Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

MicroLesson: 075 – Chill, J.J. Cale style lead using just 3 fretted notes

Description

In this MicroLesson (ML075), you’ll learn how to play an entire lead using just 3 fretted notes (4 if you count the bend). Take all of the variables off the table and start making music that you can feel.

Lesson

Slow Walk-through

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access

Video Tablature Breakdown

Only available to premium members.
Register for premium access
Curious about the benefits of
Premium Membership?
Try it for FREE!
arrow_downYou need to be logged in as a premium member to access the tab, MP3 jam tracks, and other assets. Learn More

Add to "My Favorites"

You need to login or register to bookmark/favorite this content.

Comments

  4. Mark H says

    Nice cruisy lunchtime workout perfect for this sunny day. I take your point re simplicity.

    Good launching pad as well for double stopped licks. harmonized thirds, rolls, other minor pentatonic patterns, and so on.

    I fingerpicked it, worked well, ended it on an Am9, if my Tele had a hammy bar I would have shaken it 🙂

    And now, back to work I go…

  6. Kenneth M says

    Love this lesson. Funny story. I saw Kansas open for JJ Cale, I guess it was in the 70s(anyway a long time ago), at a tiny club in Denver called Ebbetts Field, so named because it was bleacher style seating. Only held about 200 people, you were right on top of the stage. Anyway Kansas played like they were at a stadium concert, it was really excruciating, way too loud. When Cale came out, he shook his head and said: “Now for some real music”. He was fantastic.

  8. Peter M says

    Greetings from the UK! I have literally just subscribed to your premium membership and an currently working my way through the very first modules. This dropped into my email this eve and I’ve got to say for just three notes plus a bend or two etc, even this outright beginner can see a tiny speck of light on the horizon!!

    Many thanks for the inspiration and excellent vids/tabs etc.

    Pete

      • Peter M says

        Thank you Tom, I’m literally starting at the very beginning!!

        I’ll never be the next Brad Paisley, Albert Lee or Vince Gill but hey you have to aim somewhere!!

        I honestly think, that along side my “live” lessons I’m giving myself a decent chance even at my ripe old age lol

  11. John R says

    Brian, Thanks for the green light to make it your own. It’s something I have to remind myself when practicing. Sometimes I get stuck on trying to do it exactly as you do it just because I think I should be able. Sometimes I just “feel” something different. Good ML! j

  12. DouglasAlaskaDad says

    Brian, your timing with ideas is always on. Thank you for yet another fine simple lesson, perfectly suited to taking the acoustic over to the pier and saying hello to guests in town with (hopefully) some of this awesome mellow. The sky is an unusual color here and there is this super bright light up there floating around too. Some tourists strolled by and told me that color is blue and the bright light is called sunshine. Whatever its called, today was my field trip day for lessons. Wouldn’t have worked as well with, say, the Christmas song lesson. You rock Brian.

  15. steph_70 says

    You are so generous to non premium members! Good on you. I used to manage using the free account, but I felt cheap to use it for free ;). For what you charge, it is well worth it, plus nobody should work for free…. Good lesson, You make the simplest things sound sooo good 👍

  18. Laurel C says

    This is so so good. Having enjoyed playing ML70 using the 4 note solo and using the backing track this is another winner using 3 notes. A different pace and genre but the technique tips and nuances taught in this lesson really help to concentrate on the sound you are making. Just proves that you only need three notes to do this. Thanks also for giving the option of the octave and where to play it, as with another chord, great add-ons. So much mileage out of keeping it simple.

  20. John M says

    Cool lesson. 😎 The idea of limiting oneself in order to focus more on being more expressive and musical is a concept that I really enjoy. Gradually adding more notes to accommodate more chords or to add different flavors is how the real leaning magic happens.

  21. Wolcott66 says

    I’ve been a premium member now for about 10 years. What you said in the opening is so true — I’m still having major problems learning to solo because there is just too much info throw at me all at once. I can’t organize it into a syllabus to move from A to B to C to D to E. I need a progression. This is a great start; and is going to help me IMMENSELY!!! Now, please do a sequel with the next logical step or add-on — the other two notes? I’m serious, just a progressive series of just 5 or 6 lessons will get alot of us off the dime and actually soloing and then able to learn all the other stuff to build and improve. If I can do rudimentary soling, then I can build block by clock from that!!

  22. Dale G says

    Always loved the jj Cale style lessons you do always cool, simple and relaxing (EP 318 comes to mind one of my favorites). When I get frustrated with the hard complex lessons with lots of theory I’ll play the the Cale ones to clear my mind again! Your backing tracks make it so much more enjoyable and helps my timing immensely which I’ve always had trouble with. Thanks for another awesome lesson and sharing your talent and making me a better guitar player I might add!

  23. Paul D says

    Started with guitar late in life (65) and messed around until I found Brian. Fast forward to today and I’m done with day two on the older Yamaha keyboard and switch to this lessons . After playing along with the backing track minus guitar for maybe 10 minutes I stop. I walk into the kitchen where my wife is making dinner and she says, “why did you stop”, “that sounded great”!
    Well I guess I’ve made it! At least in this house😎😀👌.

  25. Rich F says

    Really cool laid back lesson, Brian! Love your JJ Cale lessons, and I love this!

    And I loved it when you went up an octave to pattern 2 and played a repeated phrase an octave higher then an octave lower… very nice! Looking forward to grabbing my guitar and trying this lesson! 😁

    And hi to Peter M from another UK member…

  26. Rich F says

    …. and my favourite JJ Cale lesson is EP103… very simple, very cool, very laid-back… and slightly hypnotic in its rhythm! And as Brian shows there, using fingers instead of pick gives it a whole different sound and vibe!

  27. Simon brewer says

    My word, who’d have thought that just three notes could sound both impressive and melodic and yet be so simple. As a newly subscribed member and a guitarist of many years yet somewhat stuck in a rut for most of that time in just a couple of days I’ve seen my knowledge and ability finally beginning to progress.
    Cheers Brian. It’s a great site you have here.

  31. Stan C says

    Wow! Light bulb moment. I’ve always jammed around those three notes, they just felt right but felt compelled to add more of the minor penta. Now I know I don’t need to! I remember Eric Clapton saying he was aiming for the one note solo. Brilliant again Brian. I too am fairly new to premium and have to say this is the best guitar site on the net and I’ve been on a few other paid ones. Keep up the good, strike that, great work.

  34. Lynne R says

    It has taken me several weeks to be able to play this well but I have finally got it!!…….it was the timing that I found difficult . But now that I can easily play it ,it no longer seems nearly as difficult as when I started . I guess you have to put in the work no matter how long it takes to get the results. It is all in the timing and foot taping .

Leave a Reply

Recent Lessons

Contact

For all support questions email: support@activemelody.com
For all other inquires email: brian@activemelody.com