sofficino
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05/24/26
A true Legend of a guitar
335 Blues Motifs
Creative approaches for crafting blues solos and improvisation
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About this course
Motifs are technically defined as “a short succession of notes producing a single impression; a brief melodic or rhythmic formula out of which longer passages are developed.” While that’s a very accurate description, blues motifs may very well be the single most impactful element of blues guitar improvisation.
A blues guitar player with strong motivic development skills doesn't need blazing technique or deep theoretical knowledge to engage listeners and pull them to the edge of their seats. Motifs help you connect with your audience, interact with your band, and creatively frame the stories you tell them through your solos and improvisations.
Anyone familiar with Larry Carlton’s solos knows that he almost always starts with a short melodic statement — a motif. The phrase following that opening statement might be a similar phrase but slightly altered. Or slightly altered and played in a higher register. Or played softer or louder. Or have a similar rhythmic feel. This ‘motivic development’ process continues throughout the entire solo. Larry Carlton is a master of motifs.
Naturally, Larry isn't thinking about motifs while he’s soloing. It’s a creative ability that's been long embedded in his musicality. Fortunately, to help the rest of us develop those skills, Larry dissected his own approach and presents his key blues motivic development techniques in 335 Blues Motifs.
Larry presents his curriculum across 12 lesson sets, each featuring a different approach, concept or insight: Soloing With Motifs, Listening To The Band, Dynamics & Registers, Implying The Chords, Imitating Bass Lines, Imitating Other Parts, Space & Common Tones, Expressions, Practicing Motifs, Telling A Story, Comping With Motifs: 1 and Comping With Motifs: 2.
All 12 sets of lessons feature blues rhythm tracks in a variety of keys and feels. In the first video of the set, Larry talks about the track and then demonstrates a particular motivic approach. In the second video of each set, Larry applies the approach to construct a full solo. All of the performances are tabbed and notated, plus you’ll get all of the rhythm tracks to work with on your own.
Grab your guitar and dig in!
A blues guitar player with strong motivic development skills doesn't need blazing technique or deep theoretical knowledge to engage listeners and pull them to the edge of their seats. Motifs help you connect with your audience, interact with your band, and creatively frame the stories you tell them through your solos and improvisations.
Anyone familiar with Larry Carlton’s solos knows that he almost always starts with a short melodic statement — a motif. The phrase following that opening statement might be a similar phrase but slightly altered. Or slightly altered and played in a higher register. Or played softer or louder. Or have a similar rhythmic feel. This ‘motivic development’ process continues throughout the entire solo. Larry Carlton is a master of motifs.
Naturally, Larry isn't thinking about motifs while he’s soloing. It’s a creative ability that's been long embedded in his musicality. Fortunately, to help the rest of us develop those skills, Larry dissected his own approach and presents his key blues motivic development techniques in 335 Blues Motifs.
Larry presents his curriculum across 12 lesson sets, each featuring a different approach, concept or insight: Soloing With Motifs, Listening To The Band, Dynamics & Registers, Implying The Chords, Imitating Bass Lines, Imitating Other Parts, Space & Common Tones, Expressions, Practicing Motifs, Telling A Story, Comping With Motifs: 1 and Comping With Motifs: 2.
All 12 sets of lessons feature blues rhythm tracks in a variety of keys and feels. In the first video of the set, Larry talks about the track and then demonstrates a particular motivic approach. In the second video of each set, Larry applies the approach to construct a full solo. All of the performances are tabbed and notated, plus you’ll get all of the rhythm tracks to work with on your own.
Grab your guitar and dig in!
What you'll learn
- Use space effectively by holding common tones
- Learn to comp while actively listening to lead guitar and bass
- Understand how to combine multiple techniques (motifs, imitation, dynamics) into cohesive musical storytelling
- Learn to play with emotional intent rather than just technical execution
- Develop the ability to play simply on first pass to analyze the musical context
Release date: 02/02/2015 • 1h 06m runtime
Sample lessons
Implying The Chords
Concepts & Approaches
Implying The Chords
Performance
Imitating Bass Lines
Concepts & Approaches
Imitating Bass Lines
Performance
What's included
25 lessons • 12 charts • 12 Jam Tracks
335 Blues Motifs
Welcome to 335 Blues Motifs!
