| Lead guitar is very "lick" and "riff" oriented. A lick or riff | | | | We are all familiar with the concept of sitting down |
| is simply a series of notes that we play within the | | | | and copying the licks of our favorite guitar heroes - |
| confines of the musical scale of the key of the song | | | | Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Clapton, Santana, |
| we are in. | | | | VanHalen, Jeff Beck, and the like. |
| By using various techniques such as string bends, | | | | But have you ever thought about using the same |
| pull-offs, hammer-ons, trills, slides and more - we can | | | | approach to learn the licks of Grover Washington, |
| come up with an endless combination lead possibilities. | | | | Tom Scott, Kenny G, Charlie Parker, Stan Getz or |
| As a result, we as guitar players, have a tendency to | | | | John Coltrane? |
| become fixated on the "execution" of cool little licks | | | | Chances are, if you're like most of us, the thought of |
| and riffs - which can sometimes lead us away from | | | | learning sax licks on guitar hasn't even crossed your |
| focusing on playing "melodically". | | | | mind. |
| One good way for us guitar players to bring the | | | | Guitarists can learn a lot from emulating sax leads. Just |
| melody back into our leads is to take lessons from | | | | adopting the "thought process" of a sax player will |
| saxophone players. | | | | open up a whole new world of possibilities for you as |
| Great sax players approach their leads from a highly | | | | a guitar player. |
| melodic point of view. Yes, they do play licks and riffs, | | | | So if you really want to jazz up your leads, make |
| just like guitarists, but many of those licks and riffs | | | | them more melodic, and set yourself apart from the |
| hover close to the melody line of the song. That's one | | | | pack - resolve to pick up your guitar, and learn some |
| reason why sax leads are so memorable - because | | | | sax! |
| the listener can closely relate to what they are hearing. | | | | |