Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, we’ll be exploring the different sounds you can get when you stack chords on top of each other and let notes ring out across the chord changes.
Part 1 - Free Guitar Lesson
Part 2 - For Premium Members
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Slow Walkthrough
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Video Tablature Breakdown
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Take your time! A good name for this song. It cruises along and I am going to cruise with it.
Nice to see/hear the Clapton Byrdland again. The notes certainly ring out on that beauty! Will get out the Dot and give it a try.
Brian, you never disappoint. Thanks again.
So simple, but wow it is effective!
I like how you show how different the music sounds using same notes but changing chords or bass notes and how they relate to modes. Good stuff. Also appreciate your explanation of the sound created by using effects.
There is a lot more to this piece than appears on the surface. It really gets me playing the G major scale in all the positions, with that sharp 4th. Spacey sort of sound, but I like it. I especially like the rhythm in measures 5, 6 & 7. It adds a lot to the piece in a very simple way. It’s quite amazing that you can play the major scale over the minors chords and still have it sound minor.
Thanks Brian!
The tone of that guitar is fantastic.
An instant Favourite! As soon as it started, I knew I would like this one. Beautiful sound. I loved it when you talked about colouring the notes. It will be fun learning and playing this one. Thanks Brian, you always surprise us.
Excellent lesson Brian. Straight to my favourites list. Would love some more like this.
G’day Brian,
I don’t comment a lot, but I just have to say that you are so very,very right. Your ear knows what’s right. Your fingers just know where to go. You really have an amazing talent to come up with such diverse material each and every week. Excellent work!
Michael J., Kilmore, Australia.
Hi Brian,
Appreciate the tone breakdown at the start of this one and the comment ‘you don’t need a guitar like this…’ which helps alleviate the guitar envy I get each week :).
As a suggestion, could the tone/gear info be displayed as a quick text on the screen e.g. ‘Gibson Byrdland; Line Six helix (simulating which amp?); Neck pickup; some overdrive; plate reverb; tremolo,…etc.’ rather than describing it which takes several minutes. Those that are interested can then pause the video to take a note while others can get straight into the lesson.
Love the less is more factor going on here.
Very good idea!
As usual, another beautiful yet so simple lesson that incorporates chords for melodies that I have not thought to use in the past! Thanks Brian! Also, the Byrdland is named for guitarists Billy Byrd and Hank Garland and uses a shorter scale than standard Gibsons.
Beautiful lesson Brian. Em/G key is my favourite. Great track to jam too.
Opening photo has wrong guitar!
I love you teaching talents and have been a member for a few years but would like to see a lesson on some material you have not overed for a while such as Bluegrass, Country, or Rockabilly. Great lessons and I understand you have a large audience with a variety of interests but a real change up once in a while is good.
Thank you for sharing your talents.
After this, I think I want to grab a surfboard and travel the world searching for that perfect wave!🌊 🏄 🎸 😎
yes.. It’s good to leave space” I have so much of it between my ears.
Many of you know this but if not, learn the stretched pattern of the major scale (3 notes per string). You can see the basis for the Dorian and Myxolydian scales used. All related to the G major scale (3 notes per string starting at the G note on the 6 string, 3rd fret)
Could you tell me more about the ‘stretched pattern’ I don’t know it. Cheers
A relatively easy song to play with many hidden treasures you reveal to us.
Thanks Brian.
Brian, how can I say thanks? Your instruction is unsurpassed and has brought me as always to new understanding and ability.
I’ve been a member since 2015 and have never regretted. I know privacy for you and your family is paramount, but perhaps someday I will be able to shake your hand.
thank you! If you’re ever in the Nashville area shoot me a message.
Beautiful piece! And also some good takeaways – as always!
It’s always great to hear the gear/tone talk, but one correction – not all tremolo pedals do the same thing. There are at least three different types of tremolo effects: bias, optical, and harmonic.
