If you’ve already purchased my Bluegrass Guitar Essentials course and need even more Bluegrass Guitar Licks, then you’ve come to the right place!
Note: Some of the links below may not yet be available. Please continue to check back from time to time as I’m constantly updating the site and creating the articles these links refer to. Thanks for understanding.
Bluegrass Guitar Licks Extravaganza
If you’re anything like me then you know how important it is to be able to play a ton of Bluegrass guitar licks when you need them. Practice sessions, jam sessions, live shows, albums, the list goes on. You name it and chances are you’ll need to be able to whip out a few extra—and maybe even signature—licks to wow and amaze your audience.
I’ve been creating mainly Bluegrass guitar videos on my YouTube Channel for several years now and I’ve only recently begun to add a few other types of videos to the mix. Regardless of what other styles of videos I continue to add, Bluegrass guitar is still my ongoing passion.
There’s something about being able to load up just your acoustic guitar—no amps, cords, or cables—and go to a park, practice session, or jam session and just play. And with all the tone you get from your guitar when playing all those blazing, sizzling—and sometimes soulful—Bluegrass guitar licks; it’s no wonder that Bluegrass guitar is still one of the most popular genres of music today.
Tony Rice, the King of Bluegrass Guitar Licks
As you watch these videos you’ll begin to notice a trend . . . I absolutely love the style of Tony Rice! Even though the player who really turned me on to Bluegrass guitar and flatpicking in general was Bryan Sutton, it was Tony Rice that Bryan and all the other Bluegrass guitarists I was interested in seemed to point to.
Granted, Tony has his own inspirations like Clarence White, Doc Watson, and Dan Crary among others. And, really, that’s what makes the world go ’round. You have guitar players you like to imitate and they inevitably end up becoming a part of your own style. You’ll see this is evident even in my own playing as you watch the videos above.
Long story short, I found that as I begin to listen not only to Tony’s amazing style (a mix between traditional “fiddle tune” flatpicking and jazz) but his extraordinary vocabulary of Bluegrass guitar licks I began to realize just how much of an influence he was to other people’s playing styles; especially since I kept hearing other players “steal” Tony’s licks.
Where To Go From Here
If you’d like even more great Bluegrass guitar licks in the style of Tony Rice, be sure to check out my post on one of Tony’s most popular tunes “Blue Railroad Train.” This is where you can get some great ideas for playing some unique Bluegrass guitar licks in the key of D. Speaking of the key of D, I’ve discovered even more great tips for playing lead Bluegrass guitar in the key of D.
If that’s not enough, you can check out some Open String Transitions I’ve recorded, many of which were inspired by Tony Rice.
Lastly, if you haven’t had the opportunity to learn as many licks as I could come up with in one sitting, then you should check out my Bluegrass Guitar Essentials course, currently available in Webisode format and later on as a complete course both in download and DVD formats.
Until next time,
Best Wishes and Keep Practicing,
Eric Beaty
Good blog you have here.. It’s hard to find good quality writing like yours nowadays.
I seriously appreciate people like you! Take care!!
Thanks so much. Glad to see you enjoy the content.