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Minor Key Blues (B flat Minor) That You Can Play By Yourself – Blues Guitar Lesson – EP342

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a minor key blues jam in the key of B flat by yourself on guitar. This uses the classic “Call & Response” technique to allow you to jump back and forth between rhythm and lead parts.

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Comments

  1. Chris R says

    January 3, 2020 at 5:47 pm

    Another Great Lesson – Thanks Brian!!

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    • stephen r says

      January 4, 2020 at 10:08 pm

      Killer lesson

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    • thomokel says

      January 9, 2020 at 11:44 am

      Another great lesson. Memories of “Secret Agent Man” by Johnny Rivers.

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      • sunburst says

        January 10, 2020 at 6:07 pm

        agree

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      • John M says

        January 17, 2020 at 2:14 pm

        Another great lesson, reminds me of the old Hawii 5 0 theme musicšŸ˜Ž

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        • pschlosb says

          February 21, 2020 at 1:33 pm

          That’s exactly what I thought too!

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  2. Tony says

    January 3, 2020 at 5:49 pm

    Saturday afternoon and here I am again just waiting for the new lesson to drop and as ever the rest of my weekend is now spent with Brian.

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  3. JohnStrat says

    January 3, 2020 at 6:14 pm

    I like this one ‘coockin’ seems like the right comment, lots of fun here!

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    • JohnStrat says

      January 3, 2020 at 6:21 pm

      Brian I don’t think we have seen that Tele before It looks to me early 60s wondering if it is? Its a nice copy if newer and whichever way very nice.
      Id love one like that.

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      • Brian says

        January 4, 2020 at 12:16 am

        It’s a 62 reissue that I bought 5 or 6 years ago off a guy on Craigslist

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  4. Jim M says

    January 3, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    Right in my wheelhouse !!!

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    • SeanM says

      September 25, 2020 at 5:53 pm

      my thoughts exactly!

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  5. San Luis Rey says

    January 3, 2020 at 6:45 pm

    This went right into favorites after the first bar! I love this minor blues style. Thanks a million for this Brian!

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  6. jgreen says

    January 3, 2020 at 7:31 pm

    Not sure if the guitar is from the early 60’s but this melody sure sounds like it is. might check out Nat Adderley’s Work Song with Wes Montgomery. Great lesson!

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    • Brian says

      January 4, 2020 at 12:16 am

      Yes! Good ear. Definitely Work Song inspired

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    • Blaine J says

      January 8, 2020 at 10:07 pm

      Work song jumped to my mind as well. This will be a fun one!

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    • ~ shaman says

      February 24, 2020 at 3:08 pm

      Yep… exactly. Only my “senior moment” brain could not pull in the name. As soon as I saw where you wrote: “Nat…” it came to me. Thanks jgreen, and thank you Brian! This is only my first week learning from Brian. There is so much good stuff, the music I grew up with, that at this point, I’m experiencing sensory overload. I love every minute of it!

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  7. Michael Allen says

    January 3, 2020 at 7:52 pm

    Every week these lessons just get better and better! Thanks Brian!!!

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  8. Cary says

    January 3, 2020 at 10:41 pm

    Wicked!

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  9. Anton D says

    January 4, 2020 at 3:14 am

    My babe she don’t stand no cheating, my babe,…

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  10. Olivier B says

    January 4, 2020 at 4:21 am

    Thanks Brian, these three chords all on the same root fret and within the minor pentatonic scale, it’s such a good basis for improvisation. Extremely useful lesson!

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  11. Raymond P says

    January 4, 2020 at 5:36 am

    Great lesson and song Brian, this is going to be a lot of fun to learn and play.

    Thanks Brian,
    Ray P

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  12. Bill B says

    January 4, 2020 at 8:38 am

    Can’t wait to dive into this one! It looks like a lot of fun to play.

    Thank you for yet another great lesson

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  13. LuckyMitzi says

    January 4, 2020 at 9:33 am

    I love this one, this is going to be fun!

    Have a great day.

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  14. Noshan G says

    January 4, 2020 at 9:50 am

    I love every lesson of yours. I live in the other part of the world…in Nepal. And I wait so eagerly for your new lesson every Saturday morning.Will love to have new lessons on Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler….it’s been a long time.You are so creative every week…God knows how?

