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Learn how to construct a classic Chicago Blues style guitar solo – Guitar Lesson EP636

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to construct a Chicago Blues style lead combining the styles of Freddie King and Albert King. Pretty much everything is played in Minor Pentatonic Scale Pattern 1

Part 1 (Lead) - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 (Rhythm) - For Premium Members

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Lead Slow Walkthrough

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Rhythm Slow Walkthrough

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. Garry says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:04 pm

    Awesome Brian! 😎🎸😎

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    • Tom W says

      May 20, 2026 at 10:12 am

      Yes, this is exactly what I think the blues is about.

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  2. Paul J says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:04 pm

    Great lesson Brian. I really appreciate the effort you put into creating these videos week by week. Having both a rhythm and lead track/lesson at the same time is an added bonus, this will be a great weekend!!! all the best.

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  3. Michael Krailo says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:14 pm

    $4K for that guitar? Too rich for my wallet, but that is a mighty fine looking and sounding guitar. This is a great sounding backing track. Going to have a ton of fun this weekend with this one.

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  4. Kevin D says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:14 pm

    WOW Great !

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  5. LoboGator says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:51 pm

    Fantastic lesson Brian! Tons of ideas! Thanks!

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  6. San Luis Rey says

    May 15, 2026 at 7:53 pm

    Yeah Brian! Just classic blues that those guys made their career doing. Love it!

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  7. kennard r says

    May 15, 2026 at 8:44 pm

    jealous for the new B&G. Play my Little Sister weekly, though.

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  8. peter w says

    May 15, 2026 at 10:22 pm

    Great lesson.Great feel. Great approach in communicating how to play it.
    I’ve been a subscriber of yours for over ten years. I recall many years ago suggesting (requesting ) you spend some time discussing the rhythm component in your compositions. I’ve always hoped you would do more lessons that discussed rhythm styles. This is a great example. There is so much to build on in this and you make that apparent. Lots of “Room to Move. ”
    It seems you have spent more time in the last few lessons talking about rhythm . I think it’s great and have benefited from it greatly. It helps to make a one more well rounded and complete guitarist… and stylist. I think it enhances your product.

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    • JohnStrat says

      May 16, 2026 at 3:36 am

      Here here Peter

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  9. KIRK E says

    May 15, 2026 at 11:09 pm

    Yeah here we go, waytogo buddy.

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  10. Malcolm D says

    May 16, 2026 at 2:58 am

    Great lesson much appreciated Brian 🙂

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  11. JohnStrat says

    May 16, 2026 at 3:34 am

    Brian, This is one lesson I have been waiting for, Thank you. I hope you will keep this theme for a few more lessons. I am sure many here will greatly appreciate this one and gladly have more .
    A long time ago you inspired me to get a private build Little Sister and I know Bob Margolin uses one. So I am all set on this. Thanks and don’t forget More Please!

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    • Rick W says

      May 19, 2026 at 6:50 pm

      I am way past due to send you a comment. Have been with you for almost 2 years, I practice almost daily. I have learned so much from you. Been playing for almost 60 years, and learned more from you in two years than the other 58. I love blues and boogie. This lesson was another huge inspiration! Thank you!!! Keep up the outstanding work.

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  12. Shaun M says

    May 16, 2026 at 4:09 am

    What a fantastic lesson per usual .. Brian gives that much in the free lesson that I hardly need to come here but when I need to, for certain lessons, it’s available.. hence it’s well worth it to stay subscribed 24/7
    Thankyou Brian

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  13. Markus S says

    May 16, 2026 at 4:47 am

    Thank you so much for this “mother of Chicago blues sound”… and the many backing tracks are great too. Great work! Warm greetings from Switzerland

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  14. Olivier P says

    May 16, 2026 at 5:57 am

    I agree with the previous comments. Very great lesson!
    Thanks Brian.

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  15. charjo says

    May 16, 2026 at 6:05 am

    Chicago blues are my favourite. Some great licks over the V in this one.
    That guitar looks almost identical to the Little Sister except for the pick up selector and tone knobs. Is the firtst knob the pick up selector?

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    • charjo says

      May 16, 2026 at 6:33 am

      I know why I like this. It has the similar call and response structure to Hendrix’s “Come On (Let the Good Times Roll”. Have a listen to that one if you don’t know it, Brian.

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      • Michael Krailo says

        May 16, 2026 at 8:48 am

        I honestly never heard that particular Hendrix song before. That’s a great grooving song, but it really jams in the solo part. Amazing player.

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  16. Michael W says

    May 16, 2026 at 6:27 am

    Having both the rhythm and lead is good. Having backing tracks that allow either to be the missing component that we add is absolutely inspired. Great lesson!

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  17. Jeffrey S says

    May 16, 2026 at 7:17 am

    Great lesson! Maybe add one more backing track. No guitar.

