took me just over a week to get just the first two bars down. On hearing the rhythm for the first time, thought it wouldn’t take too long to learn… Nope, getting the percussive slap on beats 2 and 4 made my brain hurt, trying to think and do multiple things at the same time. About halfway through the past week, my brain suddenly re-wired itself and my right hand started to automatically slap the correct beats. Really took away a lot from this lesson and felt like a new skill had been learned. Thank you.

    Log in to Reply
  39. Robert R says

    September 26, 2024 at 4:18 pm

    Brian, THANK YOU so much – you just gave me a perfect lesson combining the 3 skills (Like J J ‘s style on resonator guitars) as a finger-style guitar student of yours. Great guitar too.

    Log in to Reply
  40. alarew says

    October 16, 2024 at 10:59 pm

    HI Brian,
    I have a Modest Mavis Mule. Lovely guitar. I do not see your guitar on the Mule site. Did you order it specifically to your specs?
    A

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      October 16, 2024 at 11:25 pm

      it’s a prototype that Matt sent me – they can build them just like that though … not sure what they’ll be called

      Log in to Reply
      • alarew says

        October 18, 2024 at 11:42 am

        Thanks for the response Brian.

        Log in to Reply
  41. joemb84 says

    November 9, 2024 at 12:00 pm

    This is a great exercise for my fret hand and wrist too. I have realized my strumming thumb is finally going on autopilot when I play the bass notes. Not 100% there yet. But it no longer feels like a pat my head and rub my belly exercise lol.

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Don’t have an ActiveMelody account? Sign Up.

Links

  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Sitemap

Recent Lessons

Use chords to guide your lead and show you where to find harmonies – Guitar Lesson – EP623

Blues lead over a jam track with STOPS! – Fill the space when the band stops – Guitar Lesson – EP622

Play an entire Blues lead in 1 position of the fretboard (E shape from CAGED) Guitar Lesson EP621

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2025 · Active Melody. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Free Weekly Guitar Lessons

Enter your email address below to have the weekly guitar lesson delivered to your email address. I take privacy very seriously and will not share your email address.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Active MelodyLogo Header Menu
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up
  • Log In

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.