5/19/08: Techniques For Guitar Soloing

[Guest Gibson Lifestyle]

Lesson of the Day: Techniques For Guitar Soloing

 

05.19.2008

 

 

Guitar solos have always been one of the most expressive parts of any rock and roll song, dating back to the early 1950s, all the way up to present day. Playing the rhythm part of a song is great, but there's nothing like launching into that special part of the song when you know all eyes turn toward you and all ears open up to hear the blistering lead that's destined to define the moment.

 

Guitar solos have identified guitar players for years, and vice versa—some of the best guitarists in the world are characterized by their solos. The art of guitar soloing is a tricky subject, simply because a solo can be such a personal expression of one's playing ability and inner soul. But there are a few simple guidelines that can help bring out and sharpen those personal expressive qualities when playing a lead guitar part.

 

Today's lesson is from the Berklee College of Music, and the instructor takes you through some different ways to approach a solo's structure and length, teaching us to think of a solo in larger terms instead of just measure to measure, and also to consider the rhythmic density of the solo—the number of events happening over a given length of time. He offers some possible schemes to work on over the length of a solo, and demonstrates how a number of musical elements can evolve over the solo's entire length. Even if you're an accomplished guitarist, today's lesson contains invaluable information, and is a great tool for all skill levels.

 

Click here to go to today's lesson on guitar soloing (Video inside pdf)

 

And please don't forget to check tomorrow for yet another great lesson from Gibson Lifestyle!