Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
More
  • Tiny Dancer
  • Browser DAWs
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Restring your guitar
  1. Tutorials
  2. Guitar Lessons & Tutorials

Quick licks: easy #15

News
By Guitar Techniques
Published 22 June 2012

Albert Collins and Thin Lizzy-style riffs

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Easy lick one: Albert Collins-style blues

Easy lick one: Albert Collins-style blues

Here's a fantastic starter lick for aspiring blues and rock players based on the C blues scale (C, Eb, F, F#, G, Bb, C). Pay attention to the vibrato and string bends and dial in some vintage valve amp crunch for the right tone if you want to sound like Albert 'The Ice Man' Collins...

Page 1 of 2
Page 1 of 2
Easy lick two: Thin Lizzy inspired riff

Easy lick two: Thin Lizzy inspired riff

This riff in F# minor (as most great Lizzy riffs are!) has some tricky shifts between power chords and open chords. Watch the scale line during the fourth bar and use a humbucker and vintage British valve amp sound for maximum Lizzy authenticity.

Page 2 of 2
Page 2 of 2
Guitar Techniques
Read more
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Kirk Hammett of Metallica performs during the band's St. Anger tour
Guitars “These songs are played a lot. They’re often not played well”: Guitar Center reveal the Top Ten riffs played at their stores
 
 
Human League
Artists Replicate the sonic magic of the Human League’s defining synth-pop anthem
 
 
Sadler Vaden takes a slide solo on a Rickenbacker
Artists “It’s a funny thing to imagine but it changes how you play”: Sadler Vaden's approach to slide guitar
 
 
The Darkness in 2003
Artists “When he sang the chorus for the first time, I said, ‘No – it sounds ridiculous!’”
 
 
Paul Rodgers in Free
Artists How one of the greatest rock anthems of all time was created in the wake of a nightmare show
 
 
Latest in Guitar Lessons & Tutorials
Guitar Tricks Summer Black Friday promo
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Get almost $1k of guitar tuition from our number one online platform for only $99 with this epic Summer Black Friday deal – over 11,000 lessons, plus bonus gifts
 
 
Chords
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials Confused by guitar tabs and notation? Use this complete guide to reading music for guitar
 
 
Scale
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials "Don't play scales just to get faster. Speed is a happy by-product of playing more accurately": Beginner Guitar Lessons - nailing scales
 
 
Guitar maintenance
Guitars "There isn't one correct answer": 6 things you need you need know about how to clean and condition your guitar fretboard
 
 
Tom Morello
Artists How Tom Morello used his guitar to drill into the off-limits domain of the turntablist
 
 
Close up of a person playing guitar
Guitar Lessons & Tutorials With a massive 89% discount, $99 for a year's worth of Guitar Tricks online lessons is the best way to upgrade your guitar playing this Black Friday
 
 
Latest in News
Harley Benton Fusion-T II: these humbucker-loaded T-styles are packed with features and are offered with myriad hardware, pickups and finish options
Guitars Harley Benton throws a big ol' T party and you are all invited, as it debuts the Fusion-T II series
 
 
Musicians George Michael and Sir Elton John attend a charity performance benefiting the Elton John AIDS Foundation's newly created Elizabeth Taylor Memorial Fund at the Royal Opera House on November 6, 2011 in London, England.
Artists Could a 'new' George Michael and Elton John duet be heading for release?
 
 
hyfi
Tech Musik Hack launches HyFi, an online mastering platform powered by the “world-class DSP” behind Master Plan
 
 
Ozzy Osbourne and Sharon Osbourne attend the Billy Morrison - Aude Somnia Solo Exhibition at Elisabeth Weinstock on September 28, 2017 in Los Angeles, California.
Singers & Songwriters "As Ozzy would say...": Sharon Osbourne remembers her husband, a year on from his death
 
 
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 21: Paul McCartney leaves the "The Late Show" following the taping of the final episode after 32 years on air at the Ed Sullivan Theater on May 21, 2026 in New York City.
Singers & Songwriters Beatles fans on a Liverpool tour bus get an unexpected bonus as they pull up alongside Paul McCartney
 
 
skrillex
Tech “We’ll be in a room with multi-million-dollar speakers and he'll be sitting on the floor with the worst quality headphones and his laptop doing his thing”: Rogét Chahayed on the genius behind Skrillex's production
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...