Trying Out a New Lick

Learning a Lot from Just a Little

Check this out y'all, we're adding a chord strum to a bum-ditty pattern. It helps us get that full and signature clawhammer sound. This is an example of a lick. A lick is a short musical idea that could work in a totally different song if it had the same chord changes. Watch the video to see how licks are selected with the interactive Tunefox tablature. Always try to learn a few licks after you get comfortable with a basic arrangement. It's a great way to get extra mileage from a tune. It gives you new perspective, new musical vocabulary, and a deeper understanding of the tune and your instrument.

The Focus feature can help your practice sessions immensely, but sometimes when you're looking at a new tune or lick you may need to create your own exercise from the tablature. For example, instead of looping the entire measure of this lick, just play that first bum-ditty pattern repeatedly. Watch the video for an example and explanation of this.

In the next lesson, we'll talk you through some of the next steps to take and suggest other lessons and tunes to check out in your clawhammer journey.