I need help coming up with my own lead solo
How should I Start,I just keep playing scales, and many say Scales is not music.I am trying the caged but not sure how I should, like what patten,finger ""got any tips to help? :eek: :cool: :confused: :D
# 1
Scales in and of themselves are not music... well, you could argue with that if you wanted to get technical, but it's not music music. I would keep learning scale patterns and learn where notes are on the fingerboard. Then, look up "intervallic excercises". These excercises will help you work scales into your memory and keep you from playing just up and down the scales. I've been playing with them for a couple months and it's dramatically improved how I play and write melodies.
You might post a recording of the song as-is, maybe me or someone else can point you in the right direction as to what you should play (in general, I mean.) Failing that, post what chords you are using and anything else that might be relevant (actually, I'd do that anyway), the style, and what mood you're going for with the lead.
I would also suggest getting a guitar teacher. Reading material online and being involved in guitar-oriented forums is also great, but it can't tell you if your technique is slowly tearing apart your shoulder or if you're on the highway to carpal tunnel. I avoided getting one for years, but I have been taking lessons for the last two and a half months and it's the best thing I have ever done.
---Bryan
You might post a recording of the song as-is, maybe me or someone else can point you in the right direction as to what you should play (in general, I mean.) Failing that, post what chords you are using and anything else that might be relevant (actually, I'd do that anyway), the style, and what mood you're going for with the lead.
I would also suggest getting a guitar teacher. Reading material online and being involved in guitar-oriented forums is also great, but it can't tell you if your technique is slowly tearing apart your shoulder or if you're on the highway to carpal tunnel. I avoided getting one for years, but I have been taking lessons for the last two and a half months and it's the best thing I have ever done.
---Bryan
# 2
Hi Brenda,
First and foremost, this problem affects *everybody* not just beginners. So...don't get too down on yourself! =)
Here is what worked for me...
Think of a lead guitar solo as a song in its own right. What I usually do is take the melody line of the song I'm playing in its most plain form and then build off that. I will play the melody first clean and straight. Then start to twist it around a bit. Instead of playing a note plain, just bend up to it. When you move from one note to another, instead of just moving, slide. Start with one change at a time and keep adding changes. Of course don't throw so many tricks in there that you lose the overall melody. You can also play part of the melody in one position and then the rest of it an octave higher. To get to that octave higher... add some transition notes or tricks (hammer runs, pulloffs, slides, etc).
I hope that helped...if you need more suggestions..let me know.
Good luck...
First and foremost, this problem affects *everybody* not just beginners. So...don't get too down on yourself! =)
Here is what worked for me...
Think of a lead guitar solo as a song in its own right. What I usually do is take the melody line of the song I'm playing in its most plain form and then build off that. I will play the melody first clean and straight. Then start to twist it around a bit. Instead of playing a note plain, just bend up to it. When you move from one note to another, instead of just moving, slide. Start with one change at a time and keep adding changes. Of course don't throw so many tricks in there that you lose the overall melody. You can also play part of the melody in one position and then the rest of it an octave higher. To get to that octave higher... add some transition notes or tricks (hammer runs, pulloffs, slides, etc).
I hope that helped...if you need more suggestions..let me know.
Good luck...
# 3
Originally Posted by: Brenda SmithHow should I Start ... got any tips to help?
A good solo is a series of notes that is integrated with the other things happening in the song (i.e. the chords and the melody).
The melody is the absolute best place to start when building a solo. Learn the single note melody and play it a lot over the chords of the song. Then build variations on the melody.
Beginner improvising in general should be based upon targeting chord tones (which is often how the melody of the song is constructed anyway!). And we have lots of great tutorials with video lessons on that topic. Here are a few of the ones that target beginners:
Scales And Chords Relationships
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=426
Using Scales To Connect Chords Exercise 1
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=427
Using Scales To Connect Chords Exercise 2
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=428
Sound & Expression On Lead Guitar
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=475
Introduction To Improvisation In A Major Key
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=483
Introduction To Improvisation In A Minor Key
http://guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=491
Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 4
Once you have some of your basic scales down, you might try a little trick that I use all the time if you have recording equipment handy.
First, play your backup chords on an open track.
Then, with a microphone, go back through your chords while singing melodies and things on a second track that really make you feel like they belong. Go crazy, sing things that don't even belong and experiment.
With today's recording software you can easily do multiple takes or even splice together several parts into one 'great' take. So once you've spent some time singing and coming up with something you like, you can now go back and learn your own melody on the guitar using your knowledge of scales and chords to help you more easily work your way around the fretboard to play exactly what you heard in your head.
Scales and theory all all great starting points, but at some point you need to realize that there's an emotional element in writing songs that requires you to step out of the 'technical' aspect of your playing.
By just singing to begin with, rather than playing, your mind will be free of the technical clutter and you can really get into the melody and emotions that you want to convey in your song without worrying about where to place your fingers.
First, play your backup chords on an open track.
Then, with a microphone, go back through your chords while singing melodies and things on a second track that really make you feel like they belong. Go crazy, sing things that don't even belong and experiment.
With today's recording software you can easily do multiple takes or even splice together several parts into one 'great' take. So once you've spent some time singing and coming up with something you like, you can now go back and learn your own melody on the guitar using your knowledge of scales and chords to help you more easily work your way around the fretboard to play exactly what you heard in your head.
Scales and theory all all great starting points, but at some point you need to realize that there's an emotional element in writing songs that requires you to step out of the 'technical' aspect of your playing.
By just singing to begin with, rather than playing, your mind will be free of the technical clutter and you can really get into the melody and emotions that you want to convey in your song without worrying about where to place your fingers.
# 5