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  15. Noshan G says

    January 4, 2020 at 9:51 am

    Love every lesson of yours. I live in the other part of the world…in Nepal. And I wait so eagerly for your new lesson every Saturday morning.Will love to have new lessons on Jimi Hendrix and Mark Knopfler….it’s been a long time.You are so creative every week…God knows how?

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  16. Rich F says

    January 4, 2020 at 5:48 pm

    Just awesome! Just looking at this lesson late on a Saturday night, over a beer!

    Cant wait to learn this one tomorrow!

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  17. BRENDAN G says

    January 4, 2020 at 6:38 pm

    THANKS BRIAN,
    GREAT LESSON. Love TO HAVE SOME BASS AND DRUMS TO PLAY ALONG WITH!
    Brendan

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  18. sunburst says

    January 4, 2020 at 8:16 pm

    This sure looks fun and certainly a new thing for more to try! Your intro lessons explaining all this new stuff is terrific , sure will learn more soon paying attention to your tutorials! Happy New years!

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  19. sciencefiction says

    January 5, 2020 at 6:37 am

    Wow! I think this is one of your best yet, Brian! I don’t think I’ve heard you do a lesson like this before. Takes off high octane, non-stop from the get-go. Also, sounds so full, hard to believe just one guitar. Sort of opposite approach to EP335.
    Looks to a tough one to keep going smoothly at this tempo though.
    Thanks for this one–Larry

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  20. J. Michael T says

    January 5, 2020 at 2:22 pm

    Great lesson Brian. These licks are pretty achievable. I do struggle a little with the V chord any suggestion for muting the high E string? It sounds awful if I hit by accident I try to mute with part of my index finger but don’t always get there when changing quickly

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    • Terry H says

      January 8, 2020 at 10:35 am

      Try to let your index finger lay just onto the high e and mute it..
      T Harper

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  21. RIFF DIGGER says

    January 5, 2020 at 2:24 pm

    I get a nice vibe of ā€˜Work Song’ by Cannonball Adderley on this lesson. This is going to be both fun and educational. Printing the tab PDF and off to Staples to enlarge the sheet up to 11×14 so I can read the numbers clearly. I also like to write in Brain’s fingers on the tab numbers to get the fingering ala – Index, Middle, Ring and Pinky so I can practice it offline. Accuracy helps me. Thanks for this great arrangement, Brian!

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  22. dale b says

    January 5, 2020 at 10:31 pm

    This is what I was looking for when I signed up. Love it man. Thanks

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  23. Brent P says

    January 6, 2020 at 11:29 am

    This is prolly my favorite lesson yet! So much fun to play!

    Are there similar lessons you recommend that have the same “feel” and are good for jamming with yourself? Maybe a keyword worth searching on the weekly lessons page?

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    • Don D. says

      January 6, 2020 at 10:39 pm

      EP182 has a kind of “Green Onions” groove and a tempo change. It’s a great lesson.

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  24. James L says

    January 6, 2020 at 2:00 pm

    Thanks Brian! A ilttle Ronnie Earl-ish! Another great lesson!

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  25. Ethan G says

    January 7, 2020 at 3:16 am

    Love it. Can’t wait to give it a crack!

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  26. 60sRockr says

    January 7, 2020 at 7:06 pm

    I was impressed by this lesson Brian. Can’t wait to learn it and impress someone else. I love the variety of music that your lessons cover. I still need to work on last weeks though.

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  27. Alberto S says

    January 8, 2020 at 3:26 am

    GREAT TRACK AS ALWAYS!
    BACK IN THE PAST YOU USED TO SPEND FEW MOMENTS AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH LESSON GIVING SOME SETTING INFO EFFECTS AND SOUND…. WISH YOU COULD DO IT AGAIN

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  28. Jan P says

    January 8, 2020 at 9:15 am

    Great Lesson, i am new here but i really like your way of teaching some great music. Look forward to much more to come. Thanks.

