Becoming a Good Lead Player--Best Approach?

[Matt Smith]

OK, ever since I started playing electric guitar I've loved playing rhythm most, and I've got rhythm playing down to a science. I can play leads, but really only simplistic, "soulful" kind of stuff and cool harmony lines. I never bothered trying to learn to shred because my songwriting was (still is) the priority. But now I'm ready to take the next step and try to become a solid lead player as well. Where should I start? Getting a book and learning the different scales? Or just trying to learn solos I like by ear? Both? Something else? Hit me.

Sometimes I'll see some guy who's been playing for like 3 years and he can solo circles around me (pretty embarassing since I've been playing a lot longer), so there's got to be a way to improve my skills exponentially and quickly, especially since I'm already so familiar with the instrument and have a quick left hand just from riffing.

 

[Ermz]

My suggestion would be to start learning Michael Angelo's 'No Boundaries'. It's not the most exciting of written material, but it's more or less a collection of excercises that also happen to sound somewhat decent. I'm learning both this and a Necrophagist track at the moment, and they're helping me push my playing further.

 

[Flat Fifth Fury]

I hate to say it but being a good song writer is more important than being able to solo, and playing melodically well is more important than shredding. That said, if you take one of your melodic/feel solos and learn to play it double time, you are halfway there. Take a look a great soloist like George Lynch, he doesn't use a ton of scales but has both melody and flash. Anyone can learn techniques, loads of scales and theory. It's applying all that in a musical way that takes time and personality.

 

[SymbolicSV]

youn need this : The 'Bible' for shredders "speed mechanichs for lead guitar" by Troy Stetina, and btw , if you are a good songwritter you always will be , there's nothing wrong with shred , shred is cool ¡¡ if you can learn scales, arpegios and that stuff it can help with your songwritter skills.
just play with a metronome and be patient

(btw , sorry for my bad english

 

[Andy Sneap]

yeah but isn't the song based around the solo??? You need to get a perm (ala big hair!!) and a Vinnie Moore tuition video, job done!

 

[Andy Sneap]

A harmonic minor as fast as possible!

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

A harmonic minor as fast as possible!

Or you could take the Zakk Wylde/Slash appraoch and learn how to play pentatonics for 24 hours nonstop without food or water... (maybe some cocaine tho).

 

[Hopkins-WitchfinderGeneral]

My suggestion would be to start learning Michael Angelo's 'No Boundaries'. It's not the most exciting of written material, but it's more or less a collection of excercises that also happen to sound somewhat decent. I'm learning both this and a Necrophagist track at the moment, and they're helping me push my playing further.

I can't express how dissapointed I am that you didn't say "make lots of videos of yourself playing opeth songs!"

 

[Kazrog]

I highly recommend Paul Gilbert's instructional videos.

 

[Fabbio]

Anyone can learn techniques, loads of scales and theory. It's applying all that in a musical way that takes time and personality.

That's exactly what I admire in players like Jeff Loomis, the ability to go 1000 mph and still you can whistle every solo!!! Or singing them.

Just going fast becomes old also very fast.

The approaches are three, anyway. Learning from videos, playing over a rhythm part in tune and the third, most challenging: playing a smoking solo very fast and when you like the solo itself trying to come up with an interesting rhythm part playing over the solo. That's VERY challenging (especially if like me you don't know a lot of theory).

Hehe.

 

[fhare]

yes yes, all of the above plus PRACTICE. Practