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These licks are from Corey Congilio’s 50 Texas Blues Licks You MUST Know which features crucial, phrases and concepts that embody the style of Texas Blues Guitar. This modern style is heavily influenced by southern rock, blues-rock, slide and a dash of jazz. In this series of lessons you’ll learn how to apply techniques and melodic devices like major-minor pentatonic phrases, octaves, double and triple-stops, and many more of the essentials required to play authentic Texas blues electric guitar.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #8: Double Jump

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This lick starts off with a double stop and then makes a big leap down to what I would call open E minor pentatonic. Freddy often played in the key of E. He would play licks like this unaccompanied on acoustic which is a must listen.

I’ve heard Stevie Ray Vaughan steal this lick a time or two as well.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #18: Classic SRV

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Blues players would almost always play minor pentatonic over major sounding songs. Stevie does this in the tune Lenny. This lick is out of the E minor pentatonic. There’s some great slides and bends in this one. Check it out.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #19: Double Stop Lenny

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While we’re talking about the tune Lenny, let’s take a look at a great major double stop lick. Stevie was influenced greatly by Jimi Hendrix.

This lick demonstrates some of the major double stops Stevie and Jimi Hendrix were famous for. The lick is in E major and works really well over songs like Lenny, Riviera Paradise and the Hendrix tune Little Wing.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #22: Grange Change

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Possibly the most popular ZZ Top song is La Grange. The thing I love about this tune is the key change that starts the solo. This lick is out of the C minor pentatonic and has some great hammer on/pull off combos.

This is classic Gibbons. Let’s hear it.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #39: Turn Around and Sting

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I grabbed this turnaround from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s recording of Honey Bee. This again is classic SRV and notice how he outlines each chord.

These kind of turnaround licks always turn heads! When you blatantly play over chords, your soloing really connects with the progression. Notice how you’ll have to jump around the neck to finish this turnaround lick off. This lick sounds awesome and it’s a little flamboyant too! Good luck.

Texas Blues Guitar Lick #42: Joyful Shuffle

Download the tab & notation for this texas blues guitar lick.

One of the songs I get asked to teach the most is Stevie Ray’s Pride And Joy. Obviously, Stevie plays some killer licks in the tune but, I always loved the strong rhythm that he has. Again, notice the muted upstrokes that really make this song cook.

I’ve simplified this rhythm so that you could play it over any E major shuffle. Let’s check it out.
Dig these texas blues guitar licks? Download Corey Congilio’s 50 Texas Blues Guitar Licks You MUST Know for much more including tab, notation, and jam tracks!