Why Pentatonic Licks?
The pentatonic scale is the most used scale in popular music. Learning stock licks gives you a vocabulary for improvisation — just like learning phrases helps you speak a language.
Lick 1: The Classic Box Lick
A Minor Pentatonic — Position 1 e|------------------------5--8--| B|-------------------5--8------| G|--------------5--7-----------| D|---------5--7----------------| A|----5--7---------------------| E|--5--------------------------|
Lick 2: The BB King Bend
e|--8b10--8--5----------------| B|-------------8--5------------| G|------------------7--5-------| D|------------------------7----|
Lick 3: The Hammer-On Run
e|---------------------------| B|---------------------------| G|--5h7--5-------------------| D|---------7--5h7--5---------| A|------------------7--5h7---| E|---------------------------|
Lick 4: The Double Stop
e|--5--------5--------5------| B|--5--8b10--5--8b10--5------| G|---------------------------|
Lick 5: The Turnaround
e|--8--5--------------------| B|-------8--5---------------| G|------------7--5----------| D|-----------------7--5-----| A|---------------------7----| E|--------------------------|
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E
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D
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G
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All the licks above use notes from this scale. Visualize where each lick sits.
Open in full appPractice Backing Progression
AmGFE
Loop this and practice your pentatonic licks over it.
Next Steps
Add bends and vibrato to make these licks expressive, then learn the blues scale for even more vocabulary.