One of my Blues Guitar Unleashed members posted this clip up on the member forum and I think it’s just great.
In it, Clapton talks about his use of what he calls “stock phrases,” but a lot of us would call them licks or riffs…
So first, check out this video. It’s only a few minutes long and there’s some good information in it about how Clapton gets his famous “woman tone” and how he approaches blues soloing.
So that’s all well and good, but it sort of gives the impression that you can just learn some licks and you’re good to go.
You’ve probably already figured out that ain’t how it works… What you need to pay attention to is how the licks are used and where they are put.
If you’ve followed my rantings for any amount of time, you know how I equate learning to solo to a baby learning to talk. And babies have to learn how phrases are used just like we have to do in blues soloing.
If my son says “Guess we’d better hit the road” when someone asks his name… that’s quite a disconnect and my son obviously hasn’t learned how to use that phrase yet.
For me personally, once I learn or create a new phrase, it usually takes me 2 or 3 gigs to figure out how to really use it. If I don’t have any gigs coming up I’ll spend 2 or 3 practice sessions playing over a jam track and working with the lick until I’m using it in a way that makes sense and sounds good.
So if it takes me 2 or 3 days… it may take you longer. When I was first learning it might take several days to get a lick the way I liked it. That’s just part of the process and there’s nothing wrong with it.
Well, that’s all for today. I’ll try and work on a video that shows better how to take “stock phrases” I’ve stolen and put them to use.
64 replies to "Stealing Licks And “Stock Phrases”"
lt was fun to see the young cool Clapton again , reminding me of the sounds that got me interested in rock guitar way back. Ah youth ,and the wild open frontier of rock music yet to come from that point on in time . Yea , thanks Griff ,good one.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:CREAM291.jpg
10 days after it’s release (my 14th birthday) in 1969, I bought a copy of the “Best of Cream”. EC’s SG and Marshall sound forever changed my perception of rock and blues guitar. He blew my mind long before acid did. LOL! I had been listening to Led Zeppelin on top 40 radio and some Jimi, but this completely did me in. It still makes me feel like a kid to hear Clapton wail that SG!!!
Griff…thanks for this…first time I saw EXcess on his first Dominoes tour…he was using the strat…a master at putting stock phrases where he wants them…thanks again
Rich
Great stuff!
I have metioned in my other comment, that I grew up with Laurel canyon Crowd. met Eric at one of Mama Cass’s party’s he loked just like he did in the video that Gibsons with the art work, was supposed to be mine, but he does not like dragons. he was high in the video he also smoked like a chimminy. he showed me a few of his licks, but never would jam with me. 60’s. best music in history.Clapton, an icon and my idle.
I wonder if anyone has seen the video of Eric Clapton in a concert duet with Luciano Pavoratti doing a song called “Holy Mother?” It is a most unusual video in that it combines the opera singer Pavoratti and the rock musician Clapton the most unlikely pair of musicians you ever saw. But they actually make it work! It can be found on You Tube.
I have seen that!
Glen, I appreciate you sharing the video. I would never have paired the two of them together but, I was taken to a special place. That was a wonderful experience so, again, thank you.
The custom painted “Fool” Gibson SG was later owned by Claptonite Todd Rundgren. Even the phrases he plays are vintage “Crossroads” tone from the halcyon days of Cream.
Lem, did you know that Todd Rundgren was liv Tylers father for deaceds and then found out the stven Tylers was her real father never cared for Todd.
Wow what a great example of the Gibson Marshall tone and the whole psychedelic times of the 60s notice the paint job on his SG not sure but I think Eric just evolved as a player into the Fender and Strat sound as a blues player and probably got older ha ha I personally like the latter for the blues just a personal opinion while the Gibson Marshall being a rock and roll thing looks like box 1 and 2 in the key of A to me ??
Grif, as always, thanks so much for your lessons and the time you take to put them out there. So much to learn. I wish I had payed attention when I was younger but it’s never too late to learn. Thanks again.
Thanks Griff,I had forgot what he used to look like,a genius for sure. Len.
Great to see this clip again Griff. In several places in the UK graffiti was sprawled the “Clapton is God”. Something like John Lennon’s saying “were more popular than Christ, I do not know which will go first Rock n Roll or Christianity”. There are so many truly great guitarists out there and Clapton, even as I like him, is but one. Another I hold in equal esteem is Chris Rea. Chris Rae went to his record label to encourage the suits to produce a truly complete blues CD. The suits said no; and Chris just went ahead and created his own label and thus the CD he wanted out there. That is, I guess, when you know you have finally arrived. As it is Chris produces and promotes other artists now. I think looking at my CD collection Chris Rea may have as many CD’s produced as Clapton yet didn’t muster the same fan base all those years ago.
Hi Griff,
I suggest you produce a booklet & video of relatively stock phrases aimed at novice/improver level.
There are lots of people offering such material on riffs & licks, but I believe that most of it is too hard: anything with more that six notes &/or one articulation per bar is too hard for the level I refer to.
I already have two of your courses, & they are a big help so
I will be your first customer for the idea I set out above!
Philip
This is a great idea! I would also purchase this if such a thing existed.
