5 Licks From The Masters Part 1
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Description
5 licks from some of my favorite guitarists. Listen to the audio to get a feel of what the licks sound like.
Many of these licks get their oomph from the bends and wide, in-control vibratos. I cannot stress the importance of working on your vibrato when improving your lead playing skills.
Example 1
Alexi Laiho | Children of Bodom - Hatebreeder
Lets start with the master himself; Alexi Laiho. This is the first solo from the song Hatebreeder.
Example 2
George Lynch | Dokken - Unchain the Night
One of my favorite licks from one of my favorite guitarists; George Lynch. Listen to the Lynch playing this lick in Dokken’s “Unchain the Night” for a reference on what a perfect vibrato sounds like!
Example 3
Yngwie Malmsteen - Fire
Between the thousands of notes Yngwie plays in every song, you will find beautiful passages such as this one. The slides to bends, fast runs and wide vibratos are what fascinated me the most in his playing. Yngwie’s vibrato is definitely something special.
Example 4
Michael Romeo | Symphony X - Sea Of Lies
This one ain’t easy but when you nail it you’ll have a lick in your arsenal that’s perfect for practicing legato and tapping! Not only does this lick sound absolutely mad, it also develops your finger strength, legato, string skipping, and tapping skills.
It may look intimidating at first but it’s not as hard as it seems. Cut it up into pieces and practice slowly. Gradually increase the tempo and you’ll have it down in no time!
Although Michael taps with his first finger, I recommend practicing tapping with your middle finger. It allows for more versatile playing since you don’t need to shift how you hold the pick when you tap.
Example 5
Paul Gilbert | Racer X - God Of The Sun
Bet you thought this one would be some blazing fast shredding eh? Nope. In addition to Paul’s terrifying technique his phrasing is just as tight! Back in high school I listened to the Racer X “Technical Difficulties” album non-stop and this lick really hit me hard.
It’s crucial to have control in the bends and vibrato to get the most bang for your buck in this lick.
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