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    • Michael Krailo says

      May 16, 2026 at 8:44 am

      I had that same thought as well. That would allow us to play the rhythm part and record it, and then go back and play the lead over everything. Not totally necessary, but it would be nice.

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  18. Michael Allen says

    May 16, 2026 at 8:54 am

    I love the Blues! Thanks for this lesson Brian

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  19. Paul N says

    May 16, 2026 at 9:47 am

    Like the ideas you threw in at the end of the rhythm section. You could really do some cool stuff with that. Solo & Rhythym combined, without the need for another guitar player or backing track Thanks Brian!

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  20. doctim says

    May 16, 2026 at 10:52 am

    Brian. I have a BnG Little Sister number 13 of 25. I love it. Great lesson. Another one.

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  21. houliAK says

    May 16, 2026 at 11:22 am

    Some great ideas and licks. I always appreciate ideas over the V chord since my weakness is finding interesting ways to imply the V.

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  22. Tom M says

    May 16, 2026 at 12:22 pm

    Love the guitar and size! Perfect for sitting and jamming all day. Lesson is, as always, top notch! Have to figure out how to anchor my strings so I don’t blow them out of tune on a full 2 stretch

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  23. Raymond P says

    May 16, 2026 at 2:41 pm

    Great lesson. More like this would be great too.

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  24. Dennis R says

    May 16, 2026 at 5:11 pm

    That was great. I really like it when you do this kind of Music. Sometimes it’s just too nice and this is gritty and feels right. Perhaps you can do the same thing with double stops. I would really like to improve that part of my guitar playing. Thanks again.

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  25. RIFF DIGGER says

    May 16, 2026 at 9:30 pm

    One thing about Brian’s classic melodic lessons is that you take the arrangement, speed up the tempo on the Sound Slice-it can be quite flashy and ripping or slow the tempo down and really milk the notes with vibrato and sustain with abit of overdrive. BB King Memphis to Chicago. BB might play this 2 frets down in Ab. The elements of this sweet arrangement are very adaptable.

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  26. James G says

    May 17, 2026 at 11:21 am

    I liked the way you presented this lesson, especially the practice part.

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  27. Patrick says

    May 17, 2026 at 12:17 pm

    This is brilliant, thank you very much!

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  28. david c says

    May 17, 2026 at 2:11 pm

    love these lessons that seem so simple after you explain them.
    new guitar sounds fantastic. what amplification do you have it connected to?
    liked breaking out the rythm section

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    • Brian says

      May 17, 2026 at 6:30 pm

      Not using an amp per se- i’m just running through a Line 6 Helix and using the same Matchless amp emulator that I always use. I don’t think I’ve changed the settings on the Helix in over a year – i just plug in and go. I might adjust the reverb but that’s about it

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      • John I says

        May 25, 2026 at 12:59 pm

        Excellent choice for tone. A bit of bluesey grit that cleans up with a lighter touch.

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  29. Guy H says

    May 18, 2026 at 7:40 am

    Back to the roots! Love the part 2 as the rhythm section. Also love the lead friendly construct of the rhythm, the way it walks into the lead measures it makes me feel I know what I’m doing, even though that’s an illusion, ha! Keep ‘em coming! Thanks, Guy

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  30. Brendan G says

    May 18, 2026 at 8:06 pm

    Great lesson.
    love when there is some rhythm & lead to learn for the same track.

    Brendan

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  31. Patrick says

    May 19, 2026 at 3:48 am

    That’s a great lesson. I can almost play it myself.
    Which exact model of guitar are you playing here? Is it the all-mahogany version?
    Sounds so good and is beautiful.
    Thank you Brian.

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  32. Michael D says

    May 19, 2026 at 10:22 am

    Cant wait to get after this one. It was a Chicago Blues lesson tears ago that hooked me as a member, and still love to learn and play them. Having the rhythm is icing on the cake…

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  33. Joe N says

    May 19, 2026 at 1:50 pm

    Brian Love the rhythm, licks and grove . A genuine toe tapper. Well done .

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  34. Catherine Arsenault says

    May 19, 2026 at 2:08 pm

    Hi Brian great lesson I recognized that B n G guitar it’s a beauty a few years ago in Fredricton New Brunswick not far from where I live I saw the “little sister” up for sale on consignment I picked her up and wow what a nice guitar I would loved to have bought her but the price was way out of my budget. I had a great time playing it the store owner started jam with me on the piano had a great time spent most of the afternoon there unfortunately I have to leave 😔truly a lovely guitar🇨🇦there is no place here in my country to get one even if I could afford it😞

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  35. Ronald J says

    May 19, 2026 at 3:29 pm

    Hi Brian,
    In this lesson and in the previous lesson the FREE VIDEO is not showing up. I love the discussion in the Free Video as it gets me oriented. Can you check into why some of us – or even only me – are not seeing the Free Video.
    Thanks,
    Ron

