Alright, let’s cut to the chase… there’s a really cool trick that almost every blues player does, and here’s how you do it….Now that I have your attention, I’m actually not kidding. This trick uses slurs, which are commonly called hammer-ons and pull-offs. “Slurs” is the blanket term for any note that is played without hitting it with your pick.
So watch this video, especially when I get to what I call tweedlies. Then practice on all 8 of the licks, and especially number 8. I guarantee you’ll hear that lick in at least 5 of your favorite tunes somewhere. Maybe not all of it, but the same idea.
downloads (right click to save)
- IPOD version of the video
- WMV version of the video
- PDF of the licks
- Lick 1 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 2 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 3 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 4 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 5 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 6 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 7 Audio – slow | full speed
- Lick 8 Audio – slow | full speed
Enjoy, and be sure to leave your comments below. Let me know how this works out at your next gig or jam session. Better yet, tell us which tune you heard the lick in!
{ 44 comments… read them below or add one }
I will turn 50 here is about a month. I have been fooling around with the guitar for a couple of years. I have tried out three different teachers with no real success. Additionally, I have purchased about 3 or 4 hundred dollars worth books and CDs. It has been pretty much all for naught because one of the key ingredients, i.e. fun, has just not been there so far.
I have had more fun fooling around with your free lessons over the past few days than I have had during the past couple of years. You really do have a talent for teaching the guitar. I am glad that you have found your place in the world.
Thanks for making the free stuff available. After I get the guitar budget up again I will likely buy your lesson program.
Best regards,
Wayne
Hi Griff , your emails alone have made me a better player , lessons arrived yesterday . Thanks . Sincerly , Paul Daly
Hi Griff, Thanks for all you do…I just purchased the unleashed package…can’t wait to get the goods……turning 50 in a couple of weeks and I am re-learning here after putting it down for years….having fun too….maybe some of this will rub off on the kids……cheers and thank you……. Dave
Hi Griff, Seems half of my generation, 50+, have picked up the guitar again after being dormid for many years.I have been absorbing all your free samples and just ordered bluesguitarunleashed. I favor my Acoustic but just picked up a vintage Les Paul and Marshall amp. Havin fun in Conroe Texas.
Mike
Hi Griff. Like some of the other guys I too am in my 50s and picking up the guitar again after many years. I have spent hundreds pounds on lessons and got nowhere fast and as a result, became disillusioned with the whole thing. Then along came YOU. What a revelation. I am now totally inspired and will be puchasing the Unleashed course as soon as my finances allow. Thanks Griff, keep up the good work.
Wow! I feel like a puppy! I am only turning 49 on Friday! Love your videos. Thank you so much for making the blues a joy to play!
Hi Griff, Your free lessons have already worked wonders on my general knowledge of my guitar playing. Have ordered bluesguitarunleashed and really looking forward to get even more inspired. Thanks ever so much for sharing . George
Hi Griff,
I’ve been your freebies, they’re great. Hope to purchase your Blues Unleashed at some point when I got a bit more in my piggy bank. Many thanks
Jim
Hi Griff , I\’m 67 , just received my B G U course a few days a go , man I love it , like others I have been threw a lot of courses , finely just put the guitar away for some time , then I ran upon your course on you-tube , looked good so I decided to give it a try one more time , thanks to you I thank I can get going again , just looking over your course I already understand more than I did with all the other courses put together . Thanks : Milton
Griff,
Thanks for all the free lessons! You really know your stuff! I just turned 40 and i have been playing guitar for one year, i am finishing up grade 1 using the Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method. The method is really working for me! I want to let you know that i will be purchasing your blues guitar unleashed program soon. I know it will take me where i want to go when playing the blues. Just Thanks. Thanks for all you do for us!
hav just ordered your course.thanks for the free lessons.i hav paid for all type of lessons for over 10 yrs and can play som.i too am in my 50s and learned what little i kno on my own.the lessons i paid for did not help.the free lessons are not only great,but they make me feel good about playing my 6 string girl , an most of all not playin the same thing over and over again, and get stuck, if u kno what i mean..thanks am waiting on your course
Amazin stuff….sorry it took these many years to learn it..
