Description
In this lesson, we’ll continue exploring the major and minor pentatonic scales and we take a look at a simple guitar lead played in the major pentatonic scale in the key of E. This lead part is fairly simple and contains several licks that you’ll notice repeat themselves over and over again. I thought it was important to show that you can repeat the same lick and it will work, even though the chords are changing. It really stresses how just about anything you do within the major pentatonic boundry will work (or will sound right). Hopefully you’ll start to get a better understanding of how important both the major and minor pentatonic scales are and how they relate to one another.
Simple Lead - Major Pentatonic
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I’ve noticed there is no comments on this very cool lesson, so I thought I’d leave one. I think that alot of us (myself included) tend to over look these simple kind of things in favor of the more complex flashy stuff. But simple little melodies like this are an awesome thing. BB King is one of the biggest and most influencial blues men ever, and he can make a simple little lick with just a few notes say so much. I really dig the classic, 50’s kind of sound that this has too. Very cool, and I’d like to say again that it is awesome of you to take the time to post these lessons. Oh, and thats a sweet tele… :o)
I’ve been a premium m,ember for some time and have been taking the blues lead course on and off; but I needed this type of very elementary solo to get me kick started. From here I feel I can add and progress and maybe begin to improvise at a simple level. It is hard to stay focused when so much is being thrown at you every day and it is all exciting. Like Brian says, you are working on one thing and then another shiny new one comes by and distracts you. Did you ever have to make up your mind?
I too believe it is the simple simple stuff that leaves a big impact. It is all about phrasing and finding the mojo within you as you have to feel it.
Music is just not a sound it is a feeling within your soul and one must trust oneself 100% when playing, so do not doubt yourself; as persistence and patience will reward you.
Brian plays guitar with feeling you can see that clearly in all his lessons. Thank you Brian.
Well said. I find Brian the BEST around and my mind boggles when I see a few rotten apples giving some adverse “expert” comments. In Perth I paid A$80 per hour lesson where as Brian charges a yearly subscription equivalent to 2 hourly lessons in Perth Australia…… I shall be on Brian’s subscription list forever!
Hey mate I’m from Perth too. I’ve just joined active melody and totally agree about the lessons being some of the best out there and awesome value
I will too. I was an acoustic rhythm player for years and his lessons have brought me to a whole new level.
I agree totally.
I wish Brian had told me from the very start that “if your a Beginner, the first thing you do is go to these beginner lessons and ignore all the other 350 + advanced lessons in his course . It took me a year+ to figure this out! Now I’ll have to start all over and do just that!
50’s songs Ya, Do you use this same scale for 50’s songs or anything like wipe out? Sounds like alot of the 50’s songs lead was probably just Trids or simulur. Or if anyone knows some. Thanks Great great Lesson again.
Cool, thanks StratoBlaster and yes I agree it’s the simple stuff that often gets overlooked yet can leave the biggest impact and yes I also agree that B.B. King can say so much with just a single note. He’s one of the best.
Thanks Brian for all the blues lessons, Im playing leads to your jam tracks and that is the best way to practice, my leads have never sounded better, Im new to the blues really, always tried to learn stuff that was way over my skill level…..Love your teachings and i am now listening to Albert King a lot. blues sounds so good amd so pure. Keep up the hard work. G.
That is a nice and shiny Tele!
Thanks, I spotted that Telel on Craigslist and had to have it
almost tempted to trade in my ibanez for one
of those great sound great lesson
Trade in your Ibanez for a Telecaster? I’d support that decision.
Greetings Brian, me again, well had a very productive purchasing weekend, on Saturday picked up a MIM standard strat(lefty) and today picked up a fender blues junior limited edition, blonde and brown 2 tone exterior…..now I’ve got blues tone for days. what do u think??
Hey Brian, I really like this one. Simple enough I actually think I can do it. To echo an earlier request, how can I find more of your lessons that are about this level of difficulty? Also, I hope you have made your peace with truth whatever his name is or at least that he is long gone. His initial post was indeed mean spirited.
Btw – I have been using tuxguitar for tabs and find it very good. If you are not familiar you should check it out. Its free.
I’m just learning so great lesson.
Thanks
Very cool licks. I was always stuck on minor pentatonic stuff. I really like the sound the major produces. Have anymore?
Both the Emaj/c#mi and the Emi/Gmaj pentatonic scales can be used in blusey playing and therefore can be considered “Blues Scales” along with a host of other possibilities. Your assertion that the Emi penta is THE blues scale is gross oversimplification. In addition, your tabbed pdf for the video is COMPLETELY WRONG!!! The first two notes of the phrase are PICKUP NOTES which occur BEFORE the first beat! I’ve checked out a few other of your tabs and they too were dead wrong. As a pro guitarist and a teacher, you’re making my job HARDER by MISINFORMING those who are TRUSTING you man! The sad part is that you sound pretty good playing the stuff you play but it’s amateur level playing at best. Go back to school my friend.
