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2 Fingers + Secret Open Chord = Simple Bluegrass Composition by yourself! – Guitar Lesson – ML139

Description

In this week’s lesson, you’ll learn how to create a solo Bluegrass-style arrangement using just strings 4, 3, and 2 with a simple strum pattern and minimal fretting. Great for improving rhythm, melody, timing, and musical feel all at once.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

  1. Michael Allen says

    May 8, 2026 at 5:44 pm

    I love to keep it simple. Thanks Brian

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  2. parsonblue says

    May 8, 2026 at 6:36 pm

    Bar 17 and on…brilliant imho.

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  3. slopace says

    May 8, 2026 at 6:41 pm

    Love it! That reminds me of a song we sang as a kid in Sunday school. Do Lord, oh do Lord, oh do remember me!

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  4. San Luis Rey says

    May 8, 2026 at 6:42 pm

    So cool Brian! This opens up lots of room for jamming with the not so secret anymore G chord. Great way to get a bit more bluegrass under the fingers. This will be fun. 😁🎸

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  5. JEFFREY R says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:00 pm

    Another very good one very helpful!

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  6. chris c says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:15 pm

    Very nice ! Thank You!

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  7. Mike R says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:19 pm

    I found it interesting and will have a lot of fun playing this rhythm while using these chord ideas. Like the way it builds upon the strumming lesson from a week or so ago.

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  8. Mike R says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:20 pm

    This is “This little light of mine”, correct?

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    • Brian says

      May 8, 2026 at 7:37 pm

      it could be if you wanted it to be … you’d have to change the structure slightly but you could use those notes to create that melody

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    • slopace says

      May 8, 2026 at 8:49 pm

      That’s the one I was trying to think of! Reminds me of when Brian was teaching us to use any simple tune you know and use it as a melody to come up with something else that’s

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  9. Jim M says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:35 pm

    Simple, but a very effective technique that produces a full pleasing sound.

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  10. Michael Krailo says

    May 8, 2026 at 7:53 pm

    No matter if you like that bluegrassy sound or not, this is an excellent way to work on your rhythm and sound great while doing it. I think there is an older lesson that this would go with nicely as well. I’ll have to dig it up out of the archives.

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  11. cbuck says

    May 8, 2026 at 8:36 pm

    lots of fun thanks always look forward to Friday for lesson

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  12. daniel M says

    May 8, 2026 at 8:56 pm

    Nice touch with staying within the 4,3,and,2 strings on the guitar and getting so much out of it. Loved the concept and had never thought of it the way you explained it.

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  13. Burton M says

    May 8, 2026 at 9:16 pm

    Great lesson, I just seem to get a lot out of these simple ideas. Easy to understand and follow, the Bluegrass tunes just seem to have an easy melody and rhythm to follow.

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  14. Malcolm D says

    May 9, 2026 at 4:50 am

    Much appreciated Brian

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  15. Guy H says

    May 9, 2026 at 6:04 am

    Truly an Active Melody, and keeping the rhythm section going makes it very musical!

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