Fast Blues Licks - Joe Bonamassa Style Lick (Going Down)

Ready to light your blues solos on fire?! This idea isn't for the blues purist, but if you like your blues a little quicker, this is for you.
I basically stole this lick from a live recording of Joe Bonamassa doing "Going Down" and this is a lick he plays in the middle of it.
Having learned a lot of Eric Johnson's licks in my life, this came pretty easily to me, but if you're not familiar with this style of playing (or playing at these tempos) then it'll be tough.
But I hope you'll go for it and dig in!

[@Souldoubtrocks]

Love this. 55 years old and I’m a slow hand. Frustrated. Always wanted to play like joe, Eric and yourself. Thank you so much.

[@alessandro9740]

start from slow, increase the bpm little by little until you reach the original tempo

[@johantaharin491]

Me too bro..

[@Timber1262]

Me three bro..

[@doitoichiyeumotlandung9206]

So do I, 55 ys old and not pro , just playing for fun. I love solo like him so much but i can not do, so sorry

[@doitoichiyeumotlandung9206]

@@alessandro9740 really ? U ?

[@pembertonwardiii4408]

Amazing! No hogwash here. I was one that thought it wasn't going to happen...then after about 15 minutes of going through it, it flowed like I had done it for years. Nice stuff. Thanks again.

[@Ripprock1]

I have been trying to get this for years. You have opened 1 of the doors for me. Thank You.

[@cognoscenticycles4351]

Thanks for breaking down the concepts of how to change the way one plays through a scale. Very effective.

[@douglascasey3486]

Great concept! When I started doing the lick, I realized that's how I kinda play anyway. Especially when I'm just jamming and not trying to be precise.

[@1991stratplus]

It is really amazing what you can do with pentatonic scales, Minor as well as Major scales. Descending/ascending 3's, 4s, 5s. Joe brings it to whole new level though.

[@normanmcclanahan4849]

Man, You just unlocked what I've been hearing in my head !! I knew it was a sequence but I thought and was hearing 6's instead of 4's down, then the 5's up !! Thank You for that 👍and you've got some great chops and a beautiful Les Paul ! Cool !! , I've finally got something NEW to work on !

[@billhannum4117]

Awesome video this reminds me of Gary Moores technique as well for those screaming descending pentatonic runs.Also when you mentioned about the ear and subdividing beats is so true man . I started to practice with a metronome and it made a huge differdence . Great Lesson thanks man and your a hell of a player

[@RodrigoRockChannel]

Great lesson, Joe Bonamassa is great. You should add a series of fast blues licks like this, that would be great!

[@freddavid5759]

Griff, I want to THANK YOU for helping Me BREAK OUT. Your explanation of what's in the Soup / GROUND CHUCK got through. Mom got me a Stella , I was 11yrs I'm 57. Once Ya got UR HONE ROW KEYS , your fingers just do it. Patterns were in my head until kieff's. -G- tonk took ROOT. THANK YOU SIR GRIFF!!!

[@thehouseofronin9209]

This is a great breakdown and it opens up some cool ideas for me! It's so much simpler than it seems. But when you play it slow, you make it make sense for me. Thanks

[@matttaylor202]

You are a great teacher and a great guitar player and thank you for this video.

[@chumleyshaver7942]

awesome tips , thanks! Nice playing too!

[@rickrowland7492]

good on you griff. youre more than a competent guitarist. id love to be able to play like that. just the way he plays his licks. i couldnt even think of playing licks like that. i just seem to play the same over and over again.

[@8bitBarry1]

This is excellent - thank you - Just spent the last half hour watching this at 0.5 speed, initially for practise, but now because I cant stop laughing.

[@warrior2296]

That was a great lesson. Thank you.

[@colaboytje]

I don't get why people are asking for tabs. He explains every note, which finger to use. Just write it down yourself :-) At 75% of your speed now.