Hi, Been a member for a while and just saw this lesson this morning. It really helped me because sometimes I forget that to move three frets down puts me in the majors. I think it is disgraceful and it truly embarrasses me and the other wonderful members on this site that are working guys like me who just love guitars and learning and we find Brian to be the best. So much so that we make financial investments into his efforts. I don’t offend easily, I am ex-military of a SAC bomber crew and believe me I have heard it all before. Your comments really hurt my feelings because every time I watch a video from Brian you can just tell he is a genuine and nice guy who loves guitars and cares about people. I mean this as kindly as I know how but please leave this site and leave Brian alone. This community does not need you and your hateful comments towards a person we all love and respect. I hope you find what you are looking for in your life but I do not believe we are it. Take care.
Antigua
In reply to “truth says”: Sounds like you’re frustrated and can’t get it. It’s easy to claim that you’re this or that, hidden behind a computer screen; the internet is full of trolls like you. Brian is one of the best guitar players I’ve ever heard – on par with Clapton, B.B. and Albert King, just to mention a few. Over the years, I’ve signed up, and paid a lot of money, to other guitar sites; and I must say, Active Melody is the only one I’ve found where I actually learn something. Brian’s teaching shows me not only the necessary theory (the why), but also the mechanics (the how) of guitar. My guitar playing has improved greatly because of Brian’s approach. If you can’t get it, you shouldn’t be envious or disappointed. Life is full of disappointment; just ask your parents.
Easy now Gary, I never proclaimed that I was showing the entire scale. I’m trying to simplify playing for people, and most instructors make the mistake of trying to show everything at once. Unfortunately you’re making the same mistake that most guitar instructors make by assuming people get caught up on theory and this scale or that. People that are trying to learn often just want to know some basic boundaries so that they can start creating music and having fun. The more complex stuff can come later - no need to show someone Calculous when they’re struggling with basic addition and subtraction.
In the few months this site has been live I’ve received thousands of extremely positive emails/comments and work very hard at trying to grow a community of guitar enthusiasts and I can honestly say your comment has been the only negative (downright mean-spirited) comment that I’ve seen. If you disagree with my style 1) you didn’t have to create an account to leave the comment, 2) you’re free to work on your CAGED system workout DVDs and fill them with whatever content you like.
Here, here, well said Brian. Thank you for your generous lessons that you provide for us, i do appreciate all that you provide. Shame on truthsays, nasty little person.
I enjoy all of Brians lessons, making them simple, so we can get a base going, things to build on,aside from “marty” my favorite lessons on Youtube, I have got the most out of Brians lessons than any other, so i can get the most out of only playing a few notes.These days less is more and figuring out my own riffs……….Keep up the good work Brian! and dont change.In my mind i would love to play Eddie VH type riffs….reality? not gonna happen.I would rather play blues all day long.hey “truth” if u dont like Brians lessons…there is plenty of others out there.
Bryan (attn. 1976lespaul),
Thanks for your timely response. I don’t disagree with your style at all. In fact, as I said, you have a nice feel and some of your inflections are very nice sounding. You’re very personable on camera, your guitar’s in tune, the potential is there for a powerful exchange. It’s just that your content is incomplete and the tabs are consistently, well you know, dead wrong. Also though, let me add that your site is really well done. Your 10 years in the field of online education served you quite well in terms of it’s form and function. So, to quote someone, “easy there”….Brian! You’re puttin’ it out there and you better be ready for any and all comers…right?
The fact that mine is the only “negative” comment you’ve received means little in my view except that I’m possibly the first person with credentials to view your site and take the time to comment. Presumably, you viewed my fossilized site and am aware of my background. I’ve spent over 40 years helping world class artists express their music and 17 years developing a teaching method that’s stood the test of time. I teach harmony, theory, technique, phrasing, ear training and am conversant in all styles except classical. I work with beginners every day and have trained men and women who are now in the field making a living, playing in bands and getting degrees.
The the points I made still stand Brian. Your tabs are wrong buddy. That means you’re misinforming people. I have a student who struggles with rhythm who showed me your site. Your tabs succeeded to further confuse him. So, in part, the result of your efforts; confusion. Is that what you want? Doubtful…
While I applaud you for creating space for community, the internet allows guys like you who have “passion” but incomplete education to create “communities of the misinformed”. I don’t know you and so I’ll assume the best; that your intentions are honorable.
The sad part is that you and I need each others skills. You have the ability to put together a beautiful site with incomplete information that can and will result in confusion and I have the comprehensive knowledge and experience to create clarity but no web skills.
Are you interested in the fact that your tabs aren’t decipherable and, in fact, dead wrong? Your response didn’t include an inquiry as to how you might improve them so that they reflect the truth.
Can you see that you identified something as the blues scale and then proceeded to play blusey licks in another grip? Do you know that the Emaj pentatonic grip you were using is a G form grip and that it also is a C# min / E form grip?
