Sie sind auf Seite 1von 12

12bar.

de

http://12bar.de/cms/tuto rial/blues-licks/

Solo Guitar Blues Licks and Solos


Introduction
I have one bit tonight that I do Ill mull over what Im going to do when its my turn. But Eric doesnt
even think. Jump on him at any time, say Go! and hell take you to another level. Then if you say
Once more, hell take you even higher.
- Andy Fairweather-Low, 2001

When you start playing solos and thinking of the architecture of a solo, how
to build up and release tension and all these things, you need a basic set of
Blues licks to start with. A lick contains a f ew notes which belong together
like words in a sentence and have special meaning or express a certain
f eeling. In a solo you can use all these licks as a base, combining them and
using additional notes. Steal what you like, f rom dif f erent musicians or
dif f erent styles, and put it together playing it in your own way this is
standard in Blues music. Its good to have a big repertoire of licks f or each
situation, so that you can instantly start playing and tell the audience what
you want to tell. Once again compare it to learning a language like a kid,
starting without thinking of grammar, just learning to combine words so that
others understand what youre meaning. T his is quite dif f erent than most
other guitar styles, where you start with learning a scale and then play readymade songs f rom a sheet of paper. A good Blues guitar player doesnt need
to be f ast he needs to know when to play which note like a good
storyteller without a book.
When I wrote this, I was a beginner myself , back in 1996. In the meanwhile
there are lots of tutorial web sites and many videos on youtube about playing a solo. But this tutorial is still
valid, complete and f ree. Use what you like.
So much f or the introduction, now let us begin
At f irst, listen to the intervals of the Blues scale:
perfect unison minor third perfect fourth perfect fifth minor seventh
and the diminished fifth as the blue note
Just play the root note f ollowed by the interval note above simply the Blues scale we discussed bef ore in a
way to compare root note and interval note. Youll f ind strong and weak intervals you can use f or the solo.
T hen proceed taking the other notes and compare them. T his is your basic material. Now build up a Blues lick
starter kit, using the f ollowing licks and taking more f rom the songs discussed on this site.
Remember that when you are playing a Blues solo, you still use the I-IV-V chord progression (or in general
the chord progression of the song). Start with playing around the corresponding notes, f or example in the key
of E:
during the I: E(7)

during the IV: A7


during the V: B7
T he notes using f irst minor pentatonic pattern in E, 12th f ret, a mixture of tab and f retboard view:
I--12------15--I--12-----------I--------------------I-----------------I--E------ G-------I
I--12------15--I---------------I--------------------I--12-------------I--B------D-------I
I--12--14------I---------------I------14------------I-----------------I-- G--A-----------I
I--12--14------I------14-------I--------------------I-----------------I--D--E-----------I
I--12--14------I---------------I--12----------------I------14---------I--A--B-----------I
I--12------15--I--12-----------I--------------------I-----------------I--E------ G-------I
all not es I (t onic, E) IV (subdominant , A) V (dominant , B) t he not es

Download mp3
To understand it better lets play something in the f irst minor pentatonic pattern, 12th f ret. Use a 12 bar Blues
song f or the background or stamp the rhythm with your f eet. Its very very simple, just to explain how it works!
We start with a classic 12 bar Blues, 4 measures of I (tonic, E):
I
I
I
I
I--------------------I----------------------I----------12--12~~--I-15p12----12-------I
I--------------------I----------------------I--15b(17)-----------I-------15----15/17-I
I--------12b---------I----------12b---------I--------------------I-------------------I
I-14-14--------------I-12h14-14-------------I--------------------I-------------------I
I--------------------I----------------------I--------------------I-------------------I
I--------------------I----------------------I--------------------I-------------------I
1
2
3
4

Download mp3
f ollowed by two measures IV (subdominant, A) and two measures I (tonic, E)
IV
IV
I
I
I--------------------I----------------------I------------------I---------------------I
I--------------------I----------------------I------------------I---------------------I
I----12--14-14~~-----I--14b15rb14-12-14-14--I------------------I---------------------I
I-14-----------------I----------------------I--12h14-14~~~-----I-----12----12-14-14--I
I--------------------I----------------------I------------------I--14----14-----------I
I--------------------I----------------------I------------------I---------------------I
5
6
7
8

Download mp3
then 1 measure V (dominant, B), 1 measure IV (subdominant, A), and f inally 1 measure I (tonic, E) and 1
measure V (dominant, B, the turnaround)

V
IV
I
V
I--------------------I----------------------I---------------------I------------------I
I---------12-12------I-12-12----------------I---------------------I------------------I
I-14b(16)------------I-------15-14-14\------I---------------------I------------------I
I--------------------I----------------------I----12----12-14-14---I--14--------------I
I--------------------I----------------------I-14----14------------I-----12-13-14-14--I
I--------------------I----------------------I---------------------I------------------I
9
10
11
12

Download mp3
You can also use a simple backing track f rom the f ree backtrack generator (use def ault settings: key E, 12
bars, 90 bpm) to play along and stay in time.

