This is Why You Suck at Guitar: Matching Chords to Melodies!

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How do David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Steve Vai, and Francis Bubbletrousers always seem to know the EXACT right combination of CHORDS plus MELODY?!? The answer is surprisingly simple, and Uncle Ben Eller is going to show it to you on the newest episode of This is Why You Suck at Guitar!
If you've ever written a killer melody but don't know what chords to put behind it, this is what you NEED. You don't have to know a ton of theory to make this work, i'll show you everything you need, whether you're a guitar player, pianist, vocalist, or Bavarian cheese whistle pro!
Gear:
EBMM Luke III
Diezel VH2
What do YOU suck at on guitar?! Lets talk about it next!

[@BenEller]

Thanks for learning how to make melodic MAGIC by matching chords and melodies! What do you want to work on next?!

[@Dcba964]

Now teach us our to create a good melodie following the chords of a backing track 🙏🎸👍

[@shocker5981]

How about breaking down the opening lick that is between your video intro and the actual lesson.

[@graysonhester2955]

I’d be interested in working on how my childhood trauma manifests in my everyday decisions and life

[@graysonhester2955]

Oh wait wrong channel

[@austindaniels357]

I know it’s just this process in reverse, but I’d dig having a proper lesson covering turning chords to melodies and solos. I’m trying to work on my improv and it’s hard to divide brain power between targeting chord tones and coming up with enough flashy phrases for good pacing.

[@DammitCartman]

ive been playing for 23 years and have always been terrible with theory. like, its some sort of handicap i can never pick it up and make things make sense. but this makes sense to me. I've never heard anyone explain chord progressions (or playing over them) in this way and a lot of stuff instantly clicked for me and made me feel like less of a step dad shredder. thanks uncle Ben!

[@hazardeur]

thing is most people just overcomplicate it wa too much and/or think it really is that difficult. but it's not. if properly explained, a first grader wouold understand this.

[@dmxdmx9743]

I could have your head wrapped around guitar theory in one day.

[@TheSpydersBand]

Me too...I know it's a terrible thing to admit to, but if you point to a string and a fret, I probably can't tell you instantly what the note is. I can't tell you the notes in chords off the top of my head. But I can hear intervals and play melodically, if on a limited basis. I need to work on this stuff, but seems to go in one ear and out the other, especially when I try to recall something live in real time.

[@DammitCartman]

@@hazardeur im not smarter than a first grader

[@johnmurray3346]

Play along with a youtube backing track that has the scale on the screen, take it slow and play minimal notes and it will click in no time.

[@JasonMarshMusic]

I live in Japan and occasionally do karaoke. I've managed to miss doing a Yoko Ohno marathon (so far).

[@alesegdia]

this is why I've been "patroning" this guy for more than a year already 👏

[@ElmanAuthement]

Less than 40 seconds into the video and I already gave it a thumbs up because Uncle Ben ain't afraid to tell me I suck at guitar lol. Now to see the rest of the video and why I suck at guitar.

[@wahyus7964]

maaan you are best guitar teacher, always straight to the point. even noob can understand.

[@darkraven178]

thanks for being a sharing chap. good ol' Ben, my uncle

[@eddiejr540]

Uncle Ben, I know you’ve heard me say it before but its worth repeating…you really are a God gifted teacher👍

[@vincele6174]

Ben...this is called chord tone targeting during solos. This is the next level that guys like me who sucks at guitar needs to learn for awesome solos. Many YT videos that are available are more of click-bait and done by step-dads and not really shown anything useful. Can you make a video that deep-dive into chord tone targeting. The struggle that most of us have is how to keep the chords progress in our ears while we solo in order to target the notes in the chord when it changes? Please do a video that can really help us to do chord tone targeting during chord progress changes in a solo. Thank you Ben!

[@RohannvanRensburg]

Techhhhhnically that Bm9 was a Bmadd9 cause there's no 7 in it. This is the first and last time I'll ever be able to add something to one of your videos. Great instruction and super clear description of harmony and melody basics!

[@Aphelion_Music]

I've always felt Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth is one of the most melodic guitarist I've ever heard. His solos on Windowpane, Patterns in the Ivy II and Arriving Somewhere But Not Here (Porcupine Tree guest solo) always move me very deeply! Maybe a "Stuff Opeth Does" or a deep dive into his songwriting/melody work could be good, just saying :) Awesome video as always! I feel like I can finally learn how to solo properly thanks to you, Uncle Ben, so thank you for all you do and much love from France

[@HarlanHarvey76]

This reminds me of a great Andy Timmons quick lesson about using chord tones to create melody. Always great to be reminded about how the best sounding notes, most times - are already being played

[@martynspooner5822]

That was a real eye opener for me, probably should have worked it out myself after playing for years but I just didn't. This is a biggie for me thanks a lot.

