Guitar Soloing - A Concept For Begginers

As I learned, every guitarrist passes through a phase of accomplishment. A phase where we are confused about our soloing. Soloing is more than just a couple of scales, and patterns. Soloing is just like paintings, as well you can also make the guitar talk, you can make her cry, and make everyone around cry. I play the guitar, 'cause it's a way of expressing my feelings, my thoughts, my anger, my entire being. But as the begginer I am, the truth is that I don't know everything about a guitar. I believe that art doesn't come only from techniques and gear. I believe that art doesn't exist without that spark called: creativity. I don't think I need to learn all about musical theory so I can play a guitar, I really don't. The concept of a great guitarrist for most people is Ynguie Malmsteem. I also believe he is great, but not an example to follow. Hendrix was awesome too, but I also think I wouldn't like to be exactly like him. I think that we have too much techniques, but we are really poor talking about creativity, feeling, and personality. There are too many fast guitarrist in this world, tons of people who can play Van Halen's Eruption solo, I know a couple of persons who can play Malmsteem stuff too. I can't. But, why do we need people who can play everyone's stuff??? We need musicians, we need innovators. Not CD players.

Do you think you must know all the modal scales??? All the modal scales in every key?? Memorize them?? It's not essential but it is really useful. You must not learn all of them, but you should have a clear concept about them, I mean, at least you should know they exist and know they might be useful sometime. The main concept of this lesson is that: nobody, I mean nobody in this world is going to give you what god didn't: creativity. John Lennon didn't have to be a full speed guitarrist to turn the world upside down. He was only a great composer. I'll give you a couple of examples of great minds: David Gilmour (from Pink Floyd), Carlos Santana (from Santana), Eric Clapton, Silvio Rodriguez (You might not have heard of him, he's Cuban). Can you imagine what can you do with just one Scale???

I am going to give you an example, the Harmonic Minor Scale and the Pentatonic minor, both are awesome and unique scales. Gary Moore used the Harmonic minor scale for blues sound, in the song 'I still got the Blues', Carlos Santana gave it a "latino" sound at 'Maria Maria', Walter Giardino used it as a barroc sound at 'Preludio Obsesivo'. The unforgetable solo on 'Confortably Numb' by David Gilmour was only a B pentatonic Minor, and he used a D pentatonic minor for 'Another Brick in The Wall part II'... Clapton was called god in London. I mean, there are awesome minds, which only need 5 notes in order to make a great solo, just like Hendrix, or Stevie Ray Vaughan.

It's not about the scale. It's about the feeling you give to it. If you don't improve your soloing with a bend, a puff-off, etc.. your solo may still sound like a scale. So what can you do in order to play a good solo?? First of all, you must know the key of the song.. in order to do sound okay. Mostly the key of a song is the first note you start playing on it. Example, you have this combination of chords: ' E- G A E- ' Easy right? Then the key of the melody would be the E-. Now that you know the solo key, the sound of the solo will depend on the scale you use for playing it. Probably Malmsteem would chose an E harmonic minor scale.. maybe Vaughan would chose an E pentatonic Minor. It depends on you now. I really don't belive you must know everything about modal theory, but you should try to learn some of it.

To play a good guitar solo:
- Be inspired, and be creative enough to make such a sublime thing.
- Know the key of the song.
- Be sure about the sound you want to get, I mean, rock, metal, etc, etc.
- Chose the scale for it. (Pentatonic, Aeloian, Harmonic Minor, Major, Minor.. etc)
- Play it.

Note: If you would learn theory, you would know about mixing modes, etc.. but the only thing I know is that you can mix scales, that's easy, you can turn the melody of the solo, by changing the scale, but not the key.. I know that there are key changes while soloing, like they do in jazz, but how?? I don't really know.

Examples:

A piece of 'Confortably Numb' Solo. (David Gilmour)
Key: B(-) Scale: Pentatonic Minor.

Check out how you can use the first pentatonic minor pattern... that's all about.. creativity.

|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|--7--9--9>(11)vvvvvv--9>(11)>9>7---7--9--9--7-------7vvvvvvv---|
|---------------------------------9-------------9--9------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------|

|-------------------------------------------10------------------------------|
|--------10------10--12--12>(15)>12>10--12----------------------------------|
|---/11------11---------------------------------------7--9--9>(10)>9>7------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------9vvvv|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|

A piece of 'Young Loust' Solo. (David Gilmour)
Key: E(-) Scale: Pentatonic Minor

As I said before: Creativity.

|---------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-------------------------------------15-15-15-15---15---15-----------|
|--------------------------2-2-2ahb~-----------14br-14br-14br-12------|
|-----------5b-7-7-7b-5~-----------------------------------------14~\-|
|-------5-7-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-3h5/7---------------------------------------------------------------|

|--------12-12--12-12--12-12-12-12-12-12--------15b----|
|-12/15--15b----15b----15b---15b---15b--15br-12--------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|
|------------------------------------------------------|

|-----------------------------------------|
|-15br-15p12------------------------------|
|------------14br~--12-14-14b-14-14ahbr---|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------|

Don't worry if you aren't the fastest guitarrist on the world, David wasn't too but he was a piece of the key, that moved a whole generation (Pink Floyd), and he had what others didn't: Creativity. You see?? You only need 5 notes, to make immortal solos, like last ones.

You can also see immortal intros, which were made with only one note.. like this one, I bet you have heard it.

