Learn your scales! In these lessons, you will cover all of the most important scales for lead guitar soloing for any style of music. There are so many different patterns for each scale and so many ways to play these patterns. So, I believe the best way to learn is to learn the most common of each of these patterns first to limit how much you know. This way you can become skilled at one way of playing a scale before you move on to the next one.
Not only will you learn all the most important scales, you'll also learn how to connect every one of these scales in the same key. Whether it be a major, minor, blues, pentatonic, harmonic, or even diminished, you'll learn how they all work together, and sound good together.
Building Solos
D Minor / FMajor Rock
In this lesson you'll learn how to play a solo in the key of Dmin (Fmaj) with a heavy rock music track. You'll also learn what scales to use to make your own solo.
G Major Punk Rock
In this lesson you'll learn how to play a solo in the key of G Major with a punk/pop rock style music track. You'll also learn what scales to use to make your own solo.
E Major Heavy Rock
A lesson on building a real solo. This lesson will explain simple lead elements that can be used in building a solo in a song. Not all lead guitar and solos have to be fast and fancy. This lesson is a great example on simple lead guitar elements.
E Minor Rock
A lesson on building a rock solo in the key of E minor. This is a 4 part solo lesson using the E minor scale and the G major/E minor pentatonic lead pattern.
Lead Scales
Lead Scales 1 - Pentatonic Major & Minor
Easiest scales. Used mostly for rock styles, 80's rock, 90's rock as well as pop rock.
Lead Scales 2 - Major Scale
Used in all styles, especially country, comtemporary rock, and pop.
Lead Scales 3 - Blues Scale
Started with this scale if you are interested in blues, jazz, and southern rock.
Lead Scales 4 - Expanding Blues Scale
This lesson is just an extention of the blues scale.
Lead Scales 5 - Harmonic Minor
Famous for weird "Egyptian" or "Hungarian" sounds, this scale is used in heavy metal, jazz, and progressive rock.
Lead Scales 6 - Diminished
Another weird, "outside" sounding scale used in jazz, heavy metal, and progressive rock.
Lead Scales 7 - Minor Scale
This scale is used in all styles like the major, but has a darker sound.
Finger Tapping
Finger Tapping I - Introduction
First learn what finger tapping is and some examples.
Finger Tapping II - Tapping Techniques
Learn the basic techniques of finger tapping with hammer-ons and pull-offs.
Finger Tapping III - Pentatonic
Learn how to use the pentatonic scale in finger tapping.
Finger Tapping IV - Major & Minor
This lesson will describe both the major and the minor ways to use finger tapping.
Finger Tapping V - Diminished
Add some crazy sounding guitar licks by learning how to apply the diminished scale to finger tapping. A great guitarist to watch do this is Shawn Lane. Check this video out.
Finger Tapping VI - Tapping Over Chords
Most people think of scales when finger tapping, but you can use basic major and minor chords as well as any others and tap out the notes of each chord.
Finger Tapping VII - Expanding Diminished
This lesson will focus on more advanced techniques in finger tapping diminished arpeggios. This lesson will also cover how to change between chords like majors, minors, & diminished while tapping.
How To Solo
How To Solo - Blues Ex. (Based on "Bold As Love" by John Mayer)
A lesson on blues style playing, based on the John Mayer cover "Bold As Love".
How To Solo - Finding Major Scale Fragments
Make sure you have a full understanding of the major scale before starting this lesson. If not, start by learning the scale in the above videos in the lead scales section. In this lesson, you'll learn fragments inside the major scale that can be used for soloing.
Arpeggios & Sweep Picking
Sweep Picking Exercise
New to sweep picking? This lesson will teach you an exercise to how to learn to sweep pick. Practice this lesson and you are well on your way to sweeping.
Simple Arpeggios Major & Minor
This lesson will show you the basic major and minor arpeggio forms. These arpeggios are great for adding new licks to your lead patterns over chords and use for sweep picking.
Short Sweep Arpeggios - Major 7's & Minor 7's
A lesson on using chords like maj7 and min7 positions, and turning them into arpeggios to play as lead guitar or even as sweeps. Called short sweeps because of only one octave.
Short Sweep Diminished Arpeggios
A lesson on using diminished chords and arpeggios, and applying them to short sweep picking. You'll also learn how to apply the diminished arpeggios to other scales in a lead guitar solo.
Lead Concepts
Octaves
Octaves are another very important concept to understand. Octaves are used not only with lead guitar, but with rhythm playing and using chords as well. Knowing octaves well also makes learning the notes on the neck much easier.
Pinch Harmonics
Ever wonder what's going on when you hear guitar players "scream" or "squeal" their guitars? Well more than likely, they are using pinch harmonics. Sometimes called artificial harmonics. A great technique to learn to rock up the playing.