A typical Blues opening step by step


Mel Bay's Master Anthology of Blues Guitar Solos, Vol. 1
List price: $24.30
Scale: A minor pentatonic at the 5th f ret.
Played f or example on
Have You Ever Loved A Woman , Groaning The Blues or Double Trouble (in C)
Like many intros an ascending lick into the root note (here: A). Lets start quite simple with
the basic notes (taken f rom the A minor chord):
I------5-5---------------I
I----5-------------------I
I--7---------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
OK, sounds like nothing.
No Mississippi Delta, no Chicago Blues club, nothing.
We add a f ull-tone bending:
I-----------5-5----------I
I---------5--------------I
I---7b(9)----------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
Much better, isnt it? T he beginning of the lick is OK now, but the end is still boring.
We add a vibrato at the end:

I----------5-5~~---------I
I--------5---------------I
I--7b(9)-----------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
Better, but still not breathtaking. Now we add a slide:
I---------5--------------I
I-------5---8/10~~-------I
I-7b(9)------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I

Download mp3
and the lick is almost complete!
Take a closer look: the licks starts ascending with a bend f rom the note on the G-string into the note with the
same pitch of the B-string, and the lick ends with a slide on the B-string into the root note, picked bef ore on
the E-string.
T he other way is to replace the slide with a second bending, more dif f icult to play than the previous lick,
bending with vibrato at the same time:
I---------5--------------I
I-------5---8b(10)~~-----I
I-7b(9)------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
Yeah, thats it. T he notes between. Now keep on Groaning The Blues From The Cradle:
I----------5---------8-10-(12)rb10-8-----------------------5~~~---I
I--------5---7/10~~------------------10-10~~----------------------I
I--7b(9)---------------------------------------7br--p5------------I
I-------------------------------------------------------7---------I
I--root --------root ------------------root ------------------root ---I
I-----------------------------------------------------------------I

Another Example: Variations Of A well Known Lick


One of most popular Blues rock licks in history is the intro of Layla. It is a copy, thats no secret: Duane Allman
borrowed it f rom Albert Kings As T he Years Go Passing By f rom his 1967 album Born Under a Bad Sign. It is
the verse T here is nothin I can do.

I--------10h13p10----10~~--I
I--10h13----------13-------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
Now play it slowly without hammer-ons and pull-of f s and listen. T han compare it to the original lyrics and youll
hear that it just that: it sounds desperate, helpless, hopeless. T he complete verse is:
There is nothing I can do, if you leave me, with a cry
Baby my love will follow you, as the years go passing by
If you analyze it youll see that its a very simple minor pentatonic lick starting with the dominant and ending
with the root note. Including a note f rom the major scale makes is sound less dramatic:
I--------10-12-10----10~~--I
I--10-13----------13-------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
Below youll see a section of the D minor pentatonic (10th f ret), with root notes (red), blue notes (blue) and
additional gray notes f orm the major pentatonic:
Now its time to try some variations and f ind out how they sound. For
example:
I--------10-13-15-13-10~~--I I--------10----10----10----I
I--10-13-------------------I
I--10-13----13----13-------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------13-10-------10----I
I--10-13-------13-10-------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
Or something like:
I--------10-13-10-------I-------I I--------10-13-10----15-I-13-10-I
I--10-13----------13-10-I-------I I--10-13----------13----I-------I
I-----------------------I-10----I I-----------------------I-------I
I-----------------------I----12-I I-----------------------I-------I
I-----------------------I-------I
I-----------------------I-------I
I-----------------------I-------I
I-----------------------I-------I

As you see there are some dif f erences, but as long as the f irst and last note are the same, the main theme is
similar. T he last examples end on a dif f erent note and need to be continued, like in the second bar.

