Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Vintage Rock Blues Rhythm Guitar Lesson – EP239

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a driving, rock, blues rhythm with only a drum track. This was done intentionally to help you concentrate on the kick and snare drum and accent those beats with your strum technique. I’ve included 2 tempos of the MP3 jam track for this lesson as well.

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

  4. scotty117 says

    Very cool Brian! Can’t wait to jump into this one. A very cool feel and groove. I have been wanting to learn some different blues rhythms besides the typical ones that we seem to learn first…scott

  8. Aussie Rick says

    Good one thanks Brian. Your rhythm lessons, both full and micro lessons, have lifted my rhythm playing skills from virtually nonexistent to the point where I now find myself absent-mindedly playing rhythm whenever I pick up the guitar – and really getting a kick out of it. I’ll be getting straight into this.
    Rick

  11. JohnStrat says

    Brian,

    Well thanks again. I am sure this will help me big time. A really useful practice for one of my weaker points rhythm playing. Brian your lessons are dragging me way further than I had hoped and it just seems to be getting better and better …… I can only say THANKS
    John Strat

  13. saltafossi says

    hello peaceful pickers of the world
    so glad to have a teacher like Brian : saturdays mornings resonate with is music and explanations.
    Such a long time I am a member of Active Melody and every week I learn something beautiful about music.
    But I have an old desire : a lesson about armonic minor scale, think is often used by the glorious Tom Waits.
    I am not in a hurry but maybe one day it will come.
    Long live the blues.
    Greatings from Italy.

    • Brian says

      10 gauge strings – not new… they’re probably 6 months old at this point. I wasn’t using an amp, but playing through a Kemper profiler. I forget which profiled amp this was but it’s the perfect amount of overdrive for a Strat

      • sunburst says

        I let my strings go the several months distance too,,what is really cool is experimenting over time and hearing (subtle difference unless the strings are played hard or not maintained visually) some cool stuff here Brian thanks for explaining these basics..I’m grateful for the history stuff too!

  26. Richard M says

    Brian – I use other online courses from Artistworks, Sonic Junction and Truefire, but nobody does a better job of explaining what you’re doing than you. I always walk away from a lesson with something that I can apply immediately.

    Best regards, Rick

  27. Calvin S says

    Would it be possible for one of the more experienced guys here give me a break down on whats going on with the right hand? I think Brian did an excellent job, but getting this right alludes me. To get the kick/snare effect is Brian playing the E string and then the A and D strings, or is he getting the kick or the bass from the first chord and the snare from the second chord change.

    Needless to say, I am quite new and trying to figure out this rhythm thing on top of everything else.

    Thanks!
    Calvin

  28. Chris Christie says

    So glad you mentioned the importance of rhythm in this lesson, Ive heard others where you (not intentionally) separate the “lead” players And it is very true that if you want to be a “lead” guitarist you better have the rhythm down better than the rhythm player. I just soak it all in and hope something good comes of it! Great lessons BTW! You’ve made some of the things I’ve struggled with come to light!

  29. Geoff N says

    Excellent Brian! I,m relatively new to Active Melody and have been playing (not very well) for thirty plus years. you’re lessons have renewed my interest turned on a few lights and re kindled many more. Keep doing what you’re doing your obvious enthusiasm is infectious .
    Happy New Year

    Geoff

  35. Antiuga says

    Hello Brian,
    You asked in the lesson to let you know where that comes from. I could tell from the moment I heard that that was Memphis Tennessee. Both the lead and the rhythm sounds almost identical to the song. I have not read the other comments so somebody may have said this but that’s what it is all right I really enjoyed learning this one thank you.

  39. jay.low says

    I thought I was the old guy in the site. After seeing how many of you guy know who Jonny Rivers is makes me feel more at home.. Love the lesson some new twists to an old but loveable
    sound. thanks allot ..

  40. Marc D says

    Brian, fun lesson! Coincidently, I learned my first licks from the same “Learn To Play Guitar with The Ventures” album that you did! I remember it had Walk Don’t Run and three other songs, but I have forgotten the tunes! I have to agree with Terry W up above, several of the licks sound like Johnny Rivers and can be heard on his incredible “Live at The Whiskey A Go Go” album from 1964. I’m sure they did not originate with him though. I imagine they were part of the country blues guitar arsenal of the time. By the way, I highly recommend that Johnny Rivers album to the younger players. It stands the test of time!

  42. DABEE says

    I am at the point in my life where I pick what song to play based on Brian’s look. Do I want to learn a song where he is wearing a hat? The same shirt as in another lesson? A polo? What guitar is he using? Glasses or no glasses? Beard or no beard? Long sleeves or short sleeves? White background or black? Today was HAT GLASSES BEARD T SHIRT STRAT DAY- HGBTSD

    • Douglas S says

      You have the HOTS for Brian.
      He has a trade or something special that everyone else on the street DOESN’t have and you are dreaming, wishing and drooling all at the same moment.
      You have a crush on this sizzling something you can’t have.
      He’s yer turn on Debee!

  50. alfred c says

    I wonder how often other members search out your “back in the day” lessons. They’re awesome, too and great to go back to once in a while. I find I get tons more out of them — again — because over the years I’ve learned to play better and listen better, so the lessons are another learning treat! I wanted to share that.

  52. Douglas S says

    Brian you do a great job showing me how to play this song, but you didn’t tell me how to get that sound.
    I’m an accomplished guitar musician having been playing for 3 weeks now. But I don’t know what it takes to get your guitar sound.

    I’m not picking or being a Karen, but you do this in a LOT of yer videos. It’s a problem because almost all the videos teaching guitar on the web also don’t show how to get “that sound “.

    So I can’t easily get the answer from some other YouTuber.

    If you could please make a point to mention this @ the beginning of all yer videos, your ratings will go from 10z to 10+

    You have a great nack for finding interesting content.

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