Give me your best advice for learning to play leads

Iron1

Iron1

Shredder
TGF Recording Artist
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Since we still haven't landed a lead guitar player (although we are meeting up with a guy today who might be THE ONEtm), I'm faced with either releasing our demo with no leads/lead-like guitar layering, or trying to add something myself. Since writing/playing leads is like some eldritch elixir of mythereal magic to my rhythm-structured brain, I'm clearly chartering a struggle bus to tour this new strange new world.

But, there are so many amazing lead players on here I figured surely someone, or many someones or even more someones than many, could toss out that tidbit of advice you wish you knew when you first started playing leads/solos. Hopefully some and/or all of it turns on a lightbulb for me. TIA!

And, GO!
 
There are so many things to consider, obviously, but I'll start with one I feel is rather important, which is to pay attention to the underlying chords, and use them as a sort of 'template' for your note choices. It doesn't have to be strict, as there may be times when you may use, for example, a diminished line to get from one place to another. But generally, following the chords is a good starting point to hash out your ideas.

And I feel a solo should be a sort of song-within-a-song. Some of my favorite solos are made up of melodies that can stick in your head after the song is done. Neal Schon is a great example of someone who does this very well.

Keep the recorder on as you noodle, so when that burst of brilliance comes, it won't be lost. "Oh wow, that sounded cool! How did I do that?"

Oh and btw, you have a FANTASTIC way with words!! Very jealous. :chef Here's to you channeling that into lead composition as well!
 
PRACTICE.

Just put on the radio - any station - and try to come up with lines that fit the melody of whatever is playing. I use to practice while watching TV all the time and try to play along with the show soundtrack or the commercials. It was a great exercise of never knowing what was coming and having to rely more on your ears than any muscle memory shit you learned with your hands.

Good luck!
 
TSJMajesty said:
And I feel a solo should be a sort of song-within-a-song. Some of my favorite solos are made up of melodies that can stick in your head after the song is done. Neal Schon is a great example of someone who does this very well.
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I was going to say the exact same thing. Another player that talked about this was Nuno -- which if you listen to any Extreme songs he took exactly that approach, although his seemed to also include significant arrangement changes which adds to the depth of a song. Neal's approach was certainly more melodic and vocal, and without them those songs aren't iconic imo.

@Iron1 -- Something I continually work on or conceptualize is finding that melodic hook. Maybe it's only 3 notes, but where and how they're placed makes all the difference. What @TSJMajesty said about paying attention to the underlying chords is a good tip. The melody lives in there, and try to connect the dots between chord changes where it flows nicely. Simple is often best. Your strength is rhythm so use that to your advantage. Paul Gilbert spoke about playing leads much like rhythm, coming in and out in a rhythmic way and adding certain melodic notes to enhance the vibe. Thinking more like a drummer.

I don't claim to be an expert so take what I say with a grain of salt. :grin
 
FuzzyAce said:
Paul Gilbert spoke about playing leads much like rhythm, coming in and out in a rhythmic way and adding certain melodic notes to enhance the vibe. Thinking more like a drummer.
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Yep. Paul said to just tap out whatever rhythm comes into your head, with your hands onto your thighs, then try to match that to your notes, as a method for creating leads.
FuzzyAce said:
finding that melodic hook. Maybe it's only 3 notes, but where and how they're placed makes all the difference.
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That is SO true! Sometimes I find myself analyzing a simple line, and asking, "WHAT is it about that, that makes it SO perfect?"

Great example:

 
TSJMajesty said:
Yep. Paul said to just tap out whatever rhythm comes into your head, with your hands onto your thighs, then try to match that to your notes, as a method for creating leads.

That is SO true! Sometimes I find myself analyzing a simple line, and asking, "WHAT is it about that, that makes it SO perfect?"

Great example:

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This lead is PERFECTION :chef:chef:chef

It's also a GREAT example of something a "mere mortal" could pull off vs. taking suggestions from Yngwie or whoever :oops::ROFLMAO:
 
TSJMajesty said:
Yep. Paul said to just tap out whatever rhythm comes into your head, with your hands onto your thighs, then try to match that to your notes, as a method for creating leads.