[@galefranklin5746]

Thanks for breaking this down

[@nomadman123]

It’s very cool. I got the flavour of it and I think I can cop the first chunk. Now I’ve got to grab my axe and mess around with it. Thank you!

[@hawkdl2]

Great lesson. Turned out to be a lot easier to learn than I though, though I still need a lot more speed.

[@ChalkDinosaur]

This is an awesome breakdown. Very encouraging. The typing analogy is great!

[@superredlion123]

Awesome tutorial brotha!! I can seem to find the sequences of 4 videos you are talking about. I am really interested in this kind of play style, I grew up playing like stevie but then i wanted to incorporate something new into my arsenal so it would really help if you post a video about these kind of licks :) Cheers!!

[@kirkhepburnmiddleagedwhiteguy]

Great lesson, thanks so much

[@shjr906]

Great lesson!!

[@gaylemartin1412]

Thanks! Great job!

[@jirkasonbenesh]

Super, Thanks my frend!!

[@Sixxiron]

Great lesson breakdown of this technique! Thanks

[@uwashawaya5535]

Had to watch this a couple times.

[@lava_za]

Thank you - this is very useful help

[@bobwalters2612]

Nice job!!

[@Rodrigo15100]

Beatiful lp

[@maxh_music]

Thanks for a great lesson, John Oliver!

[@brikeibur123]

Great lesson, just what I needed!

[@eglancisdkhar3688]

Thank you...it is really helpful.....

[@blues4jesus]

Excellent,,,

[@stephenchaulker5521]

Great great lesson,,,as more of a heavy rocker I really appreciate this pentatonic lesson which I would think is a bedrock to much of the heavy rock licks one way or another !! Where Are Tabs 😁 Very nice playing...Thanks for this lesson 💘 🎸 🎧🎼🎵🎶

[@willissmith190]

Thats a nice guitar👍

[@ChristoHuntington]

What bpm would Bonamassa play this at? (What speed should I hope to achieve?)

[@AlexImmordino]

Is that guitar the 2011 (or 2012) Classic with baked maple fretboard? I have got the same guitar in Vintage Sunburst but my board is nearly as dark as yours! Lemon oil?

[@danielsperry8114]

Great video ! I think Eric said he uses grouping of 5's , 6's and 7's ?

[@atilla718]

awesome

[@SuperSpear2009]

A guitar player that uses his pinky! Thumbs up!

[@Seaker24]

Hey! You use all 4 fingers! I do too. It's been a life long freak out on how many blues and rock players use 3. I have tried for fun but just cannot do it.

[@symptomoftheuniverse1261]

Hello Great job. Doesn't he pick everything?

[@hubertus3255]

It's very easy... ... to look! ;-))

[@osoblues]

hey great lick. can you possibly break down the picking pattern

[@100chuckjones]

Glad I found your channel. Some great stuff here. thank you. (would love the tabs though.)

[@louisnancysinatra3863]

mmm

[@thatsmynamesowhat2949]

Please tell me how to get that fast! Thank you!

[@andreamazzocut7669]

do you have any tab for this?

[@shynickel8239]

Thanks

[@Rigz727]

Awsome griff, metronomes out lol😊

[@imannonymous7707]

Jo bo such a speedy be bop inspired blues guy. How does he do it? Well ....timing is everything

[@johantaharin491]

Nice fella u r

[@dreaminglifepodcast]

Its funny you said it's like typing, it sounds like musical typing. The first time I heard this was from Eric Johnson, but did he invent it?

[@justplainworship1177]

If I wanted to pick every note, rather than using pull-offs, is there a specific picking direction rule you use to achieve that kind of speed? Straight alternating? Optimized picking?

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

I generally use alternate picking, but I tend to use economy picking (not strict alternate picking.) You should experiment and find what works best for you. Not many people can pick every note at those speeds. Even guys like Eric Johnson and Joe Bonamassa will still slur some notes here and there.

[@davidfellows6250]

i didn't know the office guy played guitar. haha. ps does pam play drums?