     D  C 
|--------------15----14-----|--------------15----14-----| 
|-----15--------------------|-----15--------------------| 
|:-------14-12----14----14-:|:-------14-12----14----14-:| 
|--12-----------------------|--14-----------------------| 
|---------------------------|---------------------------| 
|---------------------------|---------------------------| 

     G                           D 
|--------------15----14-----|--------------15----14-----| 
|-----15--------------------|-----15--------------------| 
|:-12----14-12----14----14-:|:-------14-12----14----14-:| 
|---------------------------|--12-----------------------| 
|---------------------------|---------------------------| 
|---------------------------|---------------------------|

It's the intro of Guns N' Roses' 'Sweet Child O' mine' It was made over a D major chord. Easy to play, but I bet no one of you would come out with something as great as this.

Harmonic Minor isn't only used by Malmsteem or Tolkki, Santana used it on 'Maria Maria'

A piece of 'Maria Maria' by Carlos Santana on an A Harmonic Minor (chorus).

|-12-----12-13-12-------------12-----12-17-12-------------12--12-----|
|------------------13------13------------------13------13 --15-------|
|-----------------------14--------------------------14---------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------| 

|--12-13-12-------------12--12-12--12-12-12--12-12-12-------|
|------------13------13-----13-13--13-13-13--13-13-13-15----|
|-----------------14-------------------------------------14-|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|

Comments

[Jgoldnight]

Bitchin tabs bro!!

[DRAY2082]

rock on dude

[sential]

i like where you are going with this, but for me, i'm such a musical theory idiot, i dont even know what harmonic and pentatonic mean. Like I dont understand how you look at (or hear) something and say oh, that's pentatonic or hamonic, in the key of "d" or whatever. Could you somehow break it down a little more...

[Platinium-X]

great dude! this is exactly what any1 should know for soloing. well explained 2.
this 1 concept help me progress a lot in a little time as a guitarist.

[Jericho_13]

ya good lesson, i can more or less keep up with the lingo, but like sential said, its a tad on on the technical side of the english language lol. keep up the good work

[ClassicRocker69]

Fuckin rights man!..good job

[tom_delonge]

gud column. but it cud of been in a bit more detail because some of us are advanced soloists. but a good article

[Rone4611]

good stuff very deep in the begining

[Publicservices]

That helped alot. I mean when you 12 years old and you don't know what the hell to do when your playing Matalica that puts it all in perspctive. I'm gonna start writing some solos my songs.

[ShaDoweR]

i just need to learn HOW to play solos.

[MiNDspiN]

very nice lesson...Pentatonic mean 5 notes guys...Penta = 5. Harmonic..well i dont have a clue.

[hoboman]

does anyone here like to fight hobos?

[Skateboard_Bum]

actually, this solo dealie worked out pretty well......i enjoied it very much...keep the good stuff coming

[tery06]

this is a heap of crap. it doesn't even explain how to get better. and all u lick-asses... don't encourage him all he says is that he is no good and gives you a sad tale. idiots.

[tery06]

the real secret to being a great soloist is to learn solos that you wont be able to play cos if you keep at it you will learn the solo and get better faster than learning pents. they just waste your time.
get fast then learn the pents. you will be amazed at how quick you wil learn the pentatonic scales cos nearly every solo has them anyway

[Ace From Space]

Great article. Pentatonic scales are pretty easy to learn for the most part; it's putting them into use to make a nice sounding solo that's the killer. When I first started using them I found myself just creating crappy riffs that didn't sound anything like those guys on my favorite radio station. What I did was keep listening to guys I admired such as Ronnie Wood, Ace Frehley, Eddie Van Halen, and Steve Vai and just built up a mental library of riffs and put them to use in solos of my own. With several hours of practice every day I got great.

[ohdarn323]

"For beginners" my ass, I'm not even a beginner and I don't understand half this lol.

[Ollie1354]

I agree with tery06 just learn the solo u wana play until it becomes second nature 2 u then keep practicing and u will notice you no the thing so well u could play it with ur eyes closed. Then try speeding it up. Good tabs though......

[youngrkr]

i just started playing at christmas. this will help a lot.

[thejester]

im beginning to indulge in soloing, been doing it for the last 5months or so and i think im doing good, i sometimes get stuck in parts of the pentatonic and blues scale, but i did enjoy this article and i do think this is helpful for me, i just wonder do you need to know everyscale, like to zepp, stones, whomever in different songs do they use diff scales or relatively same scales in different keys?? thanks good article again

[tyler larsen]

just the thing to do is put everyone down and say thay cant make a solo like the intro to sweet child o mine.

[rahulkulkarni]

great and very encouraging.NICE JOB MATE

[TearsOfCrimson]

Too bad I couldnt understand a word of that

[Frank16]

GOOD ON YA MATE!

[bbblinkunit]

sweet stuff

[mattstatic]

nice 1 dude

[riffomaniac]

great tab

[crazysnake]

it was pretty good

[nullet210]

im confused

[.: SaidGirl :.]

pentatonic is the 1st,2nd,3rd,5th and 6th degrees of a scale and a harmonic minor is a minor scale with a raised 7th.....i fink daz rite...........yer sik tabs ai, nice job

[burtdawgg]

i know major, minor, harmonic minor, and pentatonic scales, but i dont know how to apply them into a solo, and everything you just wrote didnt help a bit.

