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Visualize the Chord Changes – Improvising on guitar – EP401

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll be 1) creating an interesting lead melody, visualizing upcoming chords to play the notes within the chords, 3) learning an awesome alternate picking exercise to help with speed

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough - Lead

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Slow Walkthrough - Rhythm

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. Michael Allen says

    February 19, 2021 at 9:27 pm

    That sounds like fun and I can’t wait to learn it. Thanks Brian

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    • Michael Allen says

      February 19, 2021 at 9:38 pm

      Congratulations Andre! Brian that was such a super cool thing for you to do! I’m sure you created so much excitement within all of the site members anticipating whether they would be getting the guitar and also being happy for the lucky person who actually gets the guitar. Brian, it’s a pleasure to witness your giving back to the people that love and look to you for guidance in learning to play the guitar. God bless you Brian. I’ve known I was in the right place from the time I paid $5 to join your site years ago. Be safe and be well

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  2. John V says

    February 19, 2021 at 9:29 pm

    Congrats Andre! Better love that guitar

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    • Todd F says

      February 22, 2021 at 8:37 pm

      What are you talking about? Who is Andre?

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      • Todd F says

        February 22, 2021 at 8:39 pm

        Never I d, Guess I should of watched the video…I didn’t realize there was a giveaway

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  3. Catherine A says

    February 19, 2021 at 9:31 pm

    Congrats Andre 😊

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  4. JohnStrat says

    February 19, 2021 at 10:08 pm

    Hi Brian,

    Another great lesson concept which will help many thank you.
    Congratulations to Andre on winning the superb Stratocaster. Perhaps in due course we shall get to hear it in action.
    What a happy ending for you Brian that you were able to benefit from your generosity and see the way forward.
    I think its a first bit of the ‘good karma’ thing for you, thoroughly deserved, and it will lead to generosity being repaid,
    JohnStrat

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  5. Anthony L says

    February 19, 2021 at 10:37 pm

    Looking forward to this – reminds me of a horn line in a Louis Armstrong kind of way. Also appreciate the rhythm instruction.

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  6. Haralabos S says

    February 20, 2021 at 12:45 am

    Bellissimo ritmo e solo jazz style. Congratulazioni Maestro.

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  7. Haralabos S says

    February 20, 2021 at 12:47 am

    Bellissimo ritmo e solo jazz style. Spiegazione eccellente. Congratulazioni Maestro.

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  8. Alain L says

    February 20, 2021 at 2:50 am

    Congratulations to you André, and a great thank to you again, Brian !
    Great idea the blue dots online with the video, I’m a little lazy to go see the score when the fingers don’t say everything 🙂 … I hope it doesn’t take you too much time !
    Prend soin de toi, Brian,
    Alain (and thank you for allowing me to improve my english, i’m trying to really understand everything you say)

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  9. Paul B says

    February 20, 2021 at 5:43 am

    Congrats on the guitar Andre! That was such a cool thing to do paying it forward with the guitar Brian and this a great new lesson as well with the gypsy jazz theme!

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  10. Derek H says

    February 20, 2021 at 7:47 am

    Great lesson – as usual! Really appreciated to Maj7 explanation in the second part.

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  11. Dave F says

    February 20, 2021 at 9:03 am

    Very ‘Chet Atkins’ like……………..wouold quite easily fit on neck and neck with Marc Knopfler. Hope I can get my fingers going fast enough for this one!!

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  12. David L says

    February 20, 2021 at 9:26 am

    Great lesson, thanks Brian.

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  13. Raymond P says

    February 20, 2021 at 9:52 am

    Congratulations Andre,

    This was a wonderful lesson Brian. Those colored dots help me see what you visualize various in various chords.

    Thanks

    Ray P

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  14. Drew D says

    February 20, 2021 at 10:21 am

    another great lesson brian! Keep em coming. Keep those guitars coming as well…..lol!

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    • melanie m says

      February 23, 2021 at 4:36 pm

      I really like this. I am struggling with figuring out what to do w licks, this lesson will help me with that. By hank you. Nice lesson. Melanie

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  15. vatrooperpilot says

    February 20, 2021 at 10:44 am

    Andre, Congratulations on winning that guitar. Enjoy playing it. This is something you can enjoy for the rest of your life. Very happy for you.

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  16. Derek N says

    February 20, 2021 at 10:59 am

    Another great lesson full of useful visual details. Cant wait to get started.

