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MicroLesson: 061 – Drop D Fingerstyle Composition

Description

In this MicroLesson (ML061) you’ll learn a bluesy fingerstyle composition in Drop D tuning. Percussive fingerstyle.

Lesson Video

Slow Walkthrough

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Comments

  1. Denis Hubert D says

    June 10, 2020 at 2:43 pm

    Quick question, I love this tune. Is your guitar on amplifier pickup or are you using a microphone? If yes what type of unit are you using cause the sound was pretty nice and smooth.

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    • Brian says

      June 10, 2020 at 2:47 pm

      Just using a mic (no pickup) – that’s a Rodes NT1 Large Diaphram – great mic.

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      • Jan L says

        January 28, 2021 at 10:06 am

        time for some fresh new Micro lessons 🙂
        Don’t retire please

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        • Robin S says

          July 5, 2021 at 3:21 am

          I agree, these micro lessons are great, especially this one. Could it be developed into a full one ?

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          • magicrising says

            October 8, 2021 at 1:12 pm

            be good wouldn’t it – got special feels this one

      • jjm says

        July 12, 2021 at 5:44 pm

        love this one – lovely tune !

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    • Todd T says

      January 28, 2021 at 2:41 pm

      I love this composition.
      Soulful, melodic, the chords blend off each other beautifully.
      It took a little time to get all the timing and string punctuation down, but this has been one of my favourite song to work on!
      Any more songs like these would be greatly appreciated.
      Thanks for your patient teaching Brian

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  2. LeanJvR says

    June 10, 2020 at 2:45 pm

    Love the drop D

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  3. Bill F says

    June 10, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    I love the micro lessons. They’re a good fit for my short attention span. Please keep ‘um coming. Thanks again for the great lesson!

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    • Denise says

      June 11, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      This Drop D sounds beautiful!

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  4. Rod G says

    June 11, 2020 at 6:20 am

    feels like i could walk into this tune and stroll through the woods for a while . Very pleasant sounds.

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  5. E Minor 7th says

    June 11, 2020 at 7:03 am

    Value for money on this 10 minute lesson! So far I’ve spent over an hour getting the first bar so I can loop it OK(ish). Second bar still not smooth after another hour and a half! I found that counting the rhythm helps a lot.

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  6. sunburst says

    June 12, 2020 at 6:29 am

    cool lesson

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  7. Carl Z says

    June 12, 2020 at 10:21 am

    These little stand alone fingerstyle tunes are my favourites. I play them over gain and over again and try to make them my own. Thank you, Brian.

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  8. Vorocnan says

    June 12, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Love the drop D stuff.

    Vorocnan

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  9. Laurel C says

    June 12, 2020 at 6:31 pm

    Love the micros. This has a chilled out sweetness yet still retaining the drone and slap elements of Drop D. This one can be played over and over, such a pleasant melody.

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  10. Alex says

    June 15, 2020 at 11:56 am

    After so many years still so awesome ideas. I just nailed it down in two days (in very slow tempo). Thanks for that micro lesson. Your the best teacher :-)))

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  11. RUSS S says

    June 18, 2020 at 11:44 am

    Great lesson, what a fantastic sound. Is it me or is the tablature not quite the same as the lesson?

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    • Phil D says

      June 19, 2020 at 4:50 am

      Yes, I think that too. Confusing in places.

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    • Gerald W says

      January 12, 2022 at 2:38 pm

      Yes – me too. Measures 8 and 9 tab and video are different. If someone could tab what he plays measures 8 & 9 it would help me.

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  12. john p says

    June 30, 2020 at 7:39 pm

    My playing has really progressed Brian. You are to blame. This weekend, I sat in with other guitar players playing rhythm and soloing. I wasn’t sure until everyone nodded their approval of my improvement. I have learned from many. But here is where I got my degree.

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  13. Doug V says

    July 22, 2020 at 7:30 am

    Love being a member of Active Melody………..have been a member going on two years now. Refreshing to have lessons without all the hype other web lessons give. The subject is the music and not the person giving the lesson too! Right on Brian……….

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  14. Andy B says

    July 24, 2020 at 9:08 pm

    Love this style of playing, thanks for another great micro lesson

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  15. Scott B says

    September 15, 2020 at 7:50 pm

    Whew!! I’m getting it. Love the challenge, thanks Brian

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  16. Blaine L says

    September 16, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    I missed this one the first time around, so thanks for re-posting it. Your drop D tuning stuff always reminds me of Ry Cooder – particularly his Paris, Texas soundtrack. Perhaps a Ry Cooder lesson in the future?

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  17. sal t says

    December 20, 2020 at 12:11 pm

    Man love this tune! Thank you, You have anymore like it? Keep them coming.

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  18. Neil H says

    December 27, 2020 at 9:45 pm

    Not sure about it being an easy composition, the timing and the slap are quite tricky. Loving it thought and determined to crack it!!

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  19. Drew D says

    April 7, 2021 at 5:08 pm

    this dude, Brian, is on top of his game!!! Glad he’s sharing with the rest of us strummers. Thanks.

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  20. David K says

    April 7, 2021 at 5:50 pm

    Nice tune! I love the Blues, but these are a nice break, as is/was EP406.
    A nice follow on ML would be a second stanza.

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  21. William W says

    April 7, 2021 at 7:00 pm

    This is one of my favorite tunes from you. More like it please.

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  22. Robin S says

    July 5, 2021 at 3:24 am

    I too love these micro lessons especially this one. Could it be developed into a full one ?

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  23. magicrising says

    July 8, 2021 at 3:11 am

    I bought a Martin OM42 after saving long and hard. To my horror, I just couldn’t bond with it – but learning this tune has suddenly made something click it and now I can’t put it down

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  24. Arrindy says

    August 23, 2021 at 6:30 pm

    Hi Brian,
    Are you using a Martin OM42 for this micro lesson? Thanks, Dave A.

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  25. Paul M says

    November 8, 2021 at 12:19 pm

    Love this stuff. Keep it coming.

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  26. Clive L says

    December 8, 2021 at 12:54 pm

    Tasty stuff Brian,.

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  27. Alejandro G says

    December 9, 2021 at 6:09 pm

    Nice… looks to me that it is an all Mahogany Martin…perhaps an older 000-18 …sounds great!

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  28. Kenneth M says

    March 9, 2022 at 2:11 pm

    Love Drop D tuning! Thanks, and I’ll take all the Drop D you can provide. Thanks Brian.

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  29. Mark T says

    March 25, 2022 at 6:06 pm

    Sounds cool with capo on the 4th fret.
    Great melody Brian!!

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  30. Mike H says

    November 16, 2023 at 6:05 am

    Stephen Stills would love that… 4 & 20 years ago… and counting.

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  31. Vic C says

    November 16, 2023 at 9:09 am

    Hi Brian, big fan. Can this composition be readily played on my 12-string? I’ve got a fabulous Guild 12 string that I keep in drop D for playing Harvest Moon, Can’t Find My Way Home, etc., mainly strumming. Always looking for drop D things to play. This looks like more of a challenge with 12 strings. Thanks!

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    • Vic C says

      November 16, 2023 at 9:34 am

      I’m referring to ML061 . I normally play my D35 for all your other lessons in normal tuning.

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  32. Jeff R says

    January 7, 2025 at 11:26 pm

    I love this piece, one of my favourites but I just cannot get it. Keep coming back and trying to get the thumb, slap thing going but my brain just gets in the way. Ahhh!!!! You make it look so easy.

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