Guitar Lessons & ... » Lick Of The Day

Lick of The Day – Holiday Songs

brendanburns — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 19:35:48 +0000

Some good intro note reading exercises: The Dreidel Song & Jingle Bells. They also flow nice together when you play them back to back.

Ponta De Areia

brendanburns — Sun, 24 Sep 2006 01:08:59 +0000

I’ve been enjoying my Rhapsody subscription for almost a month now. I’ve been able to get back in touch with a lot of music that I forgot I loved.

I was going through a Wayne Shorter phase when I stumbled upon Ponta De Areia from his Native Dancer album. It was one of those tunes where I was like: “This tune is so beautiful. I have to learn this.”

Well, here it is:

(Click on the picture, for a bigger & printable version)

Radiance #8 by Keith Jarrett

brendanburns — Sat, 16 Sep 2006 03:59:36 +0000

Back in February of this year, I posted a transcription of Keith Jarrett’s Radiance #8 on my practice blog. Shortly after posting it I realized I’d written the rhythms out wrong. I’ve been receiving some mail about it recently and decided it was time to go back and draft a correction.

Parker Lick

brendanburns — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 01:58:48 +0000

I should have more to say about this than I do. It’s just an amazing lick. Charlie plays it so effortlessly on “Blues For Alice.” Check it out. I’ve been working on it for two days now, I’ve just about got it at half-speed. whoo!

Bach Lick – Well Tempered Clavier

brendanburns — Sat, 17 Jun 2006 15:01:32 +0000

Bach's Prelude No.1 of the Well Tempered Clavier is a beautiful piece. It illustrates his mastery of harmony, development and suspense. It's like a well written thriller.
I was working on this with a student this morning, and was so inspired, that I had to put it in my book. Rather than photocopying the piece and putting in multiple pages of notes that I can't read when the light is not right, I decided to write out the chord symbols and use it as a basis for improvisation.
Bach's piece is really just a bunch of rolling arpeggios, running twice through for each chord. It's very simple rhythmically. It's complexity lies in the harmonic movement. Try just strumming through the chords – they have a strong sense of direction.
I have more to learn from this tune, but I thought I would share the chord progression for anyone else who is inclined to discover it's beauty.

Joe Pass Lick

brendanburns — Fri, 16 Jun 2006 15:53:11 +0000

Today's lick is from my Joe Pass book. It's a nice bebop(py) lick outlining a Dom 7 chord. I included it in two octaves so it could be associated with the two basic types of the Dom 7 chord (5th & 6th string rooted).
Now that I think of it, I think I've heard Charlie Parker play this lick. hmm…..

Grateful Dead Lick

brendanburns — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 13:30:44 +0000

I had to learn a Grateful Dead tune for a wedding early this year. I found this lick while transcribing, and getting a feel for the tune. It's a very simple bluesy/jazzy, scale built of the Major Pentatonic. The b3rd is added (like a blue note), as well as the b7 & major7, to build chromaticism. It reminds me of a scale that Charlie Christian or Chuck Berry would use, though when you string it in a straight line like the Grateful Dead did, it sounds totally Bluegrass. Scale: 1, 2, b3, 3, 5, 6, b7, 7