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BLUES LICKS

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1

BLUES LICKS

The following are short phrases, or "licks," that you can use when soloing over a blues progression. They range from
simple to moderately difficult. Make sure you read each example (description and music) carefully before playing it.

TRADITIONAL ELECTRIC BLUES

Here are some fundamental licks in the styles of the universally acknowledged masters of traditional electric blues guitar,
such as B.B. King, Albert King, Albert Collins, and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Try to incorporate these licks into your own
playing.

CLASSIC LICK

This lick can be heard on countless recordings. Begin by bending the first note up a whole step. Make sure to use your
index and middle fingers for additional support.

REPETITION LICK

In this phrase, you must bend the D up a whole step (to E) and keep it bent while you pick the string two more times.

ALBERT KING-STYLE LICK

This is a simple lick for a slow blues, shown here in the key of A. Make sure when you bend that you only hear the pitch
of the string go up, not up and down. Apply some hearty vibrato to the last note.

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BLUES LICKS

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BENDING UPWARD

Start out slowly on this one——make sure only the upward parts of the bends are heard, not the releases.

TASTY BENDS

This lick opens with a huge (11/2 step) bend. To begin, place your index, middle, and ring fingers on the 10th, 11th, and
12th frets (respectively) of the B string, then bend the string up. After you reach the top of the bend, take your 2nd and
3rd fingers off the string, leaving only your first finger to hold up the string. Now pick the string, and release the bend
with your index finger. This lick requires a good deal of finger strength!

B.B. KING-STYLE RAKE LICK

This lick incorporates a technique called raking, which is done by picking successive strings with a sweeping motion of
the pick. In this case, the second, third, and fourth notes of the phrase are played with one continuous upstroke. The
final note is prepared by a rake over muted notes——pure B.B.

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BLUES LICKS

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A BUNCH OF BENDS

This lick contains a sampling of 1/4, 1/2, and full bends. Notice the bend into the E natural, the 3rd of the C7 chord, in
the last bar: This approach from below compensates for the downward motion of the rest of the lick.

This lesson is from:

GuitarOne Presents Blues Licks for Guitar

by Chris Amelar

A great guide to blues improvisation that will fit in your guitar case! This book will
help you develop a strong blues vocabulary by teaching many of the licks and phrases
essential to playing blues solos. Also examines scales used in blues improv, and
techniques like bending and vibrato.

Includes an intro by guitar pro Chris Amelar, and a complete 12-bar blues solo at the
end of the book.

Inventory # HL 2500118. Book $5.95 (US).