A Lesson With Larry Carlton - leadguitartactics.comleadguitartactics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Larry-Carlton... · A Lesson With Larry Carlton A Breakdown Of The Style And Technique

A Lesson With Larry Carlton

A Breakdown Of The Style And Technique Of Virtuoso Guitarist Larry Carlton

By Bob Murnahanwww.leadguitartactics.com


© 2012 Bob Murnahan - All Rights Reserved www.leadguitartactics.comPage 4

Introduction

If you have been following my teaching or are familiar with me in any way, shape or form, then you know that Larry Carlton is my favorite guitarist. It all started back in 1978 when a friend of mine handed me an album and said, “You need to listen to this.”

I put in on the turntable and fired it up...and yes I am dating myself taking about albums and turntables! I was instantly blown away. I remember thinking...This is how the gui-tar is supposed to sound!

If you want to hear what I heard then check out this link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wq1i409CVU

If the song sounds familiar Larry freely admits that it is a rip of Steely Dan’s song, Peg.There were a combination of things that stood out on this record for me.

1. Larry’s tone - Carlton has always been recognized for his killer guitar sound.2. The combination of rock, blues and jazz type ideas.3. The melodies - I don’t think there is a guitarist anywhere with more taste than Larry.

From that point on I went on a Larry Carlton frenzy. I learned almost every solo off of that recording note for note. I bought every recording as they were released. I went to see him live. I think you get the point.

As the years progressed Carlton started to get back to his roots and explore his blues side. He was always quick to point out that B.B. King is one of his major influences. In 1983 B.B. joined Larry on his album friends and played on the track Blues For T.J.

I decided to make a study of B.B. King’s solo on that recording as a study to see if I could spot the B.B. Influence on Larry. It is available under the title, A Lesson With The King.

While it is a complete course of study on it’s own, it did not feel complete to me without the Larry Carlton solo...so, in the following pages I would like to present, A Lesson With Larry Carlton. If you like the blues, you will love this. It’s a veritable treasure chest full of ideas. Let’s get to it.



Blues For T.J. is your basic 12 bar blues in the key of C with a quick change. If you don’t know what that means a blues with a quick change goes to the IV chord in meas-ure 2. See below.

12 Bar Blues

Loop 1

I am going to assume that you are already familiar with the basic 12 bar blues at this point so I am not going to go any deeper into this for now. I want to stay on task and talk about what can be learned from Larry’s solo in this song!

I will be referring to each snippet of the solo as a loop and you will be given the au-dio files in corresponding sections. This should help keep you organized as you work through the solo on your own.

hold bend

3 3

2 fullhold bend

1/4 full full

1016

121413

1516 13

1512 15 10 10 8



The main points of interest here are the 2 step bend up from Eb up to G and the open-ing 3 notes. As you will when loop 2 comes around, Larry repeats the opening 3 notes. This has the effect of tying the first 2 loops together and gives continuity to the solo.

On the bend, one would normally expect a whole step bend from Eb up to F. By bend-ing 2 steps up to the G Larry creates a match with the C7 chord spelled C, E, G, Bb.Most great players always find a way to “play the changes.”

Here is an alternate fingering for loop 1.

Loop 1 A

hold bend

3 3

2full

hold bend 1/4full full

611

8 108

1111 8

11 8 1110 10 8

I also have to take a moment to talk about Larry’s picking technique and touch. It’s al-most like he just coaxes the notes out of the guitar.

Check out the exercises that I recommend on the video to help you get control over your picking. The first one simply helps you get control over dynamics. The second one has you explore the different sounds available by changing the angle of your pick.

This is definitely an over looked facet of guitar playing. There are lots of different tonal colors available...even if it is just a piece of plastic hitting some steel strings!



Loop 2 Now take a look at loop 2.

2

3

1/4 full full full

12 1413 1816 18 18 18 18 18 16

1716 18 16

1717

1716

17

Loop 2 has more of the classic Larry phrasing that we talked about in loop 1. In addi-tion, check out the control that Carlton demonstrates on his bending. He has the ability to bend perfectly in tune and hit all of the micro-tonal variations in between.

When doing a transcrition like this, you have to make several choices, fingering being one of the most important. Often, it’s difficult to pinpoint but you can use the timbre of the notes to help. I point this out on the video.

Here is an alternate fingering for loop 2.



Loop 2 A

Loop 3

2

3

1/4 full full full

8 108 1311 13 13 13 13 13 11

1311 13 11

1312

1311

13

full full full full

18 18 16 1618 161718 18



Loop 3 is short and sweet but I think it clearly demos the B.B. King influence on Carl-ton. Be sure to work on the first finger bending.