[sixstingplayer]

this is a great one whoever made it is very well spoken...... thank you for whoever made it

[darkness04]

thnx this was a real help keep up the good work

[mitch12]

yea man this info was aight.

[troutBoy]

this is a really good lesson it might've help if you gave us the harmonic minor scale because i don't know it

[ozzylover]

oozzzzyy rulllessssss

[jubby]

...but a good article

[metallicafan180]

Thanks a lot. I've been looking for a lesson like this to help me solo.

[a-brownsound41]

that doesnt work for punk solos

[ando69]

well done my friend

[bruckster15]

damn u know what your talkin about

[The^Unforgiven]

I bet this is good stuff it seems like it but I'm so damn confudsed 'bout all these scales and keyes and sruff...
I've been tryin' to play for like allmost an year now, but I've never took any music theory so I know nothing about scales or anything. So is it so that when you learn different scales with different keys u can make kewl solos? That simple?

[NIRVANAFAN91]

couldn't have said it better my self............cuz i am stupid

[ANewFoundPride]

wow, excellent article, thx for the great advice!

[ZooMelan]

thanks a lot, good article

[Turtles-r-cool]

What is harmonic meen? And what really is theory?

[loudspeaker89]

Good lesson man..rockin tabs...Now....How can I PLAY a solo?

[FutureMetalLord]

I'm in a band... I know my chords and I know what notes to play in certain chords, but today at a gig, when we were covering Stairway to Heaven, I improvised. Yes. I Improvised. I just played a bunch of random notes in the keys of A minor G and F and I got ungodly results. It was amazing. I just went up and down and up and down... all in moderation, ya know? All I really think a good soloist needs to know is what key they're in and how to be CREATIVE. All this scales, modes and shit I think is just like... unneccesary, ya know? I mean, JUST PLAY!!! Don't be a robot! MAKE STUFF UP!

[east_bay_punk-r]

PENTATONIC SCALES SUCK! im a really fast learner and stuff and can do them no problem, but theyre soooooo BORING!!!every lesson i had with my teacher dude we sat there and went thru them and im like 'whats the point?!?!?!' lol

[east_bay_punk-r]

JUST PLAY!!! Don't be a robot! MAKE STUFF UP!



i get what you mean but its harder than you think, writing a good song...im in a band too and we do sum of our own stuff.

[Coil Tap]

Good concepts in the article; scales and modes are important, but they're not the goal; they're tools to use in making expressive music.
For the person that posted the Pentatonic and Harmonic Minor scales: yes, the Harmonic Minor scale is like a natural minor scale with a raised seventh (Root, major 2nd, minor 3rd, perfect 4th, perfect 5th, minor 6th, major 7th), but the Pentatonic scale is Root, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 7th. The 2nd and 6th intervals are omitted.

[NoNeed4aName]

like it...

[lucky stryker]

well done mate, i really love those, i'm a big new guy in soloing, but this lesson helped me lots

[led zepplin]

ahhh.. way to long

[teodie]

use you fingers to tell the listeners what's in your heart.

[Trashlight]

Say i want to write a solo, i need a scale which i know. (lets say Minor pentatonic as i only know that and the major scale). I know all the positions and how there linked, how would i write a solo? Just play random notes (not that random as im only using the notes in scale)?

[NoNeed4aName]

great....

[AimlessAmoeba]

a-brownsound41:
that doesnt work for punk solos
[POSTED: 21 June 2004 - 229]

Ahahahahah... that was good... you're fired.

[GlitteryGold]

Lets just steal everyones tabs and put them all together and then make it our own solo. ha

[GayPower]

Help help, somebody please help me how do I play a pentatonic scale?

[penguin4thepoor]

Have you ever seen the forms for one? it's pretty simple let me give you a really basic one -.-.-.-.-.-.
..- - - - - -
..- -.-.-.- -
..-.- - - -.-.
Well thats what it would look like, just play where the little dots are, work down the string and then over, and then go back up...this is what it would be tabbed
---..5--8--5---..
---..5--8---..5--8---..

---..5--7---..5--7---
---..5--7---..5--7
---..
5--7---..
-5--8---..
...and so on...you get the picture?

[penguin4thepoor]

Ok sorry that didn't work ^ I don't know what went wrong, if you really want to know just e-mail me a [e-mail]

[SpaRKS419]

this artice was good but it didnt make any sence about the petonic and stuff but if you could give some examples of the scales and how to do them it will be fine, oh yeah and Harmonics is when you put ur finger on-top of the string VERY LIGHTLY (in a certain spot) like on high E on the 12th and 20th fretand when u pluck the string take ur finger off W00T
Peace Out

[little_dizzle]

Okay article...doesn't really get to the point, sounds like it's more excuses than anything. And sparks the Harmonic minor scale has absolutley nothing to do with harmonics. The harmonic minor scale is simply the minor scale with the 7th raised half a step. e.g. Harmonic Minor in the key of A= a,b,c,d,e,f,g#,a.

[shizaman]

that was a long waste of time it didnt help me and the tabs were messed well no just the first one. it didnt tell me how to make a solo of my own it just had solo's from of guitarist's and he just says use creativity

[Daisy.Rock2004!]

not bad... but i no all the basic scales i jus need 2 no how to write a decent solo!!!..

[maddog22]

Someone help me! I can't solo worth crap, I've been playing for about 2 1/2 years. I understand the keys and all that stuff. But what's this harmonice stuff?