Timing
Advanced Concepts f or Blues Guitar Soloing Book/CD
List price: $20.56
When you start playing you should try to be in time with the rhythm. T his is essential,
playing of f -beat (f aster and slower) all the time is nerving. Dont try to play f ast if you
cant play it clean. However, if youre getting better and miss the magic of the great Blues
artists although your playing is solid you have to work on your timing again. Usually a
drummer cares f or the rhythm. Good drummers are able to add of f beat beats that
sound great. Guitar players can do this, too by adding a small pause just bef ore the
note actually starts. Everyone expects the note virtually hearing it but there is none.
Just when the brain notices that its missing you have to play it, this releases the tension and
sounds so good. Most Blues players are a master of this technique: playing behind the beat. In
the example above the root note we go up to in the very beginning is a good choice just play
it a bit too late

Short example
Lets play a short virtual EC-style solo. We play at the 1st f ingering pattern of the E scale at the 12th f ret,
starting f rom E (root note) with a variation of the ascending lick above. T hen we add a note f rom the major
scale with a bending into the next minor. We close the solo with a descending lick including a release bend and
end again on the root note E:
I------------12------------12~~~-12-14b(15)rb14~~~-12-14-(15)rb14-12----------------I
I---------12----12-15b(17)----------------------------------------------------------I
I-14b(16)------------------------------------------------------------14b(16)rb14----I
I-root -------------bend int o root ---major-scale-------------------root ------release-I
I-----------------------------------not e------------------------------------bend----I
I-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-------------------I
I-------------------I
I--p12--------------I
I------14-12-14~~~--I
I------------root ---I
I-------------------I

Download mp3
T he mixed E minor and major pentatonic Blues scale f or this solo:

A good way to learn how to put more f eeling into your sound is trying to sound like a voice. Lets have a look
at two examples, nearly identical except the last note. T he f irst lick uses only the minor pentatonic ending
with the root note. T he vocal f or this part could be something like My baby lef t me, I cried all night. We play in
the key of E, 12th f ret.
I-----15b(17)-12------------12---------------------------I
I--12------------12-15b(17)------------------------------I
I---------------------------root ---14br-p12----12--------I
I-------------------------------------------14-----14~~~-I
I--------------------------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------------------root --I

Download mp3
T he next example ends with a note f rom the major scale. T his gives a dif f erent color to this lick. T he same
vocal as above now sounds really like a question: My baby lef t me, what going on?. T his lick has an open end,
it needs to be continued. If we use the A-A-B Blues structure, now part B must f ollow like If she cant make it,
yeah, her sister Betty will do
I-----15b(17)-12------------12---------------------------I
I--12------------12-15b(17)------------------------------I
I---------------------------root ---14br-p12----12--13~~--I
I-------------------------------------------14-----major-I
I--------------------------------------------------scale-I
I--------------------------------------------------not e--I

Download mp3
You can generate MIDI backing tracks online to jam to using the Jamtrack generator.

Decades of EC-licks a lick library


Below youll f ind some of ten used Blues licks in various keys. Most of them are discussed on the page f or that
certain song. Although all pentatonic licks can be played in the I, IV and V position you should f ind out where to
use them by simply analysing which notes are important see above.
Intro of John Lee Hookers Boom Boom / EC and the Yardbirds:

E
GA E
I-----------------------0--0--0--3-5--0------I
I------3----------------0--0--0--3-5--0------I
I-/2h4---4p2p0----------1--1--1--4-6--1------I
I---------------2-0-2---2--2--2--5-7--2------I
I-----------------------2--2--2--5-7--2------I
I-----------------------0--0--0--3-5--0------I
All Your Love f rom Otis Rush John Mayalls Blues Breakers f eaturing EC (Beano)
I-5/----------------------5/--------------------5/--------------------------I
I-5/----------------------5/--------------------5/--------------------------I
I-5/--7b(9)rb7p5---5------5/-7b(9)rb7p5---5-----5/-7b(9)rb7p5---5h7~~-et c---I
I----------------7---7~~~---------------7---7~~---------------7-------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
and the solo of this song, with much distortion, do not mute the strings:
I----------12----------12------------------------12---------5------------I
I----13----------13------------------------13----------13---6------------I
I-14----14----14----14----14~~~--repeat -14----14----14------7-repeat 1st -I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----------12--------7-7\5-8--------------I
I-----13----------13--8-8\6-6--------------I
I--14----14----14-----9-9\7-7-8br5---------I
I-----------------------------------7p5h~--I
I------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------I
Crossroads Cream
I--------5---------------I
I------5---8-5-----------I
I--5h6---------7-5-7-----I
I--------------------5~~-I
I------------------------I
I------------------------I
Sunshine of your love Cream
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-12-12-10-12--------------------12-12-10-12--------------------------------I
I-------------12-11-10----8b~----------------12-11-10----8h10p8-------------I
I----------------------10----10-----------------------10--------10----------I
Willie Dixons Spoonf ul Cream (very intense wrist vibrato!)

