A short melodic phrase, usually improvised, used within a solo or melody.
A lick is a short, self-contained melodic phrase or pattern that a musician uses within a solo, melody or improvisation — a small 'word' in the language of soloing. Unlike a riff, which is a repeated structural part of a song, a lick is more of a flexible idea that a player can drop in, vary and combine with others on the fly. Players build up a personal vocabulary of favourite licks over time, often learned from records or other musicians, and creatively reworking them is a big part of developing an individual style. Learning licks is one of the most practical ways for an improvising musician to grow.
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