That is SO true! Sometimes I find myself analyzing a simple line, and asking, "WHAT is it about that, that makes it SO perfect?"

Great example:

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Definitely! Subtle but beautiful vibrato is the icing. :chef
Gilmour has that too.
 
JiveTurkey said:
This lead is PERFECTION :chef:chef:chef
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Agreed. 1000% It's simplicity, the little pause, and how it dovetails into the 3 notes Ged is playing is utter perfection.

Oh, and speaking of 'space', there is another Rush solo, in Digital Man, where Alex has this very brief pause, and to my ears, it makes the entire solo! Fucking gives me goose bumps, it's so perfect.

I cued it up so it'd be clear which pause I'm referring to, but as far as a lesson on writing tasty solos, ya definitely need to rewind and listen to the whole thing! It's a masterpiece. :chef

 
TSJMajesty said:
Agreed. 1000% It's simplicity, the little pause, and how it dovetails into the 3 notes Ged is playing is utter perfection.

Oh, and speaking of 'space', there is another Rush solo, in Digital Man, where Alex has this very brief pause, and to my ears, it makes the entire solo! Fucking gives me goose bumps, it's so perfect.

I cued it up so it'd be clear which pause I'm referring to, but as far as a lesson on writing tasty solos, ya definitely need to rewind and listen to the whole thing! It's a masterpiece. :chef

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Omfg I love Rush so much. Every aspect of everything; skill, influences, sounds; so goddamn perfect.
 
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Sorry for the long message but we are talking about PRACTICE like stated before. I would really encourage to find out what are your strengths (essentially what works for you when soloing) and what are your limitations.

Took me a LONG time to realize that this isn’t classical violin, so there’s no ONE proper way to play. If legato works for you, embrace it. Staccato or picking every note, go for it. If some things are easier to play than others, find out why (i.e. starting with an upstroke lets you cut through strings better, tapping with your middle vs. index finger lets you mute strings better, sweep picking with individual fingers instead barring, etc), then find some licks, passages that sound cool to you and are somehow easier to play (for you) and practice them over an over. Will let you pursue your own sound.

Also, look for guitar players whose sound, technique clicks with you (no pun intended, no need to use a metronome btw). Find out how they actually play some parts, not what the tab books says, etc. You’ll be surprised to find out that they also take shortcuts that work for them (unless you’re T800 Petrucci)
 
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JiveTurkey said:
Omfg I love Rush so much. Every aspect of everything; skill, influences, sounds; so goddamn perfect.
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You and me both! (But we don't want to turn this into a thread about Rush, now do we? Or do we? Nah, we gotta get @Iron1 playing crafting awesome leads!)

Something else I just thought of... I was recording my solo takes once a while back, and I took a page from a RR solo, by doubling what I had just played an octave higher. It wasn't until I did that, that all my band mates took notice. They were al like, "DUDE! That was so killer!" (I was like, "All I did was play it again, 12 frets higher...")
 
All mine start off the same way, noodling over the lead section or just listening and seeing if any ideas come to me. Sometimes only one thing will stand out of improvising it 50x and it’ll be in a weird spot, not the beginning, middle or end, but in between there and then I’m either figuring out how to work up to it or work away form it. Any nugget I can grab onto that gives me some direction.

That solo I posted yesterday, I initially figured I was just gonna shred straight through it to keep the energy up, but my hands weren’t warmed up yet so I went with What Would Jerry Do? and as soon as I came in with an octave and a wah pedal it reset my entire head, changed the whole feel of that section and gave me enough of a jump off point to know where I wanted to go next.

I try to always make them build, but sometimes some an epic build-up takes away from the flow of a song or the original intent.

Oh, @Iron1 should disclose his other talents here. He’s quite the creative individual in the literary world as well. (“eldritch elixir of mythereal magic” cracked me up :rofl)
 
Achilles said:
1977 - Fitchburgh Theater, MA - A Farewell to Kings tour

Elbows on the stage right in front of Alex.

OK, Rush derail over.
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My FIRST concert was Moving Pictures, Largo Capital Centre (DC), 7 rows from the stage!! Right in front of Alex. And I literally had myself convinced they were from outer space! (Substances may have been involved.)

Ok, Rush de-de-derail over. :rofl
 
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