The #1 Blues Lick Ever
Lesson Contents
In this lesson Steve will demonstrate one of the most classic slow blues licks in history. Also pay attention to the fact that he plays the same lick over different portions of the blues progression. This is what Steve calls a 1X12 lick because one lick can be used anywhere in the12 bar progression.
Lesson Downloads
Download This Video (MP4)Download the video in this format if you are a Mac user or Windows user who uses iTunes to watch videos.
- Download This Video (WMV)
Download the video in this format if you are a Windows user. This will probably not work on most Mac computers.
The TAB for this lickClick here to download/view the TAB for the lick in this video
The Jam Track Used In This VideoClick here to download the jam track used in this video. The track is "From the V" so you have 4 bars to get ready after the count in.
44 Comments
donald
October 28, 2014that’s cool…love them blues
Frankie
October 22, 2017“Thanks Griff”
Really ENJOYED This one …
This is a Great example of
( Things they dont teach you in music class )
Wish id a seen this 30 years ago…Lol
Ronnie J
October 28, 2014Thank you. Explaining the timing was very helpful. Nice lick and I will use it.
Randy Rebel & The Riviera's
October 28, 2014Slow Blues in “A” …… It doesn’t get ANY better than that! It’s where I go when “sitting in” and works from Milwaukee to Memphis! Great Lick and soon to become one of my next favorites! Can’t wait to hear the rest. Thanks Steve!
bill montross
October 28, 2014thats classic stevie rayvaughn licks
Hope
June 22, 2016SRV learned his licks from his mentor Albert King. Really nice. I am going to use this particular lick a lot. I also am playing finger style whe I play blues. Thanks a lot.
Bri
October 28, 2014Great lesson, great lick, extremely well explained and presented.
Steve B.
October 28, 2014Steve, thank you so much for sharing this with me. Rare is the player with that kind of generosity.
richard
October 29, 2014The more I play blues the less I use a pick. So good to hear Steve say ya don’t need it! Classic Albert King
Bill
October 29, 2014Love this lick. I have a question, and was hoping you can clarify something for me. I’m no expert at reading music. You mentioned that the first note starts on the “and” of 4, but it appears to me from studying the tab that the very first note of the lick is on the “a” of the “4-and-a”. (this is in 12/8 time, yes?) Does the first note start on the “and” or the “a” or am I confusing things? Listening to it I couldn’t really tell. Sorry to be so picky, but trying to get this lick down. Thanks.
Pat Farber
February 23, 2016Maybe it was my phone but the video download cut off the lower portion of the guitar.
I couldn’t see the fingering of the lick.
Lyn
October 22, 2017To all that mentio ed it, Download the video from the email and the video is captured perfectly. Us beginners need to know that.
johnny
February 23, 2016classic Albert King, baby bottle blues i believe
hotrod
February 23, 2016blues power Albert King
Mark Malanaphy
February 23, 2016On the greatest blues luck #1 you can’t see his fingers that well and it’s hard to see what string he is playing or what fret. The licks are good but very poor angle of the video camera to see him playing as he explains what he is doing .. Sorry
Mike Knowles
March 7, 2018Try looking at the tab… tells it all
Kofi Osafo
February 23, 2016That is good. However, the position of the camera against the fret board makes it difficult to see what notes you are playing
Ed
February 23, 2016Nice lick but you can’t see what he’s doing because of the way he holds the guitar and the camera shot is too far away. Otherwise it’s good.
John England
February 23, 2016First class blues lick.
Ralph Bruner
February 23, 2016Yes, it’s in 12/8. Nice solo. Love the first couple chords. D major -5 add 9 then a interval of C triad stacked with no 3rd, to a C major – 5 with no 3rd. Brilliantly beautiful.
Vic Garbarini
February 25, 2016Great lick, great player, useless video, From that angle, you can’t see what frets where his fingers are landing, What were you guys thinking?
Midnight
October 29, 2016I’m surprised this is introduced as the biggest lick of all time and Albert King’s name isn’t mentioned until well into the lesson.
And what’s with the camera angle?
Dennis Boyer
October 29, 2016I wish there was a ‘course’ solely on ‘slow’ and relatively easy blues solos like this. I have all of Griff’s stuff, and it’s great, but I’d like to expand my skills by learning a bunch of slow blues so that eventually I could become faster, but have fun in the meantime as with this solo. I wonder how many others would like such a product. Anyhow, thanks to Griff and Steve for sharing this.
Janet Brooks
October 29, 2016Wouldn’t be bad if you could see where his fingers were on the fret board and what he was playinig
BBB
November 1, 2017Yep it’s horrible. Every lesson with this guy. How can they not see that the camera angle is usless?
