Once you’ve got the Springboard (Brick 1) under your fingers, it’s time to see what happens when you change just one note. Brick 4 is a small alteration with a big impact on where the lick feels like it’s going — and it’s a perfect lesson in how much creative mileage you can get from a single substitution.
What you’ll get out of this lesson: You’ll learn a close variation of the Springboard that replaces the top note with a lower one, giving you a contrasting phrase that sits beautifully alongside Brick 1 in any blues context.
What Changes — and What Doesn’t
Brick 4 starts exactly like Brick 1: a bend at the 14th fret of the G string, followed by the 12th fret of the B. But instead of going up to the high E, we change the last note to the 12th fret of the G string. So you’ve got 14th fret of the G bent up, 12th fret of the B, and then 12th fret of the G. That downward move at the end is what gives this lick its different character — it has a kind of surprise twist ending.
How It Feels in Context
Brick 1 pushes upward and outward, like it’s launching into open space. Brick 4 curves back inward, landing on a lower note that feels more settled or conclusive. This makes it work really well as an ending — but also, interestingly, as a setup. Try going straight from Brick 4 into Brick 2: they pair naturally and the contrast between the two directions adds movement to the phrase.
This kind of adds a different element to it. This works well in contrast with lick number 1. As an ending. It works well as the start. So try doing this, lick number 4, into lick number 2. It works really nicely as just a little different thing.
The Bigger Lesson: Changing One Note
There’s a broader creative point hidden in this brick: you don’t have to invent entirely new licks to expand your vocabulary. Brick 4 proves that changing a single note of an existing brick can produce something that feels genuinely different. You have permission to be as creative as you want — you don’t have to stay true to the original bricks. Try applying this principle to the other bricks you learn: swap one note and see what happens.
Taking it further: Try combining Bricks 1, 4, 2, and 3 in different orders. The transcript demonstrates that the sequence Brick 4 into Brick 2 into Brick 3 makes a satisfying complete phrase. Experiment with your own sequences and notice which combinations feel most natural under your fingers.
Your homework: Learn Brick 4 to the same standard you’ve got Brick 1, then spend ten minutes this week alternating between the two. The goal is to be able to choose which one you play at the moment of improvisation, not just run them both automatically.