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Learn to play blues guitar.

How to USE the upgraded Blues Rhythm to layer on top of a 1-4-5 progression – Guitar Lesson – ML126

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, I’ll continue what we started in lesson ML125 by demonstrating how to layer the upgraded Blues rhythm over a standard 1-4-5 chord progression. Learn how to count it, and how to hear the extra chords.

Here’s a link to the previous (prerequisite) lesson to this lesson

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  3. Michael Krailo says

    The first part of this was great, but that second part really sounded good. It’s going to take some practice to smooth out the chord changes, but I think I get the concept being taught here and in the last lesson. It’s a simple 1-4-5 with layers of transitional tension chords in between each simple chord. The concept of using secondary dominant chords to create the tension keeps coming up and now we have the sharp diminished chord substitution for that five chord (2-5-1). This is about as deep as I plan on going down the jazzy chord progressions, but there is no question that it sounds really good. Plus only one full bend in this one, so I can play it on acoustic.

    I’m getting the itch to get a Martin D-18 standard if I can find the right deal. I hate watching you play your Martin on some video’s and not being able to play one myself.

  4. Tom G says

    I loved the microlesson prerequisite to this one so I reviewed past lessons related to diminished chords and mow you’ve presented this most recent lesson. This is all such a great invitation into learning ways to enhance my rhythm playing. It’s going to take a while for me to absorb this intellectually until I can bypass that and just feel it. This gives me so much to explore, Thanks again, Brian. You’re compositions are amazing.

  6. Mike R says

    Really enjoy this alternative to just playing the power chords for the basic blues rhythm. I like the lessons that you do that build upon a previous lesson. I would enjoy even more rhythm lessons like this (jazzy) that could be played with the basic blues rhythm. The secondary dominates and diminished chords sound great. How would you work an augmented chord into a blues progression?

  12. charjo says

    Fantastic, Brian, keep the series going. I like Mike R’s idea above about including augmented chords. I just realized augmented triads invert with the same shape every 4 frets, so lots of movement possible there as well.

  13. Jim Dog says

    ML125 left me overwhelmed. I probably would have never explored it again. Until, ML126. Now using this material is very relatable. Thanks for the follow up lesson. It made me look at it again, and I’m digging it. GREAT LESSON!

  14. Pierre B says

    Digesting ML 125 was an important prelude to the execution skills needed in ML 126 (re: timing and feel). The ML125-126 combo takes our blues improvisation skills to a whole new level. Great stuff!

  16. Ricky O says

    Very enlightening for me. I’ve had trouble trying to figure out what diminished chord to use at different points in the standard blues progression, but after these last 2 lessons, I realized that whichever diminished chord contains the flat 7 note of whichever chord in the standard progression you are playing is the note to use to build the diminished chord to use to move to the next chord in the 1-4-5, regardless if that flat 7 note is on the 1st string, 2nd string, 3rd string, or 4th string (and which of course is why the diminished chord shape is a movable chord!). So it no longer matters to me what the diminished chord name is, I’ll always know how to build the one I’m after. This epiphany alone is worth the annual membership fee!

    • Michael Krailo says

      As far as which dim7 to use, there are literally only three different dim7 chords possible. Only three! The confusion comes from the fact that they have four different possible names for each one of the three of them. Like Cdim7 is also D#dim7/Ebdim7, F#dim7/Gbdim7, and Adim7.

      1st possibility: Cdim7, D#dim7/Ebdim7, F#dim7/Gbdim7, and Adim7 (frets 1, 4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22)
      2nd possibility: C#dim7/Dbdim7, Edim7, Gdim7, A#dim7/Bbdim7 (frets 2, 5, 8, 11, 14, 17, 20)
      3rd possibility: Ddim7, Fdim7, G#dim7/Abdim7, Bdim7 (frets 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21)

      Now what you noted happens to be true about the flat 7 of the FIVE chord in the 2-5-1 transition that resolves to the D9 FOUR chord of the main progression. I’m not sure if that applies to the ONE chord though because that is not a dominant chord and doesn’t have a flat seven in it. If I misunderstood you, please clarify.

