Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a soulful blues lead over a C chord and it’s relative minor (A minor). I’ll explain how you can play the exact same pentatonic notes and they’ll work over both of those chords, making it very easy to solo. You’ll also learn how to easily integrate chord shapes into the lead to create a more melodic sounding solo.
Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson
Part 2- For Premium Members
Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
Slow Walk-Through
Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
Video Tablature Breakdown
Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Register for premium access
You need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets.
Learn MoreAdd to "My Favorites"
You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.
Seems like there is a point late in this lesson where you use that G, D, A string for three successive notes like you did the ending to EP282. However, you were on the tenth fret and used B,G,and D. Which underscores what you do in a lesson is not necessarily lesson specific. I think you reiterate that over and over. The take aways.
Good lesson. Clever and soulful. Excited about learning this.
Are you hanging out with celestial musicians?
What a wonderful mellow arrangement …
Here’s a suggestion for you. I think it would be helpful if you strummed through the chords of the piece. You talk about ‘then the song goes to F’ or ‘the song is going to the fourth’. But, if we really don’t know ‘the song’ it is sometimes hard to hear where you are going. If it’s a simple I-IV-V, most folks can probably get that but when you start throwing in relative minors or ‘a Bflat because I thought it sounded good’, it is hard to hear where your going. Yes, I know it’s on the jam track, but a quick run through up front would be helpful. Just a suggestion. I do enjoy the lessons.
I couldn’t agree more, backing tracks are brilliant but I would much rather play with another guitarist.
If you look at the tab, it tells you the chord progression. Why not record yourself playing the chords or use a looper and play it over that. You will probably learn more doing it yourself.
That’s a very good idea.
Good-on-ya, Nigel! I was just going to suggest that when I read your comment. Excellent advice. Watching the on-screen tab viewer is a great lesson extension. Brian really covers all the bases.
I agree, the way I learned back when, with full music sheets, playing through the cords always gives me a better starting point to understand then build the lead.
I maximally agree with the previous speakers.
You’ve only got to look at the tab, it tells you what the chords are and where they change. It is probably a good idea to play through the chord progression first, over the slow walkthrough so that you have a better understanding before trying to learn the lead.
Just what the majority of us want, a really pretty fairly easy solo that sounds impressive. Bloody fantastic mate, keep em coming
Great lesson Brian, lots of takeaways and loads of licks.
My Kind of lesson. Love it Brian, many thanks.
So glad I joined Active Meloday. Great lessons. In a couple of different lessons I’ve watched, you have suggested turning on a little bit of overdrive on the amp. My amp doesn’t have a knob labeled overdrive. Any suggestions on how to do overdrive on such an amp (Blues Jr. IV)?
Gain?
Mary,
I think you turn up the volume knob very high to push the pre-amp tubes to get some gain and then turn down the master volume which controls the power tube to tone down the volume.
John
One solution would be a overdrive pedal. Check Guitar Fetish they have good quality products at a reasonable rate.
I’m playing through a tube amp (Fender Princeton) at low volume so I bought an overdrive pedal to help get some gain at low volume. Perhaps you could try some and see if that works.
Hey Brian- where can i find more about the 2 pattern of major harmony you mention with the “dude, enough..we get it”.. Love this lesson
Try lesson searches for Double stops and harmonising
My two favourite words with respect to guitar, soulful and easy. Then add a strat on the neck pick up and I’m in heaven.
John
Amen! My morning caffeine! Soulful, Easy and a Strat. My day can’t get any better. Great piece!
Brian. I benefited from the tone settings talk at the beginning. I could use a similar quick and dirty guide for most lessons (short – maybe a minute?). I am glad to struggle with playing my guitar, just feel like trying to understand my amp settings and which pickup to use when are added layers of mystery that I don’t really want to deal with just yet.
These “easy” lessons are a great way of getting the soulful feel of guitar playing down. There’s so much “shredding” out there but what stands the test of time is playing with soul and smoothness. You obviously have those two down Brian. Great lesson!
Great lesson Brian. Lots of good info. Please don’t stop your repeat explanations , they help the new bees and I think they are great reminders too.
Ray P
Killer lesson Brian!
This is great for developing soulful feel but only if I concentrate well enough following your timing..going to take my time with this one ty much!
Nice lesson. I put the video on 50% speed….makes you look and sound drunk lol
Nope… dont stop repeating the harmonised 3rds and 6ths (like you’ve mentioned in previous lessons)…….they can help open up lots of different melodies and playing ideas. When you explain it, now it starting to sink in a bit more !! Thanks for another top lesson !!
What type of a nut is on that guitar?
thanks,
Terry
I think that’s a Jeff Beck signature Strat. It has a roller nut which helps the trem stay in tune.
Be fair Terry, that’s not a nut ,it’s our Brian 🎸
Thanks Brian, Great Lesson!
Great Take a Ways!!
Terry
What an awesome lesson! You continue to deliver a“light bulb” moment with every video you do. My playing has tenfolded over the past year since I became a member and I am forever grateful!