If you’re familiar with my solos, you know that I usually start with a short statement that sets the theme for the story I go on to tell you with my improvisation. That short statement is a motif, and it sets the stage for everything that follows.
Motifs and themes are very useful when soloing and comping. They help you tell your story. They help you connect with your audience. And they help you interact with the band.
I'm excited to share with you many of the ways that work with motifs. We’ll talk about, demonstrate and apply approaches including space, dynamics, repetition, imitation, playing in different registers, listening to the band, imitating bass lines and other parts, common tones, implying chords and expressions.
We'll work through 12 lesson sets, each featuring a rhythm track, which we'll apply a different approach to. Everything is tabbed and notated plus you'll get all of the rhythm tracks to work with on your own.
Ready to get started? Grab your guitar and lets dig in!
Soloing With Motifs
In this first set of video lessons, Larry introduces the concept of soloing using motifs to “tell the story” and connect with the audience to take them on a musical journey.
Using a slow blues track in the key of G, with a rhythm guitar part, Larry demonstrates several approaches for establishing a motif and then developing it into a full solo.
Larry addresses approaches including imitation, playing in different registers and the use and importance of space to let the lines breath and give the audience a chance to follow along.
Soloing With Motifs
In this first set of video lessons, Larry introduces the concept of soloing using motifs to “tell the story” and connect with the audience to take them on a musical journey.
Using a slow blues track in the key of G, with a rhythm guitar part, Larry demonstrates several approaches for establishing a motif and then developing it into a full solo.
Larry addresses approaches including imitation, playing in different registers and the use and importance of space to let the lines breath and give the audience a chance to follow along.
Listening To The Band
Using a blues track similar to Crosscut Saw in the Key of D with both organ and guitar rhythm parts, Larry stresses the importance of listening the band and then developing motifs that best fit and compliment the other parts.
Larry demonstrates how to imitate some of the lines and rhythms that the other musicians are playing. He also demonstrates how place your motifs between parts. Both are very effective approaches for establishing and then developing motifs.
Listening To The Band
Using a blues track similar to Crosscut Saw in the Key of D with both organ and guitar rhythm parts, Larry stresses the importance of listening the band and then developing motifs that best fit and compliment the other parts.
Larry demonstrates how to imitate some of the lines and rhythms that the other musicians are playing. He also demonstrates how place your motifs between parts. Both are very effective approaches for establishing and then developing motifs.
Dynamics & Registers
In this set of video lessons, Larry emphasizes two very effective tools for working with motifs; dynamics and playing in different registers.
Even without melodic reinforcement, playing parts of your solo softer or louder is a strong approach for pulling the entire solo together and connecting with the audience. Dynamics happens to also be one of the easiest techniques to execute, yet most players don't take advantage of it.
Playing a line in a lower register, and then playing that very same line in a higher register is also a very easy approach for motivic development. Altering the lines slightly, or using a call and answer approach, while using different registers is a very effective tool as well.
Dynamics & Registers
In this set of video lessons, Larry emphasizes two very effective tools for working with motifs; dynamics and playing in different registers.
Even without melodic reinforcement, playing parts of your solo softer or louder is a strong approach for pulling the entire solo together and connecting with the audience. Dynamics happens to also be one of the easiest techniques to execute, yet most players don't take advantage of it.
Playing a line in a lower register, and then playing that very same line in a higher register is also a very easy approach for motivic development. Altering the lines slightly, or using a call and answer approach, while using different registers is a very effective tool as well.
+ 18 more lessons
Reviews
20 results
Delaube
Verified buyer
10/25/25
Not just about guitar but musicality.
Mahkmud
Verified buyer
05/14/25
Larry Carlton 335 Blues Motifs
A great course, good insight into Larry Carlton’s style, improvisation and techniques and navigating the guitar fretboard.
Maddyd1
Verified buyer
01/05/25
Blues Motifs
Solid advice from a respected blues guitarist… Nice bite sized teachable segments with awesome backing tracks… Like the insight into listening to your band mates so that you enhance each others playing. .
antom
Verified buyer
01/09/24
Modern and sophisticated blues
Very nice course, modern and sophisticated blues from a master of contemporary blues.
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