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
Music theory basics: understanding intervals, and how they define the distance in pitch between two notes
Music Theory And Songwriting 10 music theory tricks every producer and songwriter should know
 
 
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
 
 
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
Jimi Hendrix plays his custom Flying V at Isle of Wight
Artists When Jimi Hendrix’s tech had to play his guitar after a wardrobe malfunction
 
 
LONDON, ENGLAND - MAY 23: Glen Hansard performs at The Roundhouse on May 23, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Lorne Thomson/Redferns)
Artists Tributes are paid to Glen Hansard, Irish singer-songwriter and star of Once, who has died at the age of 56
 
 
Tony Iommi sits at an old table and contemplates his guitar.
Artists Hear Tony Iommi's new single World Alone as the Black Sabbath icon announces his solo album
 
 
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 26:  Daft Punk performs onstage during the 56th GRAMMY Awards at Staples Center on January 26, 2014 in Los Angeles, California.  (Photo by Kevin Winter/WireImage)
Artists Daft Punk’s Thomas Bangalter on his reaction to the huge scale and success of Random Access Memories
 
 
kavinsky
Artists Kavinsky, the French artist behind Nightcall, dies aged 50
 
 
Harley Benton Aged Series
Guitars Harley Benton is making hand-aged relic'd guitars for under 250 bucks
 
 

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...