I have been watching these videos for at least two years now. Most of the time with theory and practice lessons I already get but the way he breaks them down is unmatched. Once he started telling to learn the E and A string, I knew he was going to talk about the L shape for note association, however the way using barre chords to show the concept is brilliant. He is an amazing teacher and guitar player, If you stack just his RU-vid lessons in order you don't need anything else. I cannot imagine how good his premium lessons are... and I do not know this guy at all I just think he is really thorough
OMG. I am a total beginner about through my first month, but played Trombone in middle and High school. I am now just learning Guitar. Most sites just have not put all this together with the fret board so succinctly. Others just have you memorize all the top 12 frets, but this is using our brains and learning it logically. String 6 and 5 that makes so much sense. Now I need to learn to get my bar chords. THANK YOU! You rock!
Finally someone that’s teaches in a “ common sense” approach that anyone can understand. THANK YOU ! Reaffirms my theory that the position markers on a guitar are in the wrong spots 😂
you're absolutely right and it does not take long to learn 2 strings on the guitar and 2 chord shapes..and then you can play any chord progression that you wish..the world of guitar music opens up then..Great lesson sir....
thank you. I just had an epiphany. I’m 67 yrs old and just started learning. this one lesson answered questions I’ve been having about music that I can use across the board.
This dude here!!! I feel so blessed having been turned on to Brian and Active Melody! I was at, sometimes still am, in a very weird time in my life. All these huge changes going on around me, to me, to the world etc. I've been sober going on 6 years now, and I haven't really played guitar much at all since then. I started playing back when I was 13 or 14. Trying to play Wish you were here and that song about a stairway. Needless to say, all I really accomplished those first few years was learning a ton of bits and pieces of songs. They I became a full time heroin addict , so I pretty much dedicated my life to that job. Stoped playing guitar for years. It wasn't a tool of my trade so I sold everyone I got to help buy tools for my real career. Anyway, I'm sure some of you get the point. So about a year ago I finally got a guitar. Still have. Even an electric as well. Moving up in the world lol. Its been difficult trying to break these old habits of playing which is way more difficult as it would be if I were younger. So things have been going well. Somehow along this journey I began listening to a lot of americana, folkish, blue grassy countryish styles. I never realized how much of those styles were actually played by the musicians and bands I love. Like Jerry and the dead group, Fish with a ph tho etc etc. Maybe its age too. I'm not the same kid I was 25 years ago playing loud distorted sustained " alternative " music. Anyway. I was turned on to this amazing raging beautifully sound musician who has a site called active melody. It was like a blessing from JAH!!! So I took the road less traveled and I'm beyond grateful I did. I've learned so much from Brian this past year than the 25 ish years prior. I can't even put it into words even tho I am. I've become a completely different " musician " not different really because up until a year ago I was just someone who strummed chords. I can truly say that this site has changed my life, not just musically either. I'm more confident in myself now. Its taken me out of my comfort zone. I've become more expressive in things. More improvisational not just with guitar. With writing life etc. I just wanted to throw that out there in the inner webs facetube youbook world. This has probably be one of the best investments in my life. Seriously!!! Thanks Brian. For those of you on the fence, whats the worst that could happen by becoming a member? You find out how awesome it is! You learn something new? Give it a shot, give yourself a shot!!
You're the man dude. Keep it up. Sober and playing, no way to go wrong. Congrats on beating the most powerful addiction, and remember the war is never over,but you have lots of support on your journey. I just read Eric Clapton s biography, and it became clear to me the power of music to heal and grow. Highly recommend that book. Best to you,
I’ve had twenty years of one days now and I’ve had a similar guitar journey. I put the guitar aside for about 25 years then picked it back up about 2 years ago. Sure enough, I started playing the same 15 or twenty songs that I had played 25 years ago. Nothing wrong with the songs themselves but I started getting bored and frustrated pretty quickly. Then I discovered a lesson website (not Active Melody) and signed up and committed to 10 minutes of dedicated practice every day. Of course it was almost always much more than 10 minutes but 10 minutes was what I committed to. Ten minutes of practice is very different than ten minutes of playing. (I like to say that if I’m not using a metronome then it is playing not practice. That’s not always true, but the point is I push myself out of my comfort zone.) After a year and a half of using that site, which is mostly drills and licks, I decided to give Active Melody a try. Most of the lessons there are pretty far over my ability, but it has really helped push me into being a better player and a more musical player. I have spent 2-3 months on one weekly lesson a few times, but it’s ok. My journey doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s. I struggle with knowing I’m not that good of a player despite my efforts, but I do know that I’m steadily improving. And like they say, “Expectations are where fun goes to die.” Keep up the good work, sir.
