This is probably time to grab some coffee and sit back and watch, first…
I’ve been working on a difficult solo, and I wanted to show you step-by-step how I take it apart to learn it.
Obviously, if this is a difficult lick for me, it might be near impossible for you if you’re still new at this…
But what’s important is how I break it apart and start to put it back together in pieces.
It might get a little rambling at times, I apologize, I just did it live, straight through, so I wouldn’t miss anything (hopefully.)
14 replies to "My Process For Learning Difficult Licks"
Where can I download your CD’s?
When I first looked at this I thought Griff forgot to mark in the measures. I was gonna message him and let him know so he could fix it until I watched the video. Boy, thats more notes than I normally play at a time. This will take me quite a while to figure out.
Awesome Griff not least for the amount of time & effort you’ve put into producing this video I’ve always struggled counting/timing & have utilised most of your courses to improve in that area. I’ve been playing for over 50 years & love the blues. Looks a SRV lick, such a phenomenal player. Thanks
sstuchin@aol.com
Thank you for this insight on timing. It leaves me with a few questions with which I struggle and are probably not unique:
1. I s there a point at which the lick/phrase internalizes such that in performance you are not consumed by the numbers, but can enjoy the music and emote with the music you are creating?
2. Further on that point, How can one commit to memory every lick with its time counts in a song? It seems a daunting if not impossible task?
3. If one is improvising it seems it is still paramount to keep the count. Trying to create and think about counting is rather difficult>
Again many thanks.
sstuchin@aol.com
Thanks Griff fantastic in depth useful analysis. I am a slow learner your approach in this video has greatly reduced my anxiety to learn the blues.
This is a great learning video. Thank you for posting it.
Yes it is a great approach to something that is a stretch
Thanks! See you in Flagstaff next week! Please bring CDs.
I see that when you “break the lick down”, you are breaking it up into subdivisions based on the beats, a different way of phrasing. Maybe the only “right” way. I’m surprised that it takes you about the same amount of time to get the timing down (30-45 minutes) and then start practicing with the metronome, as it does for me. My stuff is way simpler than this, however. Inspirational!
Thanks, Griff. Excellent video.
Video helps me out, Makes more since in counting. Even more in 12/8 but that is a big step for later. I am learning to write out timing on solos that are tabbed so I can count them out. That has always been a problem reading a tab and trying to understand how it is played in time. Thanks for the help Griff.
Griff, I did a year in Austin so I’m no stranger to tales about the golden days when SRV came through town like a hurricane. It wasn’t so much a ‘battle of the bands,’ more often a duel to the death. Egos would surely be deeply bruised. Amateurs quickly packed for home. One tune on the replay and it was enough notes for my ears. I’m more of a JJ Cale fan, eg: “Don’t cry, sister, cry, it’ll be alright in the morning… 🙂
Griff, awesome vid lesson. I’m starting to “see” the counting and that is a huge step for me. Keep on us about counting. I don’t know how you do it, but it is sure fun to pick up morsels from Griff!
Dave G
Fredericksburg