One of the things I hear the most from less experienced soloists is the tendency to let the ends of your licks just sort of “hang there…”
No “sugar” on them, no nothing. The brain just sort of checks out and leaves a dial tone… not super appealing.
So here are some ideas for how you might want to end your licks:
44 replies to "How To End Your Blues Licks"
Brings a whole new meaning to “pour some ‘sugar’ on me.”
Nice quick video – these are great. Thanks!
Ha!
Def needed to hear this, thx.
This was another great eye opener thanks Griff!!
Okay cool check out Kenny W Shepard in lock down it is wicked .
Great lesson and advice as always Griff.
Point well taken
One of the techniques I like to hear is choking off the last note and letting the chord change stand out, then playing the next lick. Doing this several times in a row and then playing through the change really makes that one lick stand out.
Really good advice as usual Griff. Happy New Year to the Hamlins and all BGUers.
Funny @ 52 seconds seems like your adding the shake out of habit, and then stop it. Like oh yeah, forgot I was supposed to do it the wrong way.
Happy New Year to you, Laura and the boys.
KC
HAPPY NEW YEAR GRIFF AND FAMILY!!
When i was in my teens, i was learning to play lead guitar.
Was at a Screengems Party and met Joe Siponlina. Qick Silver Messinger srevice. One of the Best Laed guitar players at that time. He caugght me doing what you just shoewed us. Told me, not to let that last note ring out. palm mute it.
still learning from the best guitar player on the web. Griff Hamlin. I have sent some of your lve perfomace to my music buddies, one who is Paul Simons publisher. they said, you play assuem guitar and leads and can sing! So i guess teaching is your choice and oerforming. You could go professional and make it. Again, Thanks Griff, for all you do for us BGU Guys.
Important to know, thanks Griff!
1/1/19
a very useful lick fixer . thanks.
Thanks ,good tip
How about using an ending as a way to lead into the next phrase?
Excellent tip Griff!
Another way to end the lick, depending on the timing and where you are in the timing for the bar, is to hit the note again and immediately mute it. It makes a nice way to end a bar.
Hey is that a new Telecaster? What model is it?
Good advice, simple and quick improvement. Thanks. Your positive, encouraging manner is always enjoyed and I always look forward to hearing what you have to say next. Thanks, Griff!
Hey Griff,
Great little trick.
Michael -Sydney-Australia 22 Jan 2017.
Griff,
One of my favorite slides off the end of a lead riff is what Lindsey Buckingham does on the Fleetwood Mac song Go Your Own Way. It’s sort of a three-way slide, zip, zap, zow, near the end of the song, sort of in the background. Makes me smile every time I hear it.
This lesson is important to have, so thanks once again for a timely email. You’re the best.
I’ve been subliminally aware of that by learning your solos in BGU and 5 Easy Solos. Initially I was just learning the notes and playing along, and then I started to really watch you play as I played along and noticed it, and it made a HUGE difference in the sound of my recordings of these compared to the former which were void of such moves. As silly as it sounds, I wasn’t doing it on my own ad lib stuff…until now. You might have just awakened me to the elusive obvious. Thanks for all you do. You seriously Rock as a teacher–and player.
Although I don’t know you. you seem to be the most sane guitar player I have known! That is a rare thing and something you should take pride in.
This is SO important
Another great golden nugget for blues players, that also transfers to all the other genres
Awesomely spotted Grif and once again – thanks mate!
Hi Griff
I really value your stuff. Been playing for many years in all manner of outfits – rock, pop and soul but now rediscovering what got me into this in the first place. If only I’d known then what I know now! Every little helps.
Thank you
Great
Cool. Thanks Griff.
I know I am guilty as charged, Lol, and need to work on this. Thanks, Griff.
Great tip, as usual.
Great video Griff, never even really thought about this as too nervous thinking about what comes next. Something to work on and thanks for your endless energy and enthusiasm.
Thanks Griff, I’ll check myself next time to take notice of what I’m actually doing. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in the licks and not realize what could be wrong.
Great advice!
Griff, thank you this is really something I need to work on!
Excellent! Just one more thing I never paid attention too! These tips are great!
Thanks again Griff. Right on time for me. I love your style of teaching and now I have another piece of the puzzle to work on. Very helpful.
Clapton does all of the above. Has anyone noticed that Clapton is nowhere near the player he was back in the eighties?