Jim Carter
October 30, 2016Great lick. Too bad us beginners couldn’t get the benefit of watching his finger placement. Very poor angle looking at his guitar. Would love a re-do with a more detailed picture of his fingering of the notes
Tombo
October 30, 2016I’ve seen other video’s of Steve’s and he always uses this camera angle. Sorry to say but it’s annoying.
Great stuff as always but it’s like a master chef holding back a secret ingredient. Have mercy.
tony
October 30, 2016I think You need to send this lesson out over again was unable to download this one its all chopped up . Of course I could be the problem .Steves videos have always been an issue .
Steven Siegel
October 31, 2016This old boy can play the blues, Has Albert down really GOOD. I use some of the same finger style in my playing it does add that little extra touch. I use my thumb to get the same Albert sound. Thanks Steve , well done
dave walker
November 2, 2016never surrender I’ve been playing for awhile. it never ceases to amaze me , when the lites come on and I learn s omething new , thanks a lot…
Rustie
October 20, 2017Aren’t we getting a bit carried away with the praise here This is a basic riff using the Am pentatonic scale.
Bruce Neilson
October 20, 2017Sure wish you were holding your guitar straight, it would be so much easier to see.
Rohn
October 20, 2017What are you doing Griff pushing a new web sight ? Im not impressed with it and Steve is no Griff Hamlin when it comes to teaching. He really needs lessons on how to Film his lesson this one is virtually worthless due to the angle of the camera, You should do it and send it out. Since Steve is holding a sister guitar Im wondering if you are going to start pushing those next you know there just an overpriced fender with an ugly headstock although that green teli of yours is impressive, I hope your not evolving into a partnership with this new sight cause I really like BGU
rlm
Tom
October 20, 2017What am I missing – the jam track will play but it won’t download to my computer for future use.
bily O
October 20, 2017can serch for years for gems like like this ….in fact I have
strated playing blues fir serious in 1974
yet a year ago I found a note years in the searching from Griff hamlin and a few months later a BB KING lick thanks griff .. now this fills in so many holes in my education more familiar with these notes but never glued them together this way
Much much work to do to get it into my DNA but one very happy bunny
many thanks
when I’ve finished paying for my latest guitar acquisition I’ll buy some of your courses as a better thank you
best regards and success with your endeavours
billyo
Neil
October 20, 2017That is a great Albert King lick. Unlike griff, because of the way the frets are covered by Steve’s hand, I could not make out exactly what string or fret he was using. The tab is helpful but, I am more of a visual learner. Thanx.
tracyanne
October 20, 2017Fortunately I use Linux Mint, so I don’t have to worry about iTunes or Windows Media Player, or whether it’s MPG or WMV, I can take my pick, Either will work just fine.
William Harris
October 21, 2017I loved it . Thank you. I bought Steve’s How to play Chuck Berry and it was phenomenal. I thought i could play Chuck Berry but Steve showed me the right way. Chuck does a song called Woodpecker. I wish Steve would show me the first cord. It’s like a medium raking. And thanks again. Sincerely Boogie Woogie Billy
Sonic Sharq
October 21, 2017Thanks Griff & Co.
Good stuff big help.
Camera angle seems a popular criticism.
Who cares it’s free includes the tab and a jam track….. excellent.
Instead of cameras I focus on my ears.
Look forward to more keep up the good work.
Jake L Whicker
October 21, 2017Awesome, Griff!! Please ignore all the criticisms on this. (Your videos have set the bar pretty high). I love your friend Steve Trovato and his earlier video on the 4 note box in “G” lick that you could play over the whole 12 bars. It was a lot like the Peter Green thing. This one will become one of my special licks when things get serious in a blues jam setting. Couldn’t be more pleased that you shared this with us.
Cheers!
Roger
October 21, 2017Guys, take this as an opportunity to learn these licks by ear! Not sight or tab. In the long run you’ll be a better player. A teacher made me do that many years ago – I had to face the wall and play what he did. Very hard, but only for a short time…suddenly it just clicked. Never looked back. Play this a few times and try it.
BBB
November 1, 2017To all of the people saying ignore the bad camera angle. Why even do a video then? Just put the audio up.
Unbeievable.
Jimster
April 27, 2023Thanks Griff, Steve Trovato is incredible. I have never heard of him before. Love this lesson. https://www.stevetrovato.net/
Marty Hutchings
May 3, 2023Video Schmideo, I’m blind and have to learn by listening. You can suck it up and do this as well.