Active Melody

Learn to play blues guitar.

MicroLesson: 028 – Country Blues Solo Composition

Description

In this MicroLesson (ML028) you’ll learn how to play an country blues composition that’s played solo guitar (no accompaniment is required). Learn both the fill licks and the strum pattern in this composition.

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. johnmartin says

    I’m becoming a fan of your micro lessons. The regular lessons are not difficult to play, but I have trouble remembering what comes next. The micro lessons are easy to remember and improvise my own licks.

    • Conroy G says

      Brian, I’ve been with you a year and I’m just figuring out the importance of your Micro lessons. They are exactly what I need right now. Just starting to tie chards and scales together. Thanks

  8. Anton D says

    I say Brian, do you play that electric mandolin I see on the wall?

    You might think about doing some special mini lessons for all us very many mandolin players out here.
    I have been wondering for ages how to adapt your guitar techniques for the mandolin. Your slipping and sliding techniques, double stops, fresh takes on pentatonic scales,… have really helped to put some sparkle into my jaded guitar playing. I need to inject some of that energy into my mandolin playing.

    Just a thought!

    Anton

    • Brian says

      I do play mandolin – still working at it… trying to be “proficient” in it. There are some basic principles that you can apply to mandolin playing as well – which involve tying scales back to chord shapes. I use that same technique on the mandolin

      • Anton D says

        Thanks very much for your answer, Brian. Could you elaborate upon your “there are some basic principles… scales back to chord shapes” statement please? I don’t want to be a bore but I would love to hear more about this. Are there any recordings of you anywhere.? How much would you charge to rustle up a quick lesson on these principles, if you were prepared to do so of course?

        Anton

        • Brian says

          I just mean that a G chord is a g chord – same 3 notes, whether they’re played on piano, guitar, mandolin, etc. Scales are the same as well – major, minor pentatonic, major scales, modes, etc. They’re the same notes no matter what instrument you play them on – so I’m just using the same techniques I use on guitar of connected scales to chord shapes, but playing them on mandolin.

          • Anton D says

            Thanks Brian. I appreciate that a G chord is a G chord irrespective of the instrument but some chords, riffs, patterns, … lie easier under the fingers, according to the instrument. Up until now, I have not applied your “connectivity” approach to the mandolin (sidetracked with the guitar for moment) and tend to use only two positions, if that, for blues tunes. And of course, G, A and D are the keys that are the most user-friendly keys on the mandolin.
            I look forward to see what progress you have made sometime in the future.

            Anton

  9. Robert C says

    Hello, and glad to be a new member.
    I have a lot to learn, so I apologize if this is a dumb question:
    I’m just getting started learning the blues and have learned about the12 bar blues form, but this seems to be something different. Is this an 8 bar composition? I’m not sure if I’m counting properly.
    Thank you for all you do!
    Rob

  16. James C says

    Brian, I don’t know how you do it. This is a great tune, fun and easy to memorize and add to my collection of playable songs. It is a great way to practice improvising. Thank You. JamesC.

  22. David P says

    Brian,
    These micro lessons are great, I feel that I have at least a good chance of learning these And they are things I want to know. The full songs are great too, just takes me much longer to learn.
    I hope you will continue with these!

  26. Rob p says

    Hey Brian! Just want you to know how much I enjoy learning from the lessons. I play every day and have improved so much with your lessons. I especially like being able to slow the music tabs down! Keep up the good work and take care!

  31. Rawle L says

    Hello Brian you are great I have watch you over years AND HAD ALWAYS LIKE YOR Style of teachI have learned a lot. I wonder IF you can go off grid a bit And show me how to play the lead to Red River valley an old cowboy song some people call it red river rock thanks brian.

  33. Dale G says

    Brian, beginning on beat 2 of bar 8, I see a F double sharp instead of the G which correctly sits in the C chord. Yes, I know the F double sharp is the same enharmonically but it isn’t correct. Is there something I am missing?
    Thanks Dale

  36. Richard C says

    Thoroughly enjoy your micro lessons. I’m relatively new to your guitar lessons. You have an excellent platform. Easy to navigate and wonderful material for all levels of guitar players.

  37. Rich F says

    Just discovered this cool lesson, after Dave posted it on the July 2021 monthly challenge.

    Brilliant lesson: love it! I was just trying to work out the scale that the licks were coming from, and then Charjo enlightened me: G Minor pentatonic. Thanks, Charjo!

    I notice that Old Man has asked for a follow up lesson, something a littel harder. Try EP131: that is a great country song in this vein… but quite a bit harder…

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