66 Must-Know Licks and Riffs for the Modern Guitar Player

Practice a simple two-string lick across frets 4, 7, 8, 7, and 10. Use index, middle, and ring fingers for hammer-ons and vibrato, muting other strings, and move through octaves.

Discover hybrid picking in lick 2, using the middle finger on the E string for pull-offs and staying close to the beat to reduce hand fatigue.

Explore lick 3, a rhythm-led riff with open e hammer-ons to the second fret, e and g string notes, and hybrid picking with pull and palm mute.

Master a simple alternate-picked lick on the B and E strings, using palm muting and finger muting to prevent ringing, and compare alternate and economy picking for clean, precise transitions.

Master a two-note lick that adds fullness and character with hybrid picking or pick tones, then perform a micro bend on the G string and practice precise, synchronized note attack.

Explore a dreamy, slow lick using natural harmonics on the 12th fret and above seventh fret, playable with pick or hybrid picking, and mind the arched pinky to avoid buzzing.

Practice lick 7's double-note pattern by switching fretting-hand fingers to move across fretboard and build coordination. Do it slowly for a clean sound and alternate between one-finger-per-string and strum/pick twice.

Practice hybrid picking and string skipping in one lick that works ascending or descending across the fretboard. Coordinate fretting and picking hands to improve precision and pattern awareness.

Master lick 9 by practicing alternate picking and extreme string skipping, moving from higher to lower strings, and using muting for different tones to keep the notes clean and fast.

Master a classic two-note bending lick that bends two notes at once, with a held note bent to match. Muting the G and D strings prevents ringing and builds strength.

Explore a hybrid-picking lick that doubles bass notes, with spring skipping and subtle muting, and can be moved across the fretboard to create varied melodies and root-based phrases.

Learn a simple three-string lick on a single fret with pinky-assisted slides 7–9–12, designed for easy looping back to the first chord and building stamina.

Master lick 13 with precise slides, hybrid picking and alternate picking on two strings, balancing tone and volume, starting slow to build muscle memory and accuracy.

Explore a riff on the E and A strings from the third to the fifth fret, using picking or hammer-ons. Vary tone and palm muting to find your sound.

Explore lick 15, a more complex variant using the G string and 12th fret with hammer-ons and slides; experiment with hybrid picking or pinky slides on B and E strings.

Master a melodic lick using sweet picking, rolling from the 12th fret to the D string, then hammer-ons and slides toward the 14th and 15th frets with mostly down strokes.

Master lick 17 by using hybrid picking on the E string, practicing chords and natural harmonics separately before combining, then use palm muting to hide minor mistakes at higher speeds.

Learn a classic sounding lick played in a modern style using hybrid picking and string skipping, bending before picking, to achieve a clean, economical guitar sound.

Master lick 19 with hammer-ons, a slide, and a bend, balancing tone between pick notes and hammer-ons. Learn muting and precise fretting at the 12th–13th frets with wrist-driven technique.

Master a simple open e riff with octaves on a and g strings, add variations and muted notes, and blend open strings with chords to create a varied riff.

Master lick 21 using the open e string with string skipping, palm muting, a seventh-fret hammer-on, and a g string bend. Isolate parts, first practice main notes, then add rest.

Explore a math-rock inspired riff that highlights open strings to add rhythmic texture, using alternate picking and palm muting for varied tone on electric guitar with a capo.

Combine melody and chords into a modern riff with a lead line, then practice precise fast slides, hammer-ons, and pull-offs, starting slow.

Execute lick 24 by synchronizing double notes with hammer-ons and pull-offs, hammering the B string and bending the seventh-fret G string to mimic a half-step slide, ending with suspended notes.

practice a legato hammer-on and pull-off with a slide sequence, keeping fingers ready for the lick by starting with ring finger and pinky near fret five on the d string.

Enhance your modern guitar phrasing with lick 26, combining two-note voicings, palm-muted accents, varied dynamics and velocities, and a hybrid-picking finish with an octave to end.

Master quick slides on e, b, and g strings, stay in the upper fret half to avoid buzz, and practice 10-11-10 on b string and 9-10 on g string.

Master lick 28 from the 66 must-know licks with an arpeggio, using pull-offs, slide or pick, and staying close to the strings while starting slow to build speed.

Learn a riff that shifts from tenth fret on the high E to seventh fret on the D-G strings with the pinky, palm muting, hammer-ons, slides, and metronome looped practice.

Learn a simple riff blending chords with melody through hybrid picking, ideal for an intro or outro, and practice slowly to memorize fingerings, slides, and bends for expressiveness.

Explore neo-soul melodic licks with a clean to crunch tone, using open and palm-muted phrasing, hybrid picking or pick; adjust muting and vibrato to blend with drums and bass.

Explore lick 32 from 66 must-know licks and riffs, blending traditional and modern ideas, and learn to connect notes with pull-offs, alternate picking, and fast string changes.

