In which we go over 5 pentatonic bluesy and legato licks, discussing the mindset that makes them accessible for my more “I’ll alternate everything” mentality. We aim to be able to play things like this one
Intro#
I’ve started out practicing some lead guitar with criteria. The step thatuclocke med was “conquering boomer licks”. You know, all those fasty bluesy inspired stuff that fills in a lot of classic metla rock solos. If you grow up as an enthusiastic alternate picker or favoured thaat techniques over other… they are hard.
Boomer licks have bendings. Boomer lick have bluesy feel and legato. If you want to use your metronome and practice them as the “standard” Paul Gilbert lick… you’ll struggle. Or, at least, I struggled a lot.
Process#
I tried to find a way to rationalize them. So here we go with some boomer licks. I wanted pick consistency. So they are basically framed as down picking on 8th notes. Then, if there are 16th notes, I’ll stick with the alternate picker mind and go down-up on the two 16th notes. Like the traditional E-SS gallup of down down up.
That is how I approach the first - and probably hardest - lick. No sweeps, just down. Down up… and then down again.
Note on the bending: try to get it in pitch but don’t get mad. Go bluesy with the flow. As long as the pitch goes up and stops, like a blue bend, that’s fine. As long as you avoid the screaming cat of the bend goind up and then decresing in pitch, you’ll be fine.
Next you can move to another builing block of boomer licks. Bend. Then two legato notes. Every Iron Maiden solo has that!
The game changer approach for me was to frame the picking hand as an two octaves note lick. The proper eighth note of the bending (down) and the fake eighth note, that are actualy two 16ths. I pick this down and up, so that I can go down again easily. Basically the lick is down on G string an up on B string. Down and bend on the G, up on the B and do further things with the left hand (the legato).
This is rhythmically inconsistent with respect to the first boomer lick. But for me it worked.
Ok, now get nerdy. Keep the same picking mechanic: down on G up on B. Keep the bend and legato thing. But then play all 16th notes! Magic happens! This will be rhythmically challenging as it is 3 againts 4. It’s lovely to be nerdy on the penta bluesy boomer stuff!
But you can avoid being nerdy about it and just go with the flow and feel. Take a look at the solo to The Trooper. There they switch from the first E-SS to the all 16th notes version. To a stunning effect!
Bar 7 has more stuff to it using similar principles. Think 8 notes and play down if they fit the legato patter. For instance 11 pull 8, 11 pull 8 is down and down on the 11. Then do the necessay down-up movements when required. Most often on different string. Remember the down up on lick one for the rolling? Same principle. Bar 7 licks start with the mechanics of Malmsteen rising force two strings triad. Two notes on E string with a pull off. Then one B string and back to the E. You may go economy and sweepy picking on these a neoclassical context. But here we are pentatonicky and bluesy and I want to transition back to the “play 16th notes lick as 8th notes licks with down picking and legato” principle.
The lick has a combination of these patterns. Recognize and isolate them. Practice until it makes sense. Last lick is a further challenge of the starting lick. We are back on 3 strings. We start with down and pull. But next string is above and has a bend (ouch!) and last note is reachable only skipping a string. If you read this description it sounds modern and shreddy. But the sound is super bluesy. Especially on this one, the is not much time for the bend. Do your best and move on.
If you want to go back to fusion, move the third note (C) from the E string to the B. You’ll play 3 notes pentatonics. Feel free to remove the bend. Now you move from Kirk Hammet and Maiden to Brett Garsed land! :) Always play around with the stuff and see what sounds and context you can create. Or what other technical possibilities you have. And have fun!
Licks#
(All licks in C minor box because that is not super metal head friendly. But it helps a lot theory wise as most of the time we learn theory starting from a C note.)
