Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Acoustic Blues Guitar Lesson – LEG005

Description

After getting lots of positive feedback from the delta blues guitar lesson that I recently did, I decided to do another acoustic blues lesson – this time played with a pick as opposed to fingerstyle. This is really geared towards intermediate to advanced players mainly because of the speed of it. I like to keep most of my lessons simple and easy to follow, and hopefully this one is at least easy to follow. If you ARE a beginner though and would like to do this, you can – just play it at a slower tempo and think of it as a great exercise! I always welcome feedback so let me know you think, also let me know if you’d like to hear more lessons along these lines. I feel like I could create hundreds of this style, as this is the type of stuff I’m usually playing when I’m sitting around the house.

Acoustic Blues Lead Guitar Lesson

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Comments

  1. jabbajam says

    Wow. I never noticed this lesson before. Just heard the intro bit and don’t know if it’s within my grasp but sounds pretty lively.

    I sure hope your superb break down of the moves are in step with previous tutorials. If so I’m sure I’ll nail this tune that sounds out of reach.

    You have this amazing ability to take hard stuff (hard for me) and break it into learn-able chunks—that results in me discovering abilities I didn’t know I had—or developing skills I thought were out of reach.

    I think the key to your magic is that you don’t assume any particular abilities or skill level and provide detail that others don’t—while you seem to do it quickly enough to avoid tedium.

    • Robert G says

      Hey Brian!

      Do I have to play this tune at that tempo to make it sound good? The last time I pick up a guitar was in 8th grade. I’m in my mid 50’s now. I was able to get EP315 down pretty good with the help of the Tab and the slower version. Am I able to do it with your earlier stuff?

      Thank you,

      Robert G.

  3. StreakyPete says

    Wow!
    Now you’re REALLY putting us through our paces Brian!
    This sounds great!  I haven’t tried it yet (still working on Delta Blues #1), but I would love to get somewhere even close to the way you play Delta #2!
    It’ll be a few more days before I can put some time aside to give it a go, but meantime please accept my thanks for showing us this.

    Just noticed you’ve got a new Premium lesson! - Great!  Now I won’t feel so guilty about taking all the Freebies!
    Pete

  4. jimjimr says

    Brian, Thanks for another great lesson.  This one has opened up many new ideas for me to apply to both my blues and rock technique.  Great stuff!

  5. Brian says

    Thanks for all of the positive feedback!  I really do appreciate it.  Also, Woodnerp - the guitar I’m using is a 1920s Regal parlor guitar from the 1920s (made in Chicago).  The guitar has definitely seen better days, but I still love the small size and great tone you get from it.  Just a fun guitar to play too.

  6. quadrosbr says

    Lovely melody and rhythm. Atfer 15 years playing Brazilian Popular Music on a Nylon guitar, it seems like I can’t get enough blues on the steel strings guitar.

    I’m already playing this lesson entirely and I’m eager to get more challenges.

    Please make some lessons on how to approach the blues/pentatonic scales on the acoustic guitar.

    Best Regards,
    Bruno QR

  9. thespoony says

    just to say thanks man unfortunately do not have your ability and that you have taken the time and patience to break it down and explain to the many outthere like myself is beyond cool cheers man   thespoony

  10. kbradby@cox.net says

    Anyone trying to break out of their rut of playing in the only style they play will seek things on the web that are 1) interesting 2) different and/or 3) inspires you. This site is all of the above!

  12. JazzySammy says

    First time I saw the video, I thought there is no way I can play this. 

    I broke it down into sections and learned them part by part until they were 2nd nature.

    Now I fly through it without even thinking of what I am doing.

    I take the different parts and play them in different order for a different sound.

  14. Sebbo-95 says

    I’m amazed!!!

    Just found your website and I really love it!!!
    I started today with your first free lesson (Chet Atkins) and your teaching is so simple and powerful. I’m going through all the free lessons and when I’m done I’ll probably buy your courses! Keep up the acoustic delta blues lesson, cause it so soulful when you’re playing acoustic blues. Keep it up!

  18. wizard47 says

    Hi Brian

    I’m new to your site… such great value! I love the blues and BB King stuff. At long last I’m actually starting to understand how the notes fit together. Many many thanks. Oh, and I love your style of teaching.

  23. Bluzdawg says

    Hi Brian. Yes please make more of this kind of lesson. I’ve tried many on-line programs and have not found what I’m looking for, until now! Any more of this style would be awesome

    Thanks!

  24. swa says

    Hello, Brian!

    You say: “I feel like I could create hundreds of this style, as this is the type of stuff I’m usually playing when I’m sitting around the house.”

