Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Writing your own guitar composition and feeling stuck? Not sure what to do next? Try this! – EP503

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In this week’s guitar lesson, I’ll help site member, Simon, finish a guitar composition and walk you through the thought process. You’ll also learn how to play it!

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Comments

    • Grant B says

      Gents I was watching this on YouTube and responded in the comments. It was spooky as I had been in a band a lot of years ago and one of the guys wrote a song called Lauren, which did not get fully finished but Michaels’s idea and Brians & Simons embellishments reminded me so much of this song and I would love to share my composition of Lauren with you just for interest sake. How might I do this?

      Regards
      Grant

  3. James W says

    I really enjoyed this lesson I have not yet started to try and play it. But I really enjoyed the process and the thought process of how you would extend Simon’s original thoughts. I think the E minor was just such a light bulb. I have been right where Simon has been and wasn’t sure where to go. And your explanation of what you would do really was a great help. Great lesson per usual.

  5. Bill B says

    I really liked this concept bc I’m sure many of us can relate to being “stuck… I know I can.! It always just makes more sense when you elaborate the way you do. Thanks you both for sharing.

  6. Leonard U says

    you mentioned beatle’s songs and mccartney once stated that the beatles were the most plagiarizing band in music history. one of the best examples of this is the line in the intro of their tune “honey pie” which goes “and if she could only hear me…” which is the same as the line in the bugs bunny cartoon song “this is it” which goes “we know every part by heart”.

  7. NB says

    Great lesson Brian – thanks to Simon for sharing his ideas and frustrations also (we all know it). Really great concept for another lesson style – I enjoyed it – and really liked the final product!
    BTW – thanks for clarifying where you got the Dan Fogelberg lick – I was immediately trying to recollect where I had heard it – great musician!!!

    • Jade says

      How about playing a simple chromatic pattern on one string, laying down fingers 1234 beginning at 5th fret from low E to high E string. You can mix the finger sequence up and then move lower down the frets once your hands start to warm up and can handle a bigger stretch between the frets. Then play some slow chord changes. Simple stuff which you probably already know/ do but sometimes simple stuff works best 🙂

  13. JULIAN C says

    Excellent lesson Brian and Simon
    Love the chords and progress of the song – great to listen, great to play and now adding a little more lines – then keeping that wonderful last part to close the song works great for a turn around that where I added a few major 7 chords to add to the comp. Funny I already included the B-Minor before you showed it then added somewhere a F 7 Chord that took me in other directions where the d chord comes into play then back to G with the same melody and chord foundation
    Thank you- really enjoyed it and will be playing it more

  14. charjo says

    This is probably the next step in helping us branch out on our own. Expanding some simple ideas within chord families and finding embellishments using harmonized sixths and phrases around chord shapes, ie. tricks you have already emphasized, is an interesting new direction to go. Could be the basis for a monthly challenge but you’ve probably already thought of that.
    John

  15. Jeff H says

    I really enjoyed this lesson, it was very interesting watching how the song came together. Turned into a very beautiful song. I would love to see more lessons like this. Thanks Brian and Simon.

  18. Paul N says

    Great question SImon! Great answer Brian! And what was really cool for me, was I’ve got a 30 second piece using the E shape with open strings I’ve been playing around with for a few years not knowing where or how to take it to the next level. The Circle fo 5ths of course! Lesons I’ve already taken. I always make things harder than tney need to be. Thanks guys!

  21. Daniel P says

    Brian,
    Great job in using a personal video to build a wonderful lesson on. You exhibited tact and grace when contrasting how and where you took Simon’s elementary start to a more advanced and full composition without even hinting at any perceived shortcomings in regards to Simon’s skills and efforts. You have a teaching style and manner that makes one feel like you are ‘one of us’, even though you are clearly more skilled than most of the rest of us. I for one appreciate your natural talent as a teacher and the fact that you decided to create ActiveMelody many years ago.

  24. David B says

    This lesson was great! Been struggling with similar guitar blocks like this for awhile. I’ve known the circle of fifths, but to see it applied with some guitar fills in between really turned the lamp on bright in my brain. Thanks Brian.

  25. mritalian says

    Every week I look forward to another new lesson. This one made a lot of sense for me its really great to see how a song can be developed from a few chords. I enjoyed the composition from Simon and Brian. I’ll have to start to develop my own now! Well thank you guys, hope to see and hear more of this. Ron

  26. Charles S says

    Great lesson, really good to get some instruction concerning song structure. I would love to see more lessons along this line where you teach how you approach crafting the different parts of a song, in other words, the verse, chorus and bridge (etc).

  28. Rick S says

    Thanks Brian & Simon. Nice to see an idea and then elaborate on it. Really like the open voicing of the chords. We can play chords around the clock but you nailed it. Melody!! It’s gotta go somewhere.

