Help me learn some lead! [Archive]

IAE

12-21-2008, 04:21 PM

I never have been very good at lead guitar and I've always wanted to learn some nice lead riffs. I've been playing for 14 years but somehow I skipped the lead part of guitar, I can play small solos that I come up with and I can actually physically play lead, I just cant put the right notes together.(its confusing)
Can you guys that love lead recommend some tab that is relatively easy to learn? Something kinda along the lines with a hendrix feel, or a led zeppelin feel? It doesnt have to be basic but it would be a good start if it was simple bluesy/above mentioned kinda riffs that are repetative.

Thanks in advance:JAM

Swain

12-21-2008, 06:27 PM

Try the solo (and the fills!) in "Breakdown" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers. Am Pentatonic Scale is the ticket.
I recommend this one for a few reasons:

It's at a moderate speed, has great phrasing and articulation (Mike Campbell used a Slide, and probably a different Tuning. Attempting to mimic this with your fingers and in Standard Tuning is a great Exercise. Fun too!), and has a nice Line to it. It flows well, and has a "Musical Sense" to it.

Hope this helps!

GovernorSilver

12-22-2008, 09:04 AM

Can you guys that love lead recommend some tab that is relatively easy to learn? Something kinda along the lines with a hendrix feel, or a led zeppelin feel?

I'd say skip the tab, get slowdown software, and start learning Hendrix and Page lead lines off of real Hendrix and Zeppelin recordnigs. This is the method that worked for Page, Hendrix, etc. when they were learning how to play lead guitar. Why not use the method that works?

MikeMcK

12-22-2008, 09:22 AM

I'd say skip the tab, get slowdown software, and start learning Hendrix and Page lead lines off of real Hendrix and Zeppelin recordnigs. This is the method that worked for Page, Hendrix, etc. when they were learning how to play lead guitar. Why not use the method that works?

+1 - there will be a learning curve that seems steep at first, but well worth it. For some reason copping licks by ear seems to force you to think about the patterns, rather than each individual note.

derekd

12-22-2008, 09:26 AM

As much as I agree with the above suggestion, I would steer you toward simpler players first. The whole walk before you run thing. The TP suggestion is a good one, and I would also take a couple of Pretenders leads. Easy to learn, very tasteful, and would be a great precursor to Hendrix/Page. Good luck.

rotren

12-22-2008, 09:35 AM

I agree with skipping tabs. I find tabs work for certain things, but not lead playing. Slow down tracks, listen over and over again to these lead notes, and learn them by heart. This is called transcribing, and I believe it's the best way to improve as a player. The more you transcribe, the better you will become as a guitarist.

bkd_guitarist

12-22-2008, 10:31 AM

Deep Purple and Black Sabbath may be some good source material for you as well - a number of their songs have some relatively simple, blues-influenced leads that would get you going in the right direction.

One thing that helped me a ton in learning to play lead was recording very simple backing tracks, and then soloing over them. Figure out the rhythm part to a classic song and make a simple recording of it, even if it's just you playing acoustic guitar into a cheesy casette recorder. You don't need drums or anything, though it might be helpful to play along with a metronome. At any rate, practice soloing over that recording. Try playing the solo that the original guitarist played, but try making up your own parts as well. That will help you begin to improvise your own parts, and to learn how to interact with a rhythm track.

Finally, do you know any scales? Learning the major, minor, and pentatonic scales will be very helpful in figuring out what a guitarist is doing during a given solo. 90% of classic rock solos are based on those three scales.

IAE

12-22-2008, 02:40 PM

Prodigy

12-22-2008, 03:33 PM

The most important thing to work on is your touch and vibrato IMHO. Nothing reveals an amateur faster than bad vibrato technique. Also, it's good to learn helpful techniques like "hammer-ons-from nowhere" that will help you play fast lines with much less effort. Check out Troy Stetina's 'Speed Mechanics for Lead Guitar' for reference.

IAE

12-22-2008, 04:18 PM

I got a slow downer, its freeware and only allows you to do the 1st and 2nd song of a CD or the first 3rd of any song, do you guys know of a 100% freeware version that isn't limited like mine is?

GovernorSilver

12-23-2008, 09:39 AM

I got a slow downer, its freeware and only allows you to do the 1st and 2nd song of a CD or the first 3rd of any song, do you guys know of a 100% freeware version that isn't limited like mine is?

There's a Winamp plugin that is free that seems to be popular. Also people like Amazing Slow Downer. No indication of price on the website - might be able to use it entirely for free:

http://www.ronimusic.com/winamp.htm

Good move, btw.

powermatt99

12-23-2008, 10:31 AM

IAE

12-23-2008, 01:20 PM

The amazing slowdowner is what I have but its the free version and is limited, its pretty cool other than that.