    Great! Bring it on! This piece is exactly the kind of thing I have been looking for but finding relatively little of. It would be wonderful if you could do a series of pieces in each of the common keys, so that by the time you are finished, we would have a kind of encyclopedia of acoustic blues.

    Best regards,

    Stephen

  28. more toys than talent says

    Great little piece Brian. I have some Blues Tab books that I have spent some time with. It is so much easier to watch one of your videos. You break it down into nice little easy to follow snippets and then step by step build them into a complete song. It is good stuff!

  30. StratoBlaster says

    Another great one Brian.  I love this acoustic blues stuff.  I’d like to see a lot more of them.  How bout a blues in “A”?

  32. andy7o says

    Hey Brian.

    Thanks for this lesson, I’ve been playing for a couple of years but never really got beyond strumming a few chords.

    I never had the confidence to record myself playing before never mind improvise but I learned the intro and then started to improvise. First time I’ve even played 12 bar blues, I can’t believe what I’ve managed to achieve, all thanks to you!

    I’ll definitely be purchasing some premium lessons soon.

    Check it out if you can, it’s only 43 seconds long: https://soundcloud.com/depresesed-toad/twelvety

  34. Bazman says

    Cheer Brian, I,ve played for a whilst now an mostly tried to follow along watch my DVD’s using my A?B button.
    The way you break it down helps not just play the song but understand it also.

  35. djkmuc says

    Many thanks for this great piece of blues. Unfortunately I cannot found the according tabs. Under the downlaod button of this lesson are the tabs of the Delta Blues Version 2.
    Josef

  37. joeobrien says

    New to this site and all I can say is that I think I’ve learned more in the last few days than in the last few years!  Well done Brian - excellent tutoring, cool tunes and very nice playing.  Oh, I must get a parlour guitar too…  Thanks so much.

  38. DL says

    Brian

    I used to be able to forward and reverse the lesson video. It helped learn the song in sections. The new video format does not allow you to do this.  Is the video (foward/reverse) feature available with the premium membership?  Please advise.

    Thanks so much,
    David

  44. mrkl72 says

    great lesson Brian ! i still have to learn all the pieces and practise….but it comes :-). Thanks very much ! happy new year and greets from switzerland.

  46. jryanback says

    This was the first thing I ever learned on Active Melody, I can never play exactly what he teaches but I can always learn everything in the lesson and do my own thing and this one is one of my favorites.. Its actually not that hard, even for a beginner 😉

  47. ochomarvo says

    Great lesson,I just about got it. The part that you said would be most challenging was actually very easy for me. I play almost that same exact lick in pride and joy which I can play a good chunk of all but the leads…I’ve always wanted to learn this style..thanks..now I’m off to learn Scott Moore lesson. He’s one of my favorite guitarists :-)

  48. brian1974 says

    great stuff brian i was away from the guitar for a few years and now back this site is gona help me i just know ,i was sick of jumping around on the internet from teacher to teacher ,so keep on rock n brian thanks….brian ,ireland

  49. bstrum says

    This was one the first of your lessons I tried.  I had just picked the guitar up again after about a 20 year lay off.

    Guitar playing friend of mine who I sent the lesson to said I would never learn it.  I have now been practicing this for three years and can not get it to sound like yours.  But it is sounding good!

    I think your playing skills make some of your lessons seem unobtainable to your mortal students.

    I would like to see this lesson in your current lesson format and tools.

    Now for take 879.

  50. rosco4457 says

    Man Brian , this is right down my alley, i love the blues, i love the way the way you taught this lesson, your style of teaching always gets me there, thx brian

  51. LVShane says

    Just received my Taylor GS MINI hog in the mail today and by Devine intervention stumbled on this video on youtube! Just joined the club and printed the tabs… played with this for 4 hours love the sight and your style of teaching! Can’t wait to get this down and move to the next lesson!

  52. Sarah J says

    Hey Mark,

    This lesson finally made me sign up. You’re a great teacher and I want to thank you for your effort. This lesson was easy enough and I liked the grove. Your blues is very fluid and I like your style. Thanks!

  54. olive says

    Hi Brian,

    It is a lovely guitare part. I have one question on the structure of 2 licks :
    – Mesure 13 : on the Em string, you use the 4th and 2nd fret then 2nd fret of the B string. Is it because they belong the 3rd mode of E major pentatonique scale ? Then it
    – Mesure 8 : from where does the 5th fret B string comes ?

    Thanks for your help !

    Olivier from Paris

  59. Cary says

    Oh man, love this tune! Gradually working my way through it, working on accuracy first and then speed. I’ve noticed an improvement in my playing and understanding of blues structure after just a few weeks of your video lessons. So glad I found your site! Thank you!

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