Description
In this week’s guitar lesson, I’ll talk through the thought process behind improvising a lead over a song you’ve never heard before. Let your ear be your guide!
If you like this jam track, be sure to check out Quist’s social media accounts below:
YouTube channel – full of classy sounding backing tracks by going here
Spotify – Stream Quist backing tracks by going here
Instagram – Featuring some of Quist’s amazing guitar work by going here
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There are so many solid, practical ideas in this. Really good stuff!
Absolutely spectacular! I could see your mind working and mine with you: which chord will he switch to? No early indication, therefore, continue with something that will work regardless of which chord Quist goes to. Absolutely spectacular! I love it!
Great idea Brian! I can’t wait to see what I can do with this. Thanks Brian
Such coolness on a hot East Tennessee Evening. I learn something from every lesson and I look forward to Friday’s new lesson every week. I also practice the lesson every day of the week until the next lesson. It’s amazing how much time and effort it takes to be able to play these lessons with any proficiency. I always have to start at 50 or 60 percent of the tempo and slowly increase the tempo until I can play at the songs original tempo. Some lessons I still never reach the songs tempo after a week of playing it every day. But the best part is how much fun I have while trying to learn these pieces.
Thank you Robert!
I thought it was just me!
This is a break through lesson for me, Brian. Quist and you are a terrific partnership. I loved hearing the progression go to F major, to E minor back to A minor. That’s a beautiful progression. I’ve learned a massive amount from you and very much look forward to enjoying each week’s lessons. Candidly, I still have a lot of work to do to execute a vibrato at the top of a bend!
Great break down Brian! Looking forward to getting into this.
Another gem.
Great lesson Brian!
I love seeing how your mind works during a live lesson. It really helps me to understand the process much better.
Thanks
Tim Moran
Another one of your great autopsy of the guitar composition process! I’m not yet near being able to do this fluently, but I’m making progresses every week in my understanding of the process and the logic behind it with each of your weekly lessons. The balance between analytical knowledge (which chords, patterns,…) available to use and the “let go” creation is difficult to reach for me, but I know you are the right teacher for this, giving us all the tools to achieve this!
Thank you again for a spot on lesson this week!
Hi Brian, would it be possible to spend a new lesson specifically on licks and chord transitions across the 5 caged positions. This lesson was again great and it made me realise that I could really use some more focus on further ‘automating’ licks and transitions to improve my improvising skills. Thanks for the insight you provided in this lesson on what is going in your head while improvising on a unknown jam track, it illustrated nicely what skills I am still lacking.
I like these occasional lessons that are more forensic and about using our ear to hear where we are since they are not as loaded with licks. I am still digesting the last three lessons that are loaded with licks! Some of your lessons are so thick with ideas (i.e. they take a lot of time to digest and learn to use) … its nice to have an occasional lesson where I can sit back and put more energy into listening rather than fretboard mechanics.
H Brian,
That was a masterclass in the art of improvisation: the fretboard was your canvas. Your demonstration on the strategic positioning of triads and scales positions all-over-the-neck was very useful. Hopefully we can channel your creativity as we attempt to improvise over Quist’s track. Great stuff!
Pierre
Amazing how you can know where to go without knowing where the jam track is going! I used to think I was pretty good improvising but always end up in the weeds! Ususally I have to get the jam track down before hand. Thanks for sharing your approach and will keep working on concentrating more on the key I am playing in.
I liked the detailed explanation of why you chose to play which note.
anybody out there?
Yes. ???
A great lesson on how to improvise around the key of a song. I picked up a lot of great ideas.
Thanks Brian.
Your thoughts while improvising are so valuable.
Brian, … how would you explain the Fmaj7 before the V chord? You clearly acknowledged it but didn’t discuss it. The Fmaj isn’t in the chord family but it sounds so right. Is there any theory on how/why it sounds right or is this a borrowed note that just sounds good? I am interested from a composition perspective. Thanks!