[metal_dude_ted]

I'll give some advice for anyone that slags off the tutors lessons. You don't like them? Don't pay attention. It's simple enough really. Cos let's be truthful, nobody cares how much you dislike his advice.

[rocknroll_dream]

i liked reading your lesson. its true. david's awsome. pink floyd rocks@

[kaipak]

this was great

[Doc2112]

Sweet

[mohawsnpunk]

emo begining but like the lesson i think it will be useful to me.
still hard to do

[14GreenDay]

a good solo for beginners to work on mastering is the solo in Crazy Train...

[TaongGumigitara]

Mostly the key of a song is the first note you start playing on it. Example, you have this combination of chords: ' E- G A E- ' Easy right?

The key is D, not E-! Because the only way that G and A could be Major is in the key of D
(D Em F#m G A Bm C#dim D)

And what's w/ the "Greater Than" sign? Which of the toolkit is that? slide?...and shouldn't vibrato be notated in an internet tab as just '~' or a 'v'?

I Agree, not for beginners.

[stinkykuch]

i think its a little hard for beginners but its a pretty good lesson all-in-all but dont put the > sign in any of your tabs no one know what that means but you ..(2.5 out of 5)

[Strummin4him]

tom_delonge:
gud column. but it cud of been in a bit more detale becuz some of us are advansed soloists. but a good aricle

it made me laugh to see him call himself advanced.

[Tremelo]

good work buddy

[hyburn]

Finally. it has been dumbbed down to my level. thanks bro. Got any other helpful hints.please email them to me, if you got 'em
[e-mail]

[tbonetke]

The tabs are helpful, but must we sit and listen to this persons hackneyed rant about the "true nature" of music? Though the individual probably bloats like a toad at the vast quantity of commondations you've heaped on him, it is only a cursory beginning at best. We could all use work on our guitar skills, but this person needs to pick up a book with depth, and concentrate on concise, original composition if he feels so drawn to the poetic.

[Surf3r]

Can anyone tell me what hammer and pull-off is?

[splice]

great lesson man

[A1D3N-T4B]

hi there all. i dont really know any of this stuff yet, coz only been playing guitar for 3 days now so absalute beginner. but i am sure this stuff will come in handy when i am ready for it.

[Malo420]

hey thank man, this was a good lesson!

[playgtr055]

burtdawgg:
i know major, minor, harmonic minor, and pentatonic scales, but i dont know how to apply them into a solo, and everything you just wrote didnt help a bit.

i agree man. i can improvise with scales but it never sounds like a solo to me. ive been trying to solo for about six months and i can play other guitarists solos just not mine.

[playgtr055]

i mean i cant make them up.

[JB Hero]

Surf3r:
Can anyone tell me what hammer and pull-off is?
[POSTED: 28 June 2005 - 22:54]|

Hammering on is A LOT easier to do then explain... but I'll try
Put your index finger on a note ( 6th. string 12th. fret will do )
Pluck the note
While the note is sounding Put your Ring finger HARD onto the string at the at the 15th. fret WITHOUT plucking the string again so that the note will jump to the higher pitch... ( I Wish I could draw TAB lol) this is hammering on going from one lower note to a higher note with only ONE pluck.
Pulling off is the same thing in reverse ie. pluck the higher note in this case 6th. string 15th. fret then raising your RING finger QUICKLY so that the note jumps to the lower note 6th. string 12th. Fret...(Now YOU also wish I could draw TAB lol)...As I said it's A LOT EASIER TO DO then explain. It goes without saying you could use any finger (Or thumb if you felt that way inclined) on Any string at any fret.
BTW... If you just hold the lower note and quickly hammer on and pull off with another finger WITHOUT any plucking of the string it is known as a trill and is very effective ( 'Tis also the basis of Two Handed Tapping )

[guitarplayerxxx]

i have to agree w/ futuremetallord make stuff up

[Surf3r]

Thanks JB hero, good job explaining it, but the day I posted the comment, I found out how to do it, thanks though! =)

[pounda]

I do agree w/ futuremetallord too, there's a lot make-up stuff in solos, but guys "stairway to heaven" it's like the less difficult song to play solos in. Tell me about improvising on something like "walk this way" or "know your enemy"...ever happened to sound like a complete asshole while you improvise this stuff?
Guys we need to put into solo either heart AND brain.

[iamme]

I really dun understand the whole Harmonics thing =,(

[Ben Downes]

They are some Kick ass easy solo's for beginers man.

[Megatron]

You make a lot of sense in what you're saying, and I understand what you mean, but I can't help feel you're putting the reader down a wee shade.....especially in the comment abnout "Sweet Child of Mine" as I believe every guitarist has the ability to create something iconic.....and many bands in their own right do- I can't remember half of the live and unsigned metal bands I've heard over the years that have come off with far more profound and enthralling intros, such as the first song from Scavenger's "Madness to our Method" with a personally iconic bass solo coupled with a crunchy intro riff much akin to someone like Jon Schaffer, only heavier and with a rawer tone. Sweet Child of mine in my opinion is an overrated song, and is only iconic because it's a pop song.....it's still on the radio and students are big into it- so you'll always hear it. It's just another song as far as I'm concerned.

David Gilmour on the other hand- now that's a guy that can make a guitar, a crowd, an ice queen and the Finnish cry in equal measure every time he creates a solo.....good call on focusing on him for a while, it was very informative.

