Looking to add some smooth jazz licks to your repertoire? Consider using fingerstyle to explore a new world of dynamic colors and warm, mellow sounds.
Even if jazz isn’t your primary genre, learning fingerstyle can add a unique flavor to your playing. Pickup Music has shared 10 delicious licks, with the first seven in C major before switching it up at the end.
Arianna Powell from Olivia Rodrigo’s band will guide you through each lick in our video, and we’ve included tablature so you can learn at your own pace. Get ready to ditch the pick and delve into some delicious jazz runs!
Example 1. Embellishing the tonic chord
We start with the I chord – C major, using diad 3rd and 6th intervals. Make your changes as smooth as possible to master the slides and hammer-ons.
Example 2. Jazzy lick for the ii chord
This lick is over the ii chord – D minor. Listen out for notes that “don’t belong” in the scale and use them like stepping stones.
Example 3. Arpeggio lick for the iii chord
This pretty little arpeggio is based on the iii chord. Take your time making the movement between each note nice and fluid.
Example 4. Outlining the IV chord
(Image credit: Future)
Let’s start with a lick to outline the IV chord (F). The main idea is to include a G (G B D) triad to introduce the extended notes of the F chord (F A C). The G, B, and D notes of the G chord are the 9th, #11th, and 13th over our F chord. Crazy, right?
Example 5. Blues for the V chord
(Image credit: Future)
This lick goes over the V chord (G major). We have core blues techniques, bends, diads, slides, but we don’t want too much attitude. Aim for a mellow jazzy feel.
Example 6. Aeolian Lick
(Image credit: Future)
Now we’re on to the vi chord. This lick is based around an Am11 chord and the A natural minor scale. Start by outlining the chord, then end with a pretty flourish.
Example 7. Half-diminished chord inversions
(Image credit: Future)
It’s time for some dissonance over the vii chord. Our lick is essentially running through inversions of a Bm7b5. There’s nothing too tricky, but it sounds great!