Hi Griff, the lesson is much appreciated, I was struggling a little bit. The lesson was well presented.You reaaly know how to teach and you know how to strut your stuff.The tips and tricks really helped me alot, I learned alot on my own as well,this really fills in the gaps.I always loved guitars,hearing them,playing them,watching others play.I am very greatful for every lesson I get, its helped me through my difficult time.
Cheers for all the stuff you send Griff, it is appreciated. I’m afraid that I too am in my fifties and only started learning to play guitar 2 & half years ago. What a great waste of my youth! The reason that I recently picked up the guitar for the first time is being inspired by all the ‘old bands’ from my youth that are still performing, I know I’ll never be that good but it’s great fun trying. You asked if the ‘lick’ in question reminded me of anything in particular, well there was a band in the seventies called Be Bop Deluxe, and Bill Nelson, the guitarist used licks like that in loads of his stuff. By the way I hope you enjoy your golden retriever, we’ve got one who’s nearly 12 and he’s great; wouldn’t want to be without him! Thanks again Keith
Hi Griff,
Congratulations on the quality of your lessons.
I have received emails from you for some time now and most of them are excellent. Have been playing for more than 30 years (I put the guitar under the bed for a part of that time, you know marriage, kids and all that) and started playing again about 5 years ago.
I, like a lot of other people are too busy with our lives to be able to sit down and spend a lot of time playing and learning new techniques and that’s where your emails come to the party.
Each of your lessons is a new digestable chunk that you can overview and have a go at after dinner. Each one is a step to becoming a better player. It would have been great to have this material available when I was starting out. The only way back then was to meet and play with other guitarists that were at a higher standard than you and learn from them.
What you have done is use technology to fill the gap.
Well done.
Cheers Stamy
Hi Griff,
I have watched your free lessons now for almost a year. I don\’t think I could add anything else that everybody hasn\’t already said. However, To add to the learning experience of learning how to play the guitar better, I ran across a guitar that not only has the software that comes with the guitar. It has lights
on the neck that show you where to put your fingers. I thought maybe some of the people that watch your online free lessons might be interested in this new
type of guitar. It is a FRETLIGHT and you can buy a regular acoustic or a electric one Like the one I have. Copied after the Fender.
It is made by Opteck , and is made with quality materials. I am so impressed with it. It is not a cheep guitar. the price is about $400.00 – 900.00 like the one I have. I think with your lessons and the guitar I have I will go a long long
way. Thank you for very much. I will now go and Buy your lessons.
I will send you a video when I have completed a new original song.
Thank again, Aaron
Griff, I\\\\\\\’m another guy ( responding to Aaron) late in the game coming up on 50. I bought your blues DVD( I\\\\\\\’m taking 2 weeks off to just mess with this holiday), had a Heritage made for me— which I\\\\\\\’m in love with and . So here\\\\\\\’s the deal. Those of us in or near our 50\\\\\\\’s are all very much in the 60\\\\\\\’s and 70\\\\\\\’s and on. I think our subconscious has the music back then burned in pretty well, we hear the magic. I really think we hear the notes and the riffs but we lack the ability to get there or think we do. It\\\\\\\’s not that we\\\\\\\’re not enthusiastic, but I \\\\\\\’m not convinced my fingers operate like a 14yr olds, or our brains, we\\\\\\\’re more impatient! Your teaching style is fantastic for us dudes. I see an opportunity here, or a newsletter. Heck if I could come down and jam with 20 other near 50\\\\\\\’s dudes and have fun doing it, i\\\\\\\’d buy my ticket tonight. Just a random idea. You and 25 students, two days and a load of laughs, every month or so…
best.
just wanted to add my thanks. Your licks are making me look good and sounding smooth.
ps ..do you have any \"pedal steel guitar\" licks for guitar? some of those cadillac chords
again tytytyty
billy
This is why I`ll never Buy online lessons……… Ya click`m and that
little wheel in the middle starts spinning and No Video comes through
the wheel keeps Spinning & Spinning……….. Thanks but No Thanks……..