TIP...let the lower strings slide over the top of the bending finger to make it easier.

Loop 4

Once again all of the classic Carlton elements are present in this one...the picking touch, the precise control of bending, the choice of notes, vintage Larry through and through.

Be sure to check the little demo on the video where I talk about the power of dynamics. You can take the simplest of phrases and turn it into a masterpiece by applying dynam-ics. I really encourage you to explore this and add it to your playing.

2

3

full full full full 1/4

18 1818

18 18 20 18 161718

1516

17 14

16 17 16 1717 17 17



Loop 5

Loop 6

2

3

hold bend

full full

12 1413

11 12 13 12 13 12 13 12

13 12 13 12 13 12 1313 12 13 12 13 12 13

1/4

15 181615

161313

Short, sweet and simple...not much more to say about this one.



Loop 7

Once again you hear the B.B. King influence on Larry. Listen to B.B.’s solo on this track and you will hear this exact lick. And, notice once again the effect that Larry’s use of dynamics has on this lick!

hold bend

1 1/2 1 1/22

1 1/21 1/2 1 1/21 1/2

15 15 15 15 1514

161614

16 13

On this one it’s more wide bending. Focus on staying in tune and holding that first bend for the duration. And, listen to the speed of the bends. Notice the release speed on the first bend and how quickly Carlton does the 2 step bend. There can be lots of variation in bending when it comes to how quickly you push the note up and release it.

This Area Intentionally Bank



Loop 8

2

3

full 1/4 1/4

3

11 811 10 8

1010

88 8

10 810

8 98

810

Loop 8 is pretty much straight ahead blues. Here Larry is playing good old box 1 of the pentatonic/blues scale.

There are 2 spots here where he alludes to the chords being played, both in the sec-ond measure. The first one is the note E at the 9th fret, 3rd string. This is the third of the C7 chord and clearly matches the harmony at the time.

The last note G, at the 10th fret, 5th string occurs at the exact moment the tune hits the five chord.

As I mentioned earlier, this is one of the signs of a seasoned player. Even though the lick is primarily blues, Larry still manages to target the chord tones.



Here’s another nod to B.B. King. This lick is very similar to some of the ideas that B.B. played in his solo. Once again I refer you to the recording.

It’s interesting to note that even though players might play the exact same ideas, they will sound different. B.B has sort of a rough edge and Carlton is “smooth.” This is where all of the different elements of phrasing show up.

That’s why it’s a good idea to learn licks and use them in your own playing immediately.It’s not cheating...improv is not some sort of magic conjured from thin air. Eventually the licks will become part of your vocabulary and start to sound like you.

Loop 9

2

1 1/2

hold bend

3

1 1/2 1 1/2 full1/4

15 18 15

15 15 18 13 1316 13

1416 13



This is probably my favorite lick in the whole solo. Great note choices, bending, a slip into the major pentatonic scale and the octave C’s at the end.

When memorizing a lick lik ethis one be sure to take it a few notes at a time. It will be much easier that way. Once you have it memorized it will be much easier to focus on what you are playing.

Loop 10

2

hold bend

3 3

fullfull full full full full

18 1818 18 18

17 1518 16

1718 18

181816

171917201718

1917 17

19 17

2017 17



Loop 11

Loop 11A

fullfull

22 2020

1720 17 20

17

1717 15

15 1315

1512

1315 12

Transcribing a solo like this is not an exact science. If you look at different interpreta-tions from various sources you are likely to find some differences. In doing the video for this lick I discovered an error that I made the first time around. Above is the way I first heard it and below is the modification.

fullfull 1/2

22 2020

19

17 1517 20

1717 15

15 1315

1512

1315 12



Loop 12

2

3

3

full

hold bend

full full full full

hold bend

1/4

1315

1512

1814

13 16 1818

1814

1318

1814

13 1818

18 1814

1320

20 1817

1617 17 17



This is a longer but due to the bending theme Larry has going here I felt it all fit togeth-er. Check out the cool stretch at the end of the second measure. The bend is at the 18th fret and the fretted note with the pinky is at the 20th. This might be a challenge but worth the effort.

2

3

3

full

hold bend

full full full full

hold bend

1/4

1315

1512

1814

13 16 1818

1814

1318

1814

13 1818

18 1814

1320

20 1817

1617 17 17

Loop 13

18

172017

1917

18

17191717

A cool little sequence of notes and a chance to work on the picking again. Even though this seems easy, the phrasing makes it a challenge.