[@johnk7147]

Great picking!!! BTW. that "wrong" note. actually. is in key....its the second or ninth. Joe B and EJ actually use it alot

[@roibenjamin3489]

Correct

[@JS-rp7qb]

Dorian?

[@spongebobam888]

Do you think it matters which notes here are upstrokes and downstrokes? It's hard to tell from the video

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

No, I really don't. Do what feels comfortable and/or gives you the sound you're looking for. Slur and/or pick as necessary.

[@etluxintenebrislucet7035]

I find it does matter and I think what Joe does is some sort of economy picking on these type of pentatonic groupings doubles on an up or down sometimes

[@JedNadin]

So, y’know, you don’t want to play like that!! Yngwie: 😐

[@uwashawaya5535]

Wish you had a tab for this one lol.

[@nohandswood88]

Tabs?

[@robertpeters4075]

How about a tab for this?

[@sgrocker1]

Where's the tab?

[@Gloppp]

Just an FYI - The speech to text covers everything you are attempting to teach out.

[@kastor8274]

I didn''t know Kevin Kostner could play guitar that well

[@michaelpal7641]

Question: Your nut has a "blackish" look to it where the strings are laying. Do you have some type of graphite on it? Thank you for the video.

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

Probably, when they stick I "color" them in with a #2 pencil so the graphite helps the string go across the nut.

[@michaelpal7641]

@@bluesguitarunleashed Understood! Thank you for your reply.

[@jayseb]

Great video, but after 30 years of learning and teaching and watching players, I think many have to learn that "genetically" some will just hit a speed wall; even with great practice and care. You can definitely get better (don't get me wrong), but some just can't and that's cool - you can still play your heart out and use this trick and feel the hell out of it. One comment on the video... tabs tabs tabs. Cheers.

[@dananthony6258]

I love that guitar. Would look even better with zebra pickups.

[@nomadman123]

Great jam tune. Leslie West does a great version as do Sammy Hagar with Neal Schon. But Freddie’s still the King.

[@donbakken4328]

.no tab???

[@doitoichiyeumotlandung9206]

So hard for me doing, so fast !😢

[@avii_jit]

basically everything about timing

[@gkgkjghiguggg527]

I had no idea John Ritter could shred!!

[@thefedhatesu9246]

"Its easy! Your pick just follows through" as if picks were automatic 😂. Love the vid though, good explanation!

[@charleswilliamsfranklina3196]

That's a good lesson but the write up on the screen covers your fingers on the fretboard, actually it's a nice one.

[@davidyates8880]

perfect for economy picking if you start on an upstroke :) nice lesson.

[@Hilai619]

It would be absolutely amazing to add tabs here

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/how-to-learn-fast-bluesrock-licks/

[@SuperHotrod4]

Great lick, Joe B obviously got this from Eric Johnson.

[@imaseeker100]

and who did eric johnson steal it from?

[@willissmith190]

Yes i too hear eric Johnson in sum of his licks👍

[@rohadtanyad8908]

i have to correct you. when you play the groups of five, you are playing a quintuplet, so your count is off. the one is on the e starting the descending groups of 4.

[@mr.vonruby.2195]

My God you look funny. Big shoulders and so skinny arms. LOL...!

[@rohadtanyad8908]

those skinny arms measure 22".

[@Josh-og9sv]

Kònamondrè

[@jlr022159]

Sure that note belongs... Why did you say it doesn’t belong? It’s the ninth of D... it sounds good because it DOES belong. GEEZ

[@ashturner4861]

Nicholas Cage has got some chops!

[@akliarliar1947]

Great lesson . But you need to manage your guitar face 9:38 . Mr bean. Lol

[@johantaharin491]

Ear subdivide beats.i slow down youtube to .75 and i can do that crazy speed cliffs of dover

[@Sttonkeoj]

I know this guy is a fantastic musician so I can’t quite understand why he says the ‘E’ is ‘out of key’. It is most certainly in the key of Dm, as well as D major. Why would it be ‘out of key’?

