This is a great, tried and true lick I’ve used for years, and have always played it not only as a turnaround but also as a lick unto itself within songs. The variations that can be created with the use of this lick as a basis are mind-boggling, and I’ll be sure to show you some in the course of this lesson.
The main aspect of the “dissonant” part of this lick is that it has three distinct positions that all are dissonant within themselves, even though the bass line keeps moving and some of the high strings remain ringing as we play the lick.
So, the first part has a G and a G#, the second has a B and a Bb, and the third has an A and an A#, before it finally resolves at the open E chord.
Pay close attention to the variations upon this theme that I will also show you here … you’ll see just how wonderful this particular run and all its possibilities truly are. Enjoy!—Arlen Roth
The opinions, views, and ideas expressed are the author's own, and do not
necessarily reflect or represent the views of Gibson Guitar Corp. or the Gibson
Family of Brands. Send all thoughts, comments, disagreements, and rants to
editor@gibson.com. All e-mails will be considered
for publication.