50 Blues Guitar Licks You MUST Know

Crucial phrases, concepts and blues guitar techniques you MUST know

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Jeff McErlain

Educator

blues, blues-rock, rock

Genres

About this course

Top educator, player and performing artist, Jeff McErlain presents 50 blues guitar licks covering a broad range of crucial blues moves you MUST know! McErlain's handpicked range of phrases, concepts and techniques takes you to the Mississippi Delta and beyond to help guide your development of the tools, techniques and vocabulary you'll need to unleash soulful lines and take your blues guitar playing to the next level.

Jeff draws from influences ranging from British royalty like Clapton, Page and Green to Texas bluesmen like SRV and the Reverend Billy G. Licks inspired by electric blues pioneers such as B.B., T Bone, Albert King and John Lee Hooker are also included. Of course, licks in the style of Robert Johnson are here along with plenty of Jimi-approved concepts.

50 Blues Licks goes well beyond the same old tired minor pentatonic moves as Jeff covers sliding 6ths, chromatics, minor and major applications, diminished lines, overtones, killer double-stops, octaves, rakes, swing comping, swampy down-home licks, Delta-approved turnarounds, tasty compingideas and how to use the blue's built-in flat third to natural third ambiguity to create tension and dynamics in your playing.

After mastering 50 Blues Guitar Licks You MUST Know, you'll have the knowledge to deliver powerful, evocative solos within a broad range of styles from British to Chicago, Austin to Detroit, Memphis to the Mississippi Delta.

Jeff McErlain's Preferred Gear

Below is a list of Jeff McErlain's preferred gear including guitars, amps, pedals, accessories, and more. What you see in Jeff's lessons may or may not be this actual gear, but if you are trying to capture Jeff's sound and tone, the gear listed below is recommended by Jeff and it's a great place to start!

Guitars

Amps

Pedals

Accessories & More

What you'll learn

Execute chromatic runs between chord tones
Create more sophisticated blues licks using outside notes
Use the flat third to natural third blues movement
Transpose the turnaround to other keys
Understand the importance of starting the lick on beat 2

Release date: 09/04/2009 • 1h 41m runtime

intermediate late intermediate advanced guitar electric guitar soloing licks

Start Course

Sample lessons

Tremolocity

Lick 4

Hot Shot

Lick 9

Compin'

Lick 10

Sliding Doublestops

Lick 14

Tremolocity

Lick 4

Hot Shot

Lick 9

Compin'

Lick 10

Sliding Doublestops

Lick 14

What's included

52 lessons • 50 charts • 50 Jam Tracks

50 Blues Guitar Licks

A large part of becoming a good player and improviser is about expanding your vocabulary. This is true for every genre of music, but let's talk blues. Some people feel that Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan or Albert King were playing as if the gods were speaking through them. Well, OK they do sound like that, but I'm sure they would have a different take on it if you asked them. I am sure they would tell you that they learned solos from other people and practiced their butts off. Although they were improvising at that moment, the licks they were playing are based on licks, patterns and ideas they have in their musical vocabulary and they were simply drawing on them. That is not to say they aren't masters of the instrument and unique. My point is; learn as many licks as you can! What I tried to do is supply you with 50 Blues Licks You Must Know that will expand your vocabulary and make you a better player. Poke around and start with the ones that jump out at you, get them under your fingers and go to the next. Let's get started!

Rolling Stoned

Here it is, to me the essence of the blues in one lick. I first heard it on Muddy Water's Rolling Stone blues. A classic lick that mutated throughout time to become Voodoo Chile' Slight Return, and even the groovy section of War Pigs by Black Sabbath. The consummate open E blues lick. Groove on this one for hours, tune down a ½ step and go to Jimi land.

Eric's Turn

It may be one of the most overplayed songs on classic rock radio but I highly suggest you give Cream's take on Robert Johnson's “Crossroads” a closer listen, again! It is an encyclopedia of Brit blues/rock vocabulary not to mention Clapton at his fiery best. This was one of the first licks I ever learned that nails the V chord in bar 12. A must know.

B.B.'s Box

Here is lick that BB has made his signature. A simple A major pentatonic lick is what is often referred to as BB's box due to his extensive use of the position. Slides, bends to the major third, and classic phrasing make this lick essential. Check out BB's live at the Regal for the man at his best.

Tremolocity

Tremolo picking basically means, PICK AS FAST AS YOU CAN! This lick is borrowed from SRV. I highly suggest you watch clips of him playing. His physical approach to the instrument has a huge effect on his tone and attack. That is true for all players. A SRV lick won't sound right unless you attack the instrument the same way. Oh, by the way, you can attack the strings softly as well.

Jimi Flash

This lick has been around for a while but I first heard Hendrix play it on live at Winterland. SRV put it to good use as well. Take your time with this one, it is a bit long but well worth the payoff. Super flashy and it always turns heads. For best SRV, use the neck pickup of a Strat and pick hard. Oh yeah, heavy strings and high action help for big tone.

Swampy Lick

Great delta blues lick in the style of Lightnin' Hopkins. This lick incorporates open strings ringing out over fretted notes to give that swampy sound. Try using the fingers on your pick hand to sound the strings. This produces a fuller tone and snap the strings for an authentic delta pop. This one works over both a major and minor blues because it doesn't contain a 3rd.

+ 45 more lessons