Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Ragtime Blues Guitar Lesson (On Acoustic Guitar) EP148

Description

In this acoustic blues guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a ragtime blues in the key of E with no accompaniment. The structure of this song is just 2 chords (and E and a B) and it alternates back and forth between those 2 chords (starting on the 5 chord). In addition to learning this composition note for note, you’ll also learn the “why” behind the notes so that you can improvise and continue this structure for as long as you want. It isn’t as difficult as it might seem!

Part 1: Free Guitar Lesson

Part 1: For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. jimbostrat says

    Wow!! First again here, Brian!! It was pure coincidence last week too……….but love that ending chord here!! This will certainly give our left (most of us that is……….84%???!!) forefinger quite a workout with the barre chords……….plus timing…………the important basic thing here is how not to sound boring when jamming over two nice chords………..plus those cool sliding (9th?) chords…..very cool and instructional. I detest studying too many scales or basic chord progressions and this lesson definitely encompasses nicely all of this study whilst keeping our interest!!

    Jim C.

  8. brian-belsey says

    I like ragtime very much too. This is a lot of fun to work on! I think Brian is wise to include so much variety in the lessons and I also guess that mixing up the lessons must help his creativity. Also why shouldn’t he show off his versatility!

  12. Larry G says

    Brian, first I want to say…..learning the WHY has helped me be a more rounded player! I’m sure you can clear this up for me. Is the A6 chord voicing in EP148 a movable chord? I ask because the Am chord in EP045 bar 18 has the similar fingering except played starting at the 8th fret.
    My chord chart book doesn’t have the A6 chord fingering you use. Or have I missed something. I enjoy learning the alternate voicing.

  17. Harry P says

    Brian, I can’t tell you how much your lessons/site have put me on the right path. I’ve purchased more lessons than I care to admit, some I’ve done beginning to end and after 4 years I can’t say as I can play guitar. Granted more practice is key, but I wanted to be able to play without only memorizing songs. Each of your lessons make so much sense and provide such broad insight in to what is going on, why and the techniques. I wasn’t going to watch this one (working on 2 others of yours and ragtime isn’t my favorite) but put it on while working and kept going back to it because of the lesson value of the chord shapes, transitions and soling technique. Great Job on this and the site in total.

    • Brian says

      Mishka, the site structure is the same that it’s always been. You can download the MP3 jam tracks and tablature to keep, but the videos aren’t downloadable. You have to watch them online.

      • Brian says

        Mishka, I think you need to clarify what you mean when you say downloading videos. If by “downloading” you mean progressive downloading so that you can watch them when you click the play button – that should work on the site.. and I don’t know of anyone else with your particular issue. I can assure you I haven’t changed things on my end (since August of last year). You might try using a different browser to see if the issue is browser related on your end. If by downloading videos you’re referring to downloading the MP4 file so that you can keep it on your hard drive, I do not support that (and never have). The site isn’t structured that way.. the same way that you can’t download and keep movies from Netflix. That said, you can download and keep the MP3 jam tracks or tablature.

  21. JamminJim says

    Brian
    maybe its just me but I cannot print the tablature on this lesson. First time I’ve ever had that problem, I tried from two different programs and three different search engines?
    I’m stymied!
    Jammin Jim

    • Brian says

      Hey Jim, I’m not sure how a search engine could help? I can’t replicate the printing issue with this lesson. You actually 2 options for printing the tab.. you can print from the tab PDF OR you can print from the on-screen tab viewer, by clicking on the little icon down in the bottom right hand side of the embedded player and choosing the “Print” option. You might try using a different browser to see if that doesn’t solve the issue, or downloading Adobe Reader to print the PDF file from that?

    • Brian says

      The Alvarez MPA70 doesn’t come with a pickup, so I installed an LR Baggs Anthem pickup (which is what you’re hearing on this video). I’ve got the guitar running through my guitar amp with a little reverb applied as well.

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