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Learn to play blues guitar.

Ragtime Blues Lead That You Can Play By Yourself – Playing the Changes Solo – Blues Lead Guitar Lesson EP348

Description

In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a ragtime blues lead by targeting chord tones and playing arpeggios. This lesson is designed to give you a more sophisticated sounding lead when improvising. This is a standalone composition that you can play by yourself, no jam track is needed.

Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson

Part 2 - For Premium Members

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Slow Walk-Through

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. OldVet says

    Just Wow, Brian. Who here wouldn’t love to be thrown into a scene where someone says, “Hey, you say you play. IMpress us.”

    Then you whip this out

    Mic drop. Elvis has left the building.

    Great lesson.

  2. JohnStrat says

    Hi Brian,
    A nice lesson and a lovely guitar Congratulations on purchasing a beauty for a 1948 . It will prove to be a great investment over time what ever you paid and in the meantime you have the privilege of playing one of the best instruments available. And hopefully do many lessons with it..
    All the Best JohnStrat

  4. jimbostrat says

    Wow, Brian!! You’ve had some work done on your old Alvarez!! Neck adjustment?? Refinish?? Joking here of course………..it’s great to see you get so excited and this baby does sound like she could ring forever!! Jim C.

  8. Phil G says

    I’m going to leave the first comment? Well, I really like this lesson. So far! I am not the best guitar player, so all of these lessons are a real challenge. I have been working on several of the older lessons, and a little of EP346 and 347. Not really getting very far with any of them. But, I have decided to “start over”, here, and work on this one all week. Or at least as much as possible, and maybe, when I get frustrated, I’ll go back and work on some the older ones a little also. So far, I’m working up through the D9 in measure 6. It’s slow, but I like the challenge!! Keep em commin Brian!!

  10. Chuck W says

    Great lesson as always Brian! I know how you feel about the new guitar. A couple of years ago I went in my favorite guitar store, Highland Music in Birmingham AL, and there was a 000-15 mahogany Martin. The previous owner had attempted some neck repairs using dowel rods!!! Totally ruined the value of the guitar. The shop owner repaired the guitar correctly but was selling it at an amazing price based on the owner repairs. I picked it up and fell in love. It has been my go to ever since. It just feels right and sounds perfect to me! I have D-35, a J-16 maple and a 000-28 but none of them feel as good as the mahogany one. When it’s right, it’s right.

    • jimbostrat says

      I feel the exact same way, Chuck…..only about my own D-35!! Folks trash the Martin guitars built in the 70s but my 1973 D-35 must have been a rare to pick out of the bunch!! I’d happily match anyone’s tone or action against this fine guitar!! Plus…..it’s a ‘boomer’ which I enjoy especially when playing muted string rhythms!! Jim C.

  11. Alex says

    That guitar has some killer tone, and sustain! I suppose that a 72 year old handmade guitar with a straight neck, and aged wood is impossible to say no to! I have a been working on EP346 with my Yamaha 000 with scalloped bracing. I can’t wait to dig into this week’s lesson! You seemed so inspired, Brian!

  15. JohnStrat says

    Brian your ‘new ‘ Martin sounds very beautiful the more I listen to this price the more I like it. The depth of its tone comes across, such a full and complete sound. Guitars of this quality almost force you to play the properly as there is no hiding place for poor notes. I would be interested to know what strings you are going to use on it. I’m guessing 12 phosphorus bronze Martin. Presumably it’s a good idea to stick with the gauge the guitar is used to or perhaps less. Also it would be interesting to know how long you feel you will be able to go until you renew them. When I can make a good shot of playing this I will see if I can make a quality recording and post it.
    You probably won’t be in the market for that dreadnought now or for some time. But I expect the GAS will get you a beautiful D45 one day.
    Happy Times for you
    JohnStrat

  18. Roger says

    Darn you Brian! I am almost done with a project and you throw something really shiney out there. I guess I will work on my current project on my PRS in the mornings and pick up my Acoustic guitar to work on this one later in the day.

  20. Mike R says

    Another irresistible piece to learn! Beautiful sounding ragtime with lots of ideas to transpose to other keys. Really like the little side-bar idea topics you throw out ( 6th changes to 9th),( you can move up or down, through all the patterns this way or that way). Your lessons are like a weekly train that picks me up and transports me to my fantasy. Thanks Brian.