I------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----8~~---8~~---8~~---------8b---10b(12)rb10p8---8~~-------I
I-7-9-----9-----9-----9~--7h9----9---------------9-----9-----I
I------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------I
I------------------------------------------------------------I
lat er:
I---------------------------------I
I---------------------------------I
I---------------------------------I
I-0h2-2-2-2-2-2-2-0---------------I
I-------------------2-1-0---------I
I-------------------------3b-0----I
Cream live II improvisations
I------------10------13h15----13b----15b-15b-13-15----13b-------------------I
I---------10----/15--------15-----15---------------15-----15--13----13-15~~-I
I--12b(14)-------------------------------------------------------14---------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
Goin into the 70s Derek and the Dominos with Nobody knows you when youre down and out
I----------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I-----13-13-15b(17)-15b(17)-15b(17)-15b(17)-15b(17)rb15p13--------11b-11b-11-I
I-/14------------------------------------------------------14-14~------------I
I----------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I----------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I----------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I----------8-----------------------------------I
I--------8---11-8------------------------------I
I-10b(12)---------10b(12)rb10-8----------------I
I-------------------------------10~~-----------I
I-------------------------------------8-9-10~--I
I----------------------------------------------I
From the intro of Why does love got to be so sad Derek and the Dominos, ultimate guitar work together with
Duane Allman
I------------------------------10b-------------------10b--------------------I
I------------------10~~--12~~------12-12-10-12----10-----12-12-10-12-...----I
I-------7-9--9/11------------------------------11---------------------------I
I-7h9~~---------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I
I---------------------------------------------------------------------------I

All time standard EC Blues licks:

For the A Blues scale:


I----------I
I----------I
I--7br-5---I
I--------7-I
I----------I
I----------I

I--5-8-5h8p5---5-I I---------I
I--5---------8---I I--5/7\5--I
I----------------I I---------I
I----------------I I--5/7\5--I
I----------------I I---------I
I----------------I I---------I

For the E Blues scale:


I----------12-15b(17)-12----15b(17)-12---------12--I
I-------12---------------12------------12-15~~-----I
I---14b--------------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------------------I
I----------------------------------------I
I----------------------------------------I
I--14b(16)rb14-p12----14-----12h13-------I
I------------------14----14--------14----I
I-------------------------------------14-I
I----------------------------------------I
Some repeating patterns EC often uses
Repeating patterns are short runs, which are repeated several times. You can vary speed, sound and volume
and use them as a part of your solos.

I------5-----5-----5-----5-I I--8p5---8p5---8p5---8p5---8p5---8p5----I
I--5h7---5h7---5h7---5h7---I I------5-----5-----5-----5-----5-----5--I
I--------------------------I I---------------------------------------I
I--------------------------I I---------------------------------------I
I--------------------------I I---------------------------------------I
I--------------------------I I---------------------------------------I
I-----------------------------------------------------I
I-----12-15-12-----12-15-12-----12-15-12-----12-15-12-I
I-14b----------14b----------14b----------14b----------I
I-----------------------------------------------------I
I-----------------------------------------------------I
I-----------------------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------I
I----12-14-14br-p12----12-14-14br-p12--I
I-14----------------14-----------------I
I--------------------------------------I
I--------------------------------------I
I--12h15----12h15----------I
I--------15-------15---...-I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
I--------------------------I
Intros
Malted Milk (E)
I-----12-12-12-12----12-----I---5-5--5-5-I
I---------------------------I---4-4--4-4-I
I---------------------------I---4-4--4-4-I
I--12----12-11----11-10--9~-I-4-----4--4-I
I---------------------------I------------I
I---------------------------I------------I
Key to the Highway (A)
I--12--12--12--12---------------I
I--12b-12b-12b-12b--------------I
I--------------------0t r1......-I
I-------------------------------I
I-------------------------------I
I------------------0------------I
Layla (electric)

I-----------------I------------I
I-----------------I------------I
I-------7h10r7----I-7~~--------I
I--7-10--------10-I------------I
I-----------------I------------I
I-----------------I------------I
Layla unplugged (slow acoustic shuf f le)
D5
Bb
C
D5
I--------I------------I------------I
I--------I-3----3-3---I-5-5-5---3--I
I------2-I-2--3-3-3---I-5-5-5---2--I
I------0-I----3-3-3---I-5-5-5-0----I
I--0h3---I--3-1-----3-I-----3------I
I--------I------------I------------I
(Tip: play the bass notes f irst, then try the chords D5-Bb-C-D5 and then try picking!)

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen