Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

  • Log In
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up

Use 1 shape to play an entire harmonized lead all over the neck (w 2 fingers) Guitar Lesson – ML120

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to use 1 shape to create an entire lead, even playing over the chord changes! The best part is only 2 fingers are needed to do this, and you’ll be able to play these harmonies in any key, because there are no open strings.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Major Harmony - Slow Walkthrough

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Minor Harmony - Slow Walkthrough

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Video Tablature Breakdown

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Curious about the benefits of
Premium Membership?
Try it for FREE!
arrow_downYou need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets. Learn More

Add to "My Favorites"

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.

Comments

  1. annekaz says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:01 pm

    Thankbyou

    Log in to Reply
    • Jerry M says

      August 31, 2025 at 2:37 pm

      I really enjoyed this lesson. I now have arthritis in my hands so I can no longer play like I use to so, simple sounds that I can play is really appreciated.

      Log in to Reply
  2. Leonard U says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:08 pm

    Great stuff! Thanks! Back in the day Ry Cooder covered the Leadbelly song “On a Monday”. The song only has two chords, G and D. When Ry Cooder played the G chord he soloed in open D and when he played the D chord he soloed in open G.

    Log in to Reply
    • Dan M says

      August 26, 2025 at 2:14 pm

      Brian – as always – so good, so well thought of, and ingenious! THANKS!

      Log in to Reply
  3. Nelson V says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:34 pm

    Wow! This will really help me expand my understanding and use of double stops.

    Log in to Reply
  4. Robert H says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:38 pm

    Brian, definitely a thumbs up to these ML lessons. They’re compact and concise and provide just enough new information that your disciples can follow up on with their hands on their instruments. Too many YouTube videos try to pack in way too much new material.

    Log in to Reply
  5. Jim M says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:39 pm

    So Practical

    Log in to Reply
  6. JohnStrat says

    August 22, 2025 at 5:41 pm

    Well this is a fun lesson Brian. I’ve been taking a couple of months off playing as Ifelt I needed a break but this one I think will get me back in the frame.
    JohnStrat

    Log in to Reply
  7. Bernard D says

    August 22, 2025 at 8:41 pm

    This isn’t my kind of song style but this is my kind of stuff! Thank you. You should do the A shape. Just saying

    Log in to Reply
  8. Aj M says

    August 22, 2025 at 9:20 pm

    As a beginner/intermediate for most of my time here, I do love drinking from the firehose every week.
    Thanks

    Log in to Reply
  9. Alan V says

    August 22, 2025 at 10:53 pm

    I also love these Micro Lessons, Brian, and this is even more brilliant than usual. Connecting all of these various chords as 3rds to play using just one shape is a very powerful way of making them stick. Love it!!

    Log in to Reply
  10. Thaddeus W says

    August 23, 2025 at 12:29 am

    Thanks, you made that easy to visualize and use immediately..

    Log in to Reply
  11. Georg B says

    August 23, 2025 at 2:01 am

    Hi Brian,
    That’s brilliant! It’s like being able to speak a language comprehensively with just one word (word = shape with two fingers).
    Your constantly new perspectives on the fretboard really help me learn to read it over time. To learn a language, it’s not enough to just read one text. You have to read many different texts, and the different texts ultimately help to use it freely. It’s no different with music, and the way you teach it makes it easy and enjoyable for us.
    All the best,
    Georg

    Log in to Reply
    • Jeffro345 says

      August 29, 2025 at 12:35 am

      Excellent!! Check out at Chet Atkins album callecool lesson d Caribbean Guitar… He covers a Perry Como ballad called ‘Temptation’, instrumentally of course, And I can hear the connection between this and that even though I haven’t heard ‘that’ in years..
      Still, it’s on the list. Getting that minor sound by moving the major up a half step…
      Thank you!!

      Log in to Reply
  12. Michael W says

    August 23, 2025 at 4:23 am

    I like the micro lessons. This one really had me seeing chord shapes as I played the harmonies. Very helpful for me.

    Log in to Reply
  13. T-Bish says

    August 23, 2025 at 6:40 am

    Love the way you laid out this concept. Thanks.

    Log in to Reply
  14. Daniel H says

    August 23, 2025 at 7:11 am

    Great nugget! I love using harmonized thirds and this lesson just expanded my vocabulary of them. Pulling them out of the 6 and 9 chord and using the 4 chord have been hiding in plain sight all these years. Tarnation! Thank you Brian. Exploring the other chord shapes for harmonized thirds and fifths could make for more great lessons.