I’ve never been successful teaching harmony and theory first. Especially with guitar, which is a “folk” instrument, most of us need to learn some “cool” or fun stuff first and then find out what it means. You’re in the business of starting them out on the “cool stuff” and you’re on your way to doing a fine job. But there are clearly some points that desperately need attention if you want to look at yourself in the mirror in the morning and call yourself a teacher. Fair enough?
I’m interested in the pursuit of excellence, integrity and truth.
Your servant,
“TRUTH”
I joined a few months ago, and after spending plenty of money and not getting anywhere I found Brian to the most rewarding. I have musical background nor do I come from a family of any talent relating to music….Music theory can take years to understand and the way Brian explains it, I am able to grasp some knowledge which is helpful….Your comments weren’t necessary,
The tabs are all accurate from a note perspective - so if someone is trying to see where to fret the notes, they are 100% accurate - the timing may be off (quarter note / half note / etc) in some places and to be honest, that mostly has to do with the tab creation software I’m trying to use. I never proclaimed these tabs to be pure, they are simply a guide to help someone find out where there fingers belong on the fretboard, they are meant to be supplimental to the video lesson.
Another point, I’m putting out all of these for free, which means I don’t have hours to pour into tab creation making sure something is a quarter note versus a half note - besides, there is a lot of tab out there that doesn’t contain any of the time signature elements - that’s the purpose of tab… to show you where to put your fingers - unfortunately the software i use also creates the sheet music.
I don’t mind criticism, in fact I welcome it - but I found your original comments with your all caps (shouting) and statements like, “but it’s amateur level playing at best” to be mean-spirited and most unappreciated. There’s a right way and a wrong way to help someone out by pointing out what you perceive to be a flaw.
Keep in mind, all of the tabs and videos that I’ve created that you’re complaining about are 100% free, and are designed to help people that either don’t have access to an instructor or can not afford one. So my clunky content is better than no content at all.
As for your comments on grips - who cares? I have people writing me every day telling me how happy they are that they’re actually able to start playing music and that it’s making sense, which is my original intent. I’m trying to make playing enjoyable and accessible to people.
I’m happy and thank you for continuing to do these lessons. Your price is more than reasonable. Get plenty of knowledge for the buck…..keep up the great work.
Hey Brian thanks for taking time to put this site up for us newbees. I enjoy the lessons that you have put together. It let’s us get a feel of playing while keeping it simple. It’s fun to learn licks here and there and like you said its the simple things that get over looked.
Brian has helped me more than I ever thought and there is nothing wrong with his lessons. They are just what this beginner needs. Go somewhere else if you don’t like it here.
hey brian! keep up this fabulous work for us slightly frustrated guitarists. have just come off a reunion with my old band from the sixties,and couldnt wait to get back on your site..I went down with depression about 15 years ago,and part of my problem was not being able to play lead breaks.I found most sites going way over my head.as my old lead guitarist said; dont get caught up in the guitar olympics.I am 65 and have been a rocker most of my life.your lessons are what I have been loking for for years.keep it up,and thank you so much…….densehead.
Brian,
This is my favorite guitar site. This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. I’ve been playing (learning) guitar for about 2 yrs. I dig playing rhythm mixed with lead. I have learned more about rhythm at your site than anywhere else. Plus I love these jam tracks. This lesson and jam track is great because it sounds good and I can branch out from here. I start adding some vibrato and slides and bends and mix that with some of the rhythm ideas from your other lessons, and I can have hours of fun. My wife is impressed with how good your lessons make me sound.
I agree … great lessons that we can apply right away and sound good (relatively speaking). I also like that your introductions are short and to the point.
Sweet little lesson..:-),a nice way to show how to lay out the backbone of the twelve…thank U Brian.
Maybe U told us before…..but,what is in the other end of that guitar cable?
Sunday morning, just going through some of your blues soloing, light bulbs going off lol. Thanks so much, great insight and like you say from a little you can learn a lot. I’m seeing similarities to how Jimmy Pages’s solos are constructedand and how it all fits. Great stuff keep it up
Im new on here and im stuck at play n minor penatonic scales n my blues solos i liked tha lesson on mixing minor “E” scale with major “E” scale im ready to learn other keys
Im also new to this site Brian, and im a guitar teacher working out of Nottinghamshire in the UK and im here to tell you that according to myself and some of my pupils that have discovered your site your doing a great job. Were all looking for new ideas and you`ve put some excellent lessons out. If these lessons fire people up enough to delve further then its a job well done to me mate. Keep up the good work Brian and good luck.
Hi Brian. This is not a comment about this particular lesson, but a comment about your website and your entire approach. I thought that I should comment because I use so many of your lessons. I am an older guy who always wanted to play guitar, I am now retired and spend a lot of time learning. I find your lessons extremly valuble. I spent 30 years in government as a project manager and the one piece of advise I would give to students. Small bits at a time, don’t bite of more than you can chew and you will see steady progress. Again thanks for the lessons and hope to see more new ones. Hoop
Haven’t played for 40 years now 62 and trying to learn new and old stuff.Great job Brian. Learned more from you in a month than I have in a lifetime.
