Riffs and licks

frigiliana

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I wonder if any members can give me some help with learning the little riffs and licks that you hear in rock and roll songs that link the end of a verse to the chorus . I've been learning scales mainly the C major and minor pentatonic as thats the key we as a group mainly play in.
Is there a general rule that applies? i seem to banging my head against a brick wall .
Thanks Dave
 
Hi, Dave!

I learn and play riffs and licks by ear on guitar. I think that is the best way to learn them on ukulele too. Even we know C major scale, we can not compose a song on key of C major easily. Even we know minor petatonic scale, we can not produce riffs and licks easily. They are just scales. We have to learn good riffs and licks first. Try favorite songs first.
 
Thank you zztush for your reply , i guess it's just a case of perseverance on my part , i just wondered if there was a simple rule like emphasising certain notes from the chord your leaving going into the one your moving to ? say if the last chord of the verse was G7 and the next chord in the chorus is C .
 
it sounds like you might be groping for the turnaround. E.g., a very rudimentary turnaround between G7 and C is F, F#, G. Or a new favorite of mine is G7sus4, A7, Dm7, G7. However, if you could give us an example of a song that utilizes the verse/chorus linkage that you are seeking, maybe someone could be more helpful.
 
Thanks ripock you could have something there with the turnaround maybe picking out the turnaround as a small solo single notes.
This is the type of thing i'm trying to emulate although played on a pedal steel guitar you can just hear it in the background.

I play in a rather large ukulele club and have been asked to use my electric ukulele to add a bit of colour to the songs we do, i don't have any musical training so i'm sort of learning from guitar videos i find and trying to copy it on the ukulele , sorry if i'm not explaining myself very well .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VPIrbfkm8K4&ab_channel=MartyRobbinsVEVO
 
I watched the video and it was obviously a blues progession in C. I don't have a good enough ear to tell you what that steel guitar was doing. However I do know a country blues in C that uses as its turnaround: D7-G7-C, which is a little bit jazzier since it is the 2-5-1 turnaround. I travis-picked through the turnaround and it did sound appropriate as a turnaround/fill but I don't claim that it is anything but in the same ballpark as the steel guitar.
 
Thanks ripock and uke1950 i'll work on your suggestions appreciate your help.
 
Notes from the Blues C Scale will fit. You can "walk" up the scale or down the scale to the next chord. Hammer on and hammer off or playing C6 chord (all strings open) on an upstroke can also work well depending on the song. Blues_C_Scale_Frets_V.jpg
 

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