Thanks, but this is not helping me, as I'm still a beginner who is looking for a "For Beginners" topic that'll teach me a few things, rather than being a little too leany towards theory.

Thanks anyway, and by all means keep it up!!

[suicideangel_2]

thanks this is quite helpful for experienced and beginners of the guitar world

[alliwant]

I'm past beginner level but found this quite good. Keep it up man.

[Stefaknee69]

I think it was a grear article! although, why wou;dn't you want to be Jimi?! he an amazing guitars. by the way about guitarists creating thier own stuff, where do u think the old school guitar players got thier stuff? Stevie ray vaughn, jimmy paige, john lennon! were guitar players, we dont steal, we borrow. Its totaly fine to copy other players stuff, just as long as you add on to it.

[Wolf1915]

This helps a lot! Now I have some definite goals to reach, research to do and practice to complete.

[RockYourFace]

Penta means five, tonic(not harmonic) means resting place.

[SephirothRaiku]

I read most of this. I stopped because it was bullshit. From wha t I read, Your basic point was that You need to be able to know a scale and manipulate it the way way you want to get the sound you want. This is only partly true. I dunno what kinda music you listen to but you left out alot of the solos that don't use scales at all. Just cause it's a solo doesn't mean it HAS to have a scale. There IS such thing a MELODIC solo. Then you also have to consider all the solos that use the crazy effects.

Take Muse for example. I dunno if you've ever heard the song " Citezen Erased", But that song makes a solo out of like.. 7 notes that were distorted and bended with a whammy pedal. I think the key to making a good solo is just knowing what you want to hear, And then figuring out HOW to play it.

Listen to a song without a solo a couple times. Find out a good spot to take out the Melody that it has and throw in a solo. Just play random notes. Go crazy but try to stay in the lines of the song. Like if the song is at a slow , 90bpm you're not going to make a solo with crazy trills and 64th notes. Just FEEL the music and let your fingers do the Creating. THAT is the key to making good solos. The more advanced players can use scales when they want to make something fast. If you're a begginer, You should stick to the more Melodic solos. I Highly Reccommend that ANY begginer , looking to make Solos, should listen to Bands like Muse, Avenged Sevenfold at times, and probably some System of a down Songs.
I've been playing for a year and a I'm a super fast learner. I find that the best Solos are not the Crazy, Master of Puppets and Malmsteen Solos. But the Melodic, Bat country, CHAPTER FOUR and Muse-like solos.

[ChildOfBodom666]

Yea, I agree with Sephiroth it's not all about long words and stuff, you just need to get it in your head, and play it. Making things sound right doesn't require that you be a living guitar term dictionary, it just requires ears, fingers, and time. Malmsteen is impressive, but the solo from Stricken (Disturbed), is something I'd rather listen to.

[glennieboy240]

Nah just joking, good work

[rdbronce]

To every one:

My name is Ramiro, I am from Bolivia (South america), i am the one who wrote this article. First of all, SORRY, i am really sorry about my english, i KNOW it's not the best, but i actually try to do it somehow understandable.

I appreciate the comments you did on my work, thanks to everybody, what really pisses me off, is that the article is not complete, indeed, UG team has the right to change whatever they may not like in the article, that's why, as i can see, my name isn't figuring out, instead, it says that UG team wrote it, i cannot believe it. There are so many things missing, i hope you can contact me anytime you want: [e-mail] or [e-mail]

Thanks everyone who participated on this, but let me correct some things. What i tried to say in this article, is that, music is THE WAY OF EXPRESSION, the way each person faces reality and comunicates it. What really bothers me is the some really dumb comments like 'SephirothRaiku' just take a look at your comment, your opinion is just redundant. Okay look, practice is the key of perfection, indeed, if there is some style you want to play, first of all, you gotta know the basic techniques that the genre involves, like pentatonic scales sound more bluesy than others, right?? Then, practice the scale, learn it, that's the point, if you control the scale perfectly, you'll discover that by the time you may want to compose a solo, things are going to come just easily, actually things are going to come naturally, let the flow, pick up the sound you want and let it flow. Making music is not as hard as many people think, it's just a little bit of creativity and inspiration, both make a powerful combination.

This comment seems stupid to me: '7 note solo' like Muse. Okay, the deal there, is that I DON'T CARE about it, LOOK, what did that solo needed? I CAN BET MY SOUL, that the solo was made on a SCALE right? Anyway even a chromatic scale could have been used right? (LOL)The fact is that SCALES sound DIFFERENT from each other, that's where you found the SOUND, MAJOR SCALEs sound happier that MINOR SCALES, and stuff like that, every scale someway it's own personality, combining the, and complex harmonizing is something you just need to study. SephirothRaiku, it seems Muse guys paid you to write some stuff right?

Okay guys, actually i feel really pissed off, about all the things UG team took out from my article, actually this is an inspirational comment, if you think this is bullshit, just don't read it, and please, don't make any foolish comments 'cause you make some people get confused. By the way, when i talked about sweet child o'mine solo, and i said 'would you come out with something as great as that'? I just don't get why so many people got pissed off, it's like that comment really affected them, actually if i would have a lil bit self steem, i would say: YES, I ACTUALLY CAN COME OUT WITH SOMETHING MUCH GREATER THAN THAT. That would be a seriously optimistic coment, but anyway, i actually don't care, just don't bother yourself if you are going to come out with your 'I feel like shit' comments cause you don't want any effort to play somehow good, i actually don't care about a 3 note solo, a full distortion solo, i was talking about the way to make one, the rest just depends on you, just don't blame me about the shitty music you hear, or the lazy music spirit you have. To the ones who liked this article THANKS AGAIN, i really feel pissed of, and, sorry about my english again.