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  17. Charles S says

    February 20, 2021 at 11:24 am

    Thanks ! I needed this……

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  18. obie123 says

    February 20, 2021 at 1:34 pm

    Great for Andre …now there is a gap in your guitar rack it probably doesn’t look right so guess you will have to find another guitar ..excellent lesson tks

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  19. San Luis Rey says

    February 20, 2021 at 1:57 pm

    Thanks for this one Brian. I have done some of these lines just noodling around mixing major and minor but connecting them to chord shapes should be a big help! The dots are a great visual.
    Mike

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  20. [email protected] says

    February 20, 2021 at 4:57 pm

    Another great lesson. Missed out on entering your first giveaway. No power or internet on the Texas Gulf Coast for four days. Looking forward to another giveaway. Congrats to the winner.

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  21. David S says

    February 20, 2021 at 7:13 pm

    Brian, Your generosity has made someone very happy. This is a fun and a great lesson for me. makes me learn how to work in deminished & and augmented chords and a change of pace.
    Thanks so much for your generosity to others and being such a great teacher and encourager. Dave

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  22. Rollover33 says

    February 21, 2021 at 8:50 am

    Django’s fan, I love this music and so particular sound of my gypsy guitar (maybe my best guitar, luthier Castelluccia from Paris)… but it’s REALLY difficult so this lesson is welcome ! Thank’s !

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  23. Bob W says

    February 21, 2021 at 1:21 pm

    Brian – I am still working at forcing myself to play the chords rather than licks from the scales. This lesson is really good at reiterating the chord triads and the caged shapes (which I am gradually starting to see). For years I was always playing “canned” licks that fit into minor, major pentatonic, blues scales, etc. Sounds good, but does not lead to any creativity toward playing melodic leads. This is a great lesson for finding how your fingers can “sing” the melody. As always, I really appreciate what you do in producing this weekly content for your members – and you do a great job! Got to keep practicing and working on improving rather than just jamming (have to do some jamming though for fun). Also, congrats to Andre on winning the Jeff Beck Strat. Hope you love it and enjoy it. Peace – Bob

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  24. Cayetano D says

    February 21, 2021 at 8:05 pm

    Great lesson Brian Thanks

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  25. Glenn W says

    February 22, 2021 at 7:27 am

    Love this lesson.

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  26. Jim M says

    February 22, 2021 at 7:36 am

    Nice lesson on the use of chord tones.

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  27. Mr.Charlie says

    February 22, 2021 at 4:55 pm

    good stuff brian. For what its worth, i loved your last background. It was cozy and had great colors and wasn’t distracting in anyway and was a great step up from black. This background is weird for me, plain with all that space in the back. just thought id say that, either way it doesnt bother me, just my 2c

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  28. Francois M says

    February 22, 2021 at 10:18 pm

    I really enjoyed the first minute of EP400 where you jam on the new guitar. I could see how much fun you were having. You got a few old standbys in there – a shuffle, a Clapton lick, harmonized 6ths. Most of the time that’s all we want to do. Pick up the guitar and have fun and sound pretty good at the same time. I’m going to watch that first minute a few more times to see what other techniques you crammed into it.

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  29. Paul B says

    February 24, 2021 at 4:35 am

    Like you I cannot get away from Clawhammer Banjo. My wife loves the sound over guitar actually but I love them both, perhaps guitar the most. If you haven’t tried Bart Reiter Banjos, please do. Bart is a builder out of Lansing, Michigan. The Regent and Special Models have the rolled brass and/or White Laydie tone rings and are simply out of this world. Take care.

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  30. Dennis M says

    February 24, 2021 at 11:17 am

    Thanks for another great lesson. I’m enjoying learning the visualization. Also plenty of info and great pacing rather than rushing through as fast as possible.

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  31. Josh Stark says

    February 24, 2021 at 10:04 pm

    Hi Brian, this is great, thanks. I have a question. In the rhythm tabs it says you start with an A7, but it sure seems like you’re playing regular A major in bars 1 & 5. In the second go-round you are playing A7 in bars 17 and 21. Am I incorrect? I like it better with that A major to start…

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  32. wrightclick says

    February 26, 2021 at 11:27 pm

    Really struggled with this one perhaps the hand is just not used to playing that major scale . Got it in the end you really do a great job of explaining how to use patterns and scales to improvise breaks and melodies. I like this new one to one informal like style of teaching . Fab we got a Rhythm track to and like the new graphics . Would like to suggest a lesson idea ……. Augmented (7th chord of the scale ) Thanks for your efforts .

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  33. Jaime says

    March 3, 2021 at 4:38 pm

    Great lesson as usual! I love the melody and the gipsy jazz style.

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Recent Lessons

Soulful Rhythm Fills – Create a more interesting rhythm – EP403

Dynamics ideas for your blues lead – EP402

Visualize the Chord Changes – Improvising on guitar – EP401

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