As B B King used to sing… The thrill is over…. Clapton pretty much mastered the blues… After that there isn’t much you can do different… also when you get older, it gets harder to be at 100%. I was disappointed the last time Cream got together and played white room..He did not use the WAH WAH pedal which was the main attraction to the song at least to me. So at that time I figured that yes for him the thrill was over….
Hey, listen, time and gravity comes for us all. There is no escape. If Clapton is somewhat diminished from his glory days, strap in tight, pilgrim. Your time is gonna come, to borrow from Page, Plant & Jones. Heard (or maybe it was read) in an interview, around summer or fall of 2016, that Clapton has announced he has arthritis in his hands and shoulders that seems to be getting worse all the time and he’s not sure how long he can continue playing. In his own words to the interviewer, being in recovery from addiction to heroin and alcohol earlier in his life has probably used up some of his reserves to fight aging and physical decline. Eric Clapton will be 72 years old on 30 March 2017. I have a lot of fantastic recordings Clapton has made over the past 50-some years that will always be fantastic recordings. So give him a break and thank him for his service to his art and to humanity. With all due respect, what do you think your playing will sound like on your 72nd birthday?
I buy music one track at a time because I just don’t really appreciate a whole albums worth, all that often. So I collected his tribute to jj cale’s “the breeze” and it’s a masterpiece. I think his playing has a dimension that’s impossible to deny. He’s getting better, rather than declining. He knows how to make each note count for a *lot*.
@Robert M: Hey, listen, time and gravity comes for us all. There is no escape. If Clapton is somewhat diminished from his glory days, strap in tight, pilgrim. Your time is gonna come, to borrow a phrase from Page, Plant & Jones. Heard (or maybe it was read) in an interview, around summer or fall of 2016, that Clapton has announced he has arthritis in his hands and shoulders that seems to be getting worse all the time and he’s not sure how long he can continue playing. In his own words to the interviewer, being in recovery from addiction to heroin and alcohol earlier in his life has probably used up some of his reserves to fight aging and physical decline. Eric Clapton will be 72 years old on 30 March 2017. I have a lot of fantastic recordings Clapton has made over the past 50-some years that will always be fantastic recordings. So give him a break and thank him for his service to his art and to humanity. With all due respect, what do you think your playing will sound like on your 72nd birthday?
No no no Robert m.Eric Clapton plays better now than the 80s as now he plays real music with real feeling and precision rather than just banging out note after note in a drug fuelled solo he now plays nice .plus he is Ill but still plays great I saw him play with joe bonnamassa and Eric looked unwell but still wiped the floor with joe showed him who the boss was and when I saw Eric live with ginger baker and jack black reforming Cream they where amazing all of them ,also this is a place to learn blues and get help to improve your own skills from talking to the many members on this forum and we are not all beginners some people here are in bands and some are pro guitar players some are novices but together we can all learn new things about playing that piece of wood called a guitar but talking about how well Eric Clapton plays will get you know where,IMO you can practice guitar for years and not get it mentally it has to click you have to understand the guitar befor you can even attempt to master it and for me only a few percent where born with rythum and some were not
You must have ESP, Griff. You never cease to amaze me with your ‘just in time’ videos. For the past few years when I’ve been stuck and puzzled, you come through with the perfect tips that I have needed. You have a wonderful gift of teaching, thank you.
I’ve heard Buddy Merrill who used to be with Lawrence Welk orchestra end his licks by sliding off.
Griff, I sure appreciate your Emails and the contents on blues guitar. After listening to them for about a year I purchased a Fender Stratocaster and Peavey Vypyr modeling Amp. I used to take lessons in my teens for a couple of years and gave it up. Now in my 76th year the Journey has taken me back to an interest in music. I ordered your Blues for Beginners course and so far I have enjoyed the lessons immencely. I am also learning to play piano (self taught) Its also good for fretting finger control and strengthening. Again, thanks for all your help, support and encourement.
Ron Novak
A great lesson, Griff. Leaving a note hanging can be like saying, “uhhhhhh”, when speaking, which is an unconscious placeholder while the speaker organizes their next thought.
Dial tone. I like that. Is there anything dumber sounding than a dial tone?
Pat B
Are there still dial tones? I think the note used to be an “F” and you could tune with it.
I have seen Warren Haynes take his left hand completely off the neck inbetween licks.