Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Creating a Melodic Guitar Solo Using Chord Voicings and Arpeggios (PART 2) – EP166

Description

This lesson is a follow-up to EP164, which you can view here.

In this guitar lesson, I’ll show you how to create more melodic sounding leads by incorporating chord voicings into your solos. This is meant to be additive to what you already know, but hopefully allows you to view the fretboard in a different way by visualizing the chords and using them in your lead. This lesson includes both a practice exercise as well as a melody, and the jam track is in 3 different keys to help you practice transposing this.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walkthrough - Practice

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Slow Walkthrough - Melody

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

    • Douglas S says

      I agree. Didn’t that shirt just pop?
      Because Brian doesn’t do merchandising, I think you would need to have one made custom.

      But I KNOW that because everything is copyright protected…Brian is going to have a problem with reproductions.

      Without any specific permission from Brian or his company, you would be breaking copyright law.

    • Douglas S says

      I agree. Didn’t that shirt just pop?
      Because Brian doesn’t do merchandising, I think you would need to have one made custom.

      But I KNOW that because everything is copyright protected…Brian is going to have a problem with reproductions.

      Without any specific permission from Brian or his company, you would be breaking copyright law

  5. richard t says

    I’ve heard people mention this before, but nobody ever explained it to me. My head is swimming a little right now but I can see the amazing possibilities. I see this as a must know technique. It will take me awhile, but I’m going to go back to ep 164 and get started. Than you again Brian.

  8. Buster89 says

    Great lesson Brian. Really appreciate you trying to figure out what we need to get to next level. Also your efforts to review same content but using different techniques is much appreciated. I love that little piece of improvisation at the end of Part I as it shows the universe of possibilities once it all comes together . Thanks heaps once again !!

  9. Michael J says

    G/day Brian,
    Couldn’t agree with you more, mate. These last couple of lessons have been terrific in bringing so much understanding of the many and various connections between lead phrases and chord progressions. Very, very interesting and enjoyable to play. The bonus is the lovely melodic tunes to exercise with. Great work also with the Audio Preview, great innovation for us all. Thanks also for your great work.
    Cheers for now,
    Michael J.

  12. satellite says

    part one is 28 minutes and 54 seconds of pure gold, “dancing around the chords” as you say. There is a motherlode of stuff here, and i have n’t got to part two yet! Thanks again Brian…

  13. Doug T says

    Brain, this is what I’ve needed, I always have played what I feel, I just started learning solos note for note, This approach to playing is taking me to the next level, my playing has really improved over the last 10 months and I credit you for that.
    many thanks,, Doug

  15. Angelo I says

    Thank you so much for adding to the last lesson!!! This is so great. Now I’m able to take my chord key chart and start practicing progressions using these voicings and arpeggios. This will really add greatly to just playing pentatonic shapes. Your awesome.

  17. sunburst says

    Great lesson, I practiced and say the name of the chord followed in the same key , the root of of the scale /arpeggios ..nice positions using the fret board..very fun and excellent practice,, not fast or complicated yet loads of good stuff,, ty brian

  18. drlknstein says

    so. graSSHOPPER. NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH DENNIS HOPPER……..

    .when i got down or up -depending upon your Point (NILLSON0-SCHMILSON) of view..

    TO THE “A ”
    IN PART UNE
    ( THATS “ONE” FOR YOU NON SPEAKING FRENCHMEN) .
    …I am from lafayette..home of sonny landreth/clifton chenier et al

    ..in SOUTH LOUISIANA WHERE WE HAVE A BIG FLOOD right now – MANY FRIENDS ARE FLOODED – I AM NOT. … I been thru hurricanes and i aint never seen so much rain…! .ah- I digress…

    ANYWAY- WHEN I Got TO THE “A” AT tHE 12TH AND 14TH FRET- well …it took a while …..and then I noticed..this is the “a” major that I know.!

    .part of the “a” (cage) system barring at 12 with the “a” form ..at 14th fret…

    so as you said,,,,we know alot of this……….

    great lesson…great site….thanks

    vty,

    lil blind herman

    p s

    where u got that shirt. ?

  22. Bill W2 says

    More!!! It’s a great. Really a challenge to not just play scales but to bear in mind the various voicing of the chords. excellent!! also the techniques (e.g. the hammer on’s etc and the sliding harmonics). More!!!

  24. wrightclick says

    Yes I like this pulling the fretboard together stuff excellent fantastic lesson Brian and well delivered and presented as usual. One thing I struggle with is knowing where I am if using the A string /A type Bar chord as a starting point there must be a system instead of having to work forward from the high notes / E type bar chords up the neck like Eb flat and D ,Db and C if you follow or is homebase always on the E string ? is C on the 5th string 3rd fret ever used as homebase for example should we know instantly what minor and major pattern is around that note ? Pattern 5 for Major Petantonic and pattern 4 for Minor Pentatonic ..

  25. Nevada Fats says

    Brian,

    I’ve learned quite a bit from you over the past year or so. But lessons #157, 161, 164, 165, and 166 (concepts digested together) have elevated my understanding and ability on the guitar to a new level. In particular, working through EP 166 connected many dots I accumulated over the years. That felt good.

