This is a message sent to me by u10ajf on my e-mail by mistake, it was suppose to be posted on the forum. I found his way of seeing solos very useful. It will probably be the same for some on you guys. Really good advice.



Hiya Benoit!
It sounds to me like you have a problem relaxing when you play, you're
probably too self critical. If you actually think about what you are
doing it won't be half so good as if you just do it! I know that sounds
a bit odd but persistent practice of some mindless repetitive shapes
should make the technical side of it sufficiently easy that eventually
you will be able to improvise on the spur of the moment. When you solo do
you play to a backing tape? I recomend this, having other instruments
to fill in the spaces will reduce the temptation just to shred and the
extra breathing spaces in your music should make it flow more.

I have some technique suggestions for you. My personal favourite solos
mix fast and slow stuff, they're all about phrasing. All guitarists
like to show off if they can but sometimes this really gets in the way of
the music. Slower soloing can still display your technique and help
you improve. Try using volume swells with bending/harmonics/tremolo arm
or whatever for some kind of melodic lick, you can ornament it with
vibrato or whatever you want. This will still impress people in the know
and will sound pleasing to those who don't, then put that speed of yours
to good use! Little bursts of speed are better than a constant run, to
go from normal speed to supersonic in little bursts adds real rhythm to
your playing; if you've not heard it before I suggest you listen to how
Satriani breaks up his solo in Crushing day with little spaces.
Punctuate your solos with full on blazing chords too, Try 7th shapes with
plenty of distortion, they're really angry!
Just repeating and re-phrasing fragments of roughly the same basic
riffs help to give your solos structure. It's worth bearing in mind that
very rarely are the exact notes you play strictly necesary! It's only
when "resolving" a passage that you need to get to anywhere in
particular. I have found that sometimes it's nice to play something a bit
weird and make it fit in with what came before by playing something with
characteristics of both the weird phrase and the one that preceded it.
Well, that's all I guess. Happy soloing!

Told you it was good ;)