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    • Ronald J says

      May 19, 2026 at 3:32 pm

      Wow , that was fast. Now I am seeing the Free Videos – they seem to lag in showing up.
      Thanks,
      Ron

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      • Brian says

        May 19, 2026 at 10:08 pm

        this is something new that is caused by Safari (not sure why it’s happening to some people and not others) – it’s caused by 1 of 2 things.. 1) if you’re using a VPN, it will happen… you can just change your VPN location to solve it. or 2) it’s something w/ the version of Safari… the easiest solution is to just use a different browser – Firefox, Chrome, etc.

        Sometimes your antivirus software is the culprit (web root, norton, etc) – if it uses a VPN… you might try disabling and see if it works ok without – then you’ll know it’s the culprit (or the VPN within the software is the culprit).

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  36. Michael G says

    May 19, 2026 at 4:28 pm

    The 5th chord lick was killer; a real eye opener. Loved the whole feel of this groove.

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  37. David G says

    May 19, 2026 at 4:49 pm

    Thanks Brian, I love that you have a rhythm lesson combined with the lead lesson. What better way to learn to pay attention to the rhythm chord changes than by playing them!

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  38. Victor T says

    May 20, 2026 at 3:33 am

    Good Lesson as always. I learned a new way to make my Rhythm sound good. Can also use it to improvise.
    Thanks again !

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  39. Dennis U says

    May 20, 2026 at 8:30 pm

    Great lesson Brian. It is so helpful when you produce both the rhythm and the lead lessons. Thank you so much!

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  40. Steve says

    May 21, 2026 at 1:26 pm

    great lesson, liked the 2 parts, the rhythm especially really useful that demo at the end putting all the jigsaw pieces together, i want to get really fluent at rhythm so i an break bits of lead in there without losing timing.

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  41. Two Below says

    May 21, 2026 at 5:01 pm

    Terrific blues piece. You had to have been wearing shades and playing in a smoky blues joint when you improvised it. Great tips throughout.

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  42. Guy H says

    May 21, 2026 at 6:50 pm

    I am excited for the next lesson to drop! The last few months have been terrific; it will be hard to top them! I sense a good one coming.

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  43. Ronald M says

    May 22, 2026 at 7:02 pm

    Usually Chicago Blues is hard to play but this lesson fits me perfectly. Love it,,,way to go, Brian

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  44. John I says

    May 25, 2026 at 1:03 pm

    Another excellent lesson. And fun to play!! Love the bends in this one.
    I enjoy the variety of genre and style you present every week. Thanks!!

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  45. Lesley O says

    May 27, 2026 at 3:11 am

    I am a little late getting on to this one – but love it!
    These rhythm and lead lessons are such fun and great practice. Thankyou Brian

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  46. Jeff B says

    May 27, 2026 at 11:56 am

    Another great lesson. I had forgotten how to slide up to the sixth fret on the E and B strings for opening lick. It makes the lead sound way better. Thanks man….thats why I enjoy your lessons and watch regularly. The B&G is awesome. I have a similar guitar (which I noticed from your past lesson) which is a Kay Value Leader that has 3 pickups and Brazilian rosewood fingerboard. I had Seth Lee Jones refret it with jumbo frets. In addition, he sent pickups off to get rebuilt in California. The old bobbins on the zippo pickups were made of cardboard and dissolves over time. The result was unbelievable and reminds me of the B&G. Thanks Brian.

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  47. Alex C says

    June 1, 2026 at 2:16 pm

    My favourite lesson so far… It took me a lot of work but I can play the lead at full speed to the jam track, and there’s lots of scope for improvising. Great stuff!

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  48. Paul V says

    June 1, 2026 at 8:30 pm

    Thank you for several different backing track arrangements.

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  49. Anthony I says

    June 3, 2026 at 2:49 pm

    The sixth fret on the string you called an E flat while its actually a D flat, but it IS the flatted 7th of the E flat chord

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  50. Mason L says

    June 7, 2026 at 8:56 am

    Hi Mason,

    We’re glad to hear you found us through Brian! He’s a fantastic player, and we’ve been big fans of his work for a long time. Thanks for letting us know.

    Thank you very much for purchasing one of our guitars. We truly appreciate your support and are excited to build it for you!

    If you have any questions along the way, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

    We’re always happy to help!

    Thank you,

    Inbar
    B&G Guitars

    Log in to Reply

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Play the Blues by yourself using Triads as your guide! Guitar Lesson – EP638

Your Blues solo may be missing this! Hint (it’s chords) – Guitar Lesson – EP637

Learn how to construct a classic Chicago Blues style guitar solo – Guitar Lesson EP636

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