Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, you’ll learn how to play a solo blues composition that works on acoustic or electric guitar. This is designed to be played with a pick (for those of you that are intimidated by fingerstyle). This uses the classic “call and response” technique and I’ll break it all down so that you can improvise in this style if you prefer.
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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Feels like noodling is in my immediate future. Thanks Brian! The Martin is sounding great too.
Mike
I like it. That old familiar blues, but very different from your previous compositions.
Thank you!
Michael
Feels a little country. Thanks. Scott
Good one Brian! I will be practicing this one tomorrow. 🙂
Best, Dan
Great lesson, thanks Brian.
I’ve seen that Martin on a lot of your lessons now. Which model is that ?
Great Stuff
CEO-7
Brian,
What a beautiful looking and terrific sounding guitar!
Brian The guitar is a great looking as well as sounding !! Great old bluesy composition !! ROB
Hi Brian,
Once again I feel it important for you to know just how much it means to me to learn these wonderful solo blues composition. You really do a great job in teaching. The way you are able to explain each little detail is so important.
This particular piece is so melodic and as you say quite simple, but so important for the likes of someone like me who has spent a lifetime wanting to learn to play ‘On the Porch’ type of acoustic style blues solo that can occupy my mind for many enjoyable hours.
Thank you Brian for your patience and dedication to bring this music to us.
Best wishes,
Ken
Me too, couldn’t have put it better!
Ditto
Ken,
Double ditto for me! This is so much fun to learn and play, and has so many learning opportunities in it, the main one (for me) being, timing is everything! As one who plays mostly by myself, I am learning timing is my biggest deficiency that I need to work on.
it sounds very great, i like it
Happy Holiday, Nice holiday treat! I really enjoy the guitar only solos.
That is a really different version of acoustic blues – super mellow, relaxing to listen to. Who would not enjoy listening to that?
Blues on !! Wondering about the possibility of a little Gypsy Jazz in the future ? Thanks Brian.
This is one for the porch !
I enjot every bar !!
Nice lesson. You threw me off with referring to pattern 4 of the major pentatonic scale, since this pattern appears to have a different separation pattern between notes on the low strings than the minor pentatonic scale. ?? I went back to lesson LEG024 to review that, so I am missing something… At any rate, thanks and have a nice holiday. Rip
I’m a bit confused also Rip. I’ve always associated pattern 2 as having the root on the 4th string (as well as 2nd) , and pattern 4 as having the root on the 5th string(as well as 3rd string).
No you’re right. That’s actually pattern 3 of the major pentatonic scale beginning on fret 1. Pattern 4 begins on fret 4.
One way to find pattern 4 for minor is to find the tonic note on the A string. In this example that’s E on the 7th fret. E minor scale is then
7 – 10
7-9
7-9
8-10
7-10
And finally 7-10 for low E. Now back that up 3 frets and you have the E Major scale.
HTH,
Rich
An easier way to find it is in this example is E Major chord A shape.
Bill W2 and houseman
Well guys, it sure looks like pattern 2 of the major pentatonic scale in E.
Using the root note on pattern four in this example would seem to make it in the key of B.
Oh well, whatever pattern, it is fun to play and I am sure that Brian has got this thing right. Cheers.
Simple and sweet with great takeaways. Just what the doctor ordered for the “can you play something” request.
John
What a pleasant piece of music Brian, fun to learn and pleasant to listen too. Great lesson.
Thanks
Ray
Always enjoy the acoustic blues. Happy 4th!🎶🇺🇸
Great lesson Brian. Love these ones that you can do acoustic solo call and response. Sounds fantastic but is not that technically demanding.
I have nobody to play along with,so I love all of your solo pieces,especially acoustic. This has a nice and relaxed feel to it. Thanks again.
In my opinion, this composition is one of the best so far. It is simple, but I feel my consistency as a player is developing while practicing this tune. Thanks Brian!
Hi Brian
Happy 4th great job on this one keep the blues coming in E
Thank’s
Agree. Can we get rid of the rest of the keys? 🙂
Hi Brian,
This is a great blues melody with no accompaniment. Thanks, I hope to someday master it.
Thanks again!
Wonderful,, More,,,More,,more
So Much fun. My neighbour plays harmonica and this will work so well. Can’t wait to show him some of the chord chasing notes I’m learning from you. So much fun.
