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Don’t Stop When You Hit a Wrong Note – Do This Instead

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn why the note you play after a mistake matters more than the mistake itself and how to use that to your advantage. The good news is that you’re never more than one fret away from the right note.

There is no part 2 or practice files for this week’s lesson, just this information video.

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Comments

  1. Leonard U says

    May 29, 2026 at 6:44 pm

    “There are no wrong notes on the piano.” / Thelonius Monk

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    • Robert B says

      June 1, 2026 at 11:33 pm

      Great.

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  2. Peter C says

    May 29, 2026 at 6:47 pm

    Great tip.
    Enjoy the time with family.
    Thanks.

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  3. Michael Krailo says

    May 29, 2026 at 7:16 pm

    I hope you and your boys have a wonderful vacation. I will take your advice and work on creative ways to get back on track.

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  4. Martin K says

    May 29, 2026 at 7:57 pm

    This would be a great concept to include in your lessons. How to recover from ‘wrong notes’ in the context of what you’re playing. I appreciate you posting a lesson while on vacation, however, YOU’RE ON VACATION! Everyone deserves a break. I think your community would understand you taking a week or two off. It’s great for recharging the soul.
    Regards,

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  5. Raymond P says

    May 29, 2026 at 8:18 pm

    Very Houdini like. Always able to escape. Thanks Brian. I’ll be using this a lot.

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  6. Mike R says

    May 29, 2026 at 8:28 pm

    This is a wonderful lesson, not only about music but practically everything in life. Everything depends on what comes next. Have a great vacation with the family.

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  7. Andre L says

    May 29, 2026 at 8:56 pm

    Great Lesson, a must know. Have a great vacation. Thanks

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  8. PATRICK E says

    May 29, 2026 at 9:02 pm

    Enjoy your Vacation Brian!

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  9. San Luis Rey says

    May 29, 2026 at 9:03 pm

    Enjoy your vacation with the family Brian, you deserve it! We are heading out next week also. Thanks for all you do!

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  10. Wayne M says

    May 29, 2026 at 9:11 pm

    vital information, Thank’s.

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  11. Jim M says

    May 29, 2026 at 9:49 pm

    Good tips. Chill Brian and family.

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  12. willi s says

    May 30, 2026 at 12:41 am

    Fijne vakantie Brian, geniet ervan!

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  13. JEROME L says

    May 30, 2026 at 2:07 am

    Hi Brian, hello from France.
    Summer has arrived early here; it’s very hot.
    Enjoy your vacation, you deserve it, and your family deserves spending time with you.
    Regards

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  14. Olivier P says

    May 30, 2026 at 2:09 am

    Actually, there are no false notes, only poor choices, and everything is corrected by a half-step. Very good news indeed.
    Enjoy your vacation (and we can finally relax a little!)

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  15. Malcolm D says

    May 30, 2026 at 4:05 am

    Thanks Brian, enjoy your vacation my friend.

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  16. Imerio A says

    May 30, 2026 at 5:41 am

    Hi Brian. I already heard of this concept but thanks for remembering it and practically showing it on the fretboard. It will be fun to work on it
    Have a good time.

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  17. Sorin M says

    May 30, 2026 at 6:03 am

    Hi Brian,

    Thank you for this excellent lesson!
    Enjoy the vacation with your boys!

    Greetings from France

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  18. Ann N says

    May 30, 2026 at 6:08 am

    Great “on vacation” lesson! Lots of times it’s the little nuggets of knowledge that are the light bulbs moments for many. Enjoy your boys and down time. I’m doing the same with my 2 small granddaughters and my daughter next week for a “girls” trip.

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  19. mikepcse says

    May 30, 2026 at 8:31 am

    Great lesson. As someone said This is gold. It is something that someone showed me this trick more than 25 years ago. This is a great thing for players to know.

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  20. Rob S says

    May 30, 2026 at 9:47 am

    Thank you Brian. Highlighting that there are only 4 ‘bad’ notes that can be easily transitioned from by a half step in either direction is a light bulb moment for me that will make it much easier to recover from during a solo.

    Every single lesson you do for us fills in the fretboard map a little bit more each week.

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  21. Andy says

    May 30, 2026 at 10:05 am

    Thank you so much for your work over the years and enjoy the time with your families. Very important. Usefull tip, Thanx again!

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  22. Keith M says

    May 30, 2026 at 10:39 am

    Great concept Brian and I agree with my fellow Active Melodites…. Enjoy your family!!

    As you know from your marketing prowess…. in business they call this concept “the art of recovery.” 🙂

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  23. Don H says

    May 30, 2026 at 1:08 pm

    Great lesson and info Brian. Keep ‘em coming!!

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  24. Lennart v says

    May 30, 2026 at 1:12 pm

    Could you use the term Marry those 2 in your head when explaning some parts go together
    .You used it one time before about the pentatonic scal;e s and E shape gives me lightbulbs easy to understand…
    have a great day .

