Gary Moore - Style

Gary Moore is known for his dexterity, but also for his passionate guitar playing. Still Got the Blues' will have made many a person shed a tear.

Besides his technical improvisations, he was also able to play and write rock-solid riffs. The same album, 'Still Got the Blues' from 1990, also contains the song 'Texas Strut'. This song is a figurehead of the concept that you have to have a knack for writing a ripping riff.

Exercise

For this riff we only need one guitar chord, an A chord or a power chord of A. You can take it with one finger by laying your index finger flat. In this way you have your middle finger free to bend the third fret on the E and A string. You don't have to perform a full bend on it. A bend that nicely transitions from the G (the third fret on the E string) to the A (the loose A string in the powerchord) via the G# (the note where you bend the G on the third fret on the E string slightly) is what you need.

Riff

Gary Moore alternates in this riff between the third fret on E string and the A string and lets the bends resolve to the same power chord of A each time.

What should I pay attention to when playing this lick?

1. Make sure the bends on the E string and A string are done smoothly enough; you mustn't hang on to them for too long. Try to make a nice transition to the power chord of A

2. Make sure that your index finger lies well flat on the strings for the A chord or for the A power chord;

3. Study the tab step by step. Make sure you understand the concept behind the riff;

4. Be sure to try this trick in combination with other chords, who knows, you might even write a really cool riff yourself!

If you have any questions or remarks, ask them at the bottom of this blog or in our forum!

Jeroen for Gitaartabs.