Thanks Buddy
Comments posted by ‘truth’ 13th September 2010 …………
Maybe the ‘truth’ needs to go find the truth, so it may set him free!
Nice work Brian, keep up the good work, and never mind the petty so called professional. Your lessons are afterall free a valuable to many.
Your lessons get us playing rather than baffling over too much theory.
Those looking for perfection (if indeed they even know what it looks like) need to look elsewhere.
E
very nice lesson and you are correct that most instructors assume that we know things that we don’t as beginners and it has to be slow and complete for me and guess I must be sort of hard headed .
Thanks again Gil
Hi
My 10 year old grandson is learning to play your 3 note blues in E but he needs some tab of soloing to the jam track, can you send him some notes that will fit? his e-mail is .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)/*= 0){out += unescape(l[i].replace(/^ss*/, '&#'));}while (--j >= 0){/**/if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_GaOuqVxzGX')){el[j].innerHTML = out;}}/*]]>*/
Thanks for your time.
can u give us the whole neck tablature for E minor pentatonic and E major pentatonic?
please can you give us whole tablature for all E minor and major paterns ?
Brian,I hope this post does show me as some kind of illiterate,in ther early sixties I learned a few chords,joined a garage band and started gigging and never thought of playing solo of any kind,your chet Atkins basic lesson I am now happy that while my right hand fingers are not yet dancing over the strings I am happy with my progress,I am now on your solo lesson in the major and minor pentatatonic in the key of E would have been my first time playing a solo of any kind as I was a rythm player I did not ever try to learn to play solo because I did not know how,apart from a couple of ditties like Apache and the theme from the One Nighters I could never work out how until I saw some lessons on Pentatonic scales and this is as good as you say it is for all guitar wannabes,I always try little riffs when gigging that surpises the others in the band,Brian the only thing I can offer you are thanks and prayers for the wonderful help I have got from your lessons in the last couple of months and with your lessons I will continue to enjoy this old Strat,Jim
Further to my previous comment,I found the comment from"truth"a little incomprehendable,having traweled a lot of lessons sites I have found yours the esiest to understand,if I could completely understand all the terminolgy and guitar speak I would have no problem with the guitar but like most of the young guns and us olduns we dont learn the guitar speak before we try to learn to play our guitar,after nigh on fifty years playing chords I can say in the last couple of months I have learned more about my guitar than I thought possible,I have taken on three modules the Chet Atkins fingerstyle,solo in Eminor/major pentatonic and Erick Clapton solo and while I will never be a Chet or Eric I am proud to be better than I was,accepting that there may very well be better sites to teach us for free I and many more like me choose yours and that says it all,Jim
i like it—the little lesson and the melody.
Reminds me of an old Dwayne Eddy song—I’ll have to dig out the 12” er’s and give it some air…
Anyway thanks for this FREE gift.
nice tele 2….
Brian; don’t listen to that *&%^(*&^*(&^, I have been playing for years and your have inspired me to play blues more then any other. I come form a rock to heavy background so this is great for me. And for the TRUTH. Those who can’t teach BITCH!
Sheer bliss……….young 60+ yrs and have had no idea just how , and with practice your lessons fall in to place… i will have to stay away from those ..c.f.&g chords and enjoy this new experience..thanks again,,
Hi Brian,
Great site and your way of teaching is very laid back,relaxing and supportive and at the same time in line with the “kiss” idea and free to boot! so lots of appreciation. I am tone deaf….unfortunately so all music is a stern challange for me i would like to re-do the backing track in pro tools for my own practice purposes (nothing wrong with your backing track!) but i notice the piano part has one or two chords i dont “hear” i think they are flat chords…never mind i’ll have to work them out but if you have the time maybe you could mention what those chords are? and as for the remarks made by “the truth” they are offensive which he does not seem to fathom it is i guess a expression of anger rather then critic maybe a bit of resolve might help him…thanks again Peter
Hey Peter47, the chord progression is: E, E, A, E, F#, B, E, B
Thanks Brian
I’ll give that backing a shot too!
thanks a lot brian, now i can practice a bit on pro tools, which is a lot of fun(i have my own studio-hobby based) keep up the good work this site is awesome…..Peter
Great side, learning a lot keep up the good work.
Thanks and greetings, Hans
Hello Brian , thanks very much for this lesson :). I played this my parents and my little brother and they say it’s cool:). Thank u very much !
merci pour les tucs,,,bryan the man
bunzoable…de gatineau (Québec,Canada)
Really good lesson Brian. Can you tell me, on the jam track for this lesson what chord progression are you playing. Just in case I did not use the proper terminology, in plain English what chords do you play in the jam track. Thanks Brian
P.S. always looking for new content
Oops, just noticed that you have already posted the chords.
Hi Brian.
Really nice stuff.
