Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Bo Diddley Style Guitar Lesson – Rhythm and Lead – EP086

Description

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to play a classic Bo Diddley inspired shuffle rhythm. You’ll also learn some Bo Diddley style leads which are mixed in with the rhythm using the “call and response” technique. This works on acoustic or electric guitar and is suitable for beginners.

Part 1

Part 2 (Premium Access Only)

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Comments

  4. Rock Star Daddy says

    Wow Brian, I was looking back , believe it or not just last night and was playing your rhythm lesson from May of 2010 of Bo Diddley. I was really surprised to see this one today. I really like this style.
    Thanks,  Jim

  5. reggie185 says

    Great Lesson Brian ….. The backing track sounds so good,  I was wondering if you created it with real instruments or if it’s generated from samples

  6. Leep says

    Very nice lesson. Are you deadening the high E string with your pinky finger when you hit the deadened strums? And are you playing that high E on the E and A chords?

  7. lost says

    I Was just checking out the older Bo Diddly lesson of yours yesterday. surprised to see rock star daddy did also. What a trip? Really like these rhythm lessons. My rhythm needs work.

  8. gudwill says

    You’re the first download teacher that (1) sounds so good and (2) makes me feel that I can do it. You have a great approach and I’m actually going out and using (and building on) your demonstrations at ‘open stage’ nights.

  11. Bri-UKLefty says

    I just had a great fun half hour and also learn your lessons at the same time. This was a real quickie with rhythm and I just came on from playing with your Wind Cries Mary, so an extra unplanned win. Great learning style and I will also go platinum by end this week, whey hey!

  12. Bri-UKLefty says

    Sorry getting carried away on last post, but you do get enthusiastic working with your lessons; I got mixed up and your premium membership will feel like platinum LOL!

  17. Chirp says

    Another great one! The last 2 were keepers. I almost have the drop D one mastered. Well as mastered as I’m going to get it anyway,

    I have to ask though, in the Bo Diddley song…

    Where’s the slide? I was like on the seat of my chair waiting for the slide part.

    Maybe it’s just me. Was anybody else waiting for the slide part the first time you listened? It’s probably me….

    Still great lively selection!

  18. doug.balch@gmail.com says

    The riffs on Part2 are just great.  This is going to be a blast to learn.  Great balance of making it easy to play, yet challenging us with new (yet still familiar from pat lesson) stuff.

    And please keep talking about the major and minor scales.  One day I will get it and it won’t make my head hurt anymore.

  20. CliffordLance says

    Brian, you do an excellent job of trying to put up lessons for everybody. Not an easy thing to do, but you do a fine job. I love your lessons and keep up the great work!

  21. Ugly Eyes Bradley says

    Thanks a bunch for this lesson, I am loving the different rhythm / lead or call and response lessons. The Winter Blues was great, and I am really wanting to get this one down, but for now I am stuck with an acoustic guitar, and when I try to practice the rhythm part I have so many notes ringing out that the rhythm gets lost. I was just wondering if there were any tips for those of us who want to rock this on an acoustic?

    Thanks again.

  22. tommc says

    thanks for another good lesson.  Another fun element to play with this style is to add a tremolo pedal with the speed set to match the tempo of the track.

  24. T. Frolicker says

    Brian,
    This old duck (mid-70’s) is enjoying your guitar instruction as much as anything (almost) I have ever done in my life. You are a great teacher, and that Bo Diddley approach has opened up a great many variations to play on it in the same rhythm. Terrific stuff!

  26. T. Frolicker says

    hey, jeannot 18,

    Very easy: bar the seventh fret and lay your third finger over these three strings: the B string, the G string, and the D string. Don’t strum the high E or the low E, so you will bend that third finger over those three strings.

    That’s a moveable chord, so when you bar the first fret and lay down your ring finger on the third fret, you are playing a B-flat. Move everything up one fret, and it’s a B, up one more is a C, and so on all the way up the neck.

    Have fun.

  27. jeannot18 says

    Thanks Frolicker, I don’t think I made myself clear in my initial post. What I meant is i know where my fingers are supposed to go, but when I play the chord it does not sound clear. When I play a F chord for example, my barred finger frets the string really well, because i can turn slight my first finger on its side. But what the E or D, i can’t turn my first finger and then use my third finger (or pinky as well) to barre the second part of the chord. I know it is probably down to practice, but my question was, shall i position my finger(s) in a specific way in order to achieve a very clear chord,
    PS: I have started a post in the beginner forum if you want to reply
    J

  28. seasick shaun says

    Love all of these lessons with rhythm and lead. Sound great without a backing track too, so can play them anywhere and sound like I really know what I’m doing.  Thanks man, keep em coming your making me look good.

  29. mikeanders says

    Wonderful! I often play the riff in the Key of F. Sometimes I will capo the first fret and use the same or similar fingerings you did in the key of E, and other times I will play in F without the capo. It all depends on how I feel at the moment. I also find myself doing different things with the soloing and flourishes when I play it in E or in F. I have no idea why that is!  I have even played the same riff in the key of A. I get inspired each time and explore new musical notions here and there. Again, great lesson!

  33. Bri-UKLefty says

    Hey I just got back into this lesson after moving between this, Winter Acoustic Blues and Lightnin’ Hopkins lessons; then just nailed the play along tracks!
    It’s great when the lessons are fun, then you realise how much you’ve learned and finally surprise yourself by keeping in time……………great!
    UK Bri

  35. KajustheCat says

    Great lesson! Been mostly practicing ‘single note’ riffs/licks and this really opens up ideas to strumming with chords and is really working out the call-and-response playing.

  36. Scottbike57 says

    Brian just love this, always wanted to learn this style of rock and roll……………hoping you will do more of this, great stuff mate, thanking you 🙂
    Regards
    Kim (Australia)

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