Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Upgrade your Blues rhythm with these chords (Jazzier structure) – Game Changer! – Guitar Lesson – ML125

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to convert a basic sounding 12 bar Blues rhythm into a much more interesting chord structure by adding a few extra transition chords. This concept was a game changer for me!

Here is the follow-up lesson to this one showing how to play this new structure over a standard 1-4-5 progression.

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Comments

    • Wolcott66 says

      Those three ascending Diminished chords are in the old Eric Burden and the Animals instrumental (Album — Every One of Us, circa 1968) called “Serenade to a Sweet Lady.” If you never heard it — worth a listen.

      • Michael Krailo says

        There was some deeper things mentioned in this one for sure. If your just starting out, it takes some time to get up to speed on all the intervals and structure of basic chord progressions. Make sure you review the basics about chords and CAGED system in your My Account > My Courses section. All the concepts of what the 1 chord, 2 chord, 4 chord and 5 chord are in there. It’s all based off of the major scale notes so here we are using A as the root (one chord). The two is Bm, three is C#m, the four is D, the five is E, and six is F#, seven chord is always diminished and has a lot of tension to resolve back to the ONE chord. In this case it’s the G#dim at the 6th fret.

        If your wondering about E7, D9, it’s just a way to color the sound of the regular E chord to have that dominant 7th sound to it. Same with D9, it is colored to have the 9th note in the D major scale witch in this case is a E note. You will see many more videos in the past where he goes over all of this. Bluesy type progressions have dominant 7th and 9th sounds in them. You’ll get it over time.

        He mentioned something we call secondary dominant chords when he referred to creating a chord that has tension and resolves to the TWO which is Bm. So instead of just going directly to Bm he inserts a tension building chord that resolves to the Bm. Those chords will always be the FIVE chord of the one we want to resolve to and it will always be a dominant 7 chord, so what is the five chord of B? It’s F# and we use F#7 to create tension in that cord instead of a straight F# chord because that’s the way secondary dominates work. For more info on secondary dominates if it’s still not clear, see EP370.

        I know, there is a lot to learn. Just take one concept and see if you can apply it or at least break it down. I come back to the basics every so often to refresh my understanding and clear things up when needed.

  8. Garry W says

    Thank you so much for providing this lesson with the 9th’s and diminished chords and how to use them. The last 4 lessons have been really helpful to me on understanding and using chords and phrasing. I hope you continue along this line on how to use these chords.

  9. Aussie Rick says

    Terrific lesson Brian. It’s great to have an alternative to the shuffle blues that sounds cool as either a slow blues or as a more up-tempo thing.

    A future lesson on using the arpeggios of the added transition chords, along with the pentatonic scales, in lead playing, would be great.

  11. Belfed says

    Thank you Brian for this one, really lots of ideas and learning to practice.

    Your style in teaching is always superb and these “solo lessons” are my favorite.

    I’d also love to see from you some explorations in the “acoustic rock” fields, which is something normally less beaten and I’m sure would be and effectively taught in the “Brian style”!

  13. Steve says

    Like this lesson a lot, ideal for experimenting at home, both the 6251 and diminished are fascinating and add real colour.

    I was inspired recently by triads based on 1,3&7 (not 5th) on the thicker 4 strings. In just four basic shapes can cover maj7, 7, m7 and dim/m6 and can build off these to make more complex extensions. Was quite a simple breakthrough for me. All the basic info is in these triads, with no redundant 5th.

  18. Shane B says

    I truly appreciate this kind of lesson. I love the bite size ideas and understandings that can happen with this kind of lesson. I have been a member for a long time and only get to visit the site from time to time but I always find that I am very glad I maintain my membership. Brian you are one of the best teachers on the web. In a world of flash it is nice to have real and valuable content. Keep up the great work and consistent stream of quality lessons.

