15 Essential Blues Guitar Licks (Skillshare)

Our solo spans two choruses (twice around the 12 bar progression) and features many classic blues licks and phrases in the styles of B.B. King, Freddie King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Albert King and Albert Collins.

These 15 licks feature classic blues tonality, along with chord tones that really highlight the changes. These are all extremely usable ideas that you can incorporate into your own playing. Each lick breakdown features on-screen tab

In addition to learning the solo, we’re also going to cover a very cool rhythm guitar part that you can try out next time you find yourself at a blues jam.

For a full range of blues guitar lessons, featuring HD video tutorials, high quality backing tracks, tab, standard notation and fretboard diagrams.

Project Description

Course requirements.

Some prior knowledge of fundamental electric guitar techniques, such as string bending and vibrato. This course is ideal for Intermediate and advanced players looking to add a bluesy flavour to their playing.
Part 1 - Introduction

In this introduction video, we take a listen to the solo we will be learning and get a brief overview of the course.

Before learning any guitar solo, it’s good practice to listen to it multiple times, in order to really internalise the phrasing and the melody.

This introduction can be used for reference whenever we wish to listen to the licks in the solo, played in context.
Part 2 - Blues Rhythm Guitar

As with all styles of guitar music, rhythm guitar is just as important as lead when playing the blues. When we jam with other blues musicians, we spend a great deal of time accompanying other soloists.

In this video, we will learn a highly useable rhythm guitar part that will help us to really sit in the pocket with the rest of the band. Our song structure is a 12 bar shuffle blues in the key of A.

We have two very similar backing tracks to practice along with. The second features just bass and drums, so we can practice our rhythm guitar playing without a guide guitar.

The chord shapes and 12 bar song structure are written out in the accompanying lesson sheet.
Part 3 - About Blues Soloing

Before we delve into learning the licks, it’s good practice to learn some of the key components that give blues soloing its instantly recognisable, expressive sound.

The phrasing in blues guitar soloing is very conversational. It features a lot of repetition and what some refer to as call & response or question and answer phrasing.

Another key factor in blues language is the use of space. Often, the notes we don’t play are as effective as the notes we do.

Most of the musical harmony in our solo comes from the overlay of the minor and the major pentatonic scales. We will also be using chord tones. Chord tones are essentially notes from whichever chord we happen to be soloing over: most commonly the root, third, fifth and seventh intervals. Playing the changes, as it’s known in blues and jazz circles, can be a very melodic approach to soloing.

The attached lesson sheets feature the 5 positions of both the A minor pentatonic and the A major pentatonic scales.
Part 4 - Solo Breakdown - Licks 1-7

Now that we’ve had an insight into the language of the blues, it’s time to learn the 15 licks in our solo.

Our solo spans 24 bars (twice around the 12 bar progression).

It’s recommended that you listen to the solo multiple times before learning the licks, in order to memorise the phrasing in context.

In this lesson, we will learn the first half of our solo: licks 1-7.

In addition to the on-screen tab, there is an attached lesson sheet, featuring a full transcription of the solo in with tab and standard notation.

Use the attached backing track to practice the licks, or to try out your own ideas.
Part 5 - Solo Breakdown - Licks 8-15

In this lesson, we will learn the second half of our solo: licks 8-15.

In addition to the on-screen tab, there is an attached lesson sheet, featuring a full transcription of the solo in with tab and standard notation.

Use the attached backing track to practice the licks, or to try out your own ideas.
Part 6 - Summary And Further Study

I hope that the licks and ideas presented in this lesson package serve you well and find their way into your playing.

Regardless of the style of music you usually play, the influence of the blues is undeniable in all musical genres; from blues, rock and metal, to jazz, country and fusion.

I say this to all of my students, but in order to play the blues, you need to be able to hear the blues. In order to hear the blues, you need to listen to it a lot. I strongly recommend putting together a playlist of all of your favourite blues songs in order to really internalise the phrasing of the blues.

I wish you the best of luck with your guitar journey