Bert T
Montreal, Quebec
Happy 4th
For me one of the best so far. Country shakes hands with the Blues. Gives it a great 50’s R&B/ Early Rock vibe. Fats Domino would dig it !
Thanks Brian, this type lesson is more inline with my learning to play the guitar – love it.
This lesson is good ole meat and potatoes of very down to earth guitar Picken. each of these call and answer riffs are worth their weight in gold. These are the reason I have loved the guitar all my life. By themselves they are the catch phrases of guitar language all together they are what make listeners really take notice of the musical accomplishment. More of these please. I use these like seasoning on all of my improvised melodies, as well as enhancing the regular songs that always need a little extra flair here and there.
Very cool lesson which will get me out of my electric comfort zone and dusting off my Martin. Particularly appreciate “the pick” as I am fingerpicking -challenged 😎
just a beginner…hope its ok to use my little finger to hammer on that first lick, seems when I use my ring finger its awkward for some reason….
when I first started on this one ithought it would never work but what do you know a week of sticking with it and I managed to keep up with the walk through -not perfect but not too bad either. it just show that these can be mastered if you work at it diligently, even if you have onlybeen playing a few years -thanks for an interesting experience
Took me forever to get the timing of the first bar with the open E for a quarter note AND THEN the chord for an eighth followed by the slide for an eighth and then the A and C#/A each for quarter notes. At first (full speed) listen it sounds like all eighth notes (and a more natural feel for me anyway). Great lesson. Looking forward to getting it down.
Very happy blues and easy fun turn around takeaways whatever way ,,i like this a lot.. btw Brian that little Martin sounds great and always enjoy watching you use it!
what a terrific instructional video and great tune!
What Martin is that Brian?
CEO-7
This is great, thank you..
gracias
I love these blues pieces. I intend to add them to my repertoire. The only thing is, people ask me for the name of the piece and I don’t have one to give them. “Lesson 211” just doesn’t have much of a ring to it. Maybe you could name this one “Cliff’s Blues.”
Thanks.
Cliff
this is my first song since joining and it took over two weeks to learn, memorize and get up to speed… but i DiD iT!! i luv this tune.. espcially the 2>4 slide in the call-part. it jst kinda pops out of nowhere and is sooo fun to play 🙂 my brother said “… if u play that song one more time i’m gonna break that guitar over ur head”
That’s awesome Amanda – congrats 🙂 Your brother is just jealous 😉
I really get alot out of the slower blues lessons in E you have done. I’m just having problems with getting part 2 and the slow walk through on my phone and computer.
I love your stuff!! And you teach so well, adding stuff I can explore on my own. I actually wasn’t planning on playing the blues when I joined ActiveMelody – but you have inspired me!! Thank you so much!! And I learn even more from the comments of your students!! Bonus!!
I am gonna really enjoy your courses
Great tune love the way it slowly builds up from a sad story to the blues nectar in the 3rd section , this will be my go to “play something for me then ” tune .
Love it!. This and Ep187 are my current favorites.
I’ve been on this one for about a week, there’s a HUGE amount of stuff in there! I don’t get all the people calling it “simple”, they must be a lot more advanced than me.
I’m drawn to these one and two chord pieces you offer Brian. I don’t know why. There is a lot going on in what is really a simple concept. You offer a lot of fairly complicated pieces….but…..being able to take one or two chords and turn them into something sophisticated like this is art.
Hey Brian, I came to this lesson after you messaged us via a throwback Thursday earlier this month. I’m enjoying this one but am having issues with the video in Part 2 hanging up and stopping. Especially when I switch to full screen mode. Anyone else having this problem and is there something I can do? I haven’t had any video issues in other lessons.
thanks, Ken
disregard my earlier comment, lol, I just figured out how to use “settings” to select video quality and now the lesson runs fine. Cheers!
Thanks Brian, coming back to this, just heard someone play it in the Challenge.
tuesday, thursday, any day….. Just explosive stuff Brian!!! Incredible, thanks my Man, thanks.
hi Brian I have learned so much about the fret board and admire your teaching methods, I live in calif, but have a daughter in Savannah, Ga. who runs the Crystal beer parlor, stop in and ask for lisa I’m buying you lunch just to say thank’s also if your coming to cal. we can get in a game of golf, your student, Mike Van Acker- 805-341-4245.