Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Soulful Blues Lead Guitar Lesson – Using a Major Chord and it’s Relative Minor – EP290

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

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. OldVet says

    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.

  3. tommc says

    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.

  7. Mary S says

    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)?

  10. stephen a says

    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.

  11. justin N says

    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!

  16. Ian D says

    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 !!

  19. Bill B says

    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!

  22. Pablo M says

    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!

  23. Carla R says

    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.

  24. sunburst says

    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

  30. drlknstein says

    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

  32. Chris J says

    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?

  34. Winfred W says

    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

  42. Martin G says

    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

  43. Sudomaki says

    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!

  45. Jeff F says

    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.

  46. David R says

    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.

  47. George I says

    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.

  51. scubatan says

    I see how it goes now, Brian 🙂

    You tricked us with a beautiful melody that I want to listen and copy. Then, you thew me with curve balls of simple yet useful theories. Now I don’t remember why I was here the first place, and walked away with these new arsenals to apply to other situations, like June 2020 member challenge.

    How sneaky!

  53. Peter B says

    Hey Brian.

    thanks again for a great lesson. just a quick question, you referred to Pattern 1 when playing the opening section. Do you have a lesson on the major and minor pentatonic scale patterns?

    cheers from downunder.

  54. Walter S says

    Brian,

    I find the music you create for your lessons to be enjoyable but every so often you crush it and knock it out of the ballpark!

    It seems to be those times when you produce something like this tune!

    I can listen to it all day long and it makes me want to grab one of my guitars and play until my fingers bleed!

    I can’t believe you aren’t selling records! Or are you?

    Thanks!

  55. melanie m says

    Whats the c minor scale. Minor penta on 8 fret? I got confused somewhere. Oh well the song is so nice to play. Good arrangement. Thank you. I didnt know the a and c were the same. So the c minor must
    be the same as a minor

  59. horatio says

    Brian,

    Long time fan and I want you and the passers by to know that you and your lessons do make a difference in our learning and enjoyment of guitar playing. Now, accolades aside, I would like you to consider adding to your workload and let us know the settings you use on your guitars and amps. I sometimes play my Hamer Studio while you are using a Strat and even Martin to Martin, I can’t quite get there and fumble with settings to find a fit. If we were playing together you would be pulling my plug. I realize it’s a big ask. Thanks for your work and commitment to all of us.
    Ken

  67. Erick H says

    Brian,

    Love your lessons and I am happy to be a member. Can you tell me what exact settings that you use on the Kemper or can you send me some of the profiles that you use most often? Thanks!

    Erick

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