Definitely my type of lesson keep them coming Brian. Very soulful…..
super cool brian
Thanks for another precious lesson Brian. Beautiful Strat btw – I wish I could lay hands on a lefty version. Very useful the tone part, too. As a GAS victim, I would really like to hear your take on stuff and tone every now and then. Again, thanks!
Thanks for putting up one that is good for us “beginners”. Though a played a little as a kid, I didn’t really start to learn until, well, lets just say early retirement. I don’t think these fingers wiill ever move as fast as someone who has played all their life, or is young. This lesson is easy to follow, not so fast, and just sounds cool… Very nice.
thanks for the gear talk Brian, so far sticking it out with a Yamaha thr10c amp with the editor which has effects and extra software effects online through yamaha editor usb connection..pretty cool lesson like the new strat tone you get here too
my kind of stuff, b!!! i can always tell! if it comes close to tears when i hear it— its the real deal!!!! thanx b and keep it comin!!!!!!
This is the kind of lesson I really appreciate!!!
Hi, Brian
Thanks for lots of info about adjusting pick up and other important major and minor
Wish you best time in new year
Brian, I was thinking of getting a Trio Plus Band Creator and wondered if that’s what you use for your backup tracks and if so, what you thought of it.
Jeff
Hi
Brian, what signature model is the Start?
Jeff Beck
yeah- man! don t stop explaining things..it s a great help..it takes a while for me to get these concepts and surprisingly I get em after I see them in lessons repaeted but in diffrent settings and diffiferent rythms –I got a nice complement recently using the harmonizing 3rds and 6’s from a really good player..so thanks
I love soulful blues and this one is fun. Thanks!!!
Brian – I love what you are doing at 12:50-13:05 (ish) when you jump adhoc between the strum and the lick in C and Am. I can just about play the lick, but I can’t get the timing right nor the sound of the strum and the mute. You’re doing so much with both the left and the right hand (which is so often overlooked) to get that sound and rhythm in the improvised switch between the chords. Can you recommend some of your other lessons where you are doing this? i.e. the switch between the strum and the lick but also the funky sound on the strum with the mute?
Brian, Love this style and the way you explain it all.Keep up the good work.Keep them coming. David
Great lesson….lots of good take away. I’m not sure where and when to use the take away…..maybe you could do a lesson on some of the take away. I really loved how you showed getting from the F chord to the F chord. You did leave out the small lick in measure 9 ending at the start of ten in the second half. However that does give me something new to play if I play it around for a second time. I love your lesson and your insights. Please keep them coming. Great lesson! Thanks E
I really like this lesson, a ton of good ideas that can be used else where plus it’s a great soulful blues!
At 68 I am probably the slowest student here, but enjoying the lessons. Especially the ones like this one
Im 64 Robert, and also a little slow, so lets keep at it!!
Hi Brian great lesson… I love the feel with that backing track. Would love to see sometime how to create such wonderful backing tracks
A gem of a lesson, sounds easy but to nail the phrasing is quite difficult and it’s those nuances that make this such a great lesson
I love the music you teach, it sounds so good. I want to play like what I hear so bad, hahahaha I’m getting close. I was lucky to find your site.
best lessons on the net are right here!
Another beauty from Brian. Inspiring , thanks.
The word Brian might have been looking for is “sophisticated “. That’s how this composition presents. And while it might seem like a straightforward composition, the assortment of full bends and hammer on’s along with some demanding timing, makes this piece a challenge nonetheless.
But the melody is killer and Brian’s interpretation and instruction makes this one a classic for the AM archives.
Marty
Hey Brian, I just got a tremolo pedal (the Trelicopter) and am trying to get the hang of it. Can you tell us what settings you used on the pedal for this song (depth, bias and speed)? Thanks!
Another awesome lesson from an awesome teacher. Listening to that with my eyes closed, I left my body and went to another place.
How does Bb flat fit in?
So I’m trying to do this lesson for the June challenge and I actually haven’t really watched the lesson because I want to come up with my own stuff for this backing track. So if my answer to this question is in the lesson I apologize. My question is how does Bb fit in with the chord progression? Playing the notes of the C major/A minor scale and there is no Bb in the scale. Not to get too hung up on theory but this is bugging me.
Nice piece! The beaming in bar three makes it unreadable. Beats need to be grouped together. Not everyone can just hear it from the audio, unfortunately and they need to count out loud to get it. When beats overlap in the music, it my play in the file correctly but it can’t be translated by a note reader which one assumes is the point in including it on the lesson.
Please comment on use of tremolo pedal vs the arm. I noticed you have the arm off the strat. I just bought a strat b/c of this lesson! Thanks a lot! Hahah. It was missing the arm too. I ordered one online, but wondered why you took yours off.
Oh. Nevermind. I understand now. 🤓
I know this was posted much earlier this year, but I just found it and it’s my absolute favorite! Great backing track too!
My favorite parts of many of these great lessons are your “diversions.” How you manage to read my mind with answers to my mental questions is a little eerie. But I’m not complaining!!