Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Slow, Heavy Blues – Blending the Major & Minor Pentatonic Scales – Lead Guitar Lesson – EP604

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a slow and heavy, Chicago style blues (on electric or acoustic guitar) by blending the notes of the Major and Minor Pentatonic Scales.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

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Slow Walkthrough

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  2. Ralph P. says

    Can’t believe that sound is coming out of that guitar…looks can be deceiving. I would have walked right past it at Guitar Center.

    Great Rockin’ Dirty Blues tune. Sounds original and familiar at the same time.

  11. Bill B says

    I have followed your site for almost a decade now and this is definitely in the top 2 of my most favorite lessons you have ever done! Your style of teaching resonates so much in so many ways. I can honestly say this one takes the cake!! Thank you for continuing to deliver week after week after week.

  15. James S says

    Brian: Love that mixolydian scale, but I’m confused about it. Wouldn’t E mixolydian be the B major scale, starting on the E, or the 5th scale degree? Doing that doesn’t get us to the pattern you showed in the video. Or another way to look at it. Wouldn’t E mixolydian be the E major scale with the flat 7? What you showed sounded great and it’s easy to get under the fingers, but it isn’t the E major scale with the flat 7.

    Yes, I’m sure I’m overthinking this, or making some wrong assumptions, but can you help?

  19. Peter H says

    F Book just threw up a feed featuring Bob Margolin talking about the recording of Hard Again by Muddy and Johnny Winter. Great read. Then this little gem comes along which is right in the pocket of what Muddy was doing – well imho at least – thanks so much 🙂

  27. Thierry says

    Truly a gem this one Brian, thank you! Thank you to continue demystifying the underlying patterns and building up my play weeks after weeks! I wish I came across your lessons 10 years earlier!

  29. Tom M says

    I’m excited about digging into this lesson. Great cure for snow storm & getting ready to do taxes blues! I like how you explained your effects settings at the start. I haven’t used pedals since the late 60’s with a fuzz tone driving my Fender Bandmaster….but now mostly play to entertain myself and am interested. Do you have recommendations for pedals – looks like a plethora out there

  30. Stacey O says

    “Brian’s Bread and Butter Bedrock Blues” Thanks Brian for a great lesson. Seems that this style of play is what piqued my interest in your teaching 5 years ago and I still really love learning how to play it. I have also enjoyed your lessons in music theory that have given me the ability to understand and play other subtypes or genres like jazz or swing but basic blues really gets me going.

  33. Terry P says

    Really enjoy Chicago Blue 12 bars. It’s easy to play along with and everybody taps a foot to it!
    I appreciate you pointing out what pattern Minor or Major. ‘That’s what I watch for when I first view the lesson.

    I was trying to remember the easy way of getting into the Mixolydian scale. That was a-ha moment 🙂 A shape
    Thanks as always

  36. Torquil O says

    Great lesson! Love that sweet & sour milky growl you coax out of that Odell. Many great takeaways. Always trying to blend pattern 1 minor and pattern 2 major. Focusing down at the nut with your examples gets me; I mean really gets me, in my blues wanna-be roots!
    Thanks

  44. John G says

    Great lesson. Wanted to ask you before Brian, something you did at the beginning … ( because I’m relatively new to electric guitar and not to well up on amp settings) Could you when its lesson with electric guitar or even acoustic guitar , when that relevent, mention a bit about the amp settings? Many thanks for the great lessons

    John Graham.

  45. John G says

    Great lesson. Wanted to ask you before Brian, something you did at the beginning … ( because I’m relatively new to electric guitar and not to well up on amp settings) Could you when its a lesson with electric guitar or even acoustic guitar , when thats relevent, mention a bit about the amp settings? Many thanks for the great lessons

    John Graham.

  51. KIRK E says

    I don’t know enough to understand a lot of the comments on theory and why or how it all works (wish I did). I just know it sounds great, ain’t too hard to play and everybody likes it. That’s a winner every time for me. Thanks again for another great lesson.

  52. Robbie M says

    Wow, even though it looks simple when you watch Brian play it. When I tried to do it, I realised it’s unlike anything I had played before apart some parts of it that sounds kind of Zztopy. To make a guitar sound like this is a kind of arcane, as far as I’m concerned. So I’m so excited to get some experience with it. Thanks

  57. michael f says

    Another good lesson. Great triplet practice. Mixing E major and minor pentatonic scales in open positions, very tasty. Playing the minor pentatonic scale over the 5 chord is new to me. I usually think of that as trying to play the 7 note mixolydian scale if I’ playing the changes; however I think both scales use the same notes. So why not. Also I don’t know why I never thought of playing the miixolydian scale for the 1 chord; I had thought of that as just playing the major scale, but the flat 7 note played over that major I chord is more bluesy. The fretboard is definitely opening up for me through your lessons. Always grateful.

  58. Michael S says

    Hi Brian Great Lesson! This lesson really focuses in on triplets which I needed to work on.

    Question: Where do you come up with these great licks. I notice in the background you have a significant record collection. You must be listening to a lot of Albert Lee?

    One More: Do you do all of this work alone. I imagine getting out a lesson a week with original material must be quite a load.

  61. Daniel M says

    Absolutely love this style of Blues, Brian! You play it so well. I’ve seen you do the myxolidian scale in your other videos but this time really stuck for me with your placement of it between the C Shape (E7 chord) and the A shape. It just really stood out for me. Maybe it was also the lick you used that was really nice. Thanks again for your great explanations. It’s all making me a better guitar player!

  63. Hermanoperreza says

    A very nice piece of chicago blues – this one made me to be a member again. Keep doing the great job – if the lessons are also entertaining, than it is a way to be more motivated to learn. Thanks again for your good work.

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