Andy James – 20 Licks

Welcome to Andy James – 20 Licks, an expertly crafted guitar lesson pack designed by the renowned guitarist Andy James. If you're looking to elevate your guitar playing and master a variety of advanced techniques, this course offers 20 must-know guitar licks that cover a wide range of skills. Known for his technical precision and emotional expression, Andy James' teaching in this course focuses on essential rock and metal guitar techniques. Each lick breaks down complex phrases into manageable parts, helping players build both speed and control while improving overall technical fluency.

In this course, you’ll explore powerful techniques such as legato, alternate picking, tapping, and more. Below is an in-depth look at the techniques covered in Andy James – 20 Licks, along with their benefits to your playing.

Techniques Focused on in the Course

1. Alternate Picking

Alternate picking is a foundational technique for building speed and accuracy. By alternating between upstrokes and downstrokes, you can achieve a smoother, more consistent sound, especially when playing fast passages. Mastering alternate picking helps develop your overall dexterity, enabling you to handle fast runs, intricate riffs, and arpeggios with greater precision. For any guitarist wanting to push their technical limits, alternate picking is essential.

2. Legato

Legato playing involves smoothly connecting notes, typically using hammer-ons and pull-offs, to create fluid lines without relying heavily on picking. This technique is excellent for developing finger strength and coordination, while allowing for faster, seamless runs across the fretboard. It also reduces picking fatigue during rapid passages, making your playing more expressive and effortless.

3. Vibrato

Vibrato adds depth and emotion to your notes by subtly fluctuating pitch. This technique can be subtle or dramatic, depending on the intensity used. By mastering vibrato, you'll be able to give more character and expression to individual notes, making even the simplest phrases sound more dynamic and powerful. It is especially effective when used during slower, melodic parts of solos.

4. Pinched Harmonics

Pinched harmonics involve striking a note while slightly "pinching" the string with your thumb to create a high-pitched, squealing sound. This technique is a hallmark of rock and metal guitar solos, adding an aggressive, screaming effect to certain notes. Learning pinched harmonics helps build accuracy in picking technique and adds excitement to your lead playing.

5. Tapping

Tapping is an advanced technique that involves using both hands on the fretboard to produce fast, cascading notes. It allows players to execute complex melodic lines that would be difficult to achieve with traditional picking. Two-handed tapping can greatly expand your playing vocabulary, opening up new possibilities for solos and creating impressive, flashy licks.

6. String Bending

String bending is essential for achieving the classic bluesy and expressive sound of rock guitar. By pushing or pulling the string to raise its pitch, you can add emotional tension to your playing. Learning proper string bending helps improve your ear for pitch and enhances the expressiveness of your solos, allowing you to mimic vocal-like inflections on the guitar.

7. Sweep Picking

Sweep picking is a highly efficient picking technique used to play arpeggios at lightning speed. It involves "sweeping" the pick across multiple strings in a fluid motion while muting the unplayed strings. Mastering this technique allows you to play complex arpeggios with precision and speed, giving your solos a neo-classical or progressive metal flair.

8. Palm Muting

Palm muting is a technique where you slightly mute the strings with your picking hand to produce a more percussive, staccato sound. It’s crucial for creating tight, punchy rhythm parts, especially in metal genres. Mastering palm muting helps improve control and articulation, giving you the ability to emphasize certain notes or sections of a riff while maintaining clarity.

9. Trills

A trill is a rapid alternation between two notes, often achieved by repeatedly hammering on and pulling off. This technique is useful for building speed and agility in your fingers. Trills add a dramatic, fast-moving element to your solos and help develop finger independence, which is key for executing intricate phrases.

10. Slides

Slides are essential for transitioning smoothly between notes or chords. By gliding your finger across the fretboard, you can create fluid movement between pitches, adding a legato feel to your playing. Slides are also great for creating a vocal-like quality in your solos, making them sound more connected and lyrical.

Andy James' Influence and Style

Andy James is a powerhouse in the metal and rock guitar world, known for his technical precision and melodic approach. His playing draws influence from iconic guitarists such as Zakk Wylde, Paul Gilbert, and John Petrucci, who have all left their mark on the world of shred and technical guitar playing. Andy James' mastery of both blistering speed and emotive phrasing makes him a standout player in the modern metal scene.

Throughout the 20 Licks course, Andy brings his signature style into the lessons, offering licks that not only push technical boundaries but also emphasize musicality. Whether you are interested in progressive metal, shred, or melodic rock, learning from Andy will greatly expand your skills and knowledge of the guitar.

Techniques List

Here is a breakdown of the techniques taught in Andy James – 20 Licks:

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Legato
• Pinched Harmonics
• Tapping
• String Bending
• Sweep Picking
• Palm Muting
• Trills
• Slides

These techniques are key to mastering the intricate licks in this course, and each one is broken down to help you develop your skill set effectively. Whether you are focused on improving speed, accuracy, or overall musicality, the Andy James – 20 Licks course has something for every aspiring guitarist.