    The open D chord (without add9) back to open C (later resolves to G) is reminiscent of Neil Young’s Sugar Mountain.
    Cool stuff.

  29. Leonard L says

    Love this lesson. Helps me work my compositions. More lessons like this, please! However, a sidebar 🙂 You slowed Simon’s song down be it reminded you of 3AM by Matchbox 20. When you slowed the intro down it reminded me of Tom Petty’s Free Fallin’ Great music is borrowed and then altered to make it your own, I know, I alter everybody’s music I play : )

  30. Jim H says

    A really nice lesson. You vocalized your thoughts on how you think when playing and composing. I felt like I was a fly on the wall at a private lesson. But comfortable to be able to replay and absorb those many points I missed the first time through

  31. Jack B says

    Was randomly noodling around with three and four string triads yesterday trying (and failing) to make them interesting and melodic, then last night while watching TV I thought “This is what the circle of fifths is for!” And here we are today and you are beautifully demonstrating the concept ! I appreciate all of your lessons but I think this one really brought home how theory applies to playing. Great work! I vote for more of this.

  33. Michael J says

    G’day Brian,
    I think the open string thing adds another dimension to the art of the guitar.
    For myself, there is a very warm, very emotional edge to the sounds that can be found.
    My daughter excels at creating these sounds, and I marvel at what she can do.
    Thank you, Simon, thank you, Brian,
    Michael J. , Downunder.

  36. Eddie Mac says

    It’s really great learning some little ideas to embellish the chords that we use. Otherwise I sometimes feel stagnant just playing straight major and minor chords. Great job on another great lesson. Kudos to Simon for submitting the idea!

  38. David C says

    Nice to see and hear someone else’s music come to life. More of the same I know would be hard to do, but would be nice. Think you would be interested in creating a solo? I have a few compositions I’ve written over the years that are lacking one! LOL!

  40. Lawrence W says

    This was really helpful to me, Simon and Brian. Like most people, probably, I get lots of little musical ideas that I’d like to develop, but typically don’t know where to take them that isn’t trite or lame. I had actually commented recently requesting a video of just this kind that shows, Brian, how you might think your way through building a finished piece of music. As usual, you’ve made what seems like an unusual, rather mysterious and somewhat difficult piece easy to understand by relating it to simple building blocks of basic music theory such as interval patterns (CAGED), chord families and shapes, and the circle of fifths that you emphasize in your lessons. Learning a lot from you — wish I’d joined your group a long time ago! Kudos to both of you for your creativity. Yes, MORE like this, please!

  41. Greg S says

    I haven’t started the lesson yet, but I really like the concept and the end piece that you and Simon came up with. One of the things that makes me know I’m going to like this is that I started playing fairly late in life (my 50s), and now, in my 70s, I’m developing arthritis in my thumbs. This makes barre chords painful to play, so I’m really glad to see a very nice piece that emphasizes open-string chords. Thanks for looking out for an old guy.

  43. Eric L says

    Hi Brian, loved this lesson. In the last few weeks I have been trying some songwriting and like Simon , I have come up with some nice little tags and progression but no real idea how to develop further, this one lesson has already been immensely helpful. Would be happy to see more like this, Cheers Eric

  44. ellen c says

    I like to write people sometimes even say they feel or relate to what I write. I struggle with creating interest past the common known chords I’m familiar with . I hear it in my head but with where I’m at I can’t pull of what I’m thinking This creation process you shared
    is super helpful Anytime you want to jump into song writing on any level.. love to hear it!

  45. Ronald L. M says

    This was great. I think many of us have pieces of songs collected that need some parts. I have a few that I’m not quite happy with some chords so I’m going back to 408. The sus chords excited me, some how they’ve evaded me for my own compositions. Many thanks to you & Simone
    Ron

  47. ellen c says

    I like to write sometimes friends even say they feel or relate to what I write. I struggle with creating interest past the common known chords I’m familiar with . I hear it in my head but with where I’m at I can’t pull of what I’m thinking This creation process you shared
    is super helpful Anytime you want to jump into song writing on any level.. love to hear it!

  48. robert g says

    Good song, really like the open chimmy stuff. I have actually thought of asking you the same question Simon did. I have a few diddies that I developed but need more fullness and polish. Would like to send to you if you are interesting pursuing this lesson approach. Of course I hope you do more of these. Very helpful.
    Thanks, Bob

  49. Bruce G says

    I really liked this lesson as a change of pace, but also to see the mix of “art and science” and creativity. Fascinating., and I feel like this connects well to improvising as well as writing a song….

    That “sort of D chord” up two frets from the open C reminds me of a Simon and Garfunkel song—“Kathy’s Song”— it’s an interlude after the second verse. I like the version in “greatest hits” versus the original recording, but he uses the same chord progression at that point sticking in that “special D chord”. Paul Simon always has a great bag of tricks.

