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Sometimes, 5 notes is all you need! Twangy guitar melody using the Minor Pentatonic Scale – EP596

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn a fun guitar melody (think The Ventures or Duane Eddy) that uses only the 5 notes of the Minor Pentatonic Scale (1 position).

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Comments

  1. Robert Burlin says

    November 22, 2024 at 5:41 pm

    I love this sound. And I love Fridays!

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  2. Harry B says

    November 22, 2024 at 6:04 pm

    Great stuff, Brian. Sometimes simple is better. As Robert Berlin says, this is why I love Fridays, too.

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  3. Martin P says

    November 22, 2024 at 6:07 pm

    This looks fun Brian. Thanks again.
    I have a suggestion Brian. Why not take a break for Christmas and have a week off. I’m sure all the members would agree to it rather than take a break every 500 lessons.
    You certainly deserve it 😊

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    • Daniel H says

      November 23, 2024 at 9:37 am

      I think Brian’s lesson number 600 will fall on Christmas week? This 596 and he takes a week off every 100.

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    • Brent N says

      November 25, 2024 at 7:44 pm

      I totally agree. Thanks so much Brian.

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  4. kennard r says

    November 22, 2024 at 6:17 pm

    takes me back to the 50s and 60s sounds. I will enjoy this.

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  5. Michael Allen says

    November 22, 2024 at 6:24 pm

    Sounds great especially for just 5 notes. Thanks Brian

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  6. Thaddeus W says

    November 22, 2024 at 6:53 pm

    Really looking forward to working on this one.
    It’s a fun sound. Thank you

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  7. Burton M says

    November 22, 2024 at 7:59 pm

    Love this lesson, how about some more like this!

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  8. Bill says

    November 22, 2024 at 8:17 pm

    Really good one Brian. Simple concepts and minimal notes, but it has a great groove. And that’s something we could all use more in our playing.

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  9. Malcolm M says

    November 22, 2024 at 8:18 pm

    Nice one Brian really like it.

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  10. Kevin L says

    November 22, 2024 at 8:19 pm

    Thanks again Brian for your teaching style and all the help you give me and I have been playing guitar for over 60 years and doing just fine.
    Have a happy Thanksgiving surrounded by your loved ones.

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  11. Jeff H says

    November 22, 2024 at 8:30 pm

    A fun interesting lesson. Love this sound, brings up lots of ideas. You never cease to amaze us. You should take a break at Christmas Brian. I don’t think anyone would complain, you have given us so much. I look for to Saturdays, here in Australia.

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  12. Wayne M says

    November 22, 2024 at 8:33 pm

    I love the sound of this week’s lesson. Almost a little Rock-a-billy 12 bar. Fun one to learn.

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  13. Ralph P. says

    November 22, 2024 at 9:16 pm

    YOUR MUSICAL WELL IS DEEP BRIAN. COULDN’T STOP MY FOOT FROM TAPPING. THOSE MUTED NOTES KILLED ME. SWORE I HEARD CHICKENS CLUCKING!

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  14. Theodore J says

    November 22, 2024 at 10:14 pm

    I agree with Martin P Brian, you well deserve time off..

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    • Martin P says

      November 23, 2024 at 9:31 am

      👍

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  15. Michael W says

    November 23, 2024 at 12:01 am

    Fun composition. Great explanation. Super lesson.

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  16. Laurel C says

    November 23, 2024 at 1:50 am

    Great lesson (even though this could be said every week) but it is these minimal note lessons with maximum results is what you excel at Brian, showing us the mileage that can be achieved for a fun catchy arrangement with ‘less is more’. The techniques in the lesson of alternating picking, muting palm and chicken pickin will be very helpful to ‘up’ the playing and speed skills with some time and dedicated practice. So want to get that chicken pickin lick down into a barnyard song. Nice take-a-way with the three boxes (1) 8-10th fret, strings 1 and 2 (2) 5-7th fret, string 3 and 4 (3) 3-5 fret, strings 5 and 6 with playing the same lick and having the same notes (R, b7, b3, 4). It is YES for more of these old school classic sounds including Surf.

