Here’s another useful trick for playing lead licks without learning hundreds of phrases. Sometimes all you need to do is make a different use of a phrase you already know.

Remember the important rule: the musical value of a lead phrase or note depends upon the harmony that supports it. The practical effect of this is that playing the same phrase over different chords will alter its sound.

Try this two bar phrase over a C Major chord. Under the stave/tab notation you’ll find an analysis of its harmonic value- in other words, what the notes mean in terms of the supporting C chord. The numbers that are circled- 1, 3, and 5- are the notes of C Major. The more circled numbers the better or stronger the lick will sound.

2     ❸      5          ❶                                   ❶                    ❶

❺     6             ❺

The following five diagrams are an analysis of the same notes played against other chords in the key of C Major: Dm, Em, F, G, and Am. The notes stay the same but their harmonic value or strength (indicated by the numbers) has changed and consequently the sound changes. This is true of any lead phrase or note repeated over a changing set of chords.

❶   2      4                  7                                   7                              7

4        ❺                4

7    ❶     ❸             6                                      6                              6

❸      4                  ❸

6      7       2             ❺                                   ❺                          ❺

2     ❸                  2

❺     6    ❶             4                                       4                             4

❶      2                 ❶

4    ❺       7            ❸                                    ❸                         ❸

7     ❶                  7