Where can I find something would fit with this…like a part 2…so I can continue on?
Regards
Ron from Colombia, South America
Dude inspiring to be able to play a little lead.
Thanks
hi brian just looking at the e maj pentatonic lead rift , i like it its nice and easy ,the thing is is the guitar a 52 reissue tele , and what amp are you useing to get that great tone , cheers frank
Hi Brian,
Do you know Vintage (Willkinson) guitar,just got one a Tele reissued 52, shiny as your Fender and sound great.
Thanks for this lesson.
Cheers
Hi Brian,
Another very good lesson, very helpfull!
Hey Brain..!!
I jus bought myself a Jackson warrior JS35WR..!!
what do you think bout da guitar…??
I relly need to know pls do tel..!!
Hi Brian,
Just looked through the comments on this lesson, and, from all the support you have received I don’t really need to add anything but I can’t resisit it. Mr Truth is clearly a very sad man and not brave enough to declare his real name (so we can see what his teaching is like and make a comparison). A most unprofessional approach to you which did nothing for the teaching fraternity. I hope you ignore it and continue to create for the people who really appreciate your clear and simple explanations. I have learned more from you that anyone.
All the best,
Dr Golf
Hi Brian,
Somehow I had missed this lesson and only found it today. Just shows how good your teaching is because this time I got it in the play through at the beginning and only needed the close up to make sure I got all the notes right. Once you have your version licked you can add bits of your own really easily. Brilliant - as usual!
Thank you very much. I bought the Jimi Hendrix style lesson and that is really good.
Don’t see much of you again. Hope its not work of the european problem again. All the best, Dr Golf
Love the lessons Brian. Your teaching style is top notch. I like the fact that you do rhythm and solo lessons. Looking forward to more.
Brian was away for a while and was invited to play something and thought I would have a go at playing your lovely blues melody with your backing track they loved it,some asked if I had made it up sadly I said no but gave all your site A D,now I am back doing your lessons again and loving the freedom I get from being actually able to play some solo’s on this old Strat,God bless and keep this old guitarman happy,Jim
I just wanted to say whats up to Brian and all the other musicians on Active Melody!! This is a really helpful site. I havent had a chance to explore much yet. I thought this and other lessons are broken down very well. Not to mention tabs and jam track.. cant beat it!!
Hey Gibson Guy,
You are right. The only problem is that Brian goes into hiberation every now and then and we don’t hear anything from him for a while. Then the Active Melody students get worried and ask him what’s going on and then he pops up with another great lesson. I have learned more from this tutor than all the others on the web and love playing his solos and things that he teaches.
Last time he had a new job but it would be great to see his floating head again!
Dr Golf
Yes DrGolf - floating head is back! I just created a new video today and it’s uploading to YouTube as we speak - I’ll have it up on the site in the next few hours. You inspired me!
Hey Brian,
Wonderful! One good turn deserves another. You have inspired me on many occasions and given me hours of fun. Do another premium lesson and I’ll buy that too! Some nice rhythmn with lead mixed in over a twelve bar. Although I loved the F# in this lesson. Very sneaky but a really nice tone.
I have been very ill and am recovering from a major operation so I have time to play my guitars.
Hope the new job is going ok.
Seasons greetings,
Dr Golf
Brian,
Your lessons are my holiday gift to myself. I may finally be getting this thanks to you. Your comments about sound, tone, and keeping it simple ring true to me. I feel I can maybe justify my Strat purchase from last year. Thanks again and happy holidays.
-Matt D.
Thanks for the kind words Matt - and yes, go ahead and get that Strat!
Absolutely great for me, just trying to het into solo’s. This is so great, improvising with the jam track really gives ‘the feel’! Thanks a lot!
Hi Brian,
I would like to say that your teaching is first class. As someone relatively new to music theory and trying to get to grips with the Stratocaster I have found “Understanding Major and Minor (Blues) Pentatonic Scales” and “Simple lead played in Major Pentatonic Scale (key of E )” extremely helpful. I must say that I find it hard to understand why some individuals have made derogatory comments. You should not be put off by this … your teaching method is excellent … keep up the good work.
I have been unable to download the tablature and jam track to my MacBook … PowWeb (with which I am not familiar) reports “This site has been suspended”. Perhaps you might be able to help me with this. I will try to write down the tabs by studying the ‘simple lead’ video.
All the best
John-egabd
Hi Brian
I am an absolute beginner, just bought my first guitar and I stumbled across your website recently and I love it. I’m playing some of the songs now…sort of, and I am having so much fun. Thank you.
Keep up the great work!
Hi Brian,
After googling and trying different sites coupled with trying some of the lessons on Youtube I stumbled across Active Melody.
These are some of the best lesson’s I have found yet, without question.
Maybe my skill level matches what you are teaching (in part) but your easy going style translates into better understanding.
Nice work!
