what is a lick?

[eusuntuncrocodi]

I have seen this word in many guitar sites. what is a lick?

[Kevin Taylor]

http://s93744050.onlinehome.us/cattycon.gif

[Jolly McJollyson]

It's what I was doing to your girlfriend last night!!! SCORE ONE FOR JOLLY!

[iamthe_eggman]

http://www.firstartsource.com/Art/U355z.jpg

[Lordathestrings]

Welcome to Guitar Tricks, eusuntuncrocodi. As you may have noticed, Silly Season is upon us, and the loonies are in bloom. :o

A lick, also known as a riff, is a musical phrase, usually just a few notes.

[Polera]

You will see many licks in the "your tricks" section. A lick to a song is something analogous to a sentence is in a paragraph or book.

[Azrael]

we should probably rename it to "your licks" section :rolleyes:

[alucard0941]

or birthday licks

[Leedogg]

Are licks and riffs completely synonymous and interchangable? Or is there a subtle difference?

[Jolly McJollyson]

Are licks and riffs completely synonymous and interchangable? Or is there a subtle difference?
I think of a lick as a lead or solo type thing and riff as a rhythm thing.

[iamthe_eggman]

I think of a lick as a lead or solo type thing and riff as a rhythm thing.

Same here.

[CW14]

Heres how I see it...

Riffs are usually rhythm and are repeated many times, and licks are pieces of a solo or melody and are not usually repeated like riffs are.

[Lordathestrings]

Then why do people speak of riffing on <name of scale here> when they're talking about what you guys would call licks?

[Jolly McJollyson]

Then why do people speak of riffing on <name of scale here> when they're talking about what you guys would call licks?
Guess I should've said what I originally was gonna say, haha. I think a lick is ONLY lead and that a riff is a little more ambiguous. Usually rhythm, but can be lead as well.

[1791]

a likes just basicaly the same thing as a riff just a different cooler way
of saying it

[Akira]

Both names are interchangable and are pretty ambigious. I would use riff in the rhthym sense and a lick in a lead sense like the guys above.