NVM… just looked at the circle of fifths and figured it out. For key of Am the Fmaj is the sixth interval. But I am still pondering a VI chord before playing the v chord.
I believe the vi before the V is somewhat common in blues progressions. I know it is in “The Thrill is Gone”.
Hi – not sure why it works but, famously, this maj6 to V move is heard in the Thrill Is Gone
Brian, in the 7th measure, where you are playing over the D minor chord, couldn’t you consider the 12, 11 to 10 notes as the D major pentatonic that lives within the D minor pentatonic scale?
Fanbloodytastic Brian from Aussie Bob.
Brian
That was great – a dissection into the brain of a highly respected musician – this is exactly what I needed a t this point in my journey.
Sincerely – Thank you
Loved every second of this video. Thank you Brian. 😃
Love this “Listening for a sound” improve!
Hi Brian,
Hi Brian, I can not finnd Quest on the internet. Can you please give me the internet address. Nest wished Tom.
It’s Quist – there are links in the description above (on this page)
This was awesome Brian. I struggle to improvise and often wonder what is going on in the mind of someone when they improv. This was super helpful.
I love these “mental lessons” versus “finger lessons” and learning by rote. VERY helpful stuff Brian.
The feeling of “being with you” during your improv process is an eye-opener. I even thought of other places to go (based on what I’ve learned from other lessons). After about a year (from scratch, except for the cowboy chords I’ve known from mt youth), I’m starting to feel I can improvise a bit. Thanks for this!
Great lesson. I’m just beginning to appreciate actually ‘hearing’ the notes I want to play instead of worrying about what pattern I should be in etc. Not there yet but lessons like this are really helpful
Thanks!
Jay
This my pace. What a great lesson.
Thanks Brian
Nice jam track! Lot’s of fun playing a lead over it.
Thats a bit of me, like it!
Easy to digest. Good lesson with simple but interesting tips for simple changing key in improvising. Thanks Brian
Another great great lesson Brian !! Love your style – Thank you !
I heard David Gilmore in there. One particular spot especially. Can’t wait to dig in.
Please Sir, I want some more!
Great stuff. easy to understand, full of ideas to use in improvising. I am using the Crunch Tremelo tone on my Katana Go and it sounds so good over the Quist track. Thanks, Brian.
Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Right up my alley and I absolutely picked up some great ideas. Thanks Brian!
Bravo ! excellent
always good but this one is especially so, thanks Brian great vibe
Brian,
# 576 is a GREART lesson in Am lead ideas, thank!. What is the backtrack called on Quest’s website and is it available there also?.
Ody
I have so much to learn, and I may never get to much of it, but you make it fun which motivates me to stay with it. Thank you!
Hi Brian,
Like your 5-part Caged System Series, an “Improvise Over Jam Track” could be an interesting series. After listening to the lesson (twice) and practicing over with the backing track, I realize how much there is to explore (re: improvising). For example, an improvisation over A Maj, using the A major and A minor pentatonic scales, would be an interesting Part 2. Thanks again for another great lesson!
Pierre
Love this, Brian, thanks.
I’ve waited for this one for years. Outstanding!
Would we be cheating if we studied this and noodled every possibility before doing the one take improv? There is a lot to think about here. This is a wonderful lesson/challenge with so many learning opportunities. Great stuff Brian.
John
A great lesson as usual. I was wondering where the Fmaj fits into the key, is it the flat 6th of A minor or some type of substitution or the flat 3 of D minor?
Great lesson. Brian. Thank U so much
Hello Brian
When I close my eyes listening this I think about Pink Floyd. Wonderful job as usual.
New favorite! Very nice easy blues plus get to play in more than one position! Could easy change up some of those licks in the middle versues since this is over 6 minutes! Thansk for the great course1
I really like the idea of letting your ear lead you instead of always looking for patterns. Good lesson!