[@dtjmusiclife2023]

Nice Hillsong!💕...uplifing sound when you play chords in D A..etc into same melody... its awesome...😍

[@zlatanplaysguitar]

It was awesome as always Ben! Thank you!

[@drnastybf79]

Suck collection has expanded. Must tell aunt Julie, she will be pleased.

[@yokobrono2689]

Uncle Ben never disappoints. I've been playing around 4 months or so. Your passion is most inspiring and I never fail to learn something. Keep up the awesome work!

[@camarotrash]

I love how thorough this video was. A great post for Kurt’s birthday.

[@Patricho]

Thanks Benny! This made me think of songwriting in a totally new way! Never stop learning us that we suck at guitar!

[@thekeefer690]

Uncle Ben, you are the complete opposite to sucking at guitar teaching! This gave me a couple of new insights towards understanding the "tonal handshake" as you put it, between a melody and chord progression with an easy to understand explanation. Thank you!

[@TrailblazingMedia]

the timing of this is uncanny, i needed this right now so i can apply immediatly

[@daniboi271]

Amazing as always, thank you for these videos uncle Ben!

[@christopheredgar7549]

Brilliant lesson. I enjoy speed licks and the widdly-widdly as much as the next shredi knight, but it’s these lessons that set you apart as a teacher.

[@Feverdream7777]

I wish I would have studied and mastered chord progressions, chord tones and melody like this when I was a young man. Thank you for making this video Ben, you filled in some gaps in my understanding.

[@Havanacuba1985]

Dude it’s never too late you’re younger than me ,keep rockin

[@isteve520]

This was brilliant! So well explained and demonstrated - thanks very much Ben

[@MrDrSirGuyManJr]

This is the lesson I’ve been eagerly waiting for from you, thanks a ton Uncle Ben!

[@trumanwachter5377]

I expected it to slowly turn into Comfortably Numb by the end through the power of music theory. Great Lesson!

[@ipelegeng]

Hi Ben! That was really useful and very well thought out and presented! Kudos!

[@SongsInPhilsetto]

You just unlocked the secrets of the universe

[@adriancooper8192]

That was a really good explanation with brilliantly clear musical examples. Deep fried gold indeed. Thank you Uncle Ben

[@thedude7450]

I really needed this video. Thank you!

[@MyAMJourney]

Awesome lesson. This was super informative!

[@TheCrimsonIdol987]

Wonderful straightforward lesson on implied harmony and touching on reharmonization at the end there. Great stuff!

[@mestengo22]

Tks Uncle Ben another perfect lesson

[@Andrew-cu9lf]

Really, really good lesson. Thanks! "Less clickin', more pickin'", that's great!

[@danihost1785]

Amazing lesson, very hands on.

[@steveb4400]

Thank you Ben. This is a truly simple way to understand what appears so elusive to me. And others. You rock!

[@martinjaramillo5205]

Wow, this was eye-opening. Thanks a lot, uncle Ben, you've stirred-up my creative juices!

[@neildoherty6234]

This is the most informative thing I have ever seen on composition, thank you Ben.

[@realmz]

Another GOLDEN addition to the series!

[@shalomshalom735]

great video Ben! there's tons of videos talking about how to use chord tones when soloing, but it's the first video I see where you match the chords to the melody, it's a great idea to expand the horizon a bit!

[@drapp1477]

Love this video. I always write chord progressions then try to fit the melody to it. This really opened my eyes to the possibilities when you do the opposite. Really appreciate it Ben!

[@dannyspitzer1267]

Good topic! I'm looking forward to this one Uncle Ben

[@Zakk_Ross]

This is a great lesson for composing, and improvising! also for my college piano class we have to read melodies and be able to harmonize them ourselves. This applies to that too! and Reharmonization for any of you out there looking to expand creatively! Love you Uncle Ben💛

[@Zakk_Ross]

I commented this toward beginning of video, I'm so thankful you are so thorough Ben. But this is why theory can be so helpful for anyone hesitant to get into it! you can harmonize melodies like twinkle twinkle to practice and then it helps you grow your understanding of how chord tones relate to the harmony and then you can find your way easier when playing!