Wal of the`RAPIDS` `CEDAR` that is………………………………………………………..
LATERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
Hey Griff,
Just a note to add to the many you get to say thanks for all your e-mail videos, they really do help take some of the mistery out of learning lead riffs.
I should add that I notice that you still have the Riffmaster pro web site as a recommended link from you here. I have informed you about the trouble they gave me, but I feel complelled to inform others not to buy it. I paid up and never received my serial number, which invalidated the purchase. My credit card got me a refund as something illegal was going on with the vendor. Not what I wanted as I wanted to use the software and frankly still do. You never replied to my concerns on this site. Has anyone else had this experience? What I don\’t understand is why they didn\’t respond to numerous e-mails I sent them asking for customer support, as all that I needed was the serial number to have been a happy buyer!
Phil
Hey Griff, I am 36. I was taught a number of blues scales as a kid when I took lessons. Getting back into the grove again and enjoy the free videos. I will probably purchase the lessons as soon as I can afford them. I have to decide what comes first as all my equiptment is old and in need of replacement as well! I also enjoyed and purchased the “How To Recors My Guitar Series” which has also giving me alot tothink about!
Now THAT\’S what I was talkin\’ about when I said I needed some more \’technique\’. GREAT lessons.
Now how about something on finger picking and hybrid picking?
Thanks Griff for your great lessons. I’m a gramma at 67 and going back to my guitar second youth. Haven’t touched it in 40 years and it’s like a new romance, different than the last one, but totally wonderful.
Thanks Griff for your great lessons. I\’m a gramma at 67 and going back to my guitar second youth. Haven\’t touched it in 40 years and it\’s like a new romance, different than the last one, but totally wonderful.
Thanks Griff for your great lessons. I\\\’m a gramma at 67 and going back to my guitar second youth. Haven\\\’t touched it in 40 years and it\\\’s like a new romance, different than the last one, but totally wonderful.
Thanks Griff for your great lessons. I\\\\\\\’m a gramma at 67 and going back to my guitar second youth. Haven\\\\\\\’t touched it in 40 years and it\\\\\\\’s like a new romance, different than the last one, but totally wonderful.
Hi Griff, Art here. Been following your lessons on the Internet. Making out great. Thanks for your instrucions. Talk again soon. Art.
Bet you never thought you’d be running a geriatric guitar service. lol I too am a rock n roll lifer. Started in the 60′s with my 1st elec. Gibson Melody Maker, cherry red w white wiggle stick, but like many aspiring players, I just wasn’t good enough to play in the band and was relegated to bass. Later discovered that I was really a drummer but always kept playing with hopes of getting good enough to play in public…..then along comes ole Griffy. Thank you sooooo much for reviving my talents!! I have ordered your course and anxiously await it’s arrival. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks again, Rick
Bet you never thought you\’d be running a geriatric guitar service. lol I too am a rock n roll lifer. Started in the 60\’s with my 1st elec. Gibson Melody Maker, cherry red w white wiggle stick, but like many aspiring players, I just wasn\’t good enough to play in the band and was relegated to bass. Later discovered that I was really a drummer but always kept playing with hopes of getting good enough to play in public…..then along comes ole Griffy. Thank you sooooo much for reviving my talents!! I have ordered your course and anxiously await it\’s arrival. I\’ll keep you posted. Thanks again, Rick
Hey Griff,
Fantastic stuff here. Thank you for doing this. It gets me motivated to practice. You are a great teacher.
817403
Hey Griff,
Fantastic stuff here. Thank you for doing this. It gets me motivated to practice. You are a great teacher.
Griffer’
Again, your lessons for me are like going to church.
