GUITARHABITS

Free Quality Guitar Lessons

3 Basic Blues Licks Using The Pentatonic Scale

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For all you blues beginners out there, in this video I will teach you the A pentatonic scale and three basic blues licks that use this scale.

The Pentatonic scale is the most often used scale for soloing and improvising in blues and rock. If you are just starting out in blues you should definitely check out this video. The 3 blues licks are free and for you to use in your own improvisation. Copy them, rip them apart, turn them around and make them your own. Use the pentatonic scale to create your own licks and solos. Be cool!

 

 

Tablature explanation:
p = pull off
h = hammer on
bd = bend down
bu = bend up
\ = slide



A MINOR PENTATONIC SCALE:
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36 Impeccable Ways to Overcome Songwriters Block

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photo by Sean McGrath
afbeelding-1Does songwriters block affect me? Yes, sometimes, but fortunately not for a long period of time. If I really get stuck it’s just for an hour or a day.

I can also have writers block over one particular song, but then I start writing on something else and the inspiration miraculously comes back.

I spent a decent amount of time on lyrics to make it work. It can take a day, a few days or a week and it is only seldom that I finish a complete song in a hour or so. When it does happen it’s mostly one of my better works.

Nice chord progressions, finger-pickings, cool licks and solos is the fun part. I can write music endlessly. Lyrics for me is the more difficult part and sometimes I can get stuck, but that is where the list comes in. This list definitely makes things go a lot smoother.

Put these 33 impeccable ways to the test yourself and experience the magic of inspiration:

1 – Ask why, how, when, where and who?
Ask yourself questions about the subject. If your song is about a suspicious old man then ask the questions: Where does he go? Where did he come from? Who is he? What is he going to do? Who are his friends? Does he have any? What are his interests? What are his dreams? Is he married? What is his history? Why does he act so strange? Ask as many questions as possible to come up with ideas.
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3 Cool Blues Licks To Spice Up Your Improvisation

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Today I will teach you three cool blues licks to spice up your improvisation skills. There are a lot of blues licks out there that sound a little ordinary so here are some cool blues ingredients to make your improvisation sound more alive.

The licks are all derived from the A minor pentatonic scale, so you can play the licks over an A blues chord progression or a song in Am. I wrote down the tabs (tablature) below. Check out the video to hear what they sound like and how to position your fingers.

Enjoy!

 


 

LICK #1:
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Zen Guitar Practice Workout

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photo by Tiny Froglet
music-in-the-lighthouse-by-tinyfrogletMy daughter is now 20 months old and our second child is on the way. I love spending time with my daughter and I very often do, but as parents know children have a tendency to occupy all your time.

When I play guitar, my daughter wants to play guitar also. I bought her a little guitar of her own, but she wants to play on my guitar when I play it. That is just great. :) I don’t mind, but my practice workouts become a little difficult this way. Therefore and for a lot of other reasons I designed the Zen Guitar Practice Workout.

Zen is more and more finding its way into the western world along with minimalism and new lifestyle designs.

A major benefit for all who are seeking a different and more effective way to self improvement and development.

Zen is also very good to apply when it comes to guitar practice.

Guitar practice is in itself a form of meditation. You need to stay focused on what you practice and not let your mind wander.

It is about concentrating on your fingers, your technique, letting go off tension, recapturing yourself, letting it happen, continually shaping and getting back to the essence of your practice.

Zen Guitar Practice is a way to combine the rules of Zen Buddhism and the rules of guitar practice into your workout.

Here are the steps to benefit:
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