Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a minor key blues in B minor (although, I’ll show you how to easily transpose this and play it in any key). This is played with a percussive fingerstyle rhythm and requires no jam track – you can play this one all by yourself.
Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson
Part 2 - For Premium Members
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Slow Walk-Through
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Video Tablature Breakdown
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Well this will be another great technique to pick up upon Brain and its a stand alone lesson as well. I am sure its going to prove useful to many members.
Thanks JohnStrat
It sounds great, very November-ish.
Beginning sounds like Roberta Flack. Can you do a Cream era Crossroads like thing or a Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young one?
Tom O’Kelly
That’s my kind of music 🎸
Looking forward to getting into this great little composition and lesson.
Just a small problem Brian: Soundslice is greyed out/unavailable with this lesson, with the message “www.soundslice.com refused to connect” in its place.
Rick
On Screen Tab Viewer not visible but I’m sure you must be aware of it. I check back in the morning. Love the tune!
Try refreshing
I have the same problem here, Brian – on a Mac
– with the Chrome browser it is greyed out and says “www.soundslice.com refused to connect”
– with Firefox and Safari, it is totally blank – no grey or message.
I have exactly the same problem, refreshing doesn’t help…………..help!
It seems to only be this weeks lesson upload, previous weeks still have it (on safari/iPad).
I’ll check back in the morning too, Brian usually sorts these hiccups quickly.
Sorry, I’ve fixed this. It was a setting that allowed it to show for me, but no one else. It works now.
👍
Love that guitar I am getting the step sister not as nice but more in my range since my playing has a long ways to go. Great lesson
I look forward to learning this one. Thanks Brian!
Brian, I tried refreshing but it hasn’t resolved the Soundslice problem. Any other suggestions?
Sorry, I’ve fixed this. It was a setting that allowed it to show for me, but no one else. It works now.
Awesome, Brian! I love this sweet minor tune and the percussive rhythm and will dig into it very soon! Just wish the mp3 sample was looping for a little longer instead of just once … ?
Just realized why this lesson sounded somewhat familiar, it’s like an extension to ML019, my favorite Microlesson! It has the same chord progression 🙂
Good observation Jola! I didn’t make that connection and ML019 is one of my favs also- to me 019 has a Santana feel to it no? Be interesting to merge the 2
hah – you’re right. good catch! I thought that sounded familiar
Same problem for me. No soundslice. Still works on the previous lessons. Just this one seems to have a problem. Cheers.
Sorry, I’ve fixed this. It was a setting that allowed it to show for me, but no one else. It works now.
Same comment as Buster89, soundslice works elsewhere, but refreshed a couple times here but still no viewer.
Great lesson, fun to listen to, fun to play
Thanks Brian,
Ray P
Same here with the above problem
Cheers
Sorry, I’ve fixed this. It was a setting that allowed it to show for me, but no one else. It works now.
Steve Via ? lol more like the Traveling Wiburys ! Great lesson and as always terrific composition Nice tones settings from that little Sister
A next good extension follow up (after playing through this now) reminds me and started me playing Carlos Santana “Black Magic Woman” solo
Great Lesson Brian! I hear “The Thrill is Gone” in chords almost. Love to see a part 2 of EP 281….it works out great at open mic night!!
Awesome! i love these stand alone songs
great job , i always look forward to our new Friday songs
have a great weekend
Hey Brian –
How about a lesson on a “Boogaloo Blues” rhythm ala “Tramp” by Otis Redding and Carla Thomas – Stax Records 1969?
Would be nice to learn a more R&B-type Blues from the 1960’s.
Something like this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXJOiAhbSCE
Soundslice there today. Thanks Brian
Yep. Same here !
Thanks Brian, The hardest thing for me is getting the percussions correct. If I can get that correct I will get to the next level. Great to play rhythm and melody. Pretty chord progression.
Brian, thanks so much for your weekly efforts. It can’t be easy trying to be all things to all pickers but week after week you hi it out of the park!
