Using Lick Inversions To Improve Your Technique and Soloing

In this issue we are going to look at a really cool practice strategy that will improve your technique and increase your soloing ability. I call it Inverting Licks. It's an incredibly simple thing to do...but I'm amazed at how few guitarists use it when practicing.

So what does it mean to "invert a lick"?

Well, probably the best way to explain it is by using an example. Let's look at a fairly simple guitar lick first...

Pentatonic Lick 1:

This is a relatively simple guitar lick that uses the B Minor Pentatonic scale. If you've been playing rock, metal or blues for a while then you may already know it.

Just in case you don't know this lick, here's a quick explanation of how to play it...

• The first note is played using a downstroke. You'll pick the 9th fret of the G-string and bend that note (using your 3rd and 2nd fingers) up a whole-step. (In other words, you bend the note from an E-note to an F#-note).
• The second note is at the 7th fret of the B-string and is played using an upstroke. Use your first finger to fret this note.
• The third note is at the 10th fret of the B-string and is played using a downstroke. Use your fourth finger to fret this note.
• The last note is at the 7th fret of the B-string and is played using an upstroke. Use your first finger to fret this note.

(I've included extra instructions on the video. So be sure to watch the video, when you've finished reading this lesson).

Inverting Pentatonic Lick 1

Inverting a guitar lick is really simple. You just simply remove the first note of the lick and add it to the end of the lick. Essentially it means you will play the exact same notes, but start from the second note of the lick.

Check out the TAB below to see what I mean...

Pentatonic Lick 1: Inversion 1

Take a few minutes to compare this inversion with the original lick. Notice how it uses the same notes, in the same order. The only thing that has changed is the starting point. Also notice how I've adjusted how each note is picked. (I did this because I want the inversion to start with a downstroke rather than an upstroke).

Now take a look at what happens if we invert the lick again...

Pentatonic Lick 1: Inversion 2

And here's what happens if we invert the lick yet another time...

Pentatonic Lick 1: Inversion 3

Obviously we can't invert the lick again. If we do, we'll end up with the starting lick again. Don't believe me? Try it, and you'll see what I mean. :-)

Some Benefits Of Inverting Guitar Licks

I told you it was a simple thing to do! But just because something is simple, doesn't mean it can't help you a lot. Here are just a few ways that it can help you...

It Help You To Develop Your Technique:

As you play through the licks above, you'll notice how they all feel slightly different to play. And with good reason...they ARE different licks, even though they were all created from the same original lick. And by learning the variations of the original lick, your technical ability will grow as you master each variation.

It Helps To Improve Your Improvisation:

You can think of guitar licks as being like "words" of a language. And the more words you practice and internalize, the more fluently you can speak that language. Inverting licks is an extremely quick and easy way of expanding your vocabulary dramatically. Heck...if you did this with 25 new four-note licks, you'd end up expanding your lick vocabulary by an extra 100 licks!

It Helps Reduce "Guitar Lick" Burnout:

Sometimes I get sick of practicing the same lick over-and-over, every single day. So what I'll often do is invert the lick and practice one of the variations instead. This is cool because I am still working on the same techniques used in the original lick, but by practicing the variations I don't get so bored!

 

A Few Final Words

That's all for this lesson. I hope you enjoyed it!

I should point out here that even though I demonstrated this technique on a blues/rock lick, it is important to realize you can invert ANY style of guitar lick.

I recommend inverting a few licks that you already know. The licks you choose can be of ANY length. Don't feel that you only can invert licks that are four notes long. Any lick is fair game! :-)

All the best,

Craig Bassett