    Brian, you have had so much influence on my playing and guitar knowledge I am just so grateful for you. Keep up the amazing lessons!

    Log in to Reply
  15. Paul M says

    August 23, 2025 at 8:06 am

    Fantastic lesson Brian, succinct, informative and so, so useful in many different ways. Thanks again Brian.

    Log in to Reply
  16. William H says

    August 23, 2025 at 8:32 am

    fun and informative, the hits keep coming.

    Log in to Reply
  17. cbuck says

    August 23, 2025 at 11:29 am

    any reason why you don’t fret with third finger also?

    Log in to Reply
  18. Laurance K says

    August 23, 2025 at 11:49 am

    Another awesome one! You are on a roll Brian! Thank you Thank you Thank you!

    Log in to Reply
  19. William Y says

    August 23, 2025 at 1:18 pm

    Great lesson. Follow up micro lessons using the A and C shape would complete the tool box.

    Log in to Reply
  20. Raymond P says

    August 23, 2025 at 1:33 pm

    Fun lesson, easy to follow but loaded with great ideas. Thanks Brian

    Log in to Reply
  21. Jeremy F says

    August 23, 2025 at 3:16 pm

    That was a concise explanation of some extremely useful concepts. Are you sure you’re allowed to be giving away the secrets to these magic tricks?

    Log in to Reply
  22. Pierre B says

    August 24, 2025 at 7:10 am

    It takes two to tango; it takes two fingers to play harmonized leads all over the neck. Great lesson!

    Log in to Reply
  23. Stuart L says

    August 24, 2025 at 7:37 am

    Nice lesson Brian! Now I have an idea of where all of those country western swing and pedal steel licks come from. This one’s a keeper for me.

    Log in to Reply
  24. Patrick J. G says

    August 24, 2025 at 11:13 am

    Like it. Simple lesson that adds up to a lot. Learning to harmonize with 2 strings and also playing “just 2 strings”. I definitely need that practice, it’s a lot harder for me than it looks. Gonna get better!

    Log in to Reply
  25. Eckbert M says

    August 24, 2025 at 12:45 pm

    Brian!!!!!!! Bist für mich der Allergrößte! Nun in Deutscher Sprache! Von der großartigen „Lesson“ bin ich platt! Für mich bist Du der Gitarren Gott Brian! Tausend Dank! Schön mit Dir Gitarre zu spielen und von Dir zu lernen! Das Leben kann sooooo schön sein!

    Log in to Reply
  26. James G says

    August 26, 2025 at 6:10 am

    I like the slow introduction into new things. Exploring the full lesson, makes the concepts clear (for me). Hopefully I’ll remember all this stuff.

    Log in to Reply
  27. Lawrence W says

    August 26, 2025 at 2:04 pm

    Great and useful lesson! (As usual.) Love that guitar — please tell us about it!

    Log in to Reply
    • David B says

      August 27, 2025 at 9:04 pm

      Yes, please! Loved the lesson, but wondering about that cool guitar keeps distracting me!

      Log in to Reply
      • Brian says

        August 28, 2025 at 5:17 pm

        That’s a Mule Resonator – here’s more info on that particular model: https://www.muleresophonic.com/products/33342-the-parr-mule

        Log in to Reply
        • Henri S says

          September 27, 2025 at 6:44 am

          Hello Brian ! Could you make a tutorial about cuba or latin music please?
          Greetings from Finland.

          Log in to Reply
  28. jjacks says

    August 26, 2025 at 4:58 pm

    One of your best lessons!

    Log in to Reply
  29. John H says

    August 26, 2025 at 10:18 pm

    Brian – You are absolutely the best cool idea man out there – barre none !!! Thank you !