Great lesson. I will be getting into this one now. Thanks Brian.
What is the brand of that guitar and where can I buy one?
Hey Tony, it’s a B&G Little Sister – shoot me an email and I’ll put you in touch with my contact at B&G
Brian,
How does your B & G ‘Little Sister’ sound unplugged?
Thanks!
Such a Clapton lesson!!!!
Brian; I’m into my 3rd year as a member and I have yet to learn one of your lessons all the way thru. But I don’t mind because I’ve learned so many things thru bits and pieces. I’m going to be done with working for a living in 18 months and I’m looking forward to digging in deep to your lessons. You are my favorite teacher , by far. Thanks for all you do.
Thanks Craig, no worries on learning a lesson all the way through – lots of folks do that. The goal is really to teach you how to start to improvise and write your own stuff anyway, so as long as you’re learning and growing as a guitar player – we both win 🙂
THANKS BRIAN,
GREAT LESSON, SOME GOOD LICKS, AND VERY HELPFUL WITH THE FINGER PICKING !
HOPE YOU AND FAMILY HAVE A VERY VERY BLESSED THANKSGIVING!!
Hi Brian
I have been a member from November 20 2011 and have never been more impressed by the improvements I have seen you make over the years, thank you to you and your family Happy thanksgiving. And your Pug !
Respectfully Yours
Michael Bishop
Very nice little piece great for finger picking which I got the gist of no problem…however I am struggling to get any sort of consistency with my back of fingers percussion. It’s either sloppy or too hard, the more I try the less I can get it right! Guess Ill move on and come back to this technique again later.
What can I say, another great lesson Brian like it. Ta
almost like playing Clapton’s old love in B.. one of my old time favorites, i have started playing old love fingerstyle since this lesson.. very nice
Great feel and swagger on this lesson. The C#7 at 6:35 in part 2 is a II chord and thus this little progression essentially becomes a II-V-I (the most prevalent progression in music) which is why it works.
cool thanx
Your site is just the best Brian! I’m a new member and look forward to getting better over the winter. Just wanted to mention that I LOVED the “Back in Black!” That is, the black screen behind you again for this one. It’s so much easier on both the eyes and the laptop power with the black background that you used to use. Just my two cents–otherwise, the site is purrrrrfect-thanks for doing what you do amigo-
I finally started this lesson this morning!,, this is my favorite style of playing,, from my perspective this reminds me of fingerstyle techniques and the feel of Mark Knophler .. what a great turn around too..never would have made that up myself ,,lol.. appreciate the time and key signatures too ,.. eventually will help reading staff notation
Love this piece, thanks again Brian
Had a lot of fun learning this one. Especially like you you explain why the licks work and how they fit into the pentatonic scales and chords we’re using. Thanks!
BRIAN
Notices your B&G guitar. I just got one (mint used private build) though mine’s a cut-out . Super sweet. Its a higher-end guitar than my limited talents deserve but I’m in a wheel chair and have back issues so wanted a small-bodied light-weight electric that packs some punch and this delivers. LOVE LOVE LOVE it
My question: What gauge strings to you use on yours? The ones on mine seem pretty stout (previous owner didn’t know what gauge he had on it), which I’m used to having previously only played an acoustic but I’m trying to learn out to incorporate vibrato to some measurable effect (damn hard for me…really hard) and am wondering if lighter strings might help. Thoughts?
Appreciate your lessons lots. I’m a slow learner but know lots of practice is my key to getting better and your approach to teaching encourages me to keep working on things
Grins
This is so beautiful. I find that I just love minor and minor blues compositions.
great lesson Brian, sure glad I signed up this year. Love the variety.
Great lesson as always, Brian!
Awesome lesson! thanks,
I wanted to point out one small thing. In the tab at the end of the second measure is an open D and it should be an open G, 3rd string open, I think you mentioned in the lesson to play it as an open G