    Would love to see some lessons in that Simon & Garfunkel, James Taylor, … Dan Fogelberg type genre… I love the travis picking sound ….

    Thanks Brian!

  50. Bill Stenberg says

    I really enjoyed this, especially the interaction between you and Simon and seeing what you did to fill it out. Thanks Simon for putting this out for all of us. I’d love to send you something I composed to you, Brian, and see what you can do to embellish the tune. Can I just email it to you?
    Bill

  51. Ned N says

    Great lesson. Lots of potential for extending further by using different melody insertions after your bridge back to the one chord. I love noodling out short material like this. I for one wouldn’t mind seeing more like this in future lessons.
    Thanks Brian and Simon.

  52. John M says

    I really enjoyed this lesson and has added more to my playing and understanding.
    I have been struggling with this concept, so have concentrating more on chord progressions, using the Chord progression cheat sheets for various keys.
    So when I have a jam session with a friend of mine I play the chords while solos over the progression,
    Most time seems to sound OK.

    Maybe you could do a short lesson on Chord Progressions.

    Anyway, loved the lesson.
    Thank you Brian and Simon,

    John
    Adelaide
    Australia

  55. Dory says

    well, I guess another honest try at something we think might be original, the number of songs I stubble upon rattle me !! till I can find that origin, then I realize I’ve played the intro to something, it’s what brought us to pick up the guitar in the first place, Hootie &The Blowfish comes to mind with this one, yeah you know it, now when you stumbled upon Led Zep, or some other in that memory software head logic, you can’t wait to pick , it’s what keeps of searching and Brain you spark that! nicely done sir

  56. Gary W says

    Hi Brian,
    A fantastic lesson and thanks to Simon for sharing.
    I’m similar with my writing and chords as I love writing and putting chords together, however I’ve always wanted to be able to put little runs and licks in before going back to the other chords.
    I’ve been working on pentatonics, both major and minor to try and work them in.
    More of these lessons please.
    Love the site.

  60. Simon brewer says

    Wow, thanks to my name sake for this one as right up my strasse. I often play around with open chords around the fret board and as you’ve amply demonstrated Brian many have a nice ring to them, but how to link such together is always where I also become stuck. I also liked how you can utilise the circle of 5ths to help progress your ideas. Anyway yea this was a cracker Brian so throwing more of this type of lesson in from time to time would be very helpful.

  61. RUSSELL H says

    Adding advice about composition to your traditional focus on learning how to improvise is a big plus for me. They’re both important — and compatible — skills for aspiring players like me. Many thanks.

  63. Dan S says

    Those alternate fingerings are the cat’s pajamas. I spend a lot of time working on this style and think it’s a good style to learn..
    Using those fingerings means you have to learn the root note positions all over the board which is a by product .
    Very valuable.
    Dan

  64. Paul T says

    Hey Brian (and Simon) Thanks for another great lesson. I really like the piece that you guys have come up with together and the tips for creating a solo composition by building on a few simple ideas. I don’t know the Matchbox Twenty song you mentioned, but the revised introduction sounds a lot like the intro to The Tragically Hip’s song
    “Wheat Kings,” though Rob Baker plays the intro on an acoustic guitar.

  66. Aaron P. says

    Really liked this style of a lesson, Brian! I think most of us can relate to feeling stuck like Simon was…..this really helped me to apply some new techniques when I get in a rut trying to write my own compositions. THANKS

  67. Bob H says

    Hi Brian,
    Have been a member for a while now and every new weekly lesson is a treat.
    Thanks so much for them all!
    Currently not playing much but in the process of novice building a couple of guitars, one from scratch and another from kit.
    Found this lesson and format very much a new inspiration though and its going to get me back to playing again starting here.
    Definitely more like this please!

  69. Jade says

    Great lesson and good to see a fellow learners ideas on the guitar! It proved very helpful as I get stuck in exactly the same way when trying to come up with my own compositions. Would be good to see more of this type of lesson in the future 🙂

  71. BRIAN R says

    Good lesson with reminders to review the Circle of 5ths and standard chord progressions. The open string playing is a good sound and technique but, in my opinion, should be used sparingly (for example the E to A to B and back with the E fingering) as it can easily be interpreted as every Wyndham Hill recording ever made. You might look into alternate string tunings(drop D, etc) or the open chord tuning as per Joni Mitchell and Richie Havens from time to time as a lesson (if not posted already and I missed it). Thanks for your lessons – good stuff.

  72. Dean1 says

    Great lesson, Brian! I have begun probably hundreds of songs thru the years, then let them vanish as I couldn’t figure out where to take them. Some very useful suggestions here. Please do something similar from time to time.

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