Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

Slow Bluesy Country Lead Using Different Chord Voicings – EP144

Description

In this guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a slow country lead with some blues licks mixed in. I’ll show you how to create a lead by following the different chord voicings. This song only had 3 chords, but by learning how to play those chords in different positions up the neck, you’ll unlock different ways to think about play lead (by picking the notes out of the chords).

Part 1 (Free Guitar Lesson Video)

Part 2 (For Premium Members)

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Slow Walk-Through (For Premium Members)

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Video Tablature Breakdown

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Comments

  1. JohnStrat says

    I like this Brian its very melodic and look forward to being able to play it as nicely as you do (may be some time..Ha:). But a great lesson included as always so thanks. Looks like my favorites list just expanded. Glad we have a pattern 4 lesson.

  8. Lewis M says

    Thanks, great lesson. So much to be taken away from this. This is true to all your lessons. I really like the breakdown that you do, with the theory etc… “The real meat” of it.

  13. JohnStrat says

    Hi again, Brian I have to say this is some lesson! I am only just getting to have a play along with it and as Charjo says you are really lighting up the fret board; yes fantastic….. is right on.

  16. madams says

    Country isn’t my favorite. But I’ve committed to going through each lesson to get out of it what I can.

    I learned so much from this one. Combining this with learning a little more about the CAGED system online, I feel like I made it to another level higher in my playing and understanding of notes, scales, arpeggios, and chords.

    Thank you, Brian.

    Michael

  17. 6stringer Pete says

    I wonder what lyrics were going through you mind at the time. Whatever, I’m sure that you were connecting with them memories of the past. The tones were coming from your heart, at least that is the way I heard it.

  18. Peter C says

    Brian – You continue to knock it out of the park! This is so much fun to play, and I didn’t even think I liked country music.

    I know you are teaching us all to make our own musical arrangements, but is there any way you would consider doing second verses, or longer versions? I’m just not there yet with my own complex compositions, but am learning a huge amount from playing yours. Your teaching method really works for me, and my playing has improved much more quickly lately. Many, many thanks.

  21. konk says

    Hi Brian,

    Again a wonderful and very touching melody!! You really are gifted , not only as a teacher, but also as a composer, I mean it!!
    I’m going to play it without accompaniment, just because I want to hear the melody alone..!

    Michel

  27. hollyman says

    Hi, Brian. Just Beautiful! Please, Please, how do you achieve those perfect low tones, especially in the second part of the lesson. I play a Strat USA Plus Deluxe with Lace Sensors and my practice amp is a Fender Super-Champ XD, but I just cannot match your tone. Any help would be gratefully received.

  30. timothy9 says

    I really like a chord based approach. I’m not great at memorizing a lot of single note lines but working out of chord positions helps me retain the solo ideas and opens up new ones. That’s one of the reasons I enjoy Robben Ford’s playing; lots of surprising chords with a little soloing thrown in.
    Thank you for another great lesson and some fabulous playing.

  33. arizona m says

    Brian,
    Looks like the music notation with the tab is in C, but the tune is in E. Does the tab writing software just default to C? Does it put the sharps and flats in the notation instead of at the head of the music notation lines? There’s no E key signature in the notation. I have to tell my tab writing software what key I’m in, or else it just defaults to C and puts the accidentals in the notation as it goes along.
    Thanks,
    Arizona

    • David K says

      Along the same lines, it gets confusing when you use both sharps and flats for the same note (e.g., G# and Ab), especially when there are no flats in the key of E. Consistency would be helpful for me.
      That aside, I can’t praise you and your lessons enough! I’ve been playing for >30 years, and these lessons are the best!

  34. H says

    Hi Brian, like others, i think this song is great on lots of levels. you can hear the country and blues elements, it has pathos, and just pure enjoyment from the haunting melody, fantastic thanks. A great spur when i hit the WALL. I will write a song as good as this one day and soon i hope. H (UK)

  35. Albie S says

    You’re killin’ it Brian keep up the great work! The fools out there that haven’t signed up, sigh. I’ve learned so much, and that Blues Lead Course, taking the fraud out of all those many licks I memorized; knew they worked, but was never certain why, and where else.

  36. bruce s says

    Hi, I just joined and am having fun with the lessons. One thing I noticed with this lesson on the backing track is no count in. I am trying to get the timing down on this. Does anyone know if a count in can be added?

