This Cliché Blues Lick Is Amazing... Here’s Why

Courses 🎸

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TIMESTAMPS ⏱️

0:00 Intro solo
0:31 The lick
1:11 Why it sounds good over the I chord
2:36 Relating to the minor pentatonic scale
3:45 Learn more about guitar playing
4:07 How I built my solo using this one lick
5:13 Moving to the IV chord
7:20 What I play over the IV chord
8:20 Get my tone for free
10:07 How to navigate the turnaround

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Blues is a genre that is riddled with clichés but is that a bad thing? For guitar improvisation I'd say no, it's actually great and for guitar players especially.

Many guitar players struggle with the problem of feeling like they've run out of licks when playing solos and the solution isn't always to just learn more licks...

What you can also do is look at what's currently in your improvisational vocabulary and see how much mileage you can get out of the licks that are already there.

In this blues guitar lesson I show you a prime example of how you can take just one cliché blues guitar lick and literally build an entire guitar solo around it.

[RossCampbellGuitarist]

Ready to break out of that decade-long minor pentatonic rut and start playing blues solos that HIGHLIGHT the chord changes? 🤔

[Paul_Warren_Wolfe]

In 42 years of guitar playing, that is the absolute BEST lesson I've seen teaching to play a blues solo over a 1 4 5. Well done.

[MrWilly]

I’ve been playing guitar for a long time. This was the most comprehensive and concise lesson on I-IV-V blues I’ve ever seen. This one is all about the approach. Once you learn this, next you add licks to your bag and boom. Next level playing.

[hrstrat]

Not a single call out of the fret numbers. Brilliant!

[RCSmiths]

Blues playing may reuse its fair share of licks, but those licks, in my humble opinion, are foundational to getting a feel for the style of Blues soloing! Always appreciate the lesson!

[stevecarter]

Funny, never been a lead guitarist, always rhythm, but this little kit really opened me up to adding things I hear others play but off of this structure in the same way hearing Clapton, Mayer, Knopfler play J J Cale songs opened my minor pentatonic world. Thanks man! I’m 69, In Austin, still in 4 bands and growing musically

[robertjansen]

H There...from the netherlands, i play along time almost 55 years and every day practice and searching for new or better solo, (styles) till mow!!!! thank you so much for sharing this....I LOVE IT VERY GOOD. BEST WAY OF LESSONS!! like youre little attacks...smooth but it is there

[sagig]

This was such a terrific lesson man. I love these lessons where you work on a chord progression and break down the licks over each chords explaining the highlights and how it all comes together. This is very very helpful, I hope you'll do more of this.

[adriansoul]

Idk if its the lighting but that les paul looks stunning.. so clean.

[jerryernst]

Hey Ross, a really fantastic explanation of this process. Great lesson! Outstanding!

[j.r.goldman]

U played ONE note different that how I would phrase this. That one note I am gonna use. Thanks

[hawhee]

I like your explanation of the licks, using music theory terminology, because it makes it easier to understand and translate to other keys.

[CanuckFinn]

Ross--if I ever get to Scotland I'll buy you a beer!!

This is absolutely THE BEST lesson showing how to improvise through each chord in a dominant blues. There are tons of videos about dominant arpeggios on Youtube, but they all fail to provide useful examples on using them creatively. Your explanation at 5:13 minutes on using "pick-up" notes as an approach into the arpeggios is sooo key - it shows exactly how to do it.

I've been frustratingly searching for this kind of thorough information for 2 years (I'm kinda slow, duh) Your video has really connected some dots for me - many thanks!

[walterredaelli]

Hi Ross.
There are few YouTube lessons I believe to be pure Gold. This Is one of them. Thanks so much.. you have the blues mate 🖖🏻🎸
Brilliant teacher

[adriansoul]

I had no clue i was playing a cliché, a blues cliche at that, most of the times i improv over loops. Great video!

[rabbitohsrule]

Funny how the traditional cliche licks are without a doubt the most tasty. Tried and true I guess? Very tasteful playing as always Ross. 👏

[njwhite]

Love your content, Ross. Your'e up there with Paul Davids and Justin Guitar

[longangrycarrot]

It's rare to find a detailed analysis of playing each part of the blues square in a harmonic context, thanks!

[bodinedly]

Thanks for this lesson Ross. I've been looking for an instructor who addresses the intervallic thought process in a blues. Exactly what I needed.

[wayneknazek]

Not sure how I found this video. Wasn't looking for blues, or lessons, etc. at the time. It just kinda was there on the side. And I'm glad it was. Well done! I don't subscribe to many channels, but I did to this one.