Thanks Brian, and lemme give a shout-out to Gary Boulay, the guy I’ve been quietly cursing for decades. I took guitar lessons from the guy back in dim Eden and his whole deal was learning the major scales in all five positions. Been thinking, what a waste of time, always thought it was an impediment to learning the “good stuff.” Well, this lesson squared the circle so thank you. And thank you Gary, I’m taking all the pins out of your voodoo doll!
Seemingly simple and so succinct, but that’s what makes a great educator!
Wonderful stuff, Brian.
Lots of rich content here. The explanation of modes in relationship to the chord shapes was excellent, as was the discussion of playing the scale while returning to the base note (around 17 in video 1). Just lots of great stuff here. Thanks!
Cool!
Many thanks for the tone and effects comments.
I am using a “Spark go” with the iPad app.
I was able to replicate your effects using the built in sims.
Great lesson! Quite to you credit that you can still come up with new, fresh stuff to help, us keep growing Thanks!
Great approach to G major. That Lydian note again stands out, no need for complexity when subtlety wins.
This is such a beautiful tune. Brian – you are amazing.
This for me is the best lesson ever Brian, This is how I have always wanted to play guitar since I was sixteen (I am now 80!) and your explanations why certain notes work is so inspiring. For me you are the best guitar teacher ever. The way you explain everything is just brilliant. Thank you so much fpr keeping my love for the guitar alive.. David E from UK.
I love that. Pt.1 is great but… I can’t get pt. 2 to play. Instead it plays the audio, only (no video) from your A shape lesson from the CAGED series. I tried refreshing the page, closing and reopening, etc. but didn’t help. Anyway… pt 1 is enough for me today.
Nevermind, it’s working now after about 10-15 min. I knew that would happen as soon as I sent that comment.
I just love the sound of this Gibson Byrdland, I have owned one since 1959, I have several guitars but this one is my favorite
I always wonder what is going on in the mind of someone improvising and you just answered it! It’s not theory but rather you’re hearing the intervals that you think sound good to you. Then when you go back and look at what you’ve done you can apply theory to better understand where it came from. Music first. Theory second.
Thank you! This is an awesome lesson and one I’m going to have to try myself!
Yes, that is the key – you’ve summarized it nicely. The theory just becomes a way to explain what just happened. Kind of like dissecting a sentence after you’ve already said it. You don’t think of sentence structure when speaking, you just talk. However, if you were explaining it to someone that is new to the language, you’d break it down and explain they “why” behind it
A great lesson. This is within my ability as a beginner. It gives me spirit to continue. Thanks Brain
Really enjoy these type lessons as I take as great music theory presented in a very practical way. I see how the various chord shapes, patterns, scales, etc. link together. Makes understanding songs much more coherent and how musicians do it. Thx!
Thank you, Brian for a memorable and inspiring explanation, and use, of mode scales!
This reminds me of a Ryan Adams and the Cardinals song.
Never disappointing… once I get to your lesson. Great you mentioned Garcia., and thanks for repeating about modes… good to be reminded
What a great teacher you are! EXACTLY what I needed to hear to trust letting my ears speak from the inside out. Things are starting to come together and I appreciate this feedback for a guy just starting to break out. You’re really the best, Brian. Thanks!
This is another KISS .deep and profound.
Brian! I have not used the Video player in a while – using it today for EP 568…the technology changes you have made; flipping the screens, adding bars one by one – WOW! so helpful! THANKS!
Your Active Melody site is JUST GREAT! You are always improving…….Love the guitar – above my pay grade – I will just stick with my Tele!
thanks
Brian, it’s probably just my ineptitude, but I couldn’t find how to print the sheet music with the tablature. I prefer to have both on the same page.
Great Lesson!
I use a Spark 40 amp and I was able to attempt to duplicate your sound on that amp.
For anyone who uses the Spark App, search the sound cloud for EP568.
The profiles are free.
what a great lesson. Thanks
Hi Brian,
I was playing with this and using a lot of what you have been talking about with tying caged chords to the associated scale and position. I notice that G major followed by Em(which is its relative minor) literally share the same pentatonic shape (I was playing pos II G and then pos II Em). You also do this with pos IV in the beginning. Is this always true when playing a relative minor or a major chord that they will always occupy the same pentatonic shape?