In this lesson, we’ll get right into the blues and teach you three straightforward licks so you can start playing in the style straight away.
These licks will be built from the A blues scale. This is the same as the minor pentatonic scale, but with an added b5 passing note. While this interval sounds very dissonant, as a passing tone it adds tension to the blues scale. The kicker is that we’ll be playing the pattern up an octave on the higher strings.
For more advanced players, there’s a clever way to get up to this position by working your way through the regular scale pattern, then through the ‘Albert King’ box. You’ll be able to begin the A blues scale again on the top strings.
All of these licks will be in the 10th fret position. The first lick is a standard that everyone needs to know, showcasing the classic blues sound. The second lick adds four notes to the end of the first lick creating a phrase.
Playing with phrases is helpful in giving your solos space and making statements with your ideas. The third lick adds variation to the original lick. This is a great reminder that by adding simple variations in your riffs, you can create compelling solo ideas.
For more blues soloing specifics, including the best notes to use, head to Guitar Tricks.
Example 1. Repeating blues lick
With this straightforward repeating blues lick you’ll be able to sound like a classic blues guitarist. Notice that it’s phrased in triplets (groupings of three notes) – and you may need to spend a little time nailing the triplet feel separately from memorising the notes. The timecode at the left of the tab tells you where the lick appears in the video.
Example 2. Classic blues phrase
Ending a riff with some ‘statement’ notes will take your sound to a more professional level. You’ll sound more experienced by playing phrases between your repeating licks.
This lick has a different feel from the previous example, with four notes for each musical pulse. Again, practice slowly.
Example 3. Blues lick variation
Here, we’re mixing up the rhythm to add some variety the more standard licks we’ve looked at so far. This will allow you to extend your solos and play longer. You’ll also get more out of each idea – so make sure to experiment with rhythm in your own ideas.
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