Take Note,"Music Tips"

In Classical & Jazz, behind that beautiful music that you want to create, there are things to be considered:

Licks are musical phrases, parts of a melody or an improvised solo.

Riffs are short melodic phrases that are often repeated (in a solo or as accompaniment). The most well known guitar riff is probably Deep Purple's 'Smoke on the Water'.

Patterns are even shorter musical phrases.

You can compare licks, riffs and patterns to paragraphs, sentences and words of a conversation.

Be careful how you use the licks, you don't want to sound like someone else or talk nonsense. Just copying the licks is not the way to go because you'll sound unnatural. Use the material in a creative way. Try to understand the thinking behind a lick and incorporate the concept in your improvisations rather then just copying the lick.

Play with the different aspects of a lick: try changing the rhythm, the tonality or the position. You'll learn more and it makes it easier for you to get a lick in your fingers.