Dont bale out early when he goes over notes on 6 and 5 string. The meat comes when he ties the chord shapes and scales to those notes. This was very good explanation of how to become an intermediate guitarist. Glad I listened to the whole video. Indeed this is Cliff Notes on learning guitar. Now if I can shake the lazy's and drill.
I just discovered you yesterday. I have been trying to play for years. Feeling very frustrated. I've spent years watching RU-vid videos. Never feeling like I was getting anywhere. After watching a few videos of yours, I have stopped searching for an online guitar teacher that I feel I can really learn from. A teacher with the perfect teaching personality for me. My search is over. You are officially my guitar teacher now. I am so genuinely grateful. Thank you.
Stephen, I’ve had a membership at Active Melody for years. Brian gives huge amounts of knowledge for a pittance of money. For the price a 2 or 3 cups of coffee you can get a month of access to his library of 10 years of his weekly lessons to pick and choose. Try it, you’ll be happy you did. I sure am.
This is the best explanation I have found yet. Much of this I already learned but hadn't put it together in this way to learning the fretboard essentials.
Good lesson! I agree completely that if I had only understood this 50 years ago. Its funny, you realize you know these things but don't realize you do. I have always said that's what is so great about the guitar. Every time you learn something it only makes you understand you have so much more to learn and UNDERSTAND. There is always more to grasp. Keep up your good work.
I just watched this. I consider myself being an entry level guitarist and have learned the basic notes on the low and high E but after watching this I’m gonna start doing this as an exercise to learn the basic notes on the A string then slowly move into the major and minor cords. This was very helpful and easy for me to follow and understand. I have been wanting to advance and I believe this will take me to the next level by understanding more of the note locations on the fret board. Thanks so much
You're right Brian. When getting chords to songs online it's amazing how many the majority of well-known hits by legendary, iconic writers are pretty simple 1-4-5 [rpgressions. The difference is in the tones and intervals and that studio stuff.
I love your playing so much, it all sounds so good like when you improvise playing songs in different ways and how everything is related, I find myself trying to master what you just played because it sounds amazing, rather then looking at how everything is related, I jump ahead, but I do go back to get exactly how you relate everything,
Over time I've learned most of this. But the idea of picking out the same note on the 5th and 6th string very quickly is a very practical challenge I'll work on. Also, the 4th position minor pentatonic shape over the "A" shaped barre chord was a revelation!
By far, the best guitar instruction I have found in the internet. Very basic approach without confusing you with too much talk. I have signed up for my yearly subscription.
A big spoonful of music, guitar fret board. This entire lesson is worth watching over and over till you do feel comfortable with this lesson. Simple is key, this is good solid basic. It's hard when you know so much to try and teach so little. But this is a huge spoon full ,to chew on for a while. Keep coming back till you know what is here. Also for me knowing the strings from low E to High e .I had a "Circle of Fifths Guitar Wheel " you turned the outer wheel to any note, like , A ,it gave you all the music info you needed , gave you chords in the A progression, subsituite chords . You can pick them up online or most music stores. Thanks Brian great lesson !
Found this at first on FB and came here so I can watch repeatedly. No one ever explained this to me before as this video does. Now if I could just play barre chords.
The secret to playing barre chords is the same as everything else. Practice, practice, practice. The stronger your left hand becomes, the easier it will be. Keep at it!
Frank learn mini chords first as outlined in this chap's lessons. Full Chords will come but are not essential. Jazz players never bother, as you only need 3 notes for a chord. Good luck.
As a beginner and member of Active Melody, I usually struggle with the lessons. even the ones for a novice guitarist, and they are way over my head. This, however, made total sense and I learnt a lot from the video
That was an outstanding lesson. You are probably the best at teaching! Elementary communication guarantees anybody can comprehend with a little effort. 6 grade level always wins.. Thanks
Wow! I really think I just had one of those "light bulb" moments as you described the fret board like a piano key board! It makes sense for sure! Looking forward to practicing chords at different places on the fret board. Thank you so much for sharing.
Wow I think this is the first one of your lessons where I actually understand it all and know how to do it all. Maybe I am making some progress after all. This kind of great content is why I am a member of the Active Melody site thanks for all you do.