      It also makes perfect sense as viewed from how a 7 works in chord progressions of a given key. Normally we only deal with the 1 2m 3m 4 5 6m chords, but there is that dim7 that is still a possible chord to play. I think what we are doing is merely shifting the 1 chord of the above formula to the 4 chord D and now the dim7 of D is A#dim7 which happens to line up on that fifth fret and has that flat 7 in it as you noted. But the next dim7 used later in the song is just resolving back to the main ONE chord A. So in that case, the dim7 of A is sharped up one fret to G#dim7 or Bdim7 if looking at the high E string for reference.

      A major scale notes: A, B, C#, D, E, F#, (G#)
      D major scale notes: D, E, F#, G, A, B, (C#)
      E major scale notes: E, F#, G#, A, B, C#, (D#)

      If we are playing 1-4-5 in key of A, then the dim7 of the ONE is (G#dim7) or Bdim7 if looking at the high E string for reference. (possibility #3)
      The dim7 of the FOUR chord is (C#dim7) or A#dim7. (possibility #2)
      The dim7 of the FIVE chord is (D#dim7) or Cdim7. (possibility #1)

      So each one of the three possibilities marries up with each one of the chords in the simple blues progression. The whole naming thing is what probably confuses those who are confused about it. Should make up a new name for these based on the possibility at the 1st fret, 2nd fret, and 3rd fret and call then dim1p7, dim2p7, dim3p7.

      Of course this is all using the fully diminished chord, there are half diminished m7b5, and just a diminished triad 1-m3-b5. All more stuff to go down the rabbit hole.

  20. Daniel H says

    Thank you Brian. How about a lesson that expands on augmented chords? ML125 and ML126 have pulled diminished chords into my vocabulary, but augmented chords are still mysterious. A couple of other members have hinted at augmented chords as well.

  22. William H says

    Hey Brian, I’d like to suggest you continue this little series with ML127 and use diminished scales and arpeggios instead of the diminished chords. I find it difficult to come up with good sounding diminished runs and keep in time. Thanks!

  24. james w says

    I have to say after several years of taking your lessons, I have improved a lot. I play more finger style than flat or thumb pick. This lesson is one of many that have pushed me further along than I thought I’d ever get. The theory behind it gets me yet another step closer to fret board fluency. Thanks, Brian for the lessons and your completeness in providing examples, videos, tab etc. always feel I have someone to play with in the morning when I study these. Thanks thumbs up for this one and ML125.

  27. Robert G G says

    Thanks again Brian,

    This was brilliant and perfectly timed for me. One year ago I would ‘nt have understood this. I’ve been with you much longer than that, but now I hear more and I got it. I love blues/jazz and T Bone Walkers jump blues.

    I don’t think some students understand how important it is to hear whats being played and visualize it on the fretboard.

    Again, a perfect class for me. It enabled me to learn Buddy Guy’s “Feels Like Rain” such great chords and his vocals are amazing.

    My best….

    Robert GG
    Blues Bob

  28. Jerry P says

    Great lesson Brian. I understand diminished chords better than I ever have. I was playing Buffets trying to reason with a hurricane season in c major and at the end of the song I threw in d minor to g sharp dim back to the root and it worked great. thank you!!!

  29. Wayne W says

    Fabulous lesson, Brian. I l love how you weaved in the diminished chords into the 1-4-5. Can we have more of these jazz chords in future lessons? They really enhance our playing and makes us amateurs sound so much better than we actually are!

  34. Raymond P says

    Hi Brian, These last several lessons with the 5th of the 5th and the 2 5 1 were fantastic. I was wondering if you could give more of these lessons and if possible could include these chord shapes in PDFs for easy reference?

  35. Garry H says

    Brain, I have a 1958 ES175 original. Bought it after mowing lawns and bucking hay one summer. Got dsun burned to a crisp and tore up every pair of jeans I owned. Curious, what gauge strings are you using? I’m using tens but can’t quite find the sound I want.

  38. mrsmugs says

    Great lesson, but I’m not sure how to tell where you play each diminished chord that goes with each of the 1-4-5 major chords. Theoretically, there must be a way to tell so I don’t have to use memorization and can change keys and still play the correct diminished chord.

  41. Geoff says

    I absolutely love this sound and, to be honest, I have always struggled with the diminished chord concept but this lesson greatly clarifies how they can be used for those 1 4 transitions. I also never new that one could use the 2 of the 4 to get back to the 5 – very cool!

    Thanks for, yet another, great lesson Brian.

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