    Chris

  26. Wedge Tail says

    Hey Brian,
    Great lesson. Thanks!
    Love your work. Love your Gibbo.
    I am thinking of getting one. Is that a 335?
    Tossing up between the 335, a 339 or. Yamaha SA2200.
    Advice or suggestions warmly appreciated.
    Keep up the great work!
    Cheers,
    WedgeT

  27. Dennis J says

    I really appreciate the detailed explanations where thing come from in this and the rest of lessons. Can’t wait for the minor arpeggio lesson. But then with these tools, maybe I can just figure it out.

  31. riteus1 says

    Hey Brian,

    I have learned so much from these lessons, and the exciting part for me is that I am using this with songs I have written. By using this technique it seems like the chords guide you in creating a melody that sounds complex and complicated. Thanks so much. PS don’t forget about my man Santana he needs some love from you too.

  35. Ryan S says

    I notice that when you slide the D chord up to the 9th fret and then add the 9th fret on the 4th string, that you still call it an A chord. Doesn’t that make it an F sharp minor and then hammer on the 11th, it especially makes it an F sharp minor. If the bar is on the 7th fret it makes it an A (root 4). The chord that you are talking about by sliding the D chord up is more of a root 3 chord. Clearly you are teaching us an easier way to play a chord and link arpeggios. But can you play the 9th fret 4th string and still call it an A?
    I imagine there is some sort of music theory that links the A and Fsharp minor. Perhaps you could touch on that as well.

  37. tommc says

    I have found this last few lessons that focus on theory (sort of) to be very helpful. I think they will help me see the connections in some of the “in the style of” lessons. A future lesson that shows more about tying the double stop intervals into this theory would be appreciated. Thanks for creating all this content.

  39. Harris (Sebastian) T says

    My head is swimming, too, BUT my playing and my UNDERSTANDING of what I’m playing has already increased in just two months! Brian, you have put lot of thought into conveying this music—can’t get enough. There’s plenty of fine guitarists —a fine teacher is a rare find indeed!

    I like the bonus —the pieces are gradually coming together for me—with each lesson, I’m understanding music theory better and getting more comfortable each time around.

    More lessons connecting the chords of a minor melody would be great. Also, anything by JJ Cole.

    Just like the secret of writing is writing, so too is the secret of knowledgeable playing is to play, having been coached by a true teacher.

    Thank you very much, Sebastian Tiano

  40. PeBe says

    hello brian, thank you for this lesson, i enjoy your course very much. it would be very helpful for me, if you not only name the strings/frets you are playing but also the specific notes. that would help me getting used to the notes i play und would enhance my harmonic understanding.
    thank you petra

  41. Sky King says

    Brian,
    For me,164 and 166 open lots of doors and lead to understanding fret board and how guitar music is put together. I like to work through these lessons and then attempt improvising my own stuff over the backing clips. I would love to see more lessons like these 2

  45. Martin Ventura says

    These lessons162 and 164–are worth the price of a premium year’s subscription in and of themselves. Wow, this is teaching like you would hope to get in a formal university music program. Brian is a master of subtlety making sure we get the underlying theory and then introducing an inspired lick just to make sure he “keeps it real”. This site is the hidden gem that I hope breaks open for Brian in a big way. All I can say is thank you, and then wow again.

  46. johnontherock says

    This lesson and the other one related to it are so important because they give me the tools to start expressing myself on the guitar. I would love you to do more lessons like this brian and show us plenty of light bulb moments.These country rhythms are cool and id like to see blues ones using these connecting patterns.You are the best teacher out there bro.

  47. Richard E says

    Thanks for posting this fantastic, cool lesson Brian! This lesson, along with EP164 are really excellent and useful lessons both for learning the fretboard and also for seeing/hearing how a melody can be constructed and arranged around the chord structure. It’s also great that you’ve given us different keys to practice this to. Like the previous post stated, I would also like to see more lessons like this, in different rhythmic styles, like a slow blues, straight eight major or minor, and heavier shuffle rhythms, etc.

  56. Barry W says

    These fundamental foundational lessons on chord licks, triads, arpeggios, etc. are becoming my favorites. It helps me see what’s going on in songs I’ve played for years, and not really understood. The basic theory, concepts, take-aways…. whatever label you prefer, are what’s lacking in so much of what’s on the web. I understand why, because my students often shut down when I start talking about theory. They just don’t see the relevance. It’s like “wax on, wax off”. lol I try to tell them, they can’t just play football, they have to do some push ups if they want to improve.

    I’ve looked at EP164 and EP166 and notice that they focus mainly on working up the neck. I wonder which lessons, if any, concentrate on working back down. I’ve tried to simply play these exercises backwards, but I’m sure their are better patterns that I haven’t thought of. The harmonized 3rds and 6ths are pretty easy to move either way, but the arpeggios are a little harder for me, so far.

    Thanks

  57. Mark E says

    Yes! Definitely, Brian, do more of this. I will sign up for another year if you will do more lessons of slow country leads, licks and how to improvise over country and old-timey songs.

  58. William E says

    You are the Best, I have improved greatly with your teaching, instead of memorizing things, which I did for years I now understand where they are coming from, giving Me the option to create my own stuff, thanks so much, a Fan and disciple for life

  63. Keith S says

    I really come from using the minor pentatonic. this has clarified how the relative majors relate. It’s easy now to see the rel minor boxes are really the same as the major boxes.

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