    Best,

  20. charjo says

    The similiarity of the IV9 with a I minor probably explains why it can sound good to solo with major pentatonic over the I7 and then switch to minor pentatonic over the IV7 in a major blues. As well, in the turnaround, the B diminished chord is also an E#diminished chord, ie. the #V diminished which is the more obvious theoretical substitution for the E7 giving the intervals of 3, b7, b9, 5 in relation to the V. The b9 is what gives increased tension for the V-I resolution.
    I think you’ve covered all these concepts in other lessons but having a review all in one place is terrific. Maybe you could expand this with more voicings and positions for the dominant chords. Rhythm lessons are always appreciated.

  23. Rex D says

    This excellent lesson reminds me of David Bromberg’s rendition of the Ray Charles song “A Fool For You” which is one of my favorites. This is one I’ll be noodling around with for awhile.

  24. JEROME L says

    Hi Brian and every one else.
    Great lesson, It seems to be a little confusing at first, but very well explained.
    I have always benn afraid to get interested in jazz technics because of its complexity ; but with this lesson I start to better understand the role and the place of “II V I”turnaround and the diminished chords.
    Thanks a lot to be so efficient in your way of teaching.

  27. John I says

    Excellent lesson!! Using these jazzy changes and diminished chords is incredibly versatile. And it sounds great in up tempo shuffle.
    Expanding on this in a future lesson would be fun, as well.

  30. T-Bish says

    Still unpacking this one. Have to write down a few concepts. Great sound combinations. Using an Am for the 4 chord in context when you’re in the key of A – cool sound. Also, the 4 sharp diminished 7, move up three frets and play it there before resolving to the key of the song. Another great sound and lightbulb moment (I know it’s not the first time you’ve done that but maybe it will stick this time). Take care.

  32. Rob D says

    Thanks again for another great lesson, can’t get enough of those diminished chords.

    This lesson ranks right up there with ML072 using the half step whole step diminished scale sound.

  36. Willem S says

    Very nice lesson indeed. Thanks Brian. But I do struggle with synchronizing the rhythm, the chords, the embellishments, and the lead-up to, for example, the F#7 with the bars. Sometimes I miss the right moment to move to the next bar or start the next chord. I find it difficult to count along to know which bar I’m in and when to move on to the next one. But maybe that will be easier when mastered the technique and I won’t have to worry about the structure of the song to much.

  37. Georg B says

    Hi Brian,
    One lightbulb moment from this super informative lesson for me was that there are only three diminished chords and they just change in the arrangement of their individual notes but ultimately contain the same tonal material. Awesome! And I love the fancy sound of your arrangement.
    All the best,
    Georg

  41. Gary W says

    Nice. Very practical and informative. You could follow this up with a version relating everything to the A Shape instead of the E Shape. Maybe doing it in the key of D or E root on the 5th string for example.

  42. ~ shaman says

    Unfortunately, when I click on the YouTube link, it takes me to Active Melody… but the video is not there, just a black screen.
    I have the active tab and it works, but I learn better watching someone play and enjoy the commentary and take-aways.
    I just have to watch the video alongside the active tab. until I get it figured out.

  44. Michael J says

    Always wondered how the jazzers embellished a basic 1-4-5. Great lesson. I have heard guitarists do what you did, but it would go by so quickly my head would spin. More of this please. I’m a bass player first, but love to play guitar at night by myself and this fits the bill. Thx

  47. Rob M says

    This lesson is a stretch for me, mechanically and in new chord forms and sequences. BUT, it’s fun to be stretched some. I’d get frustrated if every week was this ‘new’, but happy to be pushed some in this week. Must also be more fun for you to add some depth, vs same old.

  48. Ken says

    Really a lot of interesting stuff on diminished chords, fascinating!