Explore a melodic lick that blends string skipping and hybrid picking, using chords, arpeggios, hammer-ons, and slides to keep notes ringing with even volume and minimal buzz.

Master an advanced riff that blends hybrid picking, with the middle finger on the high e string returning quickly to the b string, including bends or slides, and slow-loop practice.

Practice economy picking with a down, up, down rhythm and a follow-through down stroke. Use double notes to reduce fretting hand motion and explore finger pairings like index+pinky, index+middle, index+ring.

Learn a simple riff built from three-note chords, muting the a string with finger tips, and shaping melody by moving notes with the pinky for a richer chord sound.

Master the riff by adapting three-note shapes to two-note variations for smoother speed, and practice switching between picking, hammer-ons, and pull-offs to shape the tone you want.

Explore tapping over two chords by hammering on, pulling off, and sliding notes, while holding the chord with your fretting hand; practice these techniques to build melody.

Move across fretboard with lick 39, refining fingering across the first two positions. Switch to pinky for precise slides, divide lick into chunks for tone between fixed notes and hammer-ons.

Learn to blend arpeggios, legato, and alternate picking to create varied guitar licks. Practice muting, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, and a half-step bend to add edge without overload.

Master a lockable riff with challenging stretches. Learn fingerings that ease fast position shifts and sliding back to the starting chord, to improve speed and precision.

Practice an alternate lick sequence that strengthens rhythmic picking and muting, memorize by listening to the lick, and master muting with the fretting hand and palm muting to prevent buzzing.

Master hammer-ons, pull-offs, and slides on two-string chords while keeping a uniform clean to crunchy tone, adjusting the volume knob and using hybrid picking.

Practice slides and move across the fretboard to build speed without needing lightning-fast tempo. Emphasize sweep picking, pulling off into open strings, and developing even dynamics and finger coordination.

Blend melody and chords to create richer guitar parts, then practice merging rhythm and leads as a building block for new riffs.

Master hybrid picking for lick 46, using the pick on the first two strings and the middle finger on the third and string below to ease six-to-nine transition with dynamics.

Master lick 47 blends hammer-ons and tapping with pull-offs, stressing precision and timing as you return to position.

practice two-note chords and octave movements across the fretboard with micro slides to improve finger coordination and navigate double-note riffs.

Practice lick 49 with hybrid picking, muting the root note while other strings may mute or ring, and perform slides from the 12th to the 11th fret with the pinkie.

Practice lick 50 uses a back-and-forth note pattern across higher strings, blending hybrid picking, alternate picking, or economy picking, with the tab guiding the note order to build coordination.

Master Lick 51 with a fast slide and a loopable pattern, using pinky and index finger to connect notes and maintain similar dynamics across the notes.

Explore a neo-soul lick with dreamy chords, playable with pick or hybrid picking on clean tone. Stitch loops and keep the hand at the first position to start again.

Learn lick 53 as a free, unmetered guitar phrase for intros and outros; memorize the notes, then shape timing and phrasing with hybrid picking for string skipping and slides.

The lecture presents a simple riff using mostly modern sounding chords, with an advanced version adding melody lines and a focus on sliding the same shape across frets.

Master the advanced lick 55, an enhanced riff built on the beginner version, with optional open e string, hybrid picking, and extra notes to improve timing and looping.

Practice palm muting and strict picking with the pick throughout, while your fretting hand stays in position, avoiding hybrid picking, to build dynamics and precise articulation through hammer-ons and pull-offs.

Explore how lick 57 uses a back-and-forth, stepwise motion instead of a strict ascending or descending line to create a unique guitar sound, showing that licks can combine both directions.

Master lick 58 blends hammer-ons, pick notes, and hybrid picking to make the tones sound as similar as possible; practice slowly with all fingers and increase speed to finish cleanly.

Master lick 59 by practicing fast hammer-ons and pull-offs, picking notes closely together, and gradually increasing speed while following the tab and watching for tricky open-string pull-offs.

Explore lick 61 inspired by Eric Johnson, using hybrid picking and flexible timing to improvise free-form guitar lines without any accompaniment. Learn multiple positions and patterns, then mix and match.

Master lick 62 with hybrid picking, muting the g-string, and execute a key stretch by leaning the pinky while the index reaches the next note; hammer on for tone variety.

Explore open strings and bass notes, hybrid picking on the g-string, legato phrasing, and rhythm-driven contrasts to craft a melancholic yet dissonant melodic riff.

Practice an alternate-picking style riff that shifts between two positions, stays in rhythm as it changes root notes, and invites you to create your own melodies.

Combine rhythm and lead patterns to show how similar motifs can repeat for greater impact. Lead into the lick with a preceding idea, using short notes to announce what’s coming.

Explore lick 66’s back-and-forth movement, with pick or hybrid picking options, sliding, and a leading-out ending. Learn to connect phrases before and after the lick to stay musical.