Sincerely yours.
Ramiro
[e-mail] [e-mail]

[Stonefalcon]

Part One

I will start by saying that I've started to learn the electric guitar for about half-a-year now and consider myself as an 'intermediate' (ie. neither beginner or pro). I'm in my very late adolescence (yeah I know it's VERY old to start to learn the guitar!) considering that I've played the piano and flute early, it wasn't difficult for me to take up the 6-stringed instrument. I feel this was a good lesson (in my case, a good read instead of a "lesson" in fact!). You see Ramiro, the problem with your article (I've put the word problem into inverted commas as it isn't 'really' a problem in itself) is that your article is NEITHER meant for real beginners NOR... for advanced players! While the first won't understand much, the latter already know too well everything what you've written (and that includes me....). Funnily enough, your article cannot please both parties! If the article was meant for beginners, it had to be much much more basic (yeah, it might seem foolish but it would have been more instructive to SHOW the pentatonic, minor scales and and how they are constructed actually!!!). Other things like: what notes are removed from the major/minor scales to make pentatonic, blues; the difference between natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor; an example of AT LEAST ONE MODE!! (coz it may be again foolish to say so, but IF YOU DON'T SHOW people the actual thing they don't ubderstand! It might seem stupid but nobody knows that 1+1=2 before he/she has been told it's like that in the first place!). Yeah you're right: minor scales are gloomier, more emotive scales (like classical music is mostly harmonic minor...couldn't you have put this in your article? lol)

After much thought, I think (..yeah it's only after much thought that I think...kinda funny) that your article DOESN'T AT ALL reflect the title "Guitar Soloing - A Concept For Begginers", not even "Guitar Soloing"! Your message is about the "feel in doing solos" or something like that... Many readers, I'm sure were deceived due to this wrong title! Ain't I right, thugs?
Yeah, I truly understand you getting pissed off with UG editing your post (I would have been really outraged at this were this to be my article!!!) and also the fact that you wanted to write what YOU felt on soloing by famous guitarists like Gilmour etc. I feel it is problem of titling...not more than that.

[Stonefalcon]

Part One

I will start by saying that I've started to learn the electric guitar for about half-a-year now and consider myself as an 'intermediate' (ie. neither beginner nor pro). I'm in my very late adolescence (yeah I know it's a VERY old age to start to learn the guitar!) but, considering that I've played the piano and flute early, it wasn't difficult for me to take up the 6-stringed instrument. I feel this was a rather good lesson (in my case, a good read instead of a "lesson" in fact!). You see Ramiro, the problem with your article (I've put the word problem into inverted commas as it isn't 'really' a problem in itself) is that your article is NEITHER meant for real beginners NOR... for advanced players! While the first won't understand much, the latter already know too well everything what you've written (and that includes me....). Funnily enough, your article cannot please both parties! If the article was meant for beginners, it had to be much much more basic (yeah, it might seem foolish but it would have been more instructive to SHOW the pentatonic, minor scales and and how they are constructed actually!!!). Other things u could add: what notes are removed from the major/minor scales to make pentatonic, blues; the difference between natural minor, harmonic minor and melodic minor; an example of AT LEAST ONE MODE!! (coz it may be again foolish to say so, but IF YOU DON'T SHOW people the actual thing they don't understand! It might seem stupid but nobody knows that 1+1=2 before he/she has been told it's like that in the first place!). Yeah you're right: minor scales are gloomier, more emotive scales (like classical music is mostly harmonic minor...couldn't you have put this in your article? lol)

After much thought, I think (..yeah it's only after much thought that I think...kinda funny) that your article DOESN'T AT ALL reflect the title "Guitar Soloing - A Concept For Begginers", not even "Guitar Soloing"! Your message is about the "feel in doing solos" or something like that... Many readers, I'm sure were deceived due to this wrong title! Ain't I right, thugs? Yeah, I truly understand you getting pissed off with UG editing your post (I would have been really outraged at this were this to be my article!!!) and conceive also the fact that you wanted to write what YOU felt on soloing by famous guitarists like Gilmour etc. I feel it is problem of titling...not more than that.

[metallicman]

I thought the article was "inspiring" but other than a few solos to practice on like sweet child o'mine i didn't really find much that helped me.
What i find useful is just practising solos until u know it by heart but i what i would like to know is how guitarists move their fingers so fast without thinking what note comes next. The article was alright though, maybe just abit more detail could have made it better, but good job man anywayz!