    Just a question
    The chord progression seems to be to go in another direction in bars 9 and 10 where in a common blues progression would E7 bar 9 and D in bar 10.
    Thanks, I may have misunderstood. It be great if you could clear that up for me

    • Michael Krailo says

      The 2-5-1 tension builder chords going to A breaks down to Bm7 E7 A. However, using the concept of secondary dominate chords, you can insert another chord BEFORE the Bm7 by using the five chord of that Bm7. What is the five of B? It’s F# and because it will always be a dominant chord, it’s an F#7 chord. So that’s what he did there in bar 9 to get to the Bm7 (II), Bdim7 (V), and finally resolving to A. The last E7 chord sets everything up to repeat the progression over again. I highly recommend doing a search on this site about secondary dominant chords if you are not up to speed on those yet. Brian has quite a few lessons on the subject.

      The the main concept he is teaching in these lessons that I took away is that the V chord (E7) within that 2-5-1 can be swapped out for it’s diminished V chord. This is just another tool in the composition tool bag and the examples he gave us make a lot of sense once you see how these tools he is using work. Hope that makes sense.

      • KingB says

        I must admit I was a little confused when Brian refers to a 2-5-1 but plays a 2 -5#-1. What my understanding is that any dominant seventh chord becomes a 5# diminished by simply moving the root note up a fret(semi-tone). The diminished chord has3 tritone intervals vs 1 on a standard V dominant chord so it increases the tension even more.

        IIRC, on the track ‘Need Your Love So Bad ‘ by Fleetwood Mac / Peter Green, ,you will hear a the progression of the V7 to the V#7 then resolving to the I chord,

  49. Daniel S says

    This is very cool and helpful. I especially like the diminished chords building tension for the transitions. Showing us how to use these chord arpeggios to solo would be awesome. Thank you for sharing your experience and knowledge!

  50. Ronald K says

    Great Lesson. I’ve seen you use this guitar on multiple lessons. The tone is fantastic. Is this an old D-18? I’ve searched comments for a hint but didn’t find anything. Sometimes you mention what type of guitar you’re playing. Appreciate it when you do.

  51. Bob C says

    This was a fantastic lesson. It was great to learn about chord options with respect to the simple
    I-IV-V progression. This kind of instruction is SUPER helpful.
    The soloing and licks etc. is really great, of course, but these chord movements are really meaningful when attempting a composition of your own.
    Thank you Brian

  53. Michael L says

    Hi Brian, just watching this lesson again… good stuff.
    We often have lessons with backing tracks to play lead over… how about a track of you playing lead and let us play rhythm? 5 or 6 minutes of your lead while we go round and round holding the rhythm for you. This lesson is made for that. Just thinkin’…

  55. Will L says

    There is nothing here that was new to me, but I have never been able to apply them, so basically left them all alone, stayed with the “shuffle”.
    In a 25 minute lesson you have somehow connected all these topics for me and I found I could use them almost immediately.
    You have a teaching talent.

  59. Leonard C says

    Was Good !! Always like to see new ideas….even updated presentations of older ideas.

    Appreciate the use of on-screen diagrams as you introduce or transition to different chords. I should have everything memorized by now to just watching your fingers on the fretboard…However, my eyesight isn’t all that great anymore and the chord diagrams help.

    Thanks,
    Keep up the good Work !!

  61. Mark H says

    Another great Brian lesson showing how to use two important musical concepts, 2-5-1 and diminished chords. If you watch enough, you learn music theory – maybe without realizing. I put it off learning just basic theory for too long and regret doing so.

  62. Mike F says

    Great lesson as always Brian but stretching my skill level slightly with unfamiliar chord shapes.
    For me, what would be very useful is a chart showing just the chord progression so that I could first practise moving from one chord to the next chord smoothly.
    Once mastered I could then move on to adding the fills.

  63. Ralf P says

    I like this lesson. Studying this has been fun. It might have been a little easier to get my head around it if it was more layered. Starting with the 12 bar blues and then layering each of the changes that you made in each part of the progression. You talk through it all but it is hard to visualize back to the original 12 bars. That said, it has been interesting to figure it out on my own. Thanks!

  64. Ronald S says

    Brian,

    Great lesson again! I’m running behind schedule but this truly helps me to understand what I see some of the other guitar players doing at the jam! Thanks! Can’t wait to get to ML-126!

    Ron S

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