Learning Lead

Hi Mike, I just finished watching your youtube video on 'Lead Guitar Building Blocks' Part 1 and have a different struggle than most or maybe not. The scales, patterns, hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, trills and such techniques are all great to know but my struggle is with timing. I have never played lead, have been a long time student trying to teach myself with no real progress until I took my first lesson with at teacher. He was hit with Covid and I am back to teaching myself. I am 60 and really want to be able to play solid rhythm and throw in some lead or fill occassionally. Here is my challenge,,,, [br] I am not sure how to learn/practice timing with lead and fills. How do you learn where to start or where to end? I find myself playing the same thing repeatedly and it doesn't go well with the song... I learned to play 'Sweet Home Chicago' in the key of E and struggle with sounding creative.....

Hope this makes sense, and to boil down the question, how do you work on timing to learn lead fills and runs?

Hey there - thanks for checking out the video!

When it comes to timing and phrasing, the best thing you can do is try to learn some solos from songs you like. Try to learn them note for note. The more solos you get under your fingers, the more you'll be developing an instinct for phrasing and timing leads.

When you learn these solos, it's important to play along with the recording (slowly at first) and try to match your playing as close as you can.

Also check out the lead guitar chapters in the Blues and Rock courses here on GT for more practice on this.

Let me know how it goes!

Mike

Originally Posted by: bryanwilson01

Hi Mike, I just finished watching your youtube video on 'Lead Guitar Building Blocks' Part 1 and have a different struggle than most or maybe not. The scales, patterns, hammer-ons, pull-offs, bends, trills and such techniques are all great to know but my struggle is with timing. I have never played lead, have been a long time student trying to teach myself with no real progress until I took my first lesson with at teacher. He was hit with Covid and I am back to teaching myself. I am 60 and really want to be able to play solid rhythm and throw in some lead or fill occassionally. Here is my challenge,,,, [br] I am not sure how to learn/practice timing with lead and fills. How do you learn where to start or where to end? I find myself playing the same thing repeatedly and it doesn't go well with the song... I learned to play 'Sweet Home Chicago' in the key of E and struggle with sounding creative.....

Hope this makes sense, and to boil down the question, how do you work on timing to learn lead fills and runs?

Originally Posted by: bryanwilson01

I am not sure how to learn/practice timing with lead and fills. How do you learn where to start or where to end?

[p]You have to intentionally plan it at first. Decide how many beats or measures you are going to play a rhythm riff & then a lead fill. Find or make a lick using that amount of beats or measures. Then you gradually find patterns that work & become little mix & match building blocks. Eventually the more you practice those little patterns, the more they become second nature & you don't have to struggle with thinking about every little lick, motion or counting the rhythm. You build a repetoire of licks to play that you can call on instantly.

You can instead just think, "triplet lick in E", start it at the right time & rely on those hours of repetitious practice building muscle memory to take care of the physical motions. Meanwhile you are thinking about the next thing to play.

Learning lead licks & solos in lessons or in songs you like is a great place to look for repertoire building licks. Or you can make you own!

I have a whole series of tutorials aimed at learning this exact idea & skill. Here are the first 3 mostly aimed at beginners. And there are 3 more after that building on those skills!

E Blues Rhythm & Lead Series 1

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=170

E Blues Rhythm & Lead Series 2

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=918

G Blues Rhythm & Lead Series 3

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=1147

And there are a ton of repertoire building licks to learn & practice in time in this collection of tutorials.

https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/Bread-and-Butter-Butter-Blues-Licks

Bottom line: learn licks, practice them in time until they are second nature, have fun!

Hope this helps!

Thanks Guys!! I am looking at some additional videos that Chis completed on Improvisation for beginners,,, Great tips,,,, Much appreciate the guidance and help!

Originally Posted by: bryanwilson01

Thanks Guys!! I am looking at some additional videos that Chis completed on Improvisation for beginners,,, Great tips,,,, Much appreciate the guidance and help!

Good deal! Best of success with it!