  21. klox says

    Love this lesson Brian! Thanks, it really swings.
    Great how you have introduced jazzy techniques with such simplicity : extended chords, diminished runs, enclosures etc More please…

  22. klox says

    Oh yes and more jazzy techniques you have introduced : the chromatics and the F#, B9, E13 is a 2-5-1 sequence heading to E and helped by B9 to E13 being the V of the V in A. And I haven’t got to part 2 yet… swinging tune..

  27. Andy N says

    I’m a big fan of all your ragtime lessons so this was always going to be a winner with me but even in that category, it’s an outstanding lesson. Love that almost gypsy jazz feel. That golden nugget for playing over the diminished chord was the money shot!
    Congratulations on the guitar too, what a find. Its clearly inspired you and it sounds beautiful even on an iPhone speaker! Can only imagine what it sounds like up close and personal. I have a Martin 000 on my ‘one day wish list’ and have tried out a few in anticipation of that ‘day’. I much prefer the size to the dreadnought, it just feels part of you more and those curves are to die for!

  28. obie123 says

    Love seeing your old guitar purchases, course had to get a Kay Value Leader after you showed it which led to a Vox student prince and now want nothing but vintage, great lesson to though I always seem to do more learning then mastering

  30. Jay Guitarman says

    Hi Brian, could you briefly explain how to count to get to the E 13 chord. It could help to deeper understand the position and shape of this chord. It seems you start on the seventh, press on the two and on the five of E the chord in this position… but that would be 14…. How do you calculate this chord?

  32. Alan D says

    Thank You Brian!
    Been following your lessons for the past year or so..
    I’m actually learning how to play the guitar and not memorizing how to play a song.
    Wish I could have all your cool licks in one package!

    • Jay Guitarman says

      Hi Daniele, I try to answer your question, because I also came across this question. Maybe Brian could give us his view… I think this 2 chord, which should be a minor chord , has been altered to a major seven chord in order to better fit in the blues progression and the tonality expected at this point in the classic chord progression. It seems like being an extension of the 1, 4, 5, since it comes right before the five chord. So instead of going directly to the five it goes first back to two…

      • daniele f says

        Thanks !
        Still would like to hear from Brian because actually this is not the first time I wonder where the chords he used come from ….sounds good … but still would love to know more …. anyway thanks again .

  38. eames28 says

    Love the rhythm ! Thanks for mentioning lesson ep130. WOW, what an incredible lesson this is. Somehow I missed it these last three years. The lesson with the great visuals and practice licks is incredible.. This lesson (130) is really helping connect the dots. I just wish the jam track wa at a slower pace. Do you have this jam track at a slower pace in any of your other lessons, Thanks.

  39. Phillip H says

    hi Brian. another great lesson. i notice you tend to not use the right hand pinky finger. it always sounds stronger when i follow this lesson but i am fighting an instinct to use it! should i persevere?

  41. Frank P says

    What a great little melody, def will give my other blues songs some spunk, I love how everything you teach is so interchangeable. I assume that is by design? I start out learning one of your songs but never truly get all the way through because I am taking riffs and chords from other songs that I have learned and mixing them all together to develop my own thing and it sounds amazing

  42. Calmah K says

    great teaching …. but too much talking and i get bored really quick …… jump straight to it and lets get it done , I want to play like you because you are inspiring.

    • Brian says

      you do realize that as a premium member you have the slow-walkthrough and the on-screen tab viewer which have NO talking at all… you can slow down the “on screen tab viewer” to whatever tempo you want, highlight and loop sections, etc. Not sure how I could make it more concise than that.

  43. John W says

    Brian,
    I see the question that I have was asked by JohnStrat on 15 Feb, but I don’t see the answer. What strings are on your 0021?
    Asking because strings on my Taylor are stiff to pull up more than 1/2 tone. Just curious. My fingertips are getting pretty tough but still…
    I may ask the Fret Shop in Huntsville AL to lighten them up a bit at next re-string if possible without starting to buzz on the frets.
    Any thoughts?

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