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I have been playing for a little over 2 years now, I can usually take a break on a song I dont know ow and it might not be amazing but it works. However I always end up using the same licks I already know. I also rely heavily on the forward reverse roll. Any tips to help break out of this rut and start learning some new stuff?
This may sound simple, it it takes work.
Find a lick you like and learn it. That means learn to play it clean and at whatever speed you typically play. Just woodshed the lick. Then start working it to an arrangement of a song you already know. Work o. The transition into the lick and out of the lick. Get that arrangement down, then try another song. Before you know it that lick will pop up when you’re jamming. The find another lick and do the same thing. Over time you’ll build your “lick vocabulary.”
But always remember it’s not about how many licks you can cram into a song. It’s about bringing out the melody and playing in time. A simple break that does those two things is better than a lick loaded break with no melody that’s out of time. But that’s just my opinion. I’m sure you’ll get other feedback.
My suggestion is you need to work on musical phrases that will go with many songs rather than licks that don't carry the melody. I have a bunch of musical phrases that will fit into a certain chord sequence and with just a little bit of tweeking will work for many songs. Then you can worry about adding different hot licks to end a musical phrase or end of a song.
Sherry is correct, and this underscores why I have long believed that a roll pattern-based learning approach can be a huge detriment to our progression as players.
The first-gen players - starting with Earl - didn't think in terms of patterns. They thought in terms of right-hand moves that could produce the notes they wanted to play, when they wanted to play them, surrounded by other notes in a way that sounds good.
I'll take Sherry's counsel a bit further: don't just learn licks. Learn entire songs. There are lots of great tabs here on the Hangout. Find arrangements you like and LEARN THEM. The more you play them and use them, the more likely it is that the right hand moves - and the left-hand work that produces the licks - will become more natural to you.
And by the way, if the tabs you download were created by Jack Baker, you can rest assured that they're accurate and correct transcriptions. Nobody here does it better.
Jack, I hope this wasn't too many words! ![]()
Edited by - eagleisland on 11/04/2026 17:06:44
Maybe try some of these - lots of various rolls, licks, phrases that are transferable, and tag licks. Previous posts give valuable advice also.
youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsI...ww39wZ4dh
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