GovernorSilver

12-23-2008, 07:43 PM

I dunno man, I'd be willing to pay $50 for Transcribe! software. Are the Amazing Slow Downer folks demanding a princely sum for their full software?

TommyStrat

12-24-2008, 07:11 AM

Lots of good post here. However if you want to learn to play lead it will take some work. You said you hate scales. Well scales are step one. Most music comes from the major scale. After you learn just a little bit of musical theory and I mean a little bit, you can start to make solos on your own. Real good soloist can make them up on the fly. Get some backing tracks. Sing two note licks. Find them. Slide up and down to them. Bend up to them. Then go to three note licks. If you hear solos you like, sing the first few notes. Find them. Play them in different places. I would also agree that simple guys playing like BB and other blues guys is essential. You must practice as well. You do not need to really read, you just need to learn enough so it is not rocket science. Lots of guys like Buddy Guy and BB do not sit and read notes. They learned to play from their hearts by starting simple and working into spontaneous solos. As you get more fluent, you will be able to play on the run without thinking. This will take time but your library of licks will start to add up and you will blend them together with time. Also close your eyes sometimes and just force yourself to make stuff up. Two or three notes at a time. I like Clapton myself and think his lines are much easier than Jimmy's. The comments on touch and vibratto are very good in this thread. I have taken out some much better players than myself on stage with great tone and touch. I am glad your asking questions. youtube is great for learning and it is free. You can see the hands of the players and know right where to go. Keep up the practicing and you will be teaching us.

seiko

12-24-2008, 10:16 AM

Great suggestions but I've learned to copy hundreds of solos but when it comes to creating solos on my own, I get lost. Given enough time, I can cobble together enough stuff but doing anything on the fly is out.

I've always found working off octave positions is helpful. I.e., find a melodic phrase you like in A in the middle of the neck and jump it up or down an octave -- or two. You can start just by repeating the phrase but once you get the hang of it you can reverse it, start on a different note, drop or sustain notes etc. I like it cos it makes you play more off a phrase than a scale.

GAD

12-24-2008, 11:31 AM

Windows Media Player will let you play anything at 1/2 speed.

On v11, from the menu choose "Play", "Play speed"

GAD

MartinPiana

12-24-2008, 12:14 PM

Windows Media Player will let you play anything at 1/2 speed.

On v11, from the menu choose "Play", "Play speed"

GAD

Wow - great tip!

IAE

12-24-2008, 01:10 PM

I didn't know that about WMP11!
I do have a bunch of scales I copy and pasted ages ago, is there any specific scales you guys recommend that I practice? I did learn a couple but I've kinda forgotten them by now.

troykennedy

12-24-2008, 01:22 PM

anyone used quicktime pro to do this?

steelronkeel

12-25-2008, 07:05 AM

You can buy a tab book, and just listen to the music while following along with the tab, over and over again. That worked for me 20 years ago. Gosh has it been that long?.......
Circle licks that you like and practice them, but listen to how they are played on the album, over and over again. Eventually they become apart of your standard vocabulary, and you can modify them however you like.

FWIW, I started learning Chuck Berry solos by ear, then bought a Clapton tab book, then moved on to Hendrix, Led Zep, Beck, etc. I would recommend getting one of those Clapton anthology tab books first.

GovernorSilver

12-25-2008, 04:50 PM

Great suggestions but I've learned to copy hundreds of solos but when it comes to creating solos on my own, I get lost. Given enough time, I can cobble together enough stuff but doing anything on the fly is out.

I find I get more results out of stealing little parts of a solo instead of whole solos. Easier to work bite-size ideas into your own solos.

Ooogie

12-25-2008, 08:11 PM

I don't know ANY scales, they bore me too much so I never learned any.

You really have to get past this boredom and put in the work to understand why things work...there aren't any real shortcuts. You should at least understand the Major scale and know the Major & Minor Pentatonics to get started soloing over most rock/blues oriented things.

Start with the Minor Pentatonic and you'll begin to see where a lot of the solos you listen to came from then branch out. Studying the Major scale in parallel to see why things work they way they do is a good path also.

Be sure to learn the scales in all positions so you can move freely around the fretboard.

Mark

SoCalSteve

12-25-2008, 08:46 PM

I'll look into some song slowdown software for sure. It might be what I need.

I don't know ANY scales, they bore me too much so I never learned any.

I have an RC-2 looper so I often record some rhythm then try soloing over it, it goes ok for about a minute then I just start repeating everything and get bored with it. The only reason I get bored with it is because I cant play what I want to, long solos.

I'll also look at "Breakdown" by Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.

Thanks for the suggestions, keep 'em coming.

