Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Lonnie Johnson Style Guitar Lesson – Rhythm and Lead – EP140

Description

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a ragtime rhythm and a Lonnie Johnson style lead on acoustic guitar.  This is made for two guitars (one playing rhythm and one playing lead), although if you don’t have a second guitar player you can use the provided MP3 jam track.  The jam track allows you to play the lead the first time through, rhythm the second time through, and you can keep alternating back and forth between rhythm and lead.  This is just like being in a virtual jam session and is a great way to practice timing and improvising.

Part 1: Free Guitar Lesson - Rhythm

Part 2: Lead - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through - Rhythm

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Slow Walk-Through - Lead

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

    • greg l says

      Oh man Lonnie Johnson was not just great, he was a genius… this style here is his mid 30’s through to mid 40’s period where he just played with a pick but o back to his early work in the 1920’s and he was fingerpicking lead with some bass notes thrown in like a demon player from another planet… he made dozens of incredible instrumental guitar solos which are some of the greatest guitar recordings ever… he also backed up singers like Victoria Spivey and Texas Alexander and was brilliant too…. he also teamed up with jazz guitar legend Eddie Lang and did some amazing guitar duets with him and on one recording the two of these greats backed up Texas Alexander and that is a MUST LISTEN recording.. Alexander was one blues singer with a gigantic voice and with the guitar accompaniment from Lang and Johnson it is a magical experience. If that’s not enough he also recorded with Louis Armstrong’s Hot 5 making it a HOT HOT 6 on a few occasions…. then Duke Ellington got the message and he got Lonnie to play guitar solos on at least two of Ellington’s greatest masterpieces…. and that my freind is simply scratching the surface… in many ways he is the forebear of ALL single string lead guitar players… Django Reinhardt was even influenced by Johnson…. we are talking one of the top 10 guitar players of the 20th century here… and he had an amazing rich voice for singing… it was his guitar that took a back seat to that voice in his later years but he was always playing that guitar… I do not think there is a single recording where he makes a mistake… not a single bad note ever…. in hundreds of recordings.

  9. JohnStrat says

    Brian i know no better way is the to learn this sort of music. You give us great lessons continuously. For me and im sure most of the people on AM It really inspires me to learn more ..as fast as i can.
    Iwas jut listening to a youtube titled ‘Poor Shane Dwight Surrounded by Samantha Fish and Danielle Schnebelen TUF’ im not sure how to post the link but think many here will really enjoy this.
    Brian thanks again

  10. JohnStrat says

    Here is the link to the music I mentioned above got it from my desk top as i dont seem to be able to grab it from my phone. it warms up nicely with some nice keyboard in the middle as well as great guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKik9X–x3k I think this was one of the blues cruise trips from Fort Laudadale not certain but it might just sow a seed to get an Active Melody group to a booze cruise let me know what you think ..its not that cheap but Im in the UK so that would add cost but wow there you go folks a seed is thrown…

  11. Pwilsonscott says

    Thank you Brian, I have learnt so many new chords from your lesson.
    I do have one question though. The chord you play as an F Sharp diminished 7 was used as a moveable chord in last week’s Jazz lesson, when it was an F7 flat 9. Does it depend on the context in which it is used ? These subtle chord variations make for such an interesting sound.

    • greg l says

      moving the diminished chord up once or twice can get a bit cliche’d but if you need to get higher up the neck to get to the next chord destination it’s great…. a pity we never hear this chord in modern music.

  12. Will L says

    Love it already.
    Only difficulty was in the first video, with the G to Gaug switch in bar 17, but I seem to have developed another joint in my left middle finger that now lets me fret the b string at the 4th fret!
    Result!

  16. G David B says

    Brian,
    Could you gives us a clue as to which Lonnie Johnson song this might be “similar” to or is this your own composition in the LJ style. Looking for lyrics that “might” fit with this tune.

  20. klox says

    Thanks Brian, another well thought out lesson and some new musical territory for me. In particular a good illustration on how to put together an interesting solo based on a single major scale with minor embellishments and chord tones.

