Lesson 6. Guitar Riffs

Hi and welcome to lesson 6 featuring guitar riffs based on the pentatonic scale. In this lesson I would like to share a few licks that are based on patterns. It is my hope that these examples will inspire you to make up your own licks and provide some insight into using patterns for soloing. Learning licks is a great way to expand your vocabulary.

This first lick is very similar to a run that Slash played at the end of Sweet Child O Mine. That song features many classic guitar riffs, including the intro. Get a transcription of the entire song if you want to. Lots to learn in this one.

Pay attention here and recognize the pattern. Remember, that's the focus of this lesson, using patterns to create guitar riffs

Example 1.

Example 2 makes use of the pattern from lesson 5. It starts with a bend and then descends using the pattern, changes direction and ends with another bend. When using patterns to create your own guitar riffs it's the changes in direction and the unexpected twists that make patterns effective. If you go on too long with a pattern, your licks will become predictable and boring.

Ex. 2

Example 3 demonstrates another pentatonic scale pattern. As always, take your time and play with a steady tempo. Remember to use your metronome if you have one.

Ex. 3

That's it for lesson 6. In lesson 7 we will continue our study of the pentatonic scale. If you have any questions or comments please contact me at bob@learn-guitar-online.com. Thanks for reading and keep practicing. Stay focused and you will reach your goals.

Click here for guitar riffs lesson 7.