Looking to learn this technique

[Tiago R]

Hi everyone,
Happy New Year first of all, I hope everyone is healthy and hanging on tightly to their guitar goals.

This is my favourite solo on youtube, I’ve been hooked on this for weeks now… (can’t play it, I’m too beginner).
There’s a lick in there that is so short and so fast, I can’t really grasp what’s going on and I am looking to see if someone can break it down for me. I want to use that on my little practices.
I think it has some small variations but it’s between 2 or 4 notes always, seems to me.

Additionally to a note/hammer on/pull off breakdown, because I love music theory I’d love to know the reasoning behind the lick, as in…does it always follow the same notes and does it always target the root or 3rd or 5th?

Timings where he plays it:
3.33
5.16
5.41

Thank you very much and I hope you enjoy the video as well.

T

[charjo]

Hi Tiago,
Welcome to the forum. This fellow certainly has great feel.
That little flurry of notes is called a “throw away” phrase. It’s like a little superfluous, out of time, addition that just trails away.
He’s doing it in box 1 minor pentatonic and it can be 3 or 5 notes, I think I hear the 5 note version more commonly in blues.
It starts with a pull off from the 3rd finger to the first on the 3rd string, followed by a pull off 3rd finger to first on the 4th string and then a hammer on without picking onto the 3rd finger 5th string. So, it is a fast flurry of 5 notes using just 2 picks. It’s probably done most often in box 1 because of how nicely it falls under the fingers.
In terms of intervals, it’s starting on the 4th to flat 3rd, root to flat 7, to the 5th. I don’t think there’s a specific place in the 12 bar blues to place it, I think it’s just a tecnique to end a phrase.
I have seen Brian use it in a lesson, I just can’t recall which one(s).
John

[charjo]

Hey Tiago,
Here’s a video I found that discusses the technique. It’s a little different than what I described but it’s the general idea.
John

[Tiago R]

Thank you so much Charjo! I will diggest all of this, I literally just work up exited to see if there was an answer and there was! it’s 6am and I am already going to start practicing! thank you and happy new year.

[charjo]

Glad to help. Love your enthusiasm, Tiago.
John

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