Give me your best advice for learning to play leads

Iron1 said:
I remember that show. Didn’t get to, but remember when it happened. Also remember camping out on the Capital Center property for Metallica tickets when they opened for Ozzy - and getting harassed by the police for underage drinking, thankfully they had some many targets that night they let us go with a stern warning. :ROFLMAO:
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I saw that same Tour. 1986? What an insane show.
 
Iron1 said:
tidbit of advice
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open with an explosion, do a bunch of easy stuff in the middle, crescendo up to the end, explode again at the end and vibrato the last note way way too much, it doesn't even have to be a note just shake tf out of it.

the band can't just putz along underneath otherwise you have to showboat the whole time like SRV, who can do that. if the band is doing riffs and cuts and stops (LOG Everthing to Nothing solo), and the bass player walks the crescendo up with you from down low, it opens up a lot more space for you to take it easy in the middle, if the band isn't doing anything to break the tension you have to keep the tension going all by yourself, that's where dudes just wank away. there's only one nut the rest is teasing






 
Iron1 said:
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!
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Learn lots and lots of your favorite vocal melodies on guitar, by ear.

If you have a song that you think needs a lead guitar part somewhere in it and you are stumped...play the vocal melody and see where that takes you.

One can get a loooooot mileage by just copying vocal lines on guitar.
 
0XI0 said:
open with an explosion, do a bunch of easy stuff in the middle, crescendo up to the end, explode again at the end and vibrato the last note way way too much, it doesn't even have to be a note just shake tf out of it.

the band can't just putz along underneath otherwise you have to showboat the whole time like SRV, who can do that. if the band is doing riffs and cuts and stops (LOG Everthing to Nothing solo), and the bass player walks the crescendo up with you from down low, it opens up a lot more space for you to take it easy in the middle, if the band isn't doing anything to break the tension you have to keep the tension going all by yourself, that's where dudes just wank away. there's only one nut the rest is teasing






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The solo in Whipping Post does exactly that and it is so damn fun to play with a tight band. :banana

As a guitar player I have seen hacks with a great stage presence and an in your face attitude
get more props than the seasoned musician standing like a stone and nailing a ripping solo.

Go figure. :idk

Attitude does matter! Playing something like you own it can go a long, long ways. And if you
ever hit a bad note then do like Miles Davis said.... hold it, or play it again... then people will think
you meant it. :LOL:
 
Who do you want to play lead like @Iron1 ?? Any genre-specific cats you would like
to imitate, or are inspired by? :idk
 
la szum said:
The solo in Whipping Post does exactly that and it is so damn fun to play with a tight band. :banana

As a guitar player I have seen hacks with a great stage presence and an in your face attitude
get more props than the seasoned musician standing like a stone and nailing a ripping solo.

Go figure. :idk

Attitude does matter! Playing something like you own it can go a long, long ways. And if you
ever hit a bad note then do like Miles Davis said.... hold it, or play it again... then people will think
you meant it. :LOL:
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JazzTM
 
Chromatic scale
Rainbow Wow GIF by HostGator
 
I don't think you need to play 32nd notes to play an impactful solo. Kurt Cobain's
solos in Nirvana---where he basically plays the vocal melody---are perfect for the
context of the band and the songs.

Neil Young whammying the fuck out of his Les Paul in cascades of feedback are
perfect, too. :chef

Impact can be made with a just a few well-timed words. Or you can write a novel.

It's all good. :beer
 
la szum said:
Who do you want to play lead like @Iron1 ?? Any genre-specific cats you would like
to imitate, or are inspired by? :idk
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Not really - honestly about 85% of the leads I hear just go in one ear and out the other. Not many sound like art these days and too many sound like fretboard-gymnastics-are-phalic-measurement-tools.

I’m only doing this cause there’s no other option for our demo since we still don’t have a guitar player for our band. We did connect with a guy the other day who seems like he just might work out, but Im not waiting around to find out/delaying our demo release just for some leads.

I do love Pink Floyd, Rush, etc. that have been mentioned here, and I came out of the same crowd as Marty Friedman so all the Cacophony stuff is awesome. But in the end, I’m not inspired to do this like I am with riffs, lyrics and arrangements.

Hopefully, as I learn and pick up a few tricks, that will change and more growth will happen. :)
 
Something simple like playing octaves over the changes with some Wah is cool as fuck! :headbang

I kind of wonder how the Gilmour-drenched pentatonics would translate over the top of your music.
My hunch is not that well. :idk
 
Iron1 said:
Not really - honestly about 85% of the leads I hear just go in one ear and out the other. Not many sound like art these days and too many sound like fretboard-gymnastics-are-phalic-measurement-tools.

I’m only doing this cause there’s no other option for our demo since we still don’t have a guitar player for our band. We did connect with a guy the other day who seems like he just might work out, but Im not waiting around to find out/delaying our demo release just for some leads.

I do love Pink Floyd, Rush, etc. that have been mentioned here, and I came out of the same crowd as Marty Friedman so all the Cacophony stuff is awesome. But in the end, I’m not inspired to do this like I am with riffs, lyrics and arrangements.

Hopefully, as I learn and pick up a few tricks, that will change and more growth will happen. :)
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Iron, maybe you should post a Solo Challenge thread for one of your tracks? Winner gets a free dozen donuts or something?:unsure:
 
Thanks to everyone for the advice/tips/tricks. I was able to add one short lead to one of our tracks, then take something from this thread and use it to add a nice lead-ish layer to another. I'm nowhere close to being a lead player, yet, but was able to have some clarity, confidence and creativity from things posted here. Thanks!
 
la szum said:
Something simple like playing octaves over the changes with some Wah is cool as fuck! :headbang
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0:04-0:13!


I know I started off playing that whole section with octaves, it might be on the final take….and technically there’s no changes underneath because it’s just the riff repeating, but definitely goes to show how it can change the whole feel up by laying back and not going crazy.
 
Step 1: find a lead guitar player. You can’t expect to release anything with the expectation of developing a skill that takes years to get good at. Unless of course you want to hold the release back for years. Rushing to get something down will sound like exactly that: rushed and you’ll find yourself defending it forever.

In the meantime if you seriously want to get good at virtuosic style guitar playing, start by immersing yourself in it. Target your influences. Without knowing more, its hard to say where your focus should be.

PS I didnt read beyond the op
PSS Im not trying to be a dick, just helpful.
 
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