[playerwannabe]

I'll tell you my idea's on this subject of metallicmans question. You have to be able to hear the next note before you use it so you will go to the right one. "What the **** does that mean?" I read an article recently that said Vai and Satriani hear what the next note will sound like a split second before the get to it. They only way to do this is to know what goes together and what does not. So like all the pro's say, learn where the A note is everywhere on the fretboard and then learn where the others are, Then you can learn what notes make up what key and what chords fit in each key (This is the 'T' word Theory), then where the guitar string becomes the heart string is knowing when to use what (bends, slides, hammer on - pull offs etc...) It's this part that makes a scale musical just look at the tab for Santana's Europa most of this is on the first 3 strings I think it's the key of C so if you use the Pentatonic shapes the C-A-G-E-D shapes as shown in several articles here and place these shapes over the notes for the C scale on the first 3 strings using bends, slides etc.. you might come up with some near beer version of this instrumental.
I personally believe that you really need to be creative, i've been playing a long time never tried to learn any theory until the last 6 months or so and have learned a lot of theory but I can't put a solo together to save my life but damn it I'll keep trying in hopes that one day shit just unlocks for me and out of my finger tips flows something that any of my guitar heros would sit down and listen 2 and say "Dude that shit was smooth, I think I might need some more practice" (Wife smacks the back of my head and screams wake up loser, you need to shovel the driveway and pick up dog shit) Oh shit I had that dream again, sorry.

[alguitbox]

tanx a mil u must of spent a lot of time on dis i jus cant find out how to solo (i no about keys nd all dat)but i cnt make d rhythm go wiv song rhythm

[hendrix_4ever]

gd article i think u shud try learning some hendrix, the solos in his songs really help develop your guitar playing

[Alejandro Pena]

hey!!!!! i'm a guitar player ...i studied 2 years in college, went to new york to learn from the people playing...i've been played for 15 years...i know harmonic , pentatonic, scales changes...etc.etc.....but that's same conclucion i got!!!!!....music is so simple but hard at the same time. this article is very helpful but i must add....sure you can be creative and play an awesome solo with just one scale!!...thas for sure!! but first you have to know it preeeeety, preeeetive well, in order to be creative and get some tools.....
p.d. i think know a scale just one!!! even one key!!!! is the F**** hardest thing i know..... peace

thanks!!!!!

[arcadion riot]

well, im tottally confused, didnt help and er...yeah....interesting...

[RedBull91]

interesting, good for the

[BlueTails]

good article

for those of you who keep yakking about "just make stuff up"...leave the lesson forum
these are for technique, let the guy talk about his scale exercises or what not.
and "sweet child of mine" is a great intro, i love the music virtuoso who was explaining why its overrated...send me ur brilliance

[Brayds]

Right on man

[bleedblack]

Slash never like the sweet child lick apparently :/

very good article

[chillie pepper]

Very good (but rather confusimg at first) stuff you've got there dude. ROCK ON AMIGOS!

[Barbapapa]

please can you put a sample sound on the scales that your talking about cozi cant follow the tabs without its real sound.

[#1 Guitarist]

good

[#1 Guitarist]

.....enough

[#1 Guitarist]

Tom delonge is GAY

[W4T3V3R]

OMG what a load of bull shit at the start, everyone like that should throw em selves of a building, you people all the same " oh i express myself thru guitar oh oh oh!" say what you feel idiot, nobody cares how you play as long as it rocks!

[Tim69]

METALLICA!!!!! HELL YEAH!!!!

[jakd]

yeeeees like i understand it all

[jhammer939]

Wow!!!!! What an awesome lesson in guitar and life. Thanks. Keep the articles coming..

[dive-inme]

Great article, dude, but idiots like me whow dont have any ear training and i cant tell what note i am playing what key what scale more over i dont have any clue about the names of the chords either, all i play is what comes right to me what feels right to me, i think if you could please elaborate more on the basics or atleast give us the websites where we can learn more about the basics and names of the scales and chords then it will be alot more easier for us to work out and creat some solos, but i bet no one can ever creat something as awesome as slash, gilmour, hendrix, and eddie van halen, but then again i totally agree that we dont have to be like anyone of them to be a good guitarist, we dont need to be a shredder to be good. Rock on fellas.

[14GreenDay]

a good website to go to to find the names of chords and scales is the one you're on right now. UG has lessons on both scales and chords.

[Noterunner]

If you are actually talented as a soloist/improviser a solo comes from within. You don't think too much or worry about scales... BB King couldn't do chords he could solo though. If you can hear it in your head, you're all set. The ear is always right, if you have an ear. If you can't hum in tune and or sing harmonics off the cuff you probably stink at soloing or you sound artificial. If you don't have an ear and you can't hear the music in your head first, then sorry you are just not going to sound great... you're a cheap imitation. Music should come from within. You got it or you don't. Scales are like a compass (a general guide), they are NOT a roadmap. Try to sing the notes you want as you are playing them, you can't do this, you are not playing your instrument it is playing you, you are not making music you are imitating music.

[greenday_rock]

inspired me, great thanx!

[aznguitarist28]

dude this is great. after i read this, i grabbed my guitar and tried on a natural minor scale and it was awesome just pour out whats in your mind to your fingers

[EricSewellAUS]

this sounded more like a poem than a lesson... beginners need step by step breakdown and more pentatonic help.... i give it a 7 out of 10

[fendergibson]

i have no idea what the heck a pentatonic scale is, I'm just beginning

[fendergibson]

i have no idea what the heck a pentatonic scale is, I'm just beginning but i do love David Gilmour's soloing.

[CallMeSlick]

i know how to play those god damnscales, but I still have no idea how to play solos on it.