  24. Larry H says

    Found this by Lonnie Johnson that might be a little similar in some ways: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0e8Jzp0DNv4

    Brian, you have unique talent to be able to bring variety in so many different genre. This lesson encourages everyone to get right to it and I am one. Being a beginner at guitar, and in my 4th quarter of a century, all these are tough but all lessons brings me to the table and am learning little by little that keeps the interest. This one just might keep me plugging till it might sound worth playing for our grandchildren some day. Like the slow blues, as might sound sensible, and this fits, I hope, within reach. A coupe of other recent offerings have me hooked too.

    Thanks a lot.

  26. Albie S says

    Thanks Brian, a Great lesson ! I too had not heard of Lonnie Johnson, so glad you put this up for us. I’ve learned so much already, that mysterious fret-board is starting to come together. I’ve been frustrated with all the “learned”licks, and not knowing what they really mean. The first time I saw a video of your work, I knew I’d found a home. The blues lead course is a genuine treasure trove of information, fun and entertainment.

  29. Antonio A says

    Great Site. Watch a lot of your video and finally made the jump to premium, wish I would have long ago. Im loving this lesson and use all the video and tabs. I notice on the Tabs for the lead, in the second line when the cord switches to D7, the tab is missing the 7th fret/4th string note right before the slide. This makes the time you take to make the video all the that more important. Thank again for all your work. Amazing Site!!

    • Antonio A says

      Never mind I see it now. Its close to the slide symbol and it kinda blended in. But I think it shows a slide from the 7th fret/4th string to 9th fret /3rd string and that is what was confusing me because I was just using the tabs without the video. Still AWESOME JOB!!

  30. mike pokai says

    Love this style,I to have heard Lonnie Johnston for the first time,I’m in hospital at the moment in Brisbane,Australia slowly recovering from a major operation,and saw this lesson today,can’t wait to get better to go home and learn this song,great lesson Brian.

  31. bri-uklefty says

    Thanks Brian and I’m always drawn to your ragtime, swing, blues lessons.

    I really enjoyed this lesson, as the first lesson of yours that I picked up was ‘Swing Blues Style Acoustic’ and you hooked me then. I agree with your comment about Bessie Smith and Eric Clapton as I mess around with ‘Nobody loves you when your down and out’ it’s been one I always drop back into for a kitchen busk LOL!

    After month challenge I hope to get recording of my efforts into ‘Showcase playing’ forum…………………………cheers Bri

  32. sunburst says

    I’M UP IN THE STICKS WAITING FOR COLD RAIN TO STOP TO GO FISH ON A DOCK..MEAN WHILE PLAYED THIS GREAT FAVORITE FINGER STYLE ON MY AP 70 ALVAREZ RAW COLD DARK RAINY DAY VERY CLOSE IS BETHAL WOODS MUSEUM UPSTATE NY..PEACE OUT AND THANKS TO Brian again!

  34. Claude R says

    Bonjour Brian,

    Merci pour ce cours magistral, les explications sont bien détaillées, j’aime beaucoup la relation que tu fais avec les notes jouées et les accords. J’attends chaque semaine la leçon et ne regrette pas mon abonnement premium.

  36. Marty V says

    Another surprising lesson — I’m a big fan of C.W. Stoneking, and this is right in his wheelhouse.

    I’m interested in how you go about developing leads — do you improvise and then write down things you come up with? Or do you sit down and structure a lead?

  38. Caleb says

    I know this is an older lesson, but I wanted to comment on it. I have spent all day messing with this lesson after stumbling upon Lonnie Johnson’s music for the first time this week. His music is wonderful, as is this lesson. Thanks, Brian, for putting this one together.

  42. Scott D says

    thanks again Brian for this lesson. I really appreciate this one being a Rythm and lead part> I’m working on it, as soon as I’m a premium member I’ll try to upload my first video here at active melody. Thanks again Brian.

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