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  17. Victor M says

    November 23, 2024 at 6:26 am

    Fun !
    Thanks

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  18. Paul M says

    November 23, 2024 at 6:26 am

    I used to think how ‘other worldly’ Surf Music was- with this lesson you’ve transported us to that world!
    Many thanks as usual.

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  19. John B says

    November 23, 2024 at 7:41 am

    I love this lesson. I’ve been a premium member for years and I love this lesson, for it’s simplicity, and for the fact that it so easy to add my own personality with my added knowledge that I’ve learned thru the years. A light bulb has gone off and I’m going to start going thru past lessons to find ones like this one. Thank you.

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  20. Josef L says

    November 23, 2024 at 7:49 am

    Hey Brian, I just want to say thank you. I am a big fan of your teaching. I love the same music and your enthusiasm is contagious. Even if I’m not the best guitarist, I don’t give up. Your weekly lessons are an important source of motivation for me. And they also help me not to completely forget my English. Greetings from Switzerland, Josi

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  21. Jim M says

    November 23, 2024 at 8:29 am

    This sound is a part of guitar history.

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  22. tpro47 says

    November 23, 2024 at 8:48 am

    Great lesson! I was a huge Duane Eddy fan. Simple can be awesome!

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  23. Olivier P says

    November 23, 2024 at 8:53 am

    Thank you very much Brian. Like everyone, I look forward to discovering every Saturday morning (here in Switzerland) what you have concocted for us. Every time a real pleasure. Maybe you could prepare us some Christmas music in the rock-roll style ?

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  24. Patrick J. G says

    November 23, 2024 at 9:38 am

    Another beauty. Time off? I want more! This is great stuff. But if you do need to take a break, by all means enjoy yourself. Thanks again Brian.

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  25. Francisco Marto says

    November 23, 2024 at 9:38 am

    I liked this lesson!!!!

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  26. David S says

    November 23, 2024 at 10:08 am

    Brian, Really liked this one.The style and the simplicity, lots of little gems, and lots of fun! Just keep up the good works. Happy Thanksgiving and looking forward to Christmas song.Dave

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  27. Hilsanders says

    November 23, 2024 at 10:12 am

    How do you come up with these really good instrumental breaks? I always look forward to Fridays and finding out what you have come up with. Never a dull moment!

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  28. Paul N says

    November 23, 2024 at 11:18 am

    That is very cool ! Thanks Brian!

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  29. Raymond P says

    November 23, 2024 at 11:51 am

    Great Lesson on how to use the minor penta 1 and 2 scales to move around the fretboard, landing on the 5 ideas and so much more. Thanks Brian

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  30. Brad F. says

    November 23, 2024 at 4:35 pm

    As usual GREAT! lesson Brian. Going to try this one….believe I’ll be able to handle it as long as I commit to learning it.
    Thanks.

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  31. Brad F. says

    November 23, 2024 at 4:37 pm

    Also thumbs up to you doing more of these.

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  32. Martin K says

    November 23, 2024 at 5:03 pm

    Hi Brian,
    This a fun lesson. You make the speed, palm muting and picking look so easy.

    Question: I keep defaulting to economy picking (same directions as string change) vs. hybrid (alternate) picking which requires a bigger movement when changing strings. Is there a disadvantage to doing this? (Example. – I’ll use two downs in a row when going from string 6 to 5, or two ups in a row when going from string 2 to3).

    Thanks,
    Marty

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    • Brian says

      November 23, 2024 at 11:22 pm

      that’s not as efficient (in my opinion) – the 2 downstrokes… but then again, i look at someone like Bill Monroe who would use lots of consecutive downstrokes in some of his lead breaks… so i guess it’s what you prefer

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  33. David C says

    November 23, 2024 at 5:03 pm

    I love these longer tunes. Especially this one. I grew up with the ventures Duane Eddy. My dad was a huge fan so it was always playing in the house

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  34. daniel M says

    November 23, 2024 at 5:23 pm

    I grew up on this sound , thanks.

