In this video I show you 5 licks that will help you visualise the fretboard in a different way and start thinking about the intervals that can be used in a blues improvisation. The intervals of a particular scale and how they relate to the chord are the most important thing when choosing what notes to play. I discuss the ideas behind the licks and encourage you to expand on these lines and develop them into your own playing.

As I mention at the beginning, blues is about the story of your solo and how it is developed – I obviously played some classic lines at the beginning of the video for demonstration purposes, and course there are cliche licks and tricks that have come out of the blues, but the heartbeat of a good blues solo is thematic based playing that tells a story. This is something we should all strive to do, and these licks will give you an understanding of how you might be able to tell your own story within particular stylistic conventions and language.

Thanks for watching!

Backing track used – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XuVO-Yw6scI
Other pentatonic licks you could learn – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5gusdjMtFw
Get a little more flashy with some tapping? – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9SN1xh_pOF8&t=65s
Steal some ideas from my solos here – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5Ma2X9DBSU

0:00 Performance
0:46 Intro
1:30 Which one is it!?
2:14 Lick 1
4:52 Lick 2
6:59 Lick 3
9:05 Lick 4
11:20 Lick 5
13:00 End Performance