Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Slow, rock lead ideas (over just 2 chords) – EP442

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to blend chord shapes, the minor pentatonic scale, and lydian mode to create a slow, atmospheric sounding guitar lead.

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Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

  4. Michael T says

    I stumbled upon this lesson a few minutes after it appeared on youtube. Thank you. I’ll also say it’s about my speed. I don’t know why, but I often get lost when you mention pattern x of the major pentatonic and pattern y of the minor pentatonic. I know what we call the five patterns, and I understand that we can be playing either a minor scale or a major scale, even playing the same notes, depending on the “tonal center.” That sounds too scientific. I’m still trying to get more comfortable with knowing where the root is. Anyway, in general, if you start with your index finger on A, and play 5-8, 5-7, 5-7 … , you would, I think, call that A-min, pattern 1. If you play the same pattern, same notes, but start with your little finger on C, and end with your little finger on C, would you call that pattern 1 of C-Maj?

        • charjo says

          Yes, Michael, that’s the system Brian uses. Identical major and minor shapes are given the same number and that’s the most common YouTube system. In the other system, that major pattern would be called pattern 5. I think Brian’s system helps beginning guitarists but I think the other system has advantages for more advanced players. For example, in Brian’s system pattern 1 minor and pattern 2 major overlap in the same region. In the other system, pattern 2 major (Brian’s) would be called pattern 1 and both pattern 1’s would share the same roots, in the same position. That should help with mixing major and minor pentatonics and locating modal colour tones around the roots.

          • Glen S says

            Mike – Pattern One for C – using High E string place pinky on C thats C major = Slide Hand up so Index is on same C, using same Shape thats would be Am or relative minor of any key. IE is you use shape 1 high E string pinky on 5th fret A = A major – place index on the same Note and thats the relative minor – hope it helps

          • Michael T says

            Thank you, Charjo. I appreciate the attempt. I’m sitting on the couch laughing because I thought the mud had cleared, and now it’s stirred up again. I know what we see as five patterns, and I can identify notes on the fretboard pretty quickly, as we’ll as roots, 3rds, 5ths, etc. Listening to Brian, though, I sometimes wondered if minor 1-5 and major 1-5 lay on top of each other. So, in conclusion 😀 , that 5-8, 5-7, 5-7, 5-7, 5-8, 5-8 is an example of Pattern 1. If I start with my index finger on A, and play to the next A, that’s A-minor pentatonic. If I start with my little finger on C, and play to the next C, that’s C-major pentatonic. Both are Pattern 1.

  10. Michael Z says

    Nice video Brian! So from a theoretical perspective, what makes this progression use an Em scale rather than Emajor.? Why do the chords E and C make this a blues when an E blues is usually E-A-B7?

    • Jay Guitarman says

      Hi Michael, I think you must not consider this a strict E key, because it’s not really established whether it’s an E or a C vibe, the chords change equally, the is no chord that prevails in my opinion. Therefore, I think of this as a 1 (C) to 3 (E) progression, noting that the E normally should be a minor chord, however if you change it to major, the vibe changes….

  16. Lauri H says

    Really like these kind of lessons. I cant play fast even if my life depended on it :D. Thats propably because I really enjoy these kind of things. And this helps to understand where the music comes from. These things really stick to your brain and help you learn other things in my opinion.

    Thanks again Brian!

  17. Jay Guitarman says

    Hi Brian, that’s my favorite style. Super explanations! I love playing over chord shapes, minor scale over the major chord to spice things up and the lydian scale for the dreamy part. However, I still wonder why the lydian mode works over this progression C to E…. The key change stems from the C key, since you play a major E at the third scale degree… C is also the fourth of G, and G the fifths of C,…. But I still don’t understand why the lydian mode works….:-(

    • charjo says

      Jay, I haven’t experimented with this but the F# lydian note is also the major 2nd of the E minor scale. You could stick to the major pentatonic over the C chord but if you tried to play the 4th, ie. the F note, I bet it would sound awful. It’s usually the 4th or the major 7 that clashes in these things.

      • Jay Guitarman says

        Hi John,

        thanks for your explanation.
        I always wondered why the C and the E chord go so perfectly together. It’s because of the scale link offered by the C lydian scale:
        C Lydian = E Aeolian (Relative Minor of G major) = G Ionian (Gmajor)
        This trick works for every progression using a Diatonic I chord and a Non-Diatonic major III chord instead of a Diatonic iii minor chord…

    • Jay Guitarman says

      Hi John, I totally agree. Forr me theory is the basement for creativity, otherwise things are only played randomly. Playing by ear is of course not negligible, however if you get your head around the underlying theoretical approach of a progression, it will become so much easier to get to grips new songs you are learning. It also helps for creation…

  26. Charles P says

    Great leasson! I’ve been on a David Gilmour kick for over a month now. sort of rediscovering Pink Floyd all over in a different way, so I really like this.
    Question: what strings are you using on your strat. I have super slinkies on mine, and my fingers tend to slide under the string above when I bend. seems that maybe they are “too” slinky?

  27. James S says

    Instead of saying C Lydian (which no one is going to remember how to form), why not just point out that the G Major scale is the same as the Em scale, and just say that you can use the Em pentatonic with those 2 additional notes (C and F#)? I think that’s easier for folks to remember. Great lesson as always!

  29. David E says

    Brian, this is just great.

    I have loved this type of ‘spacey’ sound and never understood how to achieve it. Using a ‘borrowed’ chord ‘C’ in this example. I have be using diatonic chords perhaps too long and wondering how guitarists manage to break out of them sometimes. Your explanation of a C Lydian eg. by just sharpening the 4th. major scale note ‘F’ in C major scale demystifies the Lydian mode for me. Plus the fact that C Lydian is only really playing G major scale is a great explanation for me. Thank you so much.