[@mattlackfordmusic]

I think he means not from within the Minor pentatonic

[@anthonydavella8350]

He is a great musician, but he also makes many errors in his teaching

[@easyrider3474]

I must disappoint you guys. But that's not how Joe would play it. He's using economy picking when he plays fast runs and he picks almost every note. He got this idea from Eric Johnson. Who had big influence on his playing. There is so many wrong lessons about Joe and Eric and many more .. Check out some economy picking pentatonic licks/runs and you'll get it. Great technique. Good luck ;)

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

Actually, I've watched both of them from within a few feet (and met and talked with Eric at length) and neither of them use economy picking, in general, they are more strict alternate pickers with slurs added in as needed. The reality is that no two players will likely play this idea the exact same way, and that's totally fine. You can, and should, play it the way you want to hear it. If you like the sound of the slurs, use the slurs, and if you like the sound of every single note picked, then pick every single note.

[@easyrider3474]

@@bluesguitarunleashed I'm not saying that you should pick every single note. It depends what sound you like, just like you said. What's funny about for instance Eric's instructional videos he never mention ''economy picking'' or rather picking ''two down stroke's'' when his talkin' about his technique but he IS doing it. It's like it is obvious for him and his not doing this like ''sweep'' but more like two separate down stokes. I not saying they are ''economy pickers'' because they're not. I don't know if you know what i'm trying to say because it's hard to express myself. I don't speak English as good as I would like.. Any way for a short time there was ( maybe there still is) short video where Eric is showing how to play intro of ''cliffs of dover'' for some other guy in some studio and he's picking every single note using two down strokes when he's going to higher string. That's what I mean by ''economy picking'' in this case and I am pretty sure Joe is doing the same thing. I hope you know what i mean i'll try too find this video. Cheers ;)

[@ediwguitar]

He looks like rick grimes from walking dead

[@patrickparrish769]

The ii of the scale is definitely not out of the Key.

[@ancmachinery1105]

09:34 face

[@ericd41209]

Use Big Bens Nut Sauce instead of pencil lead in that nut. Works a lot better

[@Bluenblack17]

Am I the only one that is discouraged learning to play faster. It looks insane to me.

[@bmann792]

some more explanation into picking technique would be more helpful

[@zacharybloo9884]

your video has more dislikes than mine even get total views lol... le sad bloo am i :(

[@davidfellows6250]

Marty taught this lesson better caz he moved it.

[@chrischoir3594]

this is more of an EJ lick

[@rockgemini]

Too much of talking and less of playing and demonstration. Didn't see a play-through with a backing track or short clip

[@danthel]

Not bad but check out Ryan wariner then U will discover what real chops are

[@coolmacatrain9434]

Everything after the 4:00 is very frustrating for anybody who can read music/tab ...you're slowing down, speeding up and playing different clumps of notes ...I could see in one second if you showed the rhythm in music/tab --- but this is just a jumbled mess which is very difficult to unravel. You're playing groups of 4, then 5, then 3 --?

[@bluesguitarunleashed]

bluesguitarunleashed.com/blog/how-to-learn-fast-bluesrock-licks/

[@coolmacatrain9434]

Thank you for that! ...phew! it took me literally 30 seconds to get the lick up to a reasonable pace. I appreciate your videos a lot (especially the one on bending/vibrato) but I honestly think explaining intermediate to professional licks like this - one...note...at ...a ...time - is only for beginners. I realize that not all guitarists can read music, but for we that can, lack of musical notation (and a count-in as well, I might add) is incredibly frustrating @@bluesguitarunleashed

[@jeffgerencser6052]

Amazing, but that is not blues. It’s rock no matter how you cut it. More like Maiden than Matt Guitar Murphy.

[@hilmifauzi2114]

You know everybody comes here to see the licks.. Cut all the talking and just show us the lick..