Steal These Piano Licks to Instantly Sound More Professional

Want to add some fancy licks to your playing without spending years practicing scales?

Well today I'm sharing four killer piano licks you can start using right now to instantly sound more polished and professional. These are perfect for any level—whether you’re just starting out or looking to spice up your chord progressions.

The Setup: One Progression, One Scale, Four Licks

We’re keeping it simple so you can focus on sounding great—one chord progression, one scale, and four licks.

Chord Progression:

Dm – F – C – G

This progression is super versatile and shows up across a ton of styles—pop, rock, blues, you name it. To make it even more expressive, we’ll be using some chord inversions along the way.

The Magic Ingredient: D Minor Blues Scale

All four licks we’re using are built on the D minor blues scale:

D – F – G – G♯ – A – C – D

If you're not familiar with it yet, it's worth learning—it’s gritty, soulful, and adds instant emotion to your playing.

🎵 Lick #1: Crushed Note Groove

Our first lick uses a crushed note for that bluesy edge. It fits perfectly in the progression by playing the chord for the first two beats of the bar and then sliding the lick in on beats 3 and 4.

Pro tip: Try it first with chords in root position, then add inversions for a smoother, more polished sound.

🎵 Lick #2: New Notes, Same Rhythm

This one follows the same rhythmic idea as Lick #1 but uses different notes—still keeping that crushed note feel alive. Again, it drops in beautifully on the third beat of the bar and adds variation without changing the groove.

Play it slowly at first, then loop it into the progression for maximum impact.

🎵 Lick #3: Double-Note Rock Vibe

Ready to bring some grit? Lick #3 kicks things up with two notes played at once for a more rocking vibe.

Stick with the same placement - adding it in on the third beat of the bar.

 

🎵 Lick #4: Flashy But Easy

This final lick might sound flashy, but it’s surprisingly simple once you get the hang of it. 

 

🎵 All Together

 

Once you’re comfortable, you can try mixing and matching between the licks and changing their positions up and down the piano. That’s when your playing really starts to come alive.

For example: