Stevie Ray Vaughan Type Licks I

by Christopher Sung Stevie Ray Vaughan was a firebrand, with a no-holds-barred approach to the blues. Like many of the blues masters that he learned from, he often played complex lines within the "box patterns" that are commonly used in blues. In this lesson, all the licks are in E, and lie pretty much within the 12th-15th fret area that comprises one of the most commonly used box patterns for E blues.

In this first example, most of the bends are either the A at the 3rd string, 14th fret bent up to the B, or the D at the 2nd string, 15th fret bent up to the E. (Note that these bends are also covered in one of my other lessons "Basic Bends"). Many of the patterns repeat within this lick, but it's just so fiery and relentless that it doesn't matter. Also, in measure 4, we use interesting patterns in the blues scale, but played rhythmically as triplets, which is a great feel. Try slowing down the tempo to get all the notes under your fingers, and gradually speed it up till you're playing like Stevie...