Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Soulful Rhythm Guitar Lesson With Fill Licks – EP225

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a slow, soulful rhythm that includes several bluesy fill licks. This lesson is designed to help you improvise in this style, by learning how these licks are created and to help you with timing. Even though this song is technically very easy to play, it can still be very difficult to play a slow song like this because you’ll often find yourself playing ahead of the beat. Practice playing along with the included jam track to help improve your timing.

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

  7. ranja says

    Loving the rhythm. I think I connected more with this than the
    Jimi series.
    Would love to hear more of the same in different time signatures.
    Beyond that, there were so many gems.
    Don’t know how you do it, but keep it up.
    Thanks, Brian
    Ron

  20. dmundy says

    Oops. Like a soothing salve for an aching heart. Lost my sister two weeks ago, and then the shootings in Vegas. I can’t stop playing this one. It’s a lifeline out of a dark place. Thank you

  22. David H says

    Thanks so much Brian. Your lessons have been making my guitar experience a labor of love. Haven’t been playing that long but am way ahead of where I thought I’d be at this time and have truly been enjoying the ride.

  25. Marty V says

    Wow, I’m LOVING playing this one.

    I second the call for a (micro) lesson with suggestions on how to approach the rhythm part. Maybe broken down into verse – chorus.

    Is this a standard progression?

  26. CliffordLance says

    Hi Brian, I really love this lesson. Slow blues is my favorite, and I like to hang out in the minor key neighborhoods. There are loads of good guitar teachers on the internet these days, but you’re the only one I pay, and frankly, I don’t think you charge enough.

    Keep up the good work, and ignore the occasional negative comment. You can’t please everyone, and there are people out there that enjoy being trolls.

    I love the early Peter Green, along with Jeremy Spencer and Danny Kirwan in the first iteration of Fleetwood Mac,

  28. David C says

    Love the lesson, on another note tho’ what size strings would you recommend for a Ibanez LP Custom(circa 1997)? I’m not sure what I have on there now, it’s been so long since I’ve played this one I forgot what I put on. They are not holding a tune and beginning to get a slight buzz on the higher D, G, and B strings’
    Thanks

  32. wrightclick says

    fantastic Brian and a great takeaway on the partial sus4 , i can’t help feeling this piece has room or deserves a crescendo cascading section up the neck before coming back down and slowing it back down to a calm again . I’m playing around up there perhaps that would be over egging it or spoil it lol hey you got to experiment .

  33. peter e says

    Brian,
    this is my favorite lesson so far. Really beautiful melody! Soulful and complex sounding. Thank you for tying all the scales and theory into it. I had a lot of breakthroughs with this one that will really help my soloing.
    Many thanks

  37. slk3rd says

    Hey Brian, I’ve been a subscriber of yours for a couple of years, and have thoroughly enjoyed your lessons and manner. Nice easy-going, and very adult, which is nice to see. I’m not really into posting comments or anything like that, but I felt compelled to say something on this one. This tune and melody are absolutely beautiful. When I heard it, it blew me away and reminded me of a song I was turned onto a long time ago by Pops Staples and The Staples Singers. It’s called ” Too Close.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_5QBdUSsbMw More of those beautiful gospel style chord changes and soul stuff would be awesome. Thanks for what you do, man.

  39. STEWART C says

    This is a lovely piece to play. I was quite surprised how much the use of tremolo effect enhanced it.

    I had never before used the tremolo effect which is on board my amp. and I had never envisaged wanting to use it.

    Just applied the tremolo to another very nice piece I play which I thought might benefit from it. Sure enough, it lifted it even more.

    Many thanks Brian.

  40. Brent N says

    Great lesson Brian, I think this is one of my favourites to date. Love the slow blues and also love how you explain when the notes and scales fit in with the chords. Even if it is a case of the more I learn the more I understand how little I actually know!!

  41. David P says

    Brian,
    I am more confused than usual. I can’t find an example of g major pentatonic box 4 except with the root on 10th fret. What is the fingering for the location you mention at start of song?

  45. Brian K says

    You are so inspiring to so many Brian. This song is sooooo soul soothing…gives me the chill bumps. I am making a personal thesis on learning all i can learning to play this one….theory and technique and timing.

    Its so much fun ….and you make it fun to learn. I am a subscriber with so much thanks for what you do for the guitar community.

    One question…..about guitar theory relating to this song….are these cords just the cords of the Gmajor scale? I think the B cord of the Gmajor scale is a B diminished but isn’t this B played in something other than diminished in this song? Can you please elaborate on how these cords work together to make such great tune?

    Keep it up. Thank you so very much for helping make better guitar players. Cheers from Columbia SC USA.

  46. Guillermo V says

    Active melody is evolving to another level. This lesson is FULL of resources. Really, I encourage everybody to support brian with the premium. Thanks thanks and thanks! Your passion and dedication deserve the 60 bucks!!

  47. wrightclick says

    Great Throwback Thursday revision i didn’t appreciate the not only the beauty but the importance of this composition first time round , it wasn’t published that long ago either and i already forgot how to play Gsus4 when running through the rhythm . It was great stopping the video trying to work out where the lead was going next after learning the chord progression . I would like to know difference between 6/8 time and 3/4 and will try youtube for that one . Thanks Brian for providing a fabulous all round value package for us wannabe’s lol

  48. adarabos@mdlz.com says

    This is in the top three lessons for sure next to the BB King Ballad. Any lesson focusing on the rithm would be welcomed. Learning the chords is easy but get the rithm right for a blues and especially for a soulful blues that is a challange for me and I assume some of the others as well… THANKS

  54. john m says

    This is the stuff that moves my soul!!!!!! I vevgone as far as breaking up with a few women, bc they wanna listen to 2pac all day which is cool…i come from that ERA…My brother and i even had a contract for hip hop music from 03/06…BC no one understood this , especially then aND i had to make music one way or another!!!! No body really mentions it, but the late GREATTTT! Amy winehouse…breathed some life back into the old rnb/bluesey sound! Too talented to deny! I got sooo disgusted with music and the direction they had us going by late 05′
    Ijust threw in the towel! HERE I AM! pushing 40! Built a beautiful studio in my house!!! And im going for it! I know i have atleast one classic album in me! NO OUTSIDE suits or producers! just myself and all the late greats to study and reference MARVIN, AMY, JIMMY,MUDDY Even ol’ blueveyes..just TO mention a few.. no synths, or electric sounds! just pure vintage soul with a twist! And id love for you to take part in it! in about a month OR so ill send you a couple songs! god bless! your very talented i didnt hear a bad note in any lesson yet! all beautiful music straight from the SOUL!

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