Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

MicroLesson: 054 – Easy Call and Response style Blues Guitar Lesson

Description

In this MicroLesson (ML054) you’ll learn how to play an easy “call and response” style blues composition that you can play in any key. You’ll also learn how to play 2 note chords (great for working into your leads)

Call & Response Style Blues Lesson

Slow Walk-Through Video

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Comments

    • Brian says

      It looks like youtube has disabled full screen unless you’re on their site or using their app. So here’s a work around, it’s an extra click but will get you there. Just tap on either the title (the white title link at the top of the embedded video, or on the youtube logo – also in the video window at the bottom. That will redirect you to either youtube.com or to the mobile app (depends on how your ipad is set up), once there, you can THEN go full screen. What a pain, sorry I don’t have an easier workaround at this time. The part 2 videos work because they are hosted via Vimeo (not YouTube)

  8. Rich F says

    Hi Brian,

    Just discovering this lesson this morning. Just watching it as I drink my morning cup of tea before breakfast (I wake up every morning and explore an AM lesson or two: it starts my day off nicely! Then I am keen to go and practice it!)

    This is an excellent lesson.. just one question… I have never seen those two-fingered chords before. I am used to the L-shaped pattern, as you demonstrated in ML049. Why do these two-fingered ones work? And why do we just need to slide them up one fret or down one fret to get the 4 and 5 chord? With the L-shaped pattern in ML049 we needed to slide up two frets to get from the 4 to the 5 chord…

    As described in your video, I happen to be a pattern learner, and this is a ‘lightbulb’ lesson for me. As usual, learning so much from your brilliant lessons!

    Cheers,

    Rich F

    • Don D. says

      Rich, those are the 3 and 7 of the chord, with the A, the 7 is on the bottom, with the D & E the 3 is on the bottom. When playing dominant chords, you can always let the 3 & 7 represent the chord.

      I hope you have already got your answer elsewhere but it’s here for anyone else who wonders.

    • David K says

      These are known as tritones. Extremely useful to learn and easy to play. Easy comping, especially in a crowded jam session. Its easy to learn them on the 5th (A) and 6th (E) strings. They will also help you figure out chords everywhere on the fretboard.

  12. Michael W says

    Love these twelve bar micros.

    I also appreciate not having unusual strum patterns together with unusual/difficult chords in the same lesson. It makes it faster to learn.

    Also, I like playing simple stuff when I just want to play and not concentrate so hard. And, if playing for others, it is nice to have a simple thing like this you can make sound great.

    So, bravo!

  16. Jim K says

    Always using 5 and 6 string chords can be replaced with only 2 strings. I started sliding into those two strings, sounds pretty neat. Thanks, Brian

      • John P says

        Take a look at your C7 chord and then move it up 2 Frets (don´t play the 2 E Strings). Now you are playing D7 (the IV Chord). Move it up 2 frets and you have E7 (the V chord). The A7 chord is the standard A7 on the 5th fret.
        That is where the 2 string fingering is coming from.
        After understanding the D7 and E7 you should also be able to play F7, G7 and A7 like your standard C7 .

  19. Arturo d says

    Dear Brian,
    thanks for this ML that helped me to spend some happier time while I am forced to stay at home due to the restrictions for COVID-19. I wanted to ask you if it would also be possibile before moving to the IV chord to use the same lick starting from the D note on the 7th fret and moving on the second path of the major pentatonic scale.
    Thanks for your wonderful work.

  21. Christopher t says

    Hi Brian, this a great lesson, thank you. This is a beginner’s classic, taking it slowly, this is essential. Some important technique and the resolve to the root note…then, get the feel and try your own stuff.

  24. Edison says

    Just got this lesson from 2018. I dig it. Very slick.

    So I m following along with current lesson and going back to your blues for beginners lesson.

    Making progress but after 40 to 50 hour work week. It’s challenging to find time to practice.. O MN G. Sometimes I LL just watch the lessons on my phone during my break.

  25. Marc P says

    I’ve just signed on to the lessons, as this one got me hooked 🙂

    Just having a look around the site and I have a funny feeling, I’m going to be here for quiet a while!

  26. Daniel S says

    Awesome lesson Brian,
    Your program has really accelerated my progress. Your step by step explanations , tabs and on screen scrolling tabs are some of the best on line tools I’ve seen. And you offer them all in one package. In addition your concept of learning to play “guitar” rather than “songs” makes great sense to me.
    Keep up the good work!

  27. Daniel S says

    In response to an earlier post referring to resolving to the root , I just wanted to add to it.
    When I started I was told the same thing, however later we find that other options include chord tones.
    So In my humble opinion it’s good to say resolving to the root works… but down the road there are other options and reasons why.

    • Clem says

      Wow, $89.00 for all this? You are so cool . I can t even think of anything that is worth more than this. Brian, your the greatest instructor ever. Thank you for all your free efforts. I am so impressed with what you offer for free. The songs make me so grateful. Makes me wantingto play guitar!!!!!!!

  30. Tony H says

    I too wondered how sliding back from an ‘A’ landed you on a ‘D’ and sliding up landed you on an ‘E’. The explanations offered by other members explained the theory and whilst i sort of get it, it just makes me wonder about the amount of information i don’t know when it comes to music – and I am 67, albeit just a noodler and not a player. I have never heard the term ‘Tritone’ until today, or how the three and seventh notes can be used to such effect. Patterns and Rules, Rules and Patterns – music is about as complicated as the English language 🙂

  31. Wayne S says

    Brian,
    I have been a player for over 60 years, and I can say with all sincerity that you are the best teacher I have encountered.
    Thank you for linking playable licks and phrasings with explanations that teach theory.
    You are a transformative teacher.

    Thank you.
    Wayne Sotile, Ph.D.

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