Did you ever go to church and feel like the pastor prepared his message that morning, just for you? That is how this lesson lines up from you to me. I’ve been working on these three techniques all week. And then… here’s you video.
The stuff I’ve been playing seems to have the same sounds to it – just on different areas of the fret board. I play/practice the blues scales hoping to gain speed – a slow process, but it’s coming. While doing so, I find I’m creating my own style & sound by pausing here, bending there. At times I feel I’m not growing in my skills because, I keep all my practice stuff limited to a certain sound.
However, I played for my mom on mothers day (probably wasn’t her best MD gift ever) and she enjoyed. My wife says the same. “While you practice in the basement, yes you play the same stuff over and over. But now it’s sounding better. As if you are owning your own style,” she said.
Well, what I’m saying Griffer’ is; this lesson from you is perfect in it’s timing and contents. And possibly may spur other ideas for me to continue building on my own sound.
You are a wonderful man, Griffer. Kinda wish we were nieghbors
!
Hey Griff, just sayin thanks for some of those tasty licks your puttin out there.
I just turned 19 and Ive been playing for 6 years and I already know I wanna go pro with guitar, I could always use a couple more licks to throw in my pocket.
Hey there Griff, thank you so much for these great lessons. I’m 16 and have been wanting to improve my guitar skills, and I wasn’t sure how to go on by myself. Your videos are really helpful, and I definitely will will be checking out your DVD’s. Thank you again!
hey griff im only 12 years old but i hav learned a lot from your videos and they have helped me get a lot better a the guitar
Griff, I have been enjoying your lessons and I am grateful for the help you’ve given me.
Thanks for helping out an old 79 year old Cogger who loves Music and always has. Thanks Friend, Jack Jonas, ( I am related to the Jonas Brothers on TV, from Bellmont, NC, but never hit the big time like they have , LOL )
Griff, I have been enjoying your lessons and I am grateful for the help you\’ve given me.
Thanks for helping out an old 79 year old Cogger who loves Music and always has. Thanks Friend, Jack Jonas, ( I am related to the Jonas Brothers on TV, from Bellmont, NC, but never hit the big time like they have , LOL )
Hi Griff; these guys pretty-much said it all for me. I’m 70yrs old. And, no, not related to John Mayer. I’m awaiting your response to, “What we’re listening to.”
Hi Griff; these guys pretty-much said it all for me. I\’m 70yrs old. And, no, not related to John Mayer. I\’m awaiting your response to, \"What we\’re listening to.\"
Hi Griff; these guys pretty-much said it all for me. I\\\’m 70yrs old. And, no, not related to John Mayer. I\\\’m awaiting your response to, \\"What we\\\’re listening to.\\"
griff love the lessons am very new to playing the gutair,just bought mine( witch loks exactly like you’rs) i bought mine at southpaw gutairs in houston.mines a fender strat squire le model had to say the lesson are very helpful also googled you,saw a performence very good.rich m currently mondovi wi but born van nuys
griff love the lessons am very new to playing the gutair,just bought mine( witch loks exactly like you\’rs) i bought mine at southpaw gutairs in houston.mines a fender strat squire le model had to say the lesson are very helpful also googled you,saw a performence very good.rich m currently mondovi wi but born van nuys. you should check out the subdudes,tab benoit,also i love robin trower(victums of the fury) gary moore(the loner) rory gallagher,roy buchanan,ian moore
griff love the lessons am very new to playing the gutair,just bought mine( witch loks exactly like you\\\’rs) i bought mine at southpaw gutairs in houston.mines a fender strat squire le model had to say the lesson are very helpful also googled you,saw a performence very good.rich m currently mondovi wi but born van nuys. you should check out the subdudes,tab benoit,also i love robin trower(victums of the fury) gary moore(the loner) rory gallagher,roy buchanan,ian moore
paid for blues unleashed a few weeks ago dd not got t as yet . you said it wi-ll take 4-8 wks to come did not come what up ???????