This month we'll finish what has turned into a series identifying common areas in the twelve bar blues progression that players tend to play too cliché. This area of the twelve bar blues progression can get old if the same licks are used. This month I've notated 24 examples of cool V-IV-I licks to add to your repertoire. All examples include a common turnaround to help give you a feel for where the licks fit in time. V-IV-I licks start on the 9th measure (V), travel through the 10th measure (IV) and resolve on the 11th measure (I). After the V-IV-I lick the turnaround starts.

There are four common ways to treat the V-IV-I area:

#1 - Two-Measure Lick
The easiest way to treat this area is to just play a two-measure lick that resolves on the downbeat of the 11th measure. Example 22 is a good example of this.

#2 - One-Measure Lick Played Twice
Another effective way to play this area is to play a one-measure lick and repeat it. Example 3 is a good example of this.

#3 - Arpeggio Based
In this approach instead of playing just any lick, you're choosing to play a lick constructed from the notes of each chord. Example 1 plays the 1 draw, which is the root of the I chord, to the 1 blow, which is the root of the IV chord. This is a very simple example. Example 4 plays for the V chord: root (1 = D), root (1 = D), 3rd (2' = F#), 5th (A = 3"), octave (D = 4), octave (D = 4), flat-7th (C = 4+), flat-7th (C = 4+). For the IV chord we have: Root (C = 1+), root (C = 1+), 3rd (E = 2+), 3rd (E = 2+), 5th (G = 3+), Flat-7th (B-flat = 3'), etc… Examples 6, 7 and 8 are also arpeggio based. These are the type of licks you'll see the better blues harmonica players use.

#4 - Sequence
The last way to treat the V-IV-I area is very similar to the Arpeggio Based treatment. The difference in a sequence is that whatever is played on the V chord is transposed and played note-for-note on the IV chord. Example 2 is a perfect example of this. Simply stated, if you play the root of the V chord, you need to play the root of the IV chord in the IV chord lick. If you then play the 3rd of the V chord, you need to then play the 3rd of the IV chord in the IV chord lick. This called a sequence.

About the author David Barrett:
http://www.harmonicamasterclass.com/david.htm