Doug
@RTantillo - Well, for nearly 2 years everything was free (so back when I uploaded those videos to YouTube that was the case) - but with the popularity of this site comes lots of bandwidth costs.. i’m not trying to screw anyone, just trying to cover the costs and make a little spending money. Sorry if you feel misled
@Hoopero - thanks for the support, much appreciated!
Hey RTantillo. $5.00 for everything that I have gained from this this site. You have to be kidding. I have already downloaded everything from this site that is available, but the moment I heard about the premium account I signed up. Good decision Brian you deserve some compensation for your time and effort.
Brian, why are you telling us your jamtracks are free and i can,t download unless i pay $5. whats up with that.
Hi Brian,
I’m amazed how some people are unable to be polite when they ask a question. In my experience you are much more likely to get an answer if you ask in the right manner. I have downloaded a lot of stuff already and will be happy to pay the $5 for my next experience. I guess all your old lessons had “for free” in them and this has been misleading. However, you can’t go back and change them all. Keep teaching and we’ll keep learning. I hope you do get some spending money - there must be a guitar you need for your collection!
Dr Golf
Hey Brian this is a really fun lesson. One that I picked up on in no time. You have said in this lesson that on a previous lesson you spelled out the boundaries. I think I am missing something because I also seen on Blues Rhythm and lead lesson that you were working on a lesson that will spell out all the how’s and why’s. Is it the same video and I missed it? Great stuff here!!
Terry
@luch handt - this lesson is fun but it is a bit of the cart before the horse, i promise i’m wrapping up this premium lesson on lead that spells out all the hows and whys and will put all of these type of lessons in proper context. it’s really a look at scales and the way I approach soloing in general.. the way that I visualize the notes on the neck.
$5 for a premium membership is the biggest bargain I have come across in a long time. Great playing, great lessons. Clearly explained and the video quality is good too. It’s easy to see what you are doing. Thanks Brian,
Thanks bobdeans!
It’s been a while since I’ve read any of these comments, and I just noticed the ones this “truth” guy has been leaving. I have to say, that it seems to me he has no clue what he’s talking about. I’ve never had any trouble reading the tabs that Brian puts on here with his lessons. They make perfect sense to me. As Brian stated, tab is a guideline, it’s not meant to be a 100% accurate musical score. I figured that anyone with any experience reading tab would know that. To say they are “dead wrong” is a very ignorant and uniformed statement.
Sounds to me like this fella is a bit bummed because he doesn’t have quite as many people wanting to learn from his “teaching method” as good ole Brian does. Maybe he should go look up all those “world class artists” that he’s used to dealing with and get his ego boost from them instead of running other people in the ground.
Anyway, as I’m sure you know Brian, don’t let this joker get ya down. The fact that you’ve helped so many people with the guitar and that your site has so many members speaks for itself.
Keep on rockin’ brother.
Stratoblaster
Salut Brian,
je suis Français et je parle très mal l’anglais,
mais je comprend l’essentiel et tes leçons sont très pédagogiques…
à quand d’autres leçons sur le blues et surtout BB king…
J’ai repris la guitare que j’avais arrêté il y à quinze ans et à cette époque il n’y avait pas internet pour apprendre
mais aujourd’hui je suis de nouveau motivé…
Merci encore
j’espère que tu pourra me traduire…
Marc
Hey Brian this is just a simple lead bluesy run that anyone with little or no guitar education can play right off the bat and make it sound more complicated than it is. What the hell is wrong with that?! Nothin man. Matter of fact I have been noodling this thing over and over for a couple of hours before I go blast the ball about the fairway and there is so much contained in this one little lesson/riff it is just perfect for me. Modifying in part by accident and on purpose cause it’s the blues man.
Trust me when I tell you this, you and few others here on the net make playing guitar extremely enjoyable, safe and easy. Simple as that, and simple is BETTER!. Thing is here haters gonna hate no matter what. I mean your tabs are off half a beat are you kiddin me? So keep up the good work me and my P90 equipped Gibson will continue to dig on it. thanks for a wonderful sight and all I gots is the blues baby.
Hi All,
I think its time we drew a line under this string and moved on. Brian will start to be concerned that he is actually doing something wrong and may lose interest which would be bad for all of us. It would be good, if we could, to remove “Truth” from this site so that we can forget him. We all enjoy Brian’s lessons and I have learned more from him than all the people I have paid for lessons. There is no “secret” to improving your playing, just hard work and, thankfully, Brian’s “simple” ( I prefer “clear”) way of teaching.
SO, let’s all be positive now and enjoy our music. No more being hung up with a saddo!
One last comment. Please think about your comments before you post them. Courtesy costs nothing and I have found guitar people to be really pleasant people - most of the time. And there are no more pleasant people than our teacher!
Happy guitar playing to you all,
Dr Golf
@Major - I’m sending you a private email on this to explain - please check.