  30. Thomas W. C says

    I’m new to Active Melody can any one tell me , are the pdf’s printable?? If so, how the option to print is given but everytime I try to print the site option to print always gives me the option to save the pdf

    • Brian says

      yes the PDFs are printable. They’re just PDF files, so you can print them like any other PDF file. Sounds like you have the “print to file” option selected in your browser.

  31. mritalian says

    This is what I love about playing guitar it makes you think in different approaches. Some really good comments and different ideas to think about all of the possibilities when creating music. Really nice listening and playing lesson .In addition, the way Brian approaches the subject of mode is helping me understand them even better.. I thought of it as start on C and end on the G Major scale as it is the fourth mode. Brian just sharpens the 4 note in the C scale. Appreciate the lesson finally learning to play the instrument. As always Thanks Brian.

  32. Robert P says

    Great lesson!
    I add a Uni Vibe effect (Effectrode Tube Vibe) to the sound and it matches perfectly
    By the way this lesson reminds me that another “spacy” lesson exist….many, many years ago…EP098

    Robert

    • Robert P says

      For that Sound, no Kemper is needed. You will need a Clean tone with breakup if you hit the strings harder. I use for bedroom playing/practise my Roland Blues Cube…Clean channel with Volume at around 2-3 o’clock fits very well

  38. glen s says

    greetings all,
    Thanks Brian, as usual you’ve assembled another gem of a guitar tutorial for us to woodshed …… my thoughts on this are, while you have certainly explained it well …what I really want to know where to get that backing track that you used. Having that to play along to might help us (me) grasp the timing and tonal vibe of the tab.
    again, thank you Brian… now if you’ll excuse me, I have some woodshedding to immerse myself in.
    Aloha,Everybody

  45. Chris K says

    My request has happened. A slow rendition for an end to the day on a summers evening with a glass of wine. EP442.
    Great for us over 70 aged guys. The only problem it’s winter and freezing cold in the UK.
    Hey Christmas is coming though.
    Thanks Brian your best yet. Cheers 🍷🍷🍷

  47. Robert R says

    Great lesson Brian, and thanks for referring us to EP374. After working with shapes and triads for a long time, this lesson feels like another break through. As we pick through these triads, they also seem like a simple forms of arpeggios. I’ve mainly been working on Country and Blues, so like you mentioned, this is a nice change of pace.

  50. Delwyn P says

    Brian,
    Thank you for the lesson 442. I am amazed by the versatility you have. I love the “dreamy “ vibe and your instructions were easy for me to follow. I
    look forward to what is next 👍🎸

  52. Siegfried M says

    Many thanks Brian, I love David Gilmour’s guitar play and it is great to get a flavour of it with my own play now .- enabled by your lesson.

    My interpretation is even a bit heavier with more gain, absolutely fun to play!

    And great lick in bars 11 / 12

  54. Java M says

    This is so cool. I enjoyed learning it. I’m still not entirely sure why E minor pentatonic works over E major & C major chords but it does! Could use a better explanation regarding the music theory…

  56. magicrising says

    I honestly think the theory stuff could be done as a micro lesson. I think each main lesson should have an accompanying micro lesson. I found that after 9-10 minutes, I’d learnt 3 notes and found the pace slightly frustrating on this one….as much as love it

  59. James M. Sims says

    I am just barely getting the idea of how you connect minor and major pentatonic scales. I could use just a little more schooling on this so I can be more fluent and able to apply it to different songs and keys.

  61. DaveH says

    Great riffs/melody Brian! While I can play it at full speed on sound slice I prefer it at around 90% which allows the bends and slides to ring out more. Keep coming back to this one 🙂

  63. Allen S says

    this one really caught my ear. I play around with cords that don’t normally go together, (intentionally or mistake) and this tune sounded familiar. some of the licks are reminiscent of hendrix/stevie and obviously blues. the slow tempo is subdued so with just a little blues grit here and there it is very emotional. great foundation to start with for a quiet emotional tune. Kind of like they say about wine, give it air and let it breath, excellent lesson for many reasons. Great Job Brian

  64. KIRK E says

    Hey buddy 1st, I’ve really enjoyed your lessons. I wish I was better at applying them to my own stuff but mostly I just copy what you do. I know zero about music but have played or played at several intruments most of my life. Good ear and rhythm but very little knowledge. Your deal has made new stuff so much faster for me and my time w a guitar in my hands is fun again like when i was young…thanks for that. I’ve been asked at Church about playing at a future funeral(lady in our SS class battling cancer) if or when. A girl in the Choir is going to sing “The Nearness Of You” by Norah Jones. Conventional wisdom would be the piano but they asked me about doing it on the guitar. I may could come up w something but nothing like you could. I kmow you don’t do “covers” for lessons so I wondered if I could pay you to arrange something in your regular lesson format(which I follow really well). Not sure how that would all go down, I’m technically challenged to say the least, but I’m sure there’s a way. My prayer is that the funeral doesn”t happen but it appears to be going that way. No real big deal if that can’t happen but if you’ll consider it, I’ll sure pay you for your help. Thanks again for your lessons, you’re a natural at teaching and making it understandable for folks like me that struggle. God Bless, Kirk

  68. Brian M says

    Can’t get enough of these types of lessons. soulful and melodic. I spend so much time working on speed because my fingers are so painfully slow that it’s nice to slow down and work on getting the vibe and feeling along with the notes.

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