[@neilriffs]

It's always so cool using different chord progressions that still use the same melody notes, even if they're not in the same scale. Great video, found it real helpful!

[@doom-mantia]

this is blowing my mind especially the way you explained it. Will definitely experiment with this. Thanks Ben!

[@MrSonicAlchemy]

Another great video Ben! Once again, you've made a fairly complex aspect of music making easily digestible for the many guitarists who "just don't get" music theory. You seem to have a knack for breaking down music technique and theory in a way that is immediately relatable and less intimidating. Good on ya!

[@InsolentMusicalPeasant]

With all of the amazing gear you have, I don't know how you ever decide which guitar and amp to use. Really fantastic lesson here, too. I've been trying to do fewer technical exercises during my practice time and really focus on improving my musicality. This will go a long way toward that. Much appreciated!

[@JCFern]

This is gold! I get the concept theory-wise on paper, now I just have to get off my lazy ass and actually master doing this on the fretboard. Thank you Uncle Ben! 🙏

[@scottrussell9504]

Dude!!! Thanks for breaking this open in a way my simple mind understands. Lightbulb moment of the year for me. 🤘🏻🙌🏻

[@markbrady7532]

Thank you Ben. The beauty for me culminated in the Amazing Grace piece. Really inspiring as a singer and musician. Thank you.

[@santiagovanegas3812]

My guitar teacher has tried explaining this to me a lot, and failed by just making it too complicated and abstract. You, however, have nailed it in a simple, smart, and tangible way that it all makes perfect sense. Thanks so much! Now heading over to your patreon.... :)

[@BenEller]

Glad it helped!

[@Morkradd]

I've always had a hard time making music theory stick, but this made it really easy to understand and apply. Thanks a lot Uncle!

[@personaltip]

Thanks a lot for this awesome instructional video. This is one of my weaknesses. I wonder if you have more lessons on this topic on different keys.

[@oskargrabiec3375]

this makes so much sense thank you Ben

[@alexiezante3663]

This is why I bought the Ditto X4 Looper and EHX Freeze.

[@milosavramovic1902]

This is awesome. I think you should make more videos like that

[@kelvinstephenson571]

I had a few years of lessons with a fair bit of theory involved and forgot a lot of it after I stopped. These videos are great for pulling those long forgotten approaches and techniques out of the ol' brain bunker. Uncle Ben does it again

[@Ryan_Messenger]

Congrats on the new amp, Uncle Ben!!

[@ibanezrick]

I love this approach.

[@randyhaney5767]

Too Cool Uncle Ben...As always .. A totally fun lesson with; immediately usable information/Instruction, Stellar content, Explained in a direct to the point; succinct .. (So helpful) No Side tangents/explanations of "Modes" scales and Circle of 5th's, that are applicable & why they are... Just here is a melody, And why these chords will work with it.. And why others wont so well. Thanks for keeping it clear & simple; for those us that need it that way.

[@bestboy897]

truly one of the best lessons on theory that is so important yet too many guitarists including me ignore

[@Bad.Rabbit]

This was excellent. I've always written melodies over progressions by targeting chord tones, but I've never really considered writing a progression to match a melody. I like how it can completely transform the feel. Great stuff

[@ethanreed5815]

You know I've always been told to match my melodies with chord tones, but nothing beats hearing such good examples of it actually being done. I'm gonna try this out with some of the whack chord progressions that I've written. Thanks uncle Ben

[@fretboardrunner]

Incredible video. I think at some point I've known some of the stuff you said in here, but brought together and demonstrated in this way it really made my brain go 'click'.

[@kramregnu2945]

For me, the joy of playing guitar is recording a melody you thought of, and then adding the right chords. As a hobby for me over 30 years, this is what keeps me playing. I still tear up when I find those juicy chords that compliment the melody. Thanks for the lessons to help me make even more juicy chords.

[@markwelsh9068]

That was a great piece of video right there. Would love to see you expand on the concept more with more exotic and "out there" examples.

[@satchrules101]

The second last example sounded the best 2 chords. Simplicity always sounds better and always wins. Great lesson Ben!

[@SidSub]

Killed it Ben, had me skeprical at first with the "play triad tones" at the beginning. Came thru as always

[@josearalat]

This was an eureka moment for some of us who are stepdads and even granddads. Very cool and informative.