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  29. Terry H says

    January 8, 2020 at 10:33 am

    i hear a little Surfari’s or something in part of the first lesson..Good Stuff!
    T.Harper

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  30. John K says

    January 8, 2020 at 7:02 pm

    Thanks Mate great lessons

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  31. Richard H says

    January 9, 2020 at 2:06 am

    My first “full” lesson…..memorised first 6 bars……not sure if I can wing for the next 34! Love this style.

    ,

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  32. ajm says

    January 9, 2020 at 8:13 am

    How fun is that little jam??? Real fun!
    Thanks!

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  33. sunburst says

    January 9, 2020 at 8:00 pm

    Another Fantastic lesson..I am having fun with this tonight!

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  34. David O says

    January 10, 2020 at 3:56 pm

    Thanks Brian, Nice easy lesson, quite simple to play and it sounds great. Cheers..

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  35. Neil H says

    January 10, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    Loved this one, added to favorites, really like the way you teach, I tried many other paid sites, E chords, guitar jamz etc. but your approach and simplicity really work for me, and honestly I don’t write to many reviews about anything.

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    • Andrew W says

      January 13, 2020 at 3:12 pm

      Couldn’t agree more!

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  36. Philip H says

    January 14, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    I love this rhythm played over the 12 bar blues section. Difficult at first but well worth it. Keep them coming.

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  37. Jim R says

    January 17, 2020 at 11:08 am

    After seeing how this website and your lessons are laid out I just had to join!I really enjoy your no-nonsense, get right to the point attitude for teaching guitar. But when you do get sidetracked… LOL there is always a surprise at the end of it,,šŸ˜²šŸ‘, it reminds me of the GOOD surprises in Cracker Jacks in the late sixties. They were tasty and left me happy 😃. I’m hoping to have this learned by the time the weekend is over, it sure feels good to pick up the guitar again and have a desire to play, thanks a lot keep up the good work.

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  38. Chris Douglas says

    January 18, 2020 at 12:31 pm

    Echoing the other comments, this so fun to play and learn from.

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  39. Jeffro345 says

    January 19, 2020 at 8:26 am

    Sounds like somewhere between ‘The Work Song’ (Nat Adderley) and ‘Green Onions’ – and I mean that in the nicest way – thanks!

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  40. DOUGLAS N says

    January 27, 2020 at 10:31 am

    Brian,

    when you mute are you using your palm or releasing pressure on your fretting fingers?

    Thanks

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  41. Michael W says

    February 5, 2020 at 12:11 am

    David Gilmour lick sounds like Money

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  42. Teko Koa says

    April 1, 2020 at 11:01 pm

    I’ve been a member of Active Melody for at least five yrs. I’ve wanted to be a little more involved with making comments, and participating in discussions etc.
    So I’ll start with this great lesson EP342. I was able to pick up on this lesson very quickly.
    It follows very much the same CAGED triad work I have been studying in my private lessons. The additions of the triad slides put a big smile on my (somewhat academic) instructors face when I played this for him.
    At 68 I’m always on the lookout for something that gives me another ā€œWOW MOMENTā€ in my playing.
    I was Visual Arts teacher for over 41+ yrs. It’s great to be one of your ā€œstudentsā€ soaking up everything I can.
    Great Lesson,
    Thanks Brian

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  43. Adam S says

    June 3, 2020 at 8:46 am

    Single handedly got me playing again after 15 years. cheers Brian.

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  44. Anthony (Tony ) W says

    August 14, 2020 at 8:51 am

    Brian, Fairly new “recruit”, so hadn,t had a look at ep342 (been busy getting 369 up to scratch – reason its the same overal tune as Willie,s “didn,t sleep a wink last night”. ) Glad you put 342 up this week because if one day we can get back out with our buddies to our regular picks and open mikes this is spot-on what would fit in really good. So going to master this one even if it takes a while because it not only teaches but also stands as a good session tune. Thank you. Tony

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  45. Chris M. says

    November 5, 2020 at 4:28 pm

    Brian, I really like the song! I have a question: would it be possible to modify the sheet music notation in a way that the notes directly match the actual chords? I.e. the Bbm chord is noted as A#m or Ebm as D#m. I know that enharmonically it’s the same, but it’s extremely confusing and really hard to read (in b-minor key you’d expect a lot of flats and hardly any sharps, right? šŸ˜‰ )

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