Brian, a fabulous lesson. I'm an intermediate player and am familiar with all of the information that you went through today. However, you've given me a different perspective allowing me to truly understand how these things fit together, and how to actually apply it to playing. You really simplified and distilled the information into digestible bites. In the past, trying to learn everything before enjoying what you're doing is basically impossible, but at the least very frustrating and overwhelming. Thanks for your patience to be able to explain this information as you did. Exceptional.
Another "crutch" I like to use to navigate the fretboard notes are the string intervals. So (except for the B string), the guitar is tuned in 4ths, right? That means the note on the 5th fret is the same (unison) as the empty sting below it. The note on the 7th fret is the same (+ one octave) as the string above it. So once you know the empty string names, you also know the notes on the 5th and 7th frets (with a one-fret offset on the B string). Everything in between is easily inferred.
The next step is to show the octave shapes from the low E and low A strings to obtain the notes on the other 3 strings. Essentially, if you fret the low E at the 3rd fret (a G note), for example, then fret the D string at the 5th fret, it's also the G, just an octave higher. Same technique applies to the A and G strings. The formula is up 2 frets and down 2 strings for the octave note from either the low E and/or A strings.
Thank you sir, helped me a lot. I've tried the theory and I've tried hard at school 30 years ago in New Zealand, am 44 now been jamming guitar over the years,knowing I couldn't get the theory I played by ear mostly, and observing others. Must be my time to finally get it and I'm very happy. Thank you
Gotta walk before you run...perfectly presented, easy to follow basics! How about doing some vids for players with missing or damaged fingers? I took off the end of my ring finger in a planer accident years ago so chording is a challenge now. I tend now to wear a slide on that finger which has opened up a whole new world for me playing the blues in a new way!
That's cool that you've kept playing and have adapted. I'm a member on 2 different lesson sites, Active Melody and another one. On the other site, one of the members that is better than most of the rest of us has most of his right hand ring finger missing. I'm sure there are some limitations, but you wouldn't know by hearing him play. And of course, there's Django Reinhardt who only had two usable fingers on his fretting hand.
Yep my dad has been playing for 50+ years and got deprutans in his fretting hand and had to relearn how to make chords. We got him non invasive surgery but it didn't help as much as everyone was hoping. He's pretty much gave up on playing and song writing just as I got into it. Good to hear your still playing. He's got some songs on RU-vid under "Bo Dugger" great player and songwriter.
Outstanding lesson! I wish I had seen this in my first month of playing. You may want to include this somewhere in your the Beginners Section of your website. Thanks for all you do!
Thanks for your friendly, approach that takes the intimidation out of learning. While you are obviously highly skilled, you relate well to anyone. Thanks Brian
I was about to give up on the guitar. I know how to play chords at different positions with the chord name as well but never understood WHY it is called for example a C chord at that particular position.But after watching your video and the way you explain the WHYs of small little things is incredible....Love to watch your lessons.I am so glad I found your videos.You saved me from giving up.Thanks a ton!God bless!!!
This guy Is soooo cool and relaxed and I’ve learnt more from this vid than I have in 50 others! EVERYONE SHOULD WATCH THIS AND TAKE IT IN! amazing man! Thank you!!!
Really good. Two things that hit home for me...1) This is what I’ve been working on every day. It’s good to hear it’s the right work because the volumes of info out there can make me wonder. 2) It’s good to hear that getting that far is at least as far or maybe even farther than most casual guitarists get. Maybe that gets me into the top 5 million guitarists...up from the top 10 million. It’s actually a helpful thought when I start to doubt my progress. It’s probably true, and I’m happy in the top 5 million right now. Started at 30 million. 😅
I love the sound of that guitar.. Thank you that was very informative.. I'd never thought of the comparison with piano.. I've been playing on and off for years but I still learnt a lot!
I learned a lot from this lesson. So far the caged system leaves me confused but this got the light bulb at least glowing faintly for me. I’m a premium subscriber, is this in one of the EP series lessons? I want to be able to review this a few times. Brian, thanks for what you do. There are hundreds of online “teachers” out there, but you are among the best!
Brian, that video is awesome! As a mediocre beginner for too many years now, I was always looking for something simple, yet powerful, like this. Of course I was aware of the principle of those chords played by using the E- and A-shape, but I was never aware enough how important it is being able to swith between those without even thinking or searching on the fretboard. Thanks so much for uncovering this little secret for me.
Ur a legend I always watch ur vids ur so clear so good what u explain thank u ever since I saw ur video on mark knopfler ryhtem finger picking I knew I was going to love watching u
Thank you Brian. You’re so helpful and patient. I have had so much fun and learned so much from your lessons. This one’s going to be a game changer. 👍😎