Loop 14

Loop 15

Here’s a repetition of an earlier idea and another nod to B.B.

hold bend

fullfull full full full

1311 13 1213 12 13 131312 13 13 13

hold bend

1 1/2 full 1/4 full

15 13 1311 1515 1313

1213

11131213 13

Another test of your bending ability. Be sure to check out the video for this one. Take note of how you can take advantage of bending multiple strings at once. In this one Larry plays both notes together, but you can seperate them too.



It’s back to the blues to take it home. Notice the similarity between this line and the one that ends the first chorus. Coincidence? What do you think?

Starting on the next page you will find the tab for the entire solo.

Loop 16

full

13 1112 1110 8

1010

88

101010

810 8

109

8

10

This Area Left Intentionally Blank



3

4

6

hold bend

3 3

2 full1/4 full full

3

1/4 full full full

full full full full

3

full full full full 1/4

161214

1315

16 131512 15 10 10 8

12 1413 1816 18 18 18 18 18 16

1716 18 16

171717

1617

18 18 16 1618 161718 18

18 1818

18 18 20 18 1617

1815

1617 14



7

8

9

10

1/4

3

full full

hold bend

1 1/2 1 1/22

1 1/21 1/2 1 1/21 1/2

16 17 16 1717 17 17

15 1816

15

16 13 1312 14

1311 12 13 12 13 12 13 12

13 12 13 12 13 12 1313 12 13 12 13 12 13

15 15 15 15 1514

161614

2



7

8

9

10

1/4

3

full full

hold bend

1 1/2 1 1/22

1 1/21 1/2 1 1/21 1/2

16 17 16 1717 17 17

15 1816

15

16 13 1312 14

1311 12 13 12 13 12 13 12

13 12 13 12 13 12 1313 12 13 12 13 12 13

15 15 15 15 1514

161614

2

11

12

13

14

3

full

hold bend

1/4 1/4

3

1 1/2

hold bend

3

1 1/2 1 1/2 full1/4

hold bend

3 3


16 13 11 811 10 8

1010

88 8

10 810

8 98

810

15 18 15

15 15 18 13 1316 13

1416 13

18 1818 18 18

17 1518 16

1718 18

1818 16

171917

201718

3



11

12

13

14

3

full

hold bend

1/4 1/4

3

1 1/2

hold bend

3

1 1/2 1 1/2 full1/4

hold bend

3 3


16 13 11 811 10 8

1010

88 8

10 810

8 98

810

15 18 15

15 15 18 13 1316 13

1416 13

18 1818 18 18

17 1518 16

1718 18

1818 16

171917

201718

3

15

16

17

18

fullfull 1/2

3

full

hold bend

full full full full

1917 17

19 17

2017 17

22 2020

19

17 1517 20

1717 15

15 1315

1512

1315 12

1315

1512

1814

13 16 1818

1814

1318

1814

13 1818

18 1814

1318

4



15

16

17

18

fullfull 1/2

3

full

hold bend

full full full full

1917 17

19 17

2017 17

22 2020

19

17 1517 20

1717 15

15 1315

1512

1315 12

1315

1512

1814

13 16 1818

1814

1318

1814

13 1818

18 1814

1318

4



19

20

21

22

hold bend

1/4

hold bend


hold bend

1 1/2 full 1/4 full

20 1817

1617 17 17 17

1720

17

18 1917

18

1719

17 1713

11 13 12 13 12

13 1313 12 13 13 13

15 13 1311 1515 1313

1213

1113

1213

5



19

20

21

22

hold bend

1/4

hold bend


hold bend

1 1/2 full 1/4 full

20 1817

1617 17 17 17

1720

17

18 1917

18

1719

17 1713

11 13 12 13 12

13 1313 12 13 13 13

15 13 1311 1515 1313

1213

1113

1213

5

23

full

13 11 81110 8

1010

88

101010

810 8

109

8

10

6

There you have it. I hope that you enjoy the licks and ideas presented in this course and the video...I know I sure have. And, I had another chance to dive even deeper into the playing of my favorite guitarist.

The most important thing is to take what you like and put it to use immediately. Make the ideas a part of you and your playing.

If you have any questions be sure to drop me a line. I am happy to help.

Best Wishes,

Bob

Documents

A Lesson With Larry Carlton - leadguitartactics.comleadguitartactics.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Larry-Carlton... · A Lesson With Larry Carlton A Breakdown Of The Style And Technique