Brian I purchased the jam track for five dollars but it won’t let me access it. .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)/*= 0){out += unescape(l[i].replace(/^ss*/, '&#'));}while (--j >= 0){/**/if (el[j].getAttribute('data-eeEncEmail_kfKXiesZWn')){el[j].innerHTML = out;}}/*]]>*/
Hey Brian…. New member & a guitar newbie. Thanks for taking the time to create lessons such as this. I’m into learning Blues & have been looking for something like this for a while. Well taught,well played & straight to the point explanations.—THANKS!!
Hi there! from NJ
Hi Brian. Been trying to get into Blues stuff for ages and I’ve found my home.
On this piece I can hear Fleetwood Mac’s Albatross
Cheers from the UK.
be nice if your lesson videos be played by software that will slow down or loop
George
George I have Sony Vegas which is able to slows the velocity and I realise this is an expensive programme but I’m sure Pinnacle(cheaper) is able to do a slo-mo on the vid as well as the sound. I don’t think Brian can do anymore than he does.
Bri
Hmmm, I’m told I can download the “free” jam track, but this site says I have to pay $5—not cool…
Hi Webistrator,
Don’t worry about this. Some of the lessons were made a long time ago when Brian did this all for free and we wouldn’t want him to record the lessons all over again just to take out the $5.
It’s really worth it and enables him to cover his costs.
I promise I’m not one of the immediate family although I have been granted honorary status!
Dr Golf
DrGolf
Fine, but when the man says “free” that doesn’t mean “free once upon a time but no more”—That makes it a scam and so I’ve had to flag it as such with YouTube. Your explanation should then be right up front on the download page, disclaiming the “free” as no longer valid. Why not just ‘fess up’?
Damned shame, because Brian does a super job of instructing and the series is very well built. But that just makes the $5/free bit all the more troubling.
$5 isn’t going to break me—but there’s a basic principle of honesty here.
W.
@ W
What a shame that some ppl have so called “honesty” issues (if your so honest why not use your name to identify yourself instead of just “W”?)
This site has/is agreat resource for many ppl, but if as this poster( W ) feels so cheated/violated then maybe it was best the said person look at other sites, the end result with such “hair splitting” comments is that no one (Brian) will want to bother anymore, such ungratefullness and drama issues serves no intention at all, why not contribute to the community, this would surely be a much better intention, i fear my words fall upon deaf ears….Peter, Denmark
W, I’ve apologized for this many times, including writing a blog post about it, sending an email to all site members, etc, and responding to hundreds of emails about it. I was naive when I first started making these videos to think they would always be free.. they were for several years.. but I just couldn’t afford to keep it up. I’m not making a killing (believe me), blues guitar is more niche than you might think. I’m just trying to cover some of the costs and have a little spending money, while giving back to the guitar community. I can’t afford to remove the videos from YouTube because I would lose my ranking on both YouTube AND Google which means, thousands of people no longer come to this site. I can promise you I’m not trying to scam anyone and I’m sorry that it appears that way. I hate the fact that you’re reporting me as a scammer on YouTube because eventually they will bring it down. I’m greatly concerned that people think I’m a scam artist, because in all honesty, I’m a decent person just trying to figure out how to share some guitar knowledge and be compensated for it.. not trying to take advantage of people.
I cannot believe what I have just read. I sincerely must say that Brian you are one of the FINEST online Guitar Tutors around. Here in Perth Australia I used to pay A$60 an hour and since I have joined your course I have learnt more in one of your lessons than what ha
Brian,
All your long term students know what an honest and helpful guy you are and I do hope this one person does not cause you any problems. I can’t imagine what gets a person so steamed over such a small amount. If there is anything I can do to help you with U Tube please let me know.
All the best,
Dr Golf (Andrew)
Thanks Andrew! You’re always an inspiration. Nah, no worries. I get the occasional negative post or “You SUCK!” comment.. but I just let it roll off my back. The one thing that REALLY bugs me though is for someone to think I’m trying to scam them. I understand why he might have originally thought that, but hope he realizes that isn’t my intent.
Ok, I have to ask, what is . ? And I know I’m gonna slap myself!
OK, I covered this in my last note but people like “Peter47” seem to think truth in advertising is a non-issue. Bottom line: your ActiveMelody endeavor is a business and so should be run like one—including the ethics.
And why not my whole name, like Mr. “Peter47” says I should offer and be “honest” about? I was asked for a handle name when I signed up. So “Webistrator” is it—right up top, “Peter47”. Normal forum protocol, Mr. P. Read it. Your attempt to divert from the issue is irrelevant.
And to the “pickiness” of the “free = $5” matter, it is what it is. But there’s no need to repost your videos. As I said before, simply put a heads-up on your tab/jam track download pages (or even easier, on the pop-up window) that says something like “Due to the expense and time needed I’ve found it necessary to make a modest (and it is) charge of $5 for my efforts. Please excuse any misleading mentions of “free” I’ve made in older videos, I underestimated the work this entails and do apologize …” yada yada. I’ve done websites for years, and making the matter right is just that simple.
