In this lesson, you’ll learn one easy guitar lick for kids in the style of legendary rock guitarist Chuck Berry. At the end of this series of rock soloing lessons for kids, I’ll show you how to combine these licks to create compelling guitar solos.

What in the World is a Guitar Solo?

Let’s be honest: singers receive the lion’s share of attention in most rock bands, so it’s important the rest of the band members get their time to shine as well. That’s where the solo comes in. A guitar solo is the section of a song that features the guitarist in particular. Although most of my students think the band stops playing during a guitar solo, it’s not true.

While the band keeps playing during guitar solos, the guitarist takes the spotlight, and it’s his/her time to burn up the fretboard with some sizzlin’ guitar licks!

What’s a Guitar Lick, Anyway?

A lick is a short musical statement. Just like words in spoken English, licks can be combined to create solos. So when it’s your turn to soak up the spotlight, you’ll need a bag full of licks you can reach into at a moment’s notice to create mind-bending guitar solos!

Rock 101: Chuck Berry Style Guitar Lick

This guitar lick is in the style of in the style of Chuck Berry. One of the early pioneers of rock ‘n’ roll, Berry was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1926. His signature guitar licks on songs like “Johnny B Goode, “Roll Over Beethoven,” and “Maybellene” helped define the sound and spirit of rock music.

As John Lennon of the Beatles once said, “If you tried to give rock ‘n’ roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry.”

If you’re a guitar teacher with young students who want to rock, Chuck Berry licks are a great starting point!

Chuck Berry Style Guitar Lick:

Play-Along Backing Track:

*Don’t Forget to Jam Along with the Backing Track!