Cool Rock Licks Guitar Lesson

Chapter 1: (00:23) Lesson Intro In lesson 15 of this series, Dave taught you some E natural minor exercises that can be played across a single string. He also showed you how to play these licks along with a backing track to ensure that your rhythm is steady.

Dave now presents some licks inspired by Kirk Hammett of Metallica and Yngwie Malmsteen. These licks are also played on the two highest strings. Learning these licks will enhance your playing ability in several specific areas. These licks will improve your technique and overall finger dexterity. They will also give you an idea of how to construct your own lead guitar licks.
Chapter 2: (04:08) Kirk Hammett Inspired Lick The first lick taught in this lesson is reminiscent of the repeated lick that is played in the beginning passages of "For Whom the Bell Tolls" by Metallica. Within this section of the song, Kirk Hammett plays a similar repeating lick over a moving chord progression. This is a common metal technique. Often, a short melody phrase or arpeggio is played over a changing chord progression to build tension. Kirk Hammett's version of the lick is played in the key of E minor. Dave breathes some new life into his version of the lick by transposing it to the key of B major.

Practicing the Lick

Practice this lick very slowly at first to work on rhythm, and proper technique. Play along with a metronome set to a very slow speed to make sure that you are keeping the rhythm clear and steady. Play as slow as Dave demonstrates at 02:15 in the lesson video. Then, gradually work up your speed by one metronome setting at a time. Do not advance to the next setting until you can play the lick flawlessly at the current setting.

You can play this lick in a variety of different rhythmic groupings. You can play it in triplets like Kirk Hammett, or you can play it in eighth notes or sixteenth notes. Altering the rhythm will drastically change the character of the lick. Play the lick back to back in triplets then sixteenth notes. As you will notice, the rhythmic accents occur in different places when played with these two rhythmic groupings.

Adding Palm-Muting

Some light palm-muting can be applied to this lick. This will give the lick a more marked, staccato time feel. Use a light palm-muting technique as opposed to a full palm-mute. There are various degrees of palm muting. You must experiment with these various degrees of muting in order to determine which is most appropriate within the context of what you are playing. Lightly mute the strings with the right-hand palm like Dave suggests. Chapter 3: (07:36) Yngwie Malmsteen Inspired Lick Yngwie Malmsteen is famous for playing lead lines that follow a construction very similar to many melodies written in the Baroque and Classical Period. He cites Niccolo Paganini, the Italian virtuoso violinist and composer as one of his greatest influences. In the "Articles" section of JamPlay, you can read an article about the Malmsteen / Paganini connection written by Nick Greathouse.

The lick that Dave teaches in this lesson is played in a neo-classical style. The B harmonic minor scale is used to create a melody reminiscent of the Bach Fugues. Sequential patterns that imply the diatonic triads in this harmony are played throughout both phrases of the lick. In bar 11, the lick steps outside of the harmonic minor tonality to the B Phrygian tonality. This measure implies a C major triad, the II major chord in this tonality.

At this point in your guitar training, you are probably unfamiliar with the harmonic minor scale and the music theory pertaining to it. For more information about this scale, check out the harmonic minor section available in JamPlay's Scale Library. This section of the website can be accessed through the "Teaching Tools" button on the left-hand side of the homepage.

Practicing the Lick

This lick is much more complicated than the Kirk Hammett style lick discussed in the previous scene. It consists of two separate phrases. When practicing and learning this lick, work on a phrase at a time. Breaking up something difficult into smaller pieces will help you learn the material faster.

Do not deviate from the left-hand fingering that Dave demonstrates. The majority of the first lick is played within 12th position. You only need to stretch out of 12th position to fret one note in this lick. The note A# is played at the 11th fret of the second string. This note should be played with the first finger.

Use strict alternate picking when playing this lick. This will help you play the lick with a smooth legato feel. Applying alternate picking will also allow you to play the lick at your maximum tempo.

Second Phrase of the Lick

Dave demonstrates the 2nd part of the lick at 03:48. This portion is based on sequences that outline a specific triad in each measure. Here is a complete harmonic analysis of the chords implied by the licks in this phrase:

Measure 6: Bm (i)
Measure 7: Em (iv)
Measure 8: A major (VII) This measure implies the B Aeolian (B natural minor) tonality.
Measure 9: D major (III)
Measure10: G major (VI)
Measure 11: C major (bII) This measure implies the B Phrygian tonality.
Measure 12 (First Two Beats): Em (iv)
Measure 12 (Last Beat): F# major (V)
Measure 13: Bm (i)

The chord progression outlined by this phrase begins with a simple i to iv movement in B minor. Next, in measures, 8-11 a circle of fifths progression occurs. For more information about circle of fifths progressions, check out lesson 16 from Steve Eulberg's Phase 1 series of lessons. In measures 11 and 12, a iv V i cadence is established. Typically in the baroque style, the iv V i progression is used to create a perfect authentic cadence at the end of a piece. This type of cadence gives a piece a definite sense of finality.

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