Using Triads in Melodic Solos (pt 2)

18/12/2022 Lesson 1 Comment

If you’re looking to improve your melodic soloing skills, then this lesson is for you! By the end of this video, you’ll be able to create melodic solos using triads on the B-G-D strings. Also, you’ll learn how to connect these chord tones in a meaningful way! Let’s get started!

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Melodic Guitar Soloing (Lesson 2)

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About this video

In this video, you’ll learn to find basic chord tones by thinking in triads on the B-G-D strings. This works over any chord progression. By adding those sweet chord tones to your guitar solos, you’ll sound more melodic, and the listener will feel the harmony of your song better.

Concepts that are present in this video: chord tones, triads, visualizing on the guitar neck, melodic phrasing, anticipation, rhythmic motifs & embellishments.

I sincerely hope that this 2nd lesson will provide you with some guitar inspiration for your own melodic guitar playing. If you like the content, make sure you subscribe &  give the video a thumbs up. That does help the channel. Thanks a lot for your support!

Featured Lick
melodic soloing with triads

Playing a melodic solo with chord triads shows you the best notes to aim for in your phrasing. In this example (bar 11 of the solo), the melody first aims for the C (half step bend up from the 12th fret on the B-string). On beat 3, the melody goes for the D on the 15th fret of the B-string. Both notes are part of the underlying chord triads. 

Jam Track

If you’re interested, I offer a high-quality version (CD-remaster) of this guitar jam track that you can use in your Youtube/Soundcloud/Instagram/Social media videos:

Gear
  • Guitar: Suhr Modern Pro HH
  • Amp: Fractal Audio AX8
  • Pedal: Crazy Tube Circuits Black Magic Mk2
  • Mixed with plugins from UA, Slate Digital & Plugin Alliance

Blues Rumba in Bb Jam Track

02/09/2022 Backing Track No Comments

About 10 days ago, I posted the Blues Rumba in Bb Solo.  Today I posted the 10 minute long jam track. Enjoy this summer-vibin’ track in the key of Bb!

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About this jam track

This Blues Rumba track is loosely inspired by a great rumba blues track like Crosscut Saw (check out great versions of it by Matt Schofield and/or Josh Smith). Although most of these renditions use the key of G (which I like a lot), I opted for the key of Bb as this is a key I haven’t used much on my channel. Also, this key is ideally suited for horn players that want to practice their blues rumba chops.

The track has three levels of intensity. Level 1 is the basic, mellow rumba. Level 2 adds a bit of action on the toms, clave, and a Hammond B3 organ. Level 3 brings on the full blues rumba intensity with frequent fills on toms, a blaring B3 Hammond, a powerful ride cymbal, and – wait for it – the almighty cowbell. Enjoy this Blues Rumba in Bb.

For the first time, I added a suggested scale in the video (the Bb minor blues scale). On the top right of your screen, you can find an overview of the 12-bar blues that this Blues rumba track follows. Let me know what you think!

Gear used

All parts played / programmed / produced by Maarten

Buy The Track

As always, I offer a HQ WAV and MP3 version of this track that you can download and use to practice, or publish on your social media (license included)

Blues Rumba in Bb

22/08/2022 Video Tab No Comments

Blues Rumba in Bb. Enjoy this original blues rumba groove with a bag of blues licks inspired by Matt Schofield, Eric Clapton, and others. 

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Blues Rumba in Bb

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Featured Lick
Pentatonic Blues Shifting Pattern
Pentatonic Blues Shifting Pattern

In the video, around 1:55 I play the above Bb minor pentatonic blues lick, with a shifting rhythmic pattern. This is inspired by Eric Clapton’s blues playing. High up the neck, Clapton often plays these interesting rhythmic subdivisions (hemiola’s), that can take a regular pentatonic lick to a whole new level. The pattern above consists of six notes and has a shifting hammer-on/pull-off triplet. This blues lick not just works in rumba blues but in various styles of blues playing. 

Listen to the example below (isolated lead guitar from the video):

Buy The Track (and Play-Along)

The play-along has nog lead guitar, so you can practice the track with the original backing track. Both tracks are professionally mastered by André Castro Mastering.