No clear path from here to there


TimRetallack1
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Joined: 05/14/22
Posts: 1
TimRetallack1
Full Access
Joined: 05/14/22
Posts: 1
08/05/2022 9:33 pm

I’m pretty new here, and I’m very optimistic. There are a lot of very thoughtful things on this site, such as the information on amps and settings, but I’m having the same problems I’ve always had with online lessons, that being I can’t find any clear path in Guitar Tricks from where I am to where I want to go. I know exactly what I want to do; I want to learn to play lead guitar. I want to be able to come up with good guitar solos, but I also want to learn what lead guitarists to when they’ve not playing solos. They obviously don’t just stand to one side with their arms crossed until it’s time for the instrumental break. So I log on to Guitar Tricks (or any other online lessons) and there are thousands of lessons to choose from….and I have absolutely no idea which lessons are going to help me get where I want to go. I can whittle it down by style to several hundred lessons, but still, any choice I make is going to be nothing more than a guess. I can’t be the only one who’s ever had this problem. Any help would be appreciated.


# 1
Drake the Red
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Joined: 10/12/11
Posts: 352
Drake the Red
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Joined: 10/12/11
Posts: 352
08/05/2022 11:21 pm
Originally Posted by: TimRetallack1

I want to learn to play lead guitar.

[/quote]

First, go to main homepage, scroll down to Collections and choose 'Learning to Improvise.'

Generally after completing Fundamentals, most members choose a style from the Experienced section, though.

[quote=TimRetallack1]

I can’t be the only one who’s ever had this problem.

There have been others (not me lol), but I'll try and help.


Am I the only one who plays multiple instruments? Let's be inspirational and find our muses everyday!

# 2
William MG
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Joined: 03/08/19
Posts: 1,631
William MG
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Joined: 03/08/19
Posts: 1,631
08/05/2022 11:28 pm

Hi Tim,

aside from some basics in Fundamentals, the rest of the site is something that takes some searching, but the teaching is here.

I think your simplest approach is to reach out to Christopher. He may see your post here, but its probably best to put your post in his forum. I am guessing one question he would have is, what do you currently know. To do what you want, you will need to understand what chords and scales go together. He likely has links to all this stuff.

Quick answer to what lead players do when not playing lead: they join in on rhythm


This year the diet is definitely gonna stick!

# 3
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
ChristopherSchlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 08/09/05
Posts: 8,328
08/06/2022 12:49 am

Hey & welcome!

Originally Posted by: TimRetallack1

I know exactly what I want to do; I want to learn to play lead guitar.[/quote][p]What is your current skill level? What style of music do you want to play? Can you already play some lead licks? Are you familar with scale patterns? Do you know any solos?

With the answers to those questions I can point you in the right direction!

For example, if you are more on the beginner side, then it might benefit you to work through the appropriate style course (rock, blues, country). Those will give you a guided path to the ideas & skills required to learn lead guitar (and other skills) in the context of that style. This is a beneficial path if you are completely new to the skills & ideas required to play lead guitar.

Rock course 1

https://www.guitartricks.com/course.php?input=rock1

Notice that lead guitar concepts start in Chapter 3!

If you have some basic skills, but need to build your ability to play single note lines, then you might benefit from my tutorials on scale patterns that are commonly used in lead solos. Examples:

Connecting Pentatonic Patterns

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=737

Pentatonic Minor Exercises

https://www.guitartricks.com/tutorial.php?input=185

If you already have some of those skills, then you might benefit from jumping into my collection of tutorials aimed at learning to improvise. Improvising, playing or composing lead solos has 3 steps.

1. Use the key signature (the scale all or most of the song is using).

2. Target chord tones.

3. Build melodic phrases.

https://www.guitartricks.com/collection/learning-to-improvise

But notice all that requires that you understand some basic musical concepts & have the skills to play single note lines.

Another aspect of lead guitar is to build a vocabulary of things to play. So many lead solos are essentially a library of common little patterns or cliches that get repeated over & over in slightly different ways.

I have a collection of tutorials covering that. They are primarily aimed at blues style, but rock lead guitar shares many common elements from these licks.

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

Many people learn to solo & build their vocabulary by learning the solos that inspire them. With that in mind you can also look through the GT song list for songs with solos you like & learn them!

[quote=TimRetallack1]I want to be able to come up with good guitar solos, but I also want to learn what lead guitarists to when they’ve not playing solos.

They play rhythm guitar! If there is already a dedicated rhythm player, then the lead player might play a complimentary rhythm part; different voicings or inversions of the same chords, or a counter melody that works with the chords.

Finally you might enjoy this article I wrote that contains these links & more explanations.

https://www.guitartricks.com/blog/how-to-play-a-guitar-solo

Hope that helps!


Christopher Schlegel
Guitar Tricks Instructor

Christopher Schlegel Lesson Directory
# 4

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