Ok guitar slingers!
Let’s start by looking closer at bar…1! (Well, actually the entire first page, containing the main theme of the song).
The first thing to keep in mind throughout this song, is to keep your shuffle groove intact. All straight 16-notes are played with a swing feel (If you are not familiar with this, backtrack for a moment and check out the other lessons on Infinite Guitar).
One thing that you will find throughout my lessons is that I do not use one picking or legato style consequently, but alter between them to get the sound I want for a specific song or line. In the first theme you see here, I do not pick every note but use hammer-ons and pull-offs. This I do (even in the longer runs) to be able to accentuate certain notes with pick strokes, whilst allowing other notes to blend in more smoothly in the line or lick. In my opinion, not restricting yourself to only using one type of technique is a key to developing a broad vocabulary when playing and improvising. In this way, you have the tools to expand and alter the WAY you play something, rather then only WHAT you play.
Then on to bar 8: this melody fill starts out quite regularly with a sextuplet string skipping idea. Then comes the same triplet idea but now played with straight 32:nd notes. This is typical of my playing and improvisation, using the same pattern or line, but altering note values within them, to break up the flow, and get out of the “lick” swamp. To master this type of timing, (in my opinion one of the key elements for any good guitar player) check out my Timing and Note Value Alteration tutorial, as well as my Unlocking the Fretboard tutorial.