This lesson will introduce you to some basic Rock and Blues acoustic licks. The examples in this lesson are played only within the first position (first 4 or 5 frets of the guitar). As with the Folk and country licks studied previously, Rock and Blues licks are based around a certain type of scale or pattern. The pattern refers to the location of the notes on the fretboard of a particular scale. The two most common patterns (or scales) used in Rock and Blues are shown next in the open position, the minor pentatonic scale and the Blues scale.
The following example ascends and descends the E minor pentatonic scale. Practice this scale until you are familiar with it.
Now try the open E Blues scale. Practice this scale and compare it with the E Minor Pentatonic scale.
The E minor pentatonic and the E Blues scales can be used to play a lick or solo over a chord progression in the key of E. Try the following examples and notice that each note played is taken directly from the E minor pentatonic or E Blues scale.