You do that, and in the meantime I withdraw what appeared to me as a newbie here to be a “free equals $5” scam. Like everyone has said, your resource and techniques are too good to merit the misjudgment, if that’s what it is.
Oh, and as for “Peter47” (his honest given name, I’m sure) my real name is Jack and I live in CO. More than that, you haven’t earned the right to know, Mr. Peter47.
Cheers,
Jack (aka Webistrator ‘cuz that’s what I do in another life).
Hi Jack,
I’m really pleased you know the history to this issue now and its good that you have withdrawn your opposition.
Go ahead and enjoy the great lessons and join the community who support him.
All the best,
Dr Golf (Andrew)
Nice to see that most misunderstandings can be reconciled in a peacefull and respectfull manner, and a very nice gesture to link to a Hanne Boel vid!! coming from denmark makes the gesture very pleasing, so if i may call you Jack, i hope you get loads of fun out of this site, and ask for help if ever needed am sure you rock on guitar…Brian will see to that!!
regards Peter(yes that really is my name) from Denmark(Copenhagen)
Andrew,
Thanks for that, and for understanding that this needn’t be a big deal. Brian’s got a good thing going here and newbies like me shouldn’t be misled into thinking it’s one thing there and another here.
Offline, I’ve offered to clear up the “scam” issue with YouTube/Google if it becomes an issue for Brian.
And thanks for your civility—an increasingly uncommon commodity is some places and countries. For that, I offer you all as a peace gesture some heady Danish YouTube blues from a lady named Hanne Boel I came upon while living in Denmark some years back—give it a listen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=krWmXo4HXhg&feature=related
Cheers!
Jack in CO
Yuppers.
I’m a longtime fan of Hanne. She does a funky version of Jimmy Cliff’s “Sitting Here in Limbo”:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwDn379gKEw
—and she’s got some great backup.
Cheers!
J. in CO
Dr Golf,
http://hanneboel.com/….there you go, Hanne is one of, if not the finest female singer to ever grace the Danish music world
regards Peter.
Hi Y’all,
Probably not the place to discuss this but which of her albums do you recommend. There are a lot on Amazon to choose from. She sounds great and I’ve never heard of her before.
Dr Golf
Hi Peter,
I have ordered a copy of the “Soul” album. I’ll let you know what I think.
All the best,
Andrew (Dr Golf)
Great sound thank you !
Hi
I’m new and I like to have the tablature An Easy Guitar Solo in the Major Pentatonic Scale (Key of E)
Thank you
Can somebody walk me through the little slide thing he does from the 11th to 9th fret…?? I’ve watched the video a millions times and I can’t quite get it right. It looks like a hammer on from 9-11th fret, but it sounds like I’m missing a note or two. Any help, greatly appreciated.
Man, I watched this video, and its getting late for me and I already practiced till my fingers started getting stupid LOL, but I know I want to play with this lesson. It sounds so cool and really doesn’t look difficult at all. When I get it down I may have to put up a vid. I seem to bounce between the beginner course stuff, some lesson on heer and playing songs I like off of tabs from songs I have wished I could play for a while. thank you for these lessons.
Sorry if this has been answered already, but what model/spec is that tele?
This video is the reason I joined Active Melody. Awesome lesson!
Brian, this such a “GREAT” Lesson even for me; I can’t wait to learn it. Thanks, as always, for all you’ve done for all of us.
Roland
Are there more lessons like this, that is, VERY SIMPLE little beginner songs? Thank you.
Awesome slow blues lesson!
I’m glad I caught this. How long ago 2010 was. Brian, sorry you had to put up with “Truth Says” I can’t stand rude people like “TRUTH SAYS!!!!!!!”…… And what the heck does   mean anyway” I don’t have a clue. lol
rgds, Pat F
At I first dind’nt pay too much attention whiles playing the rythm part but tended to miss the entrance for the last 8 Bars when I realised the importance of this lesson (!)
Is the youtube video supposed to match the tab? In the video I see you at 3:21 in the video hit the 11th fret on the A string and do the slide to the 9th fret but I dont see that same playing in the tab. Am I reading the tab incorrectly?
The TAB is incorrect.
Listening to the playback while following the tabs has me very confused ……….the count is completely off in many places . It is too bad because playing in time is important . I love these lessons but it sure would be nice to play them properly in time.
Hi, I am new to the site. I have only just picked up my guitar again after a good few years as I now have the time. I selected this site as I really like your style of teaching Brian. Please can you direct me to one of your lessons that covers the positions of the pentatonic scales Thanks Martyn
Just to let you know i think that you are one of the best to learn from….you have made it so easy . Thanks Robert
I am a fairly recent premium member and have having difficulty accessing the first installment of several of the lessons. When I try to open some of these, I get a message that says “Sign in to confirm you’re not a bot”. The problem is that I am already signed in and am trying to access the lesson via my account. I have been unsuccessful and then have to go and try to find that lesson on You Tube. How do I avoid this when I’m already signed in. Thank you.