  38. Frank says

    Hi Brian, sounds so sweet so can’t wait to get to learning this one. Can you suggest some familiar artist tunes that this type of progression will work over – doesn’t have to be the same key. It sounds familiar but can’t think of any tunes I can apply this progression over.

  39. Jim M says

    I like the Strat you are playing in this video..!! If I’m correct I have the same one. My Strat is a 1989 Ocean Blue, Maple neck, Rolling nut and Lace Sensor Pickups, Blue, Silver and Red. Your’s, mine and one other are the only ones I have seen like this..!! I think they are somewhat rare..??

    Thats for the great lessons. I like how you teach…. You are very good at explaining and showing things.

  41. Dew says

    Brian, what a great lesson. I’ve learned so much with this one. So many new chord voicings for me now. Love the Hendrix stuff plus just a beautiful tone to the whole piece. That E chord in the beginning of part two where you use your pinky underneath is challenging for me but I’ll struggle through with it until it becomes natural. Thank you.

  42. Mike M says

    Hey Brian, this is fantastic, I have needed something like this for a long time. Very excited about it and just purchased a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp and and can”t wait to plug in my fender stratacaster and listen to the best sound ever. I do have one question, do you sell a CD of Slow bluesy country lead EP144?

  47. JohnStrat says

    Brian I have only just run through the whole of the second half of this lesson for the first time and it strikes me that it is quite brilliant, it is a fantastic lesson . It will certainly take me a little while to master the fluency but with illuminated light bulbs and all just thank you its a truly great one.
    John Strat

  49. JMTster says

    Another great lesson, Brian. I’ve been a member less than a year and your lessons have done more to improve my playing than 30 years of frustrated noodling. I’m amazed that I can not only grasp and execute the lesson but that I’m branching out and developing my own style. It’s all thanks to you and this site. No question the best money I ever spent!

  50. Jeff C (Swiss Elk) says

    I have run through the first half of this lesson . This is my fourth, so far. What I like is that as I have move forward, less tone is coming from my guitar and my settings and much more is coming from my fingers. They are starting to feel at home in the positions, and do what they want to do, instead of what I tell them to do. This composition has a ringing beauty to it, and when played, even reasonably well, it sings with little effort.

    I am home. Thanks, Brian!!

  53. Buster89 says

    Brian, every lesson and especially of late, is a real blast ! Am not sure how you do it but you continue week on week to make each lesson so relevant. What I really like in particular is when you recall some theory and place it in a different perspective and that you actually say so. Repetition with different themes is definitely working. I find it difficult to keep up with every lesson due to time constraints but do find that I can go through each lesson much quicker these days. I am so glad to have found your website. Please do not change anything . I am on cruise control right now. I love the process of developing the technique combined with understanding how it all comes together. Makes it so much relevant. I just wish I had more time in my life to revisit some old lessons which were also so insightful (<EP100).

  56. Phillip W says

    Brian, great lesson especially where you describe the voicings and chord usage.
    I have a question about this and many other lessons you do. When you play these like this one, do you read the music or have you memorized it already?
    Sorry for a silly question, but if you don’t know you don’t know.

  58. Jim B says

    Very nice! The perfect lesson to use to tryout on my tele with my new toy – Amplitube 4 with the Fender amp pack (the Vibro King with the rotary speaker is my favorite so far). Thanks again for a great lesson!

  70. Scott Fowler says

    These lessons are so packed full of good stuff. I love it. My only complaint is that it is taking me forever to complete them. LoL. Hopefully I will get faster at learning eventually. Great stuff Brian. You are a really good teacher. I’m so glad that I found this site.

  72. Philip H says

    Really sparse instruction for the blind on this one. I really wish you’d make liberal use of caged shape references and or fret numbers instead of just saying this cord here or like this and so forth. Not much help for us who can’t see. I think I’ll have to skip this one. Yes, I could pick it out with my ear but how much easier if you would just say a shaped cord etc.

  73. Maxwell E says

    Brian i have been looking at your past entry:s and by god there are some beauty”s and this one i particularly like ..Brian i have never ever thought it was possible for someone to write so many tunes week after week ..don”t no if you know but you are a genius .
    i could only play a few basic chords a year ago but now all over the fret board , still have plenty to learn but cannot thank you enough and at my age you have given me such pleasure and meaning to my life .
    Thank you so much Brian
    regards
    Maxwell

  77. David S says

    Brian, Another great one that i have not gone over yet. Another favorite for sure. 2016 was a good year. wish I had found you 30 years or more ago.Keep up the good work. Great way to spend retirement.Awesome!!! Dave

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