March 2023 Challenge – Alan L

[Alan L]

I found this one very interesting. I’ve been here at AM a little over 2 years now, but only recently have I been developing my improvising. I rely heavily on triads and pentatonics, and don’t really have a “bag of licks.” (Which i know is important for our musical vocabulary!)

One thing I’ve been doing recently is finding lessons that have a similar vibe and string them together. This helps me make connections between all the content, and apply them in new situations, over new rhythm tracks. I sure would have liked to isolate my most favorite licks, but between garden chores and a power outage today, this is what I got! I figure it’s in the spirit of “playing something i already know.” 🙂

So here I submit my mash up of EP471, ML076 and EP485. Played over the track from 471. A few goofs that I covered nicely with improv, and some solid licks in there!

[Garry]

Great idea to play a mashup Alan. Lots of cool blues licks on display here. And … played with great feel. Thanks for sharing. Keep on pickin’ and all the best! 🥸🎸🥸

[AndréM]

Excellent rendition.
Lots of great licks in there.
Well done.

AndréM

AndréM

[Phil B]

Well for some one who doesn’t have a bag of licks that was extremely impressive.

[Alan L]

Thanks! I’m pretty good at learning the lessons as written, playing them as stand alone pieces. I’m just now learning how to take bits and pieces of those lessons (“licks”) and apply them in new contexts.

[Manfred M]

I think it‘s a fine approach to look for lessons that can be strung together, Alan. I do it myself from time to time and i know it can be great fun and very satisfying. You play a perfect example of it here.

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I look forward to meet you.
Manfred

[Guido]

Great idea to mix and link licks from different lessons that have a similar structure! Very well crafted and played, Alan! Definitely an inspiration to try to do something similar myself!

Guido

[Alan L]

Another thing I’ve been doing is taking the “solo no accompaniment” blues pieces and putting them to a backing track from youtube. Works great!

[Richard G]

Alan, I think your explanation of re-using licks in new situations is spot on. It’s exactly that approach that helps us eventually develop our own styles. Thanks for posting this …..

Richard

[Don Patton jr]

Hi Alan,
Improv is the goal, as you do not have to rely on licks to fit the rythum! You did a nice job of doing that!👍

Don P

[John H]

Nice choice and application of licks. Great traditional bluesy backing track. Is that an Ibanez Artcore? Great guitar for the money!!

John

[Alan L]

Yup, it’s my favorite guitar now!

[Rich F]

Hi Alan,

That was a brilliant mash-up of the three lessons.. excellently played! Very smooth indeed!

You have inspired me to look at those three lessons… I have justhad a look, and I love ML076…

Thanks for posting!

[Sal]

Real nice classic blues sound there Alan!! The three lessons went well with that backing track, and the licks were great!!

[snakechisler]

Nice sound good playing its pretty smooth and meshes together well

well played thanks for sharing

[charjo]

Great collection of licks that follow the chord changes very nicely. That became a very comprehensive solo, Alan.
John

[James B]

You put this together in fine fashion, Alan. A real nice collection of tasty licks.

James

[Bob Utberg]

Great playing and ideas Alan! You made these licks sound like you made them up! Natural. Keep at it – sounds awesome

Bob U. (aka Bobby Ut)

[WBlues]

These are great licks and especially good for a slow blues. Well done

Play guitar just like you live; don't get bogged down in theory, it's just a tool without feeling.

Wilfried

[sunjamr]

Well played Alan. You do have a lick library, after all, you just didn’t realize it. When I started with AM years ago, I did the same trick of merging similar lessons together. You should try merging EP065/66/37 together. Works like a charm.

Sunjamr Steve

[JoLa]

Not one or two but a whole bag of licks you showed us here, Alan! That was a great way of doing so by applying licks from different lessons to one jam track, a good method to solidify them in your repertoire. It sounded perfect, great tone, too. Nicely done!

🎸JoLa

[Laurel C]

Sounded great with the mashup of three lessons woven into one. So cohesive and a bag full of licks within. Sounds like your creativity is making those connections with the ear. That is an excellent approach to improvising by completing the jigsaw puzzle with pieces from Brian’s lesson. That is how the process evolves. Soon you will find something from your own fingers that will contribute to the mix too.

[” Slappy”]

great licks in there. digging the style

[Michael L]

Hi Alan, nice playing here! I like how you’ve combined the lessons. I’m sure that helps get away from memorizing a single song and makes the licks much more reusable in a different context. We should all give that a try. Thanks for the inspiration.

[Reuben B]

Some great licks in there Alan, nice rendition of those mashup to come up with a nice soulful blues. Great submission.

[Tom D]

You had some REALLY solid licks in there Alan. Your timing and “lick articulation” is so good it’s amazing. That’s one cool mash-up. I think sometimes when you have the confidence to allow, and enable, some unintended stuff it can give it a very authentic live sound … that sounds very good. Well done.

Cheers, Tom

[Author]

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