In later years though Clapton found out who really IS God when he was going through drug rehabilitation. This led him to write the song “Holy Mother “.
Beautiful tone and feel. Never could understand why he ditched the Gibson/Marshall sound, and that style of playing, in favour of a thin Fender sound and long rambling watery licks.
Wow, I saw that I made this request a year or two ago, but this is perfect, Griff,
Could you do a lesson on the phrases he’s playing here? It would mean a lot, This is the way I remember Eric playing when I saw him with Cream and I would love it get it in tab, or have you break it down. PLEEEEEEEEEEESE !
Clapton’s style back then was simply beautiful – every phrase, every nuance was beyond perfect – amazing how he could go on and on for hours twisting stock phrases and never sound boring for a single second – as far as the question of how long it takes to get that good, it’s more of a mindset than endless hours of practice, although endless practice certainly helps – the fact that they could achieve a unimaginable musical maturity and appreciaton by their early 20’s is proof that they were completely, mentally in sync with the art of playing blues – so glad Jack popped up for a few frames in the video , just seeing him almost brings me to tears being so saddened by his passing….. such incredible legends and gifts to us all
how are they used and where they are put . noticed he started using the a minor penatonic scale then moved about in a full step . thats about all i could get out of this . guess i need to work on stock phrases and then pratice them till it sounds right . got the vibrato thing going already . there is also what i call a squeal thing i can do which an be heard from old sabbath music think its a tony I. thing. learned it from a friend who was a great soloist. he learned from a guy named Jimi Bell who is also a great soloist and teacher from ct. c ya .
This is a clip from a BBC TV Programme called ‘Omnibus’ in an episode called ‘Omnibus presents Cream’, I remember recording it onto a reel to reel tape recorder using a microphone in front of the TV. Right after the end of this clip it cut to ‘White Room’ being performed. I must have been about 15 or 16 years old! What a time to be a teenager!
Best player around then, never could understand why he dumped that style and sound. BTW the programme, while it may have been shown as part of Omnibus, was a Tony Palmer production “Cream, The Farewell Concert”
What a great clip of Clapton in his younger days. Maybe you would have to have grown up in England in the sixties to get this, but I had to smile at the interviewer’s BBC accent.
The interviewer was Pete Drummond who’d been on the pirate radio ships in England sounding cheery and playing pop records. After he joined the BBC his voice changed to what you hear in the clip and his radio show featured progressive rock. Bizarre.
Yeah… I was waiting for,”Absolutely spiffing, old boy!”
Bring back Whistling Bob Harris & The Old Grey Whistle Test – that was BBC, I believe
Awesome display of what can be achieved. You are a fantastic teacher Griff. Thanks once again and keep up the good work.
A true Master of the Genre called the Blues. The Mozart of the Blues.
Reason I say that is Clapton’s dripping emotion felt in his entire body of work. I also like the expression melodic wailing when listening to most of Eric’s solos.
I first learned of Clapton in 1971 from a college roommate that played a Les Paul Gibson like Frampton had.
I’ve never missed an EC concert since 1974 when he comes to the area I reside.
Saw him 2 days in a row at Red Rocks in Denver in the 80’s.
He hasn’t been in Denver again since the Winwood tour.
Thanks for sharing this Griff. Also thanks for the lessons. You’re the best.
Wow! That was one “smokin'” guitar! Which brings us to the question should we allow our guitar to smoke. We know it’s bad for our health and guitars are quite often made of wood?!! Seriously great video. Love how he simplifies the philosophy of the art.
Do yourself a favour and listen to his cover of JJ Cale’s “Travellin’ Light” off the ‘Reptile’ album- stunning!
As always good stuff Eric is so young in this clip. I have been following You Griff for a number of years now and learned tons of things great imput thanks for sharing this again .
Ditto on GREAT CLIP and thanks for sharing. Love going back to the generation of music and artists I grew up on though it drags out memories of the Nam
Griff, this was great stuff. It takes me back and reminds me why Clapton and the Vanguard of Super Groups and their stars were the stars that they were. What presence. I aspire to that!!
Keep Rockin’ everyone. It is the fountain of youth!!
Thanks as always Griff. Saw Eric in the studio when I was the tape guy,about the time of this video.awesome experience!! Just read an Uncut article where he is bemoaning life on the road and recent tendon problems. Time does march on!! This interview is part of a cream DVD with Albert Hall concert footage. A must have!!
As always, thank you for all these clips and lessons.
Hey Griff Thanks for sharing this great clip of the younger Eric, absolutely amazing stuff. It would be good to see a more recent clip of the older version of Eric Clapton perhaps at some of the Blues events.
Keep these coming always good to dream on. Like someone else said here some of us don’t have a lot of time to get anywhere near this level but we will keep trying with your help Griff.
Michael -Sydney Australia
I am 65, great watching the young Clapton explaining. I love playing the acustic version of Layla. I keep watching his videos and have a concert Clapton CD, which I watch over and over. Your “BGU” course has inspired me Griff !!! You are the only guy I purchase CD lessons from. Thank you for giving an “old guy” inspiration. Keep up the good work ๐
I saw Eric back on the 60’s with John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers– good to know he has inspired many others to play the blues.
