If you have been playing the banjo for a while you have probably heard the term G lick, a G lick is just a banjo lick that can be played in place of a G chord in a piece of music. Usually included are hammer-ons, pull-offs and slides in a lick that fills a measure ,or half a measure of music. Licks are used to spice up your banjo playing, adding colour and interest to the song, but be careful, too much spice can spoil a song.
When using licks, make sure you are not competing with the vocals or another instrument taking a break, you are part of a team, whose goal is to create good music. Although great players stand out in a group - they are also able to drive the band by playing solid backup, listen to some classic bluegrass and see how it’s done. I’ve included a list of links if you need a refresher on any of the banjo techniques used in the licks.
Here are four G licks you have already learned, try to use them in place of a measure of G chords in a backup.
Here is the first G Lick :
Another lick to fill a measure of G:
Earl made this one famous:
Here’s a lick that includes a pinch:
This post is just the tip of the iceberg, there are plenty of licks out there and many that haven’t been discovered. So experiment and create your own licks, and remember to have fun.
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