    Log in to Reply
  30. Georg B says

    August 27, 2025 at 3:17 am

    Hello Brian,

    If I had to choose the best of your lessons, I would have a hard time. They are all simply outstanding. Nevertheless, ep 413 is one of my absolute favorites. It’s such a great piece musically and there’s so much in it. I keep coming back to this lesson over the years. Beyond the music you’ve composed in ep 413, it has become a kind of handbook for me, a valuable reference work, so to speak.
    You can reissue something like this lesson again and again and I’m sure it will be very well received.
    All the best,
    Georg

    Log in to Reply
  31. Richard C says

    August 27, 2025 at 8:50 am

    HUGE light bulb this time! I disagree with “easy,” of course, but this one will immediately jump on to my daily practice routine. I’ve been looking for those harmonized sets forever. Now maybe the cats can move back into my neighborhood. They left when I decided to try getting into triads, fingerstyle, and away from cowboy chords. One question. Looks like the minor 5 chord of a given chord is actually the 9th chord of the main chord. So is Em also A9 and F#m also A6? If so, another WOW moment. Your lessons continue to be the Best of the Net, imo. Been a Premium member for several years now. (I’ve trained my guitar teacher to say “this might be more approachable” instead of “this is easy,” a phrase which can discourage mid and low range students.)

    Log in to Reply
  32. Pentti S says

    August 27, 2025 at 10:18 am

    Did I understand correctly; the harmony can be formed by pairing the chord’s First and Third (major) or Third and Fifth or Third and FlatSeventh – as long as the note pair is one of the chord tones (i.e. in the chord)? Or how do you make the harmony note pairs theoretically?

    Log in to Reply
    • Brian says

      August 27, 2025 at 6:04 pm

      just follow the chord shapes to create these harmonies – it’s really that simiple

      Log in to Reply
  33. Gilles B says

    August 27, 2025 at 2:22 pm

    Briand , merci pour avoir fait une vidéo en français pour la première partie. C’est très intéressant… aurons-nous le plaisir d’en avoir plus,peut être des leçons complètes.

    Merci encore
    Gilles B.

    Log in to Reply
  34. Philippe G says

    August 28, 2025 at 11:16 am

    Thanks Brian, could you talk a bit sometimes about the various guitars you use, some of them are just fascinating, like the one in this lesson. Best,

    Log in to Reply
  35. D D says

    August 28, 2025 at 12:48 pm

    Thank you Brian! Always appreciate your teachings

    Log in to Reply
  36. Richard M says

    August 29, 2025 at 3:45 am

    I’ll second that regarding the guitars that you use. It would add an interest to tell us in each lesson what the model of guitar is that you are using. You have such a great collection.

    Log in to Reply
  37. Hyland says

    August 29, 2025 at 1:34 pm

    Genius

    Log in to Reply
  38. Timothy M says

    August 31, 2025 at 6:45 am

    My mind is blown! -)

    Amazing lesson! It really inspired me to break down all of the 3rd’s and 6’s in the ‘E’ shape.

    This has really expanded my understanding of double stops. I plan on doing the same thing for the other shapes as well.

    Thank you so much for your teachings!

    Log in to Reply
  39. John G says

    September 3, 2025 at 10:28 am

    This Micro Lesson was absolutely great Brian ! Just catching up w my playin’ post the family holiday weekend !

    Log in to Reply
  40. Ben Gage says

    September 11, 2025 at 10:37 am

    I never leave comments, just sort of hang out in the back of the class, but this was a great lesson. It opened up a whole different train of thought and was a jumping off point for me to find different double stops with a couple other supporting shapes. So thank you, these are always great lessons. It’s fun to see myself improve and fall more in love with the instrument and songwriting because of it!

    Log in to Reply
  41. Jeremy B says

    September 12, 2025 at 9:38 pm

    Brian this is 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

    Easy to build triads from this for soloing?

    Log in to Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Don’t have an ActiveMelody account? Sign Up.

Links

  • Blog
  • Resources
  • About
  • Contact
  • FAQ
  • Refunds & Cancellations
  • Sitemap

Recent Lessons

Ragtime solo Blues Guitar – no jam track needed! – Learn how to create one – Guitar Lesson – EP624

Use chords to guide your lead and show you where to find harmonies – Guitar Lesson – EP623

Blues lead over a jam track with STOPS! – Fill the space when the band stops – Guitar Lesson – EP622

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

© 2025 · Active Melody. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use

Free Weekly Guitar Lessons

Enter your email address below to have the weekly guitar lesson delivered to your email address. I take privacy very seriously and will not share your email address.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Active MelodyLogo Header Menu
  • Weekly Lessons
  • Take The Tour
  • Forum
  • Hear From Our Members
  • Membership Sign Up
  • Log In

Insert/edit link

Enter the destination URL

Or link to existing content

    No search term specified. Showing recent items. Search or use up and down arrow keys to select an item.