My first guitar teacher, a kid of about 16 at the time (I was old even then) talked about playing like Eric… I didn’t know what Cream was or who he was talking about but said yeah. I had a classical bent in those days and an acoustic guitar. I worked at it for a couple years before deciding I’d never become suitably proficient. Well the kid teacher went on to study at Juilliard and now, many years later, I am a couple years into Griff BGU and loving it. And now I do know who/what Eric Clapton is/was all about. Life, with or without a guitar, is darn interesting. A lot more interesting with a guitar than without.
Thanks for bringing this clip out and sharing it, Griff.
I was seven in 1968…he was way before his time….
Griff, I saw this one a while back, and really wanted to learn what he was doing- there’s a whole history of blues in those licks.
Then I was glad to see you post if before and again,
Request: It would be incredible if you could do a lesson showing exactly what he is playing in the examples in this clip – in your usual clear, slowed down way,
I’d even PAY for it. Please, its that good. Thanks
That made my day need to go to jam room and try a few of those thanks
It was good to see Mr Clapton how to vent aggressiveness by giving the guitar such fantastic licks rather than breaking it during the interview about the topics of aggressiveness. He showed mouth-watering licks I can only dream to learn.
Yes Griff, I remember when you first sent this video to us. Of course it never hurts to review. I know I personally need reminders every now and then and this video was very helpfull in that respect. Looking forward to your next video oon “Stock Phrases”.
Thanks much,
DaveyJoe
Always amazed me how he can be so good while rarely if ever using his pinky on the fretboard.
If I can master just one of Clapton’s magical licks, I’ll consider my self a success! Thanks Griff.
I really do believe it was this Clapton interview which was satirized during the movie’ “This is Spinal Tap”. Eric’s vocal inflections were almost perfectly mimicked by Nigel in that movie when he described his unique guitar sound deriving from turning his amplifier to 11!! Also interesting that Clapton’s more famous licks at the time (from Cream and a Blind Faith) could be easily heard appearing in pieces repeatedly throughout the video segment (at the time it was obviously deeply etched into his playing style), while literally nothing of that early style of playing style remains dominant in his current, more mature guitarsmanship. His early brilliance continued to improve and was eclipsed by his present greatness!
What I would love to have had the interviewer ask is:” how many hours a day did it take to get that good” ( Hendrix supposedly played 12 hours a day )
Again, everyone should see this video) and comment about teachers not teAching this was right on.
Real eye opener with the sound changes from tone and lead controls. Must admire his ability to create blues from the soul. Magic fingers and knows blues very talented man.
I’ve seen this video many times and it’s great. We forget sometimes how brilliant he is and was even at a young age. He was about 23 or 24 in the video. I really like the cement about vibrato.
Been playing about 8 yrs and mine is still not where I want it at all. Former teacher said ” not to worry- give it another 8″. Every blues player should see this. Even the interviewer asked decent questions.
( there’s an interview if SEV by a BBC guy who was an idiot)
To sound anywhere near as good as Clapton, I don’t think I have that much time in the whole WORLD!
Thanks for the video Griff. I’m with Glenn47 on this. I don’t have enough time to get that good or even as good as you Griff. So now what do I do? Maybe I’ll just stick with 60s and 70s folk ๐
Love the casualness of this clip, EC has beautiful hands
Clapton reinforced what I was told once…It’s all about how many licks you have “in your pocket”…later.
cowboy
I love that clip. It reminds me of seeing Cream back in February 1968, when Eric really was the man.
Love this clip too! I must add my thoughts to Johns post simply by saying after watching several clips of Clapton, many very recent….he still IS the man. I never apply the words “best”, or “greatest” as it’s not possible nor fair…too many greats that add their own flavor and feel, heart. Clapton can still tear it up mainly because his phrases, style come from his heart..Such respect I have for him.
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Nice to see I’m not alone in spending sometimes days changing up a phrase to make it feel right. I am learning that to let my mood influence the way I express a phrase. I thought until not to long ago that I had to play a piece just the way it was written. Not so. I am more creative and the sound is better when I can let it go.
Understanding all of this, why isn t it just as easy for guitar instructors to immediately convey to the new music students exactly thAt type of information. To tht point, then after the song construction theory is well ingrained into they why its best done this wAy then add the rest of the music vocabulary. Earnestly the whole system is completely backwards. If dont learn construction of song until the basics are under the skin. Surely it would give students a better focal point to say at first you have a song then you put it together as this method and then you develope from the music dictionary all the variety of possible options.
We-e-ell, cr*p! Back to the drawing/practice board…
Way Cool !! I have never seen this one , Thanks
loved the whole clip and am really familiar with eric’s playing…but really got a kick out of eric’s comments about townsend’s style of guitar aggression vs his own…really brought back some memories…thanks…ps…caught his show at the san diego sports arena last year and it was very bitter sweet kinda like when we saw the stones in the rain a few years back at the stadium..again thanks…r
Great Clip. Loved seeing the younger Clapton and it explains the use of “phrases” nicely.Thanks.