This video may be of help. He has a whole series of lessons, including ones that show short licks that you can string together. BTW, this one is the second lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMrBNabQnJ4&feature=channel

Also, despite the silly name, Paul Lidel's DVD "Learn to Play Rippin' Lead Guitar" teaches 10 solos in the classic rock vein.

blues junkie

12-25-2008, 09:05 PM

IMHO, I think you need to take the time and learn some theory and some scale's. I would start with the Penatonic 1st position. You'd be amazed at how many great solo's can be played with just that. I started out learning to play lead and then rhythm :jo so improvising on the fly comes very easy to me. I also take lessons,which I highly recommend. Things will come faster and if you don't understand something your instructure can explain it to you so you don't get frustrated and give up on it. Just remember you have to crawl,walk, then run. I think in the long run you'd be better off knowing WHY you played a solo a certain way instead of just copying it and not knowing why you played it. Music is a language and knowing how to speak it and why is important.So best of luck and most importantly.....HAVE FUN!!!!!!!!!!!:D

IAE

12-26-2008, 04:59 PM

Ok so I've taken a lot of advice and I have a slowdowner, I have been learning some blues scales form youtube vids. and I'm looking for some good solos in tab form so I'll practice with a combination of all these things.

Timne will tell how much effort I put into it I suppose.

GovernorSilver

12-26-2008, 09:33 PM

Good luck! Don't forget to set aside time to jam with recordings - exploration is how most people learn.

Also, get a means of recording ASAP and start recording yourself playing.

Swain

12-29-2008, 10:44 AM

Swain

12-29-2008, 10:52 AM

Yeah, learn to pick out even the simplest Melodies by Ear.

Record yourself.

Jam along with CDs and even The Weather Channel.

Learn the "Major Scale" in 1 Position, or "Box", and learn to play it starting from any Note.

But the Doug Doppler DVD/CD Package "Diatonic Theory And Harmony". This will teach you the Major Scale.

Learn the Minor Pentatonic Scale. Do a TGP Search for Pentatonics. Learn the "Home Base", 5th. Fret, Am/C Pentatonic Scale. Use this simple "Shape" or "Box" to jam with those CDs. (And don't forget the Weather Channel;)! ) Just move the "Box" to different Fretboard Positions, until you find a position that sounds good with the CD you're jamming over.

Have fun.

This should hold you for a Year or Two.

Jazzydave

12-30-2008, 02:26 AM

I've got a great book I'll email you that will cover all of this...send me a PM with your email addy.

:cool:

fbcpraise

12-31-2008, 12:38 PM

I'm going to jump in here and say just reading what you guys write is a great guitar lesson!

Now a question: I know some scales, but I'm not fast. How can I speed up these fingers? Someone mentioned Troy Stetina's Speed Mechanics... book; anyone else like it? Any other suggestions?

IAE

12-31-2008, 04:19 PM

PM sent! thanks!

BTW, I never plan to play speedy solos cause i have carpal tunnel in my hands and when I play fast they start messing up. If i play moderate speed its fine, I can play all day but soon as i play a death metal riff or a surf guitar riff that it for me.

bradfordtpanek

01-02-2009, 02:31 PM

A good bending practice is to play a major scale then for each note in the scale bend up to the next note which will be either a whole or half note, then play the note to hear what the note should be bended to. I think being able to bend to the correct note is critical for good lead playing.

thetangmang

01-02-2009, 11:17 PM

I use this scale practice routine to get myself moving outside of the boxes:
http://www.justinguitar.com/en/SC-010-ScalePractice.php

It's slow but it helps.

freaksho

01-03-2009, 08:52 PM

Great suggestions but I've learned to copy hundreds of solos but when it comes to creating solos on my own, I get lost. Given enough time, I can cobble together enough stuff but doing anything on the fly is out.

i can completely relate to this. i've been memorizing and mimicking solos since i was 12, and hard ones at that. but i never realized how much i didn't know unitl i joined a band in my 30's and had to write my own parts.

learning others' solos will help your technique but the best you can hope for is to be in a great cover band. for original music there is no substitute for knowing your way around the fretboard and knowing your theory. imo the more mental work you force on yourself the better your leads (and all your guitar parts) will be.

I find I get more results out of stealing little parts of a solo instead of whole solos. Easier to work bite-size ideas into your own solos.

this rings true for me as well. in fact, i bet any of the legends would say (if they were being honest) that they stole from their idols. that's how it works.

Now a question: I know some scales, but I'm not fast. How can I speed up these fingers? Someone mentioned Troy Stetina's Speed Mechanics... book; anyone else like it? Any other suggestions?

this is where mimicking your favorite players' solos and licks is most useful.