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    • Lennart v says

      May 30, 2026 at 1:33 pm

      Basic stuff seams to be the hardest stuff. Hole and Half ,The major ,the minor

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      • Lennart v says

        May 30, 2026 at 1:35 pm

        Basic stuff seams to be the hardest stuff. Whole and Half ,The major scale ,the minor

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  25. James G says

    May 30, 2026 at 3:04 pm

    Relax and have fun!

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  26. Michael M says

    May 30, 2026 at 3:26 pm

    Enjoy your vacation and thanks for another great tip.

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  27. LoboGator says

    May 30, 2026 at 5:49 pm

    Another gem Brian! Thanks and enjoy your time off!!

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  28. Derek W says

    May 31, 2026 at 4:44 am

    Love these bite size lessons Brian. Thanks again and enjoy your holiday

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  29. peter v says

    May 31, 2026 at 6:01 am

    very helpfull Brian.Thanks.You put some light on this way of handling musik.It also works with cords I guess. f.e. sus cords to 7th or 13th, addinh #5 or b9 or…..You use it in some lessons.I´ll try to find combinations. It might be also a great help playing walking bass. It gives more possibillities.

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  30. JimB77 says

    May 31, 2026 at 8:14 am

    Nice to put this into a lesson Brian. You mentioned a couple of times in this about training the ear to hear the scale intervals and know where you are – do you have lessons that do that, and if so, which ones are they? Thanks again, this was an important concept to discuss and also the truth that we all make mistakes was also very helpful.

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  31. Don R says

    May 31, 2026 at 9:23 am

    Enjoy your holiday week! The pressure you have in turning out an original lesson every week must be exhausting. Maybe consider 3 originals per month and an “encore” lesson from your extensive library, possibly with an updated intro or written overview. Nobody would feel cheated and you would have a refresh week each month. My two cents.

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  32. Dick S says

    May 31, 2026 at 10:19 am

    One of your best lessons…..haha. Actually, it is. Music is feeling and improvisation. Doing it how we hear it, which makes it a bit difficult sometimes to go back to your real early lessons because I forgot how I played it back then…..lol.

    Thank you Brian for helping to move me along my musical journey,
    Dick from Philly

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  33. Joe N says

    May 31, 2026 at 11:08 am

    Hi Brian
    Enjoy your time off-well deserved. Great tips – one note away-reminder to use Major Scale, Major Pentatonic Scale , Minor Pentatonic Scale and the Mixolydian Scale
    Cheers

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  34. Victor M says

    May 31, 2026 at 2:25 pm

    That was a great lesson!
    Thanks

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  35. Chuck S says

    May 31, 2026 at 4:03 pm

    Thanks Brian – great lesson and thoughts – I was still trying to catch up with last week’s lesson, so this sort of break worked out well.

    Enjoy your vacation

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  36. Scott Z says

    May 31, 2026 at 8:36 pm

    Brian thanks! Very good advice to practice getting out of the mistake and to know where you are and how to recover.

    All the best on your time off.

    Scott

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  37. Renaat B says

    June 1, 2026 at 9:36 am

    Sounds simple, but very practical.
    Thanks!

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  38. Guy H says

    June 1, 2026 at 10:56 am

    Wrong note? Timing breaks? Who, me?? Thanks so much, playing the guitar is so much like golf ; a mulligan or 2 can not only improve your present score, but the rest of the round as well as your mental outlook; great advice in this lesson; have a great vacation!

    If you take requests I’d be down for minor pieces ( ala Jengo Reinhardt sp?) or some good ol’ east Texas honk (would love to see & hear your take on this)!

    Thanks!

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  39. Alan S says

    June 2, 2026 at 4:54 pm

    I was told a long time ago about playing blues lead: “If you hit a ‘wrong note’ just bend it until it’s right!”

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  40. David E says

    June 2, 2026 at 8:43 pm

    A very hopeful message! And one that makes me want to go try it out. Thank you.

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  41. peter v says

    June 3, 2026 at 2:54 am

    wrong note? gipsy jazzer use it as enclosures.coul become a useful lesson.?

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  42. St.John says

    June 3, 2026 at 6:36 am

    “I’m playing all the right notes but not necessarily in the right order” Eric Morecambe

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  43. Philippe G says

    June 3, 2026 at 11:38 am

    Bonnes vacances Brian! You certainly deserve it! A great and very practical lesson … Following your lessons, i sometimes hit the wrong note, some as you said sound terrible, others not in the tabs sound ok or even good and I incorporate them in what i am trying to play. I just can’t remember the scales and that^s my limit.

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  44. William H says

    June 3, 2026 at 11:55 am

    Even your “wing it” lessons are great! Thanks for what you do for such a ridiculously low, pay it forward, price.

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  45. Daryl F says

    June 6, 2026 at 5:20 pm

    I love the honesty! That’s just another confirmation of your authenticity….

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