[next.matt.heafy]

pretty bloody good, i must say..the tabs are good, and its very meaningful and in depth...the thing is, like most beginners, i wanna know how to play fast, then maybe ill start being creative and imaginative..its more about the achievement of skill, but you are right about creativity, nice and simple..i put some solos in my songs i write, but not often, cos im a dodgy guitarist when it comes to solos, so i put the wussy allman-brothers noodling runs in, and i think, yeah, creative, but speed would sound so much better...so the lesson people, is get the skills, then get the imagination, cos the more u know, the more imaginative you can be...and i agree with "callMeSlick"

[Slipknot587]

now what da hell was that.i didnt understand

[Reggy]

F*ckin hell...not again...

[AprilSilenced]

All he was trying to explain was you don't need to learn a whole bunch of theory to create a nice solo. I thought it was a good "beginner lesson." Just remember... if your not creative, your art will be shit. Literally.

[Jbetter_thanu]

OMFG! there are several comments that are paragraphs! WTF just what u gotta say with out preachin! if u wanna say a bunch of shit, write ur own lesson or start a thread.

as far as the lesson, not much different than the other one by ug team, they both say use pentatonics and play from your heart, NO FUCKIN DUH!

[Silent_Entity]

^^^^^!!!LOL!!!^^^^^
im 14 been playing 2 years and just started soloing(played van halens ERUPTION for talent show)this lesson has help ALOT.also if you have trouble with speed(hyperpicking/soloing/neoclassical and metal) get a GRIPMASTER its a little finger exerciser that if you use for 1WEEK!! youll like have the speed if you practiced for like 4 months. PEACE!!!!

[patrick92]

what?????

[blink_your_eyes]

Wow. I lost interest in the subject when I saw the paragraph intro to the lesson. More stuff I can't comprehend

[Reggy]

This is straight from a book, copied word for bastard word.....

[metalfreak.666]

For those who don't understand it.....
get some lessons!!! and stop bitching about it for god sakes!!!

[thynerobby]

thank you for posting this. i was at the market today & saw a guitar world dvd & magazine. It had lessons for soloing like kirk hammett. I was about to buy it because that would be awesome to speed solo. i didnt buy it. Instead I thought of my melodic solos that i created & shunned the dvd. I shall continue to play with creativity rather than skill. thanks for posting this up.

[SP_NIRVANA]

It was nice, a little boring.

[iceberg_ssj]

F#$%king awesome; inspirational; instructional

[JGuill]

To build a house, you have to have a blueprint,tools and materials and know-how. This lesson is like a blueprint to get started, but you still need to learn everything you can get your hands on. And you dont have to play a million notes a minute to play a great solo. Listen to Tom Morello (Audioslave) on "Like a Stone"

[sadness]

from what i've read this song is realy goodand i really wanna play it on my acoustic but i'm just a begginer and i have no clue what the hell the numbers mean can someone tell me plz

[ST. DIZZY!]

#1 Guitarist wrote:

Tom delonge is GAY

Tom rocks man I think that you are! And dont deny it bcoz only a true gay would!

[Test4Echo]

Great Lesson 4Begginners!!!

[JGuill]

Turn your SADNESS into HAPPINESS dude!! The numbers are the frets and the lines are the strings(top to bottum, 1-6) Test4Echo,you must be a Rush fan!! Rush rules!!!

[Tedward]

Alex Lifeson pwns

[Stagg_300]

purty lil tabs 'bro'

[The Guv'nor]

yeah it helps if u know what harmonic and pentatonic means, for music theory retards like my self its confusing as hell, i understood what u were getting at but woulda been better if it was broken down a bit more for simple people like myself,

[Brizanishbro]

good job with this

[Brizanishbro]

it's a great article

[metal_matt6]

that opening paragraph was beautiful, good lesson to

[Scampi \m/]

Nice one dude, im liking it. Very deep shit at the start, and we need more guys out there with that attitude! its nice to be fast, but you cant kill good old fasioned feeling scamp

[Stoned Hippie]

thanks, i really needed that one \w/ , that was a kick ass lesson rock on...

[Stoned Hippie]

W4T3V3R :
OMG what a load of bull shit at the start, everyone like that should throw em selves of a building, you people all the same " oh i express myself thru guitar oh oh oh!" say what you feel idiot, nobody cares how you play as long as it rocks!

someone beat the shit outta this douchebag

[shinra999]

ohdarn323 wrote:

"For beginners" my ass, I'm not even a beginner and I don't understand half this lol.

You're obviously worse than a beginner then.

[d_man_dude]

good job

[vickan]

good lessons dude you rocks! ;P

[Floyal]

kinda of the mark man

[epnix]

yooonyaa bila lanja makan rh perayaan,rh warung hj kapin ahhh ok tc man lops you

hahhayeaaa

lala

[SpaceAce32]

For all those "meathead" guitarists who are saying "learn solo's first" etc etc.I mean thats all very well if you wanna play in a cover band.But what about when it comes down to being creative for your own solo's? Theroy is the way to go and any guitarists you probably are jerking off to right now (bar a few) know theory and that why their solos are so good

[alifffirdaus]

technically, this article doest not help much...but it its inspire me tho...

[Led_Zeppelin992]

Jgoldnight wrote:

Bitchin tabs bro!!

HELL YES!

[Emerven]

i now.. well 0 theory.. so this article didn't really help me out. BUT i love the way you think.. u really inspire me..so.. i will need some reading and practice tobe able to fully apriciate.. still, good job

[drew_anatomist]

awesome dude.....

[Mr. Kill]

they should add a "mark as spam" button to this forums -.- .. but nice lesson