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  35. James S says

    November 23, 2024 at 5:57 pm

    Fantastic! Please do more surfy stuff like this and EP541 (one of your all-time best).

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  36. David C says

    November 23, 2024 at 6:52 pm

    I went and checked out EP549. Came back here and combined the two. Very cool. Check it out

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  37. Alan V says

    November 23, 2024 at 9:27 pm

    I love all your lessons, Brian, but this minimalist stuff is right up the top for me. For understanding what I’m doing and feeling confident, it is magic. Those simple tips like just aiming for the main note of the V chord, or varying any chord with its IV chord (the list goes on) are worth their weight in gold

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  38. Aaron P. says

    November 24, 2024 at 12:09 pm

    I love the groove on this one! It’s been stuck in my head and I swear my foot was tapping along to this one in my sleep! It has really helped me work on my tempo. Brian, I agree with a lot of others, you deserve a good break off. You will not hear your members complain one bit, we have plenty of material to go back and revisit if you take some time off for yourself. You definitely deserve it!

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  39. Vernon says

    November 24, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    Too much fun Brian. Love my AM family. So cool and awesome to be a part of this. Thank you!

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    • Brian says

      November 24, 2024 at 8:57 pm

      ❤️

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  40. Steve says

    November 25, 2024 at 9:14 am

    Great lesson, just what i need, to focus on feel and rhythm without thinking too much or looking too hard at my finders, important for improv and noodling

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  41. Kathryn L says

    November 25, 2024 at 10:17 pm

    I’m laughing all the way! It tickles me to hear the bouncing, and I can even mimic the sound!!

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  42. Michael J says

    November 25, 2024 at 11:38 pm

    I I

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  43. Michael J says

    November 25, 2024 at 11:41 pm

    Goodonya Kathryn,
    Another toe tapper to play and enjoy!
    M.J., Kilmore, Oz!

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  44. Michael J says

    November 26, 2024 at 12:33 am

    G’day Brian,
    I am so pleased you mentioned Dwayne Eddy, God rest his soul, because this is how I just had to learn guitar.
    I think of his great tune, “Because they’re young!”, and it takes me straight back to those golden years of music.
    I just love this stuff, and thank you so much, I am so grateful.
    M. J. Kilmore, Australia.

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  45. Kenneth M says

    November 26, 2024 at 3:41 pm

    Love Love Love this! Both the twang and the fact that it’s just 5 notes. Just what I need. Thank You!

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  46. elerouge says

    November 27, 2024 at 9:02 am

    Can i isolate and play only the rhytmn track with soundslice? I would like, let’s say play this song at 80% of the speed but i don’t have that track at 80% but only 100% (too fast) or too slow.

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  47. Dave W says

    November 27, 2024 at 9:04 am

    now this is some great picking ,Sweet , have a Fun Turkey day Brain
    going on any more road trips for Guitars ??my collection up to 24 and growing , like a lot of things one just not enought ,Ha

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  48. Michael J says

    November 28, 2024 at 2:31 pm

    Wow. Maybe a little bit of a stretch but I hear the allman bros “one way out”!!

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  49. Angelo B says

    November 29, 2024 at 9:53 am

    Hello, great video. What brand tele is that?

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  50. Steve says

    November 29, 2024 at 11:24 am

    Really like it but I’m so slow, can’t get anywhere near 100% speed

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  51. guild618 says

    November 29, 2024 at 5:12 pm

    Great lesson, more surf lessons

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  52. Jason A says

    April 1, 2025 at 6:32 am

    Wow ! I’m new here but I been listening to a lot of Red Simpson – especially the song Diesel Smoke – lol

    I’m a lifetime beginner but this lessons sight has helped me a lot and I was thrilled to find lesson 596 and only my 3rd lesson I’ve downloaded so far . I can’t help but to grin when listening to Ted Simpson and this riff I will play for my grandkids and hopefully others and make them smile like it does me . Thank you for this great pick !

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