[@DemiLeFlame]

Wrote all of this out yesterday and had no idea how to make a formula of it. This was right on time

[@iestynwalters7681]

Perfect explanation 👌 thanks

[@lisaferrara8120]

Great video!

[@plgplgplg]

Went from thinking about adding Is this love to our song list to your vid on John Sykes to this great vid. Love the scale to melody to chord and then 7th approach. Thanks much.

[@plgplgplg]

Just trying your approach here and am finding that the original melody is easier to come up with by singing (humming) it, then copying on guitar than by trying to come up with it on guitar. Again thanks for the inspiration.

[@thesoundpurist]

Simple and effective. When a dude who know what he's doing is gifted to translate a concept to it's simplest expression.

[@destroso]

Awesome video, big thanks

[@SkeeterMcBeater]

Thanks uncle Ben!

[@joopvanzeir3330]

10/10 video uncle Ben!

[@jfo3000]

This was great Ben. Two of my most informative "classical guitar" lessons...teacher sat with me at the piano, no guitars, and he demonstrated some applicable simple music theory. Much like this. Music theory for most popular music is actually pretty simple, if explained properly.

[@TheStrykerProject]

The first "most melodic" player I thought of was Tom Scholz. Bostons' melodies are both beautiful and powerful. Edit: With harmonies, to boot!

[@TheStrykerProject]

@@Domn879 Agreed. And good call with Gilmour, Corgan, and Bellamy. I figured if I thought about it too long, the floodgate would open. Satch and Vai, too, of course.

[@GetTheFunkOut46]

Dude, you're such a great teacher. I wish I had someone like you around when I was a kid. Learning in my 30s is too much for my ape brain.

[@cheetorb]

Thank you, very helpful!

[@stefanosgiannakis7151]

Gold . Great job

[@sqrly2u]

Wow. I am so impressed with this video. You show in layman's term how work with and make melodies. And on top of that, you use Amazing Grace in the end. You are truly a man that is boundless in your guitar playing. Good day!

[@davidsk8rz]

A big chunk of fried gold, great way to start a Monday, thanks uncle

[@steve6290]

Good Job

[@ALLforROME]

Thanks bud! 💯

[@CyberDocUSA]

Not sure how I missed this episode and am glad I discovered it for some musical laughs today! Thanks, bruh! Have a memorable Memorial Day in a symbiotic way.

[@leechild4655]

I noticed listening to Jeff Beck and something that made him great was the progressions and beats presented to him. He was able to do what he did best which is player over the whole band and make it about him. He was great because he knew he was and/or had to be or it wouldnt work

[@broncoxy]

Thank you Uncle Ben, you made my brain go at least 25% faster with this video!

[@Mauitaoist]

I really like this lesson I saved it to my phone so I can review it a lot and use your technique for different keys. Your sample melody in this video was beautiful, it sounded like Steve Vai's For the Love of God.

[@jpalberthoward9]

The Blind Boys of Alabama sang "Amazing Grace" over the changes to "House of The Rising Sun" it was extraordinary.

[@TheZdannar]

Ben, in engineering school I had two types of professors. The first, who loved nothing but theory and seemed to try to expand the division between theory and practice. The second, who worked a day job in the field and wanted competent coworkers. Type two appreciated breaking down complex theories and chose to avoid elitism. Ben, you are a fantastic teacher. Thank you.

[@musicproductionvideos5019]

Wow Amazing info here! Another video exploring more examples please! I thought I had but then tried "Yesterday" melody... as if I had never heard the chords b4. Got stuck right away. Not sure why. Thanks!

[@Malediction99]

I love getting demo amps. I sit or stand so far away from them anyway that I genuinely can't see any dings, particularly if they're on the back of the unit. I got a Positive Grid BIAS head this way for 66% off because the box was trashed and it had a few small dings on it.

[@Hneel65]

This was an eye opener

[@vitobrattaforever402]

Thumbs up, Uncle Ben!!'👍👍

[@LaTrec9]

Good job 👏 👍 👌 🙌 😄 😀

[@Crowbar11115]

I've ordered a few Demo Deals from Sweetwater and every single one arrived looking 100% Mint!! One even mentioned it wouldn't include the original box/manual yet it arrived in the factory packaging!

[@OlaEnglund]

First!

[@BenEller]

You did it, Ola!!!

[@Giantcaterpillar]

Damn you, Ola

[@KaldDodeGitarist]

4 days ago?! Lol

[@paulbaglio6295]

Stay away from Scamtera 😁