|
|
Post by larryguitar54 on Jul 26, 2020 19:57:21 GMT -5
So my current internal debate is about the value of learning other people's licks. This came to me over a passing comment made about Peter Green's passing. It had been said that "Oh Well" was one of those difficult licks to learn.
I decided to test the theory. Actually it's not that difficult. If you take it in sections and stick with it you can learn it in a day or so. The 'polished' part takes a bit longer but learning the lick note for note is not that hard.
But then that's true of almost every lick we admire. There is very little that is that difficult.
The more important question is whether it's profitable. Other than adding it to our personal lick library I don't think it does anything for me. We tend to want to sound like 'those guys' but instead there must be something about sounding like 'yourself'.
I think that's the way it is about Peter Green or John Frusciante or whomever. They just do what they have always done and always do. It's them and nobody else.
I'm thinking on this.
|
|
|
|
Post by ninworks on Jul 27, 2020 6:50:05 GMT -5
When I was younger I used to learn complete songs and solos note for note because I wanted to play along with them. In my advanced years I no longer learn complete solos note for note. If I hear something that sounds unique or interesting I may learn a riff or partial section just to figure out how they are executing it. Other than that, no, I don't do that anymore.
|
|
|
|
Post by ninworks on Jul 27, 2020 16:17:54 GMT -5
I was going to edit my last message but waited too long.
The main reason I used to learn other people's lick was because I wanted to sound like them. That was before I had my own identity. I no longer have that desire. I've been playing long enough to have developed my own style and sound and have no aspirations of sounding like anyone else. I'm not going to be able to anyway.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jul 29, 2020 17:14:16 GMT -5
"I decided to test the theory. Actually it's not that difficult."
It's similar to the lick in Big Joe Turner's tune Baby Please Don't Go (Webb Wilder and his band do a killer version of it). It sounds harder to play than it actually is, especially if you hybrid pick it or flatpick it using pull-offs and hammer-ons.
Learning other players' licks and riffs (players whose style you like) is important because not only does it get the sound from your ears to your fingers and out the speaker, it more importantly trains you on the feel of a player's style. Feel is probably more important than note choice, or speed, or rhythm.
|
|
TBird
Wholenote
Posts: 298
Formerly Known As: greg1948
|
Post by TBird on Jul 31, 2020 6:39:48 GMT -5
I spend too much time learning licks that I soon forget. But sometimes I pull them out of my hat (or elsewhere) during my playing. They often get fractured and mangled in my diseased brain and come out a bit different than the original, but that's what I call 'my style'.
|
|
|
|
Post by Duke on Jul 31, 2020 13:41:33 GMT -5
I practise by playing along with YT backing tracks. There's no shortage of a variety of them. Just search for "backing track"
I learn songs that I like no matter how long or hard they are to get down pat.
|
|
twangmeister
Wholenote
Posts: 349
Formerly Known As: Twangmeister
Age: 72 and fading fast.....
|
Post by twangmeister on Aug 13, 2020 22:48:35 GMT -5
To me attempting to learn licks especially those of a different style player help broaden a guitarist' playing skills. Some riffs are easy to pick apart and learn, others seem unnatural. Figuring them out and practicing them adds to your skills.
Personally, learning licks hasn't been my strong point. I've always played like "me" and since I never worked in a tribute band it hasn't posed much of a handicap. When I resumed playing guitar 15 years ago I had a major "aha moment". A lot of songs that I had struggled to master suddenly became easier. Maybe the years that I played bass helped me get out of the guitar playing musical rut I had been in. I remember posting about that someone else's thread on the FDP about 2006.
|
|
