Tips for the aspiring lead player

[adamzap]

I've been playing for two years and a few months, and I was wondering if you more experienced players could share some of your better exercises for lead playing.

I'm looking for specific examples and resources on both technique and theory. I would like to be able to improvise and solo some day.

I practice with a metronome and occasionally read on cyberfret and wholenote. Also, maybe some beginner solos I can learn?

Thanks

[cjpmmd]

Also, maybe some beginner solos I can learn?

Try learning all the the lead guitar bits from Mississippi Queen.  It's slow enough to get the basic notes without too much difficulty; then work up to trying to capture more of the subtleties of the Mountain Man himself (vibrato, pinch harmonics, etc.)  Also, try to get a copy of The Guitar Handbook by Ralph Denyer.  (If memory serves me right.......)  Learning from an actual book may seem quaint in the computer age, but this book is pretty fun!

cjpm

[hunter]

I would start by learning all positions of the blues pentatonic scale in E or A. Then find songs that match (there are many) that tonality. Once you feel at home with  it you can transpose to other tonalities. Then I would start exploring other scales.

Vibrato, bend etc would come along the way of trying to copy other peoples' chops.

A book would be good indeed, as it will give you background and context of what you're doing.

[Philly Q]

Try learning all the the lead guitar bits from Mississippi Queen.  

That's a song by Mountain, if you're under 40.    Leslie West on guitar.

That's a good suggestion, actually.  I don't know how to play Mississippi Queen and I've been playing (using the term loosely) for 26 years.  :oops:

[TwilightOdyssey]

Here's a good intervallic line I like to show my students:



Another of my favourite warmup licks:









Have fun!!

[adamzap]

thanks guys, I'll try that song and TO's exercises tonight hopefully :)

I was actually looking at the minor pentatonic scale last night hoping to channel Zakk Wylde ;)

I've never taken lessons...I've taught myself from the Internet and tabs, so as far as chords, I only know a few basic ones. I've got a lot to work on!

Thanks guys, keep it coming!

[Crazy_Joe]

Hey Ben your exercises are cool, think i'll be using those mnore often.  :D

[gingataff]

Ben, I'm trying to figure out the fingering for the first exercise and it's got me stumped.
The last one is cool and I'm definiately going to work on that especially with my middle, ring and pinky as I really need to build some strength and co-ordination there (I read somewhere, maybe on here, that George Lynch used to practice scales using those three fingers only, sounds like a plan)

[Antag]

Its worth drawing out some neck diagrams & mapping out all the scales & arpeggios in every key (yes, it's a lot of drawing :lol:) - then work out as many routes up/down/across the neck within each scale as you can.

Think of them as "building blocks" - just playing up & down a scale in isolation isn't particularly useful musically, but once you know the scales, then you can build patterns/shapes/runs around these - i.e. you start to come up with "licks" & find your own "voice" as a player.

My new year's resolution is to improve my lead playing.

Given that I've been playing for >20 years I'm a shockingly bad lead player :oops:  Part of my problem is laziness :roll: but mainly it's that when I pick up a guitar I'll work on a song arrangement, or play something I know, or noodle around aimlessly - none of which will improve your technique.  Probably the closest I've come to any improvement in 15 years has been to download tabs of riffs/songs I wanted to learn but couldn't work out by ear, or when I've been recording & making up a new solo.

In other words, I've never learned how to PRACTISE

So, I asked Santa for some instructional DVDs & he brought me Dave Kilminster's "Killer Guitar" & "How to play fast" (vol 1 & 2) from the Lick Library series.  So far, I've found them very useful - not just to sit & play along to but also because they've given me ideas of things to work on.

[Antag]

:lol: I just realised that "all the scales" is a bit vague.

Start with these:  Minor Pentatonic, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Major, Diminished, Blues Pentatonic
Then work through the modes: Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian
There's a certain amount of duplication (i.e. Ionian = Major, Aeolian = Natural Minor), but you'll figure that out yourself soon enough :)

Search for guitar scales or chords & you'll find more sites than you can count, let alone read, but here are a few that caught my eye:
http://www.worldguitar.com/majorscale1.html
http://www.freakguitar.com/scales.html
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com  - this is what I mean by a neck diagram

[samoth2]

You could try to find Steve Vai's 60 hour workout, there is a lot of exercises in it.

And also a bit about composing and ear training, or you could buy some books.

Try to have a look at Troy Stetinas: Metal Lead Guitar, I think they are good books.

[38thBeatle]

Well you have some great material there and I am pleased to see that you use a metronome as timing is one of the things that really makes a difference. Obviously working on lead guitar is important but also work on those chords. I would say to learn how they are put together and why they are what they are.To me, it is all part of the same thing-playing lead runs over chords is a whole lot easier if you understand the construction of a chord. Beast of luck-you will get a ton of encouragement from the guys on this forum who are at all at different levels and, of course, we were and are still all learning.

[dave_mc]

make sure your bends are in-tune, and make sure you have a kickass vibrato.

That's about it. Nomatter what you play, if your bends are in tune and your vibrato rules, it sounds like you're amazing, in total control of your instrument, and are holding back and playing tastefully.

Too many players now try to play fast, and have totally sucky intonation and vibrato. If your vibrato sounds like you had a stroke 3 days previously and your fretting arm still doesn't respond properly to what you tell it to do, that's bad.

I'm not saying chops don't matter, they do- but you'll sound much more individual and a much better musician if you have a good vibrato- smooth, controlled, and soulful.

[Philly Q]

^
Totally, totally agree, Dave.  PDT_015

Although my own bends and vibrato are, undoubtedly, as sucky as they come.

[Davey]

start slow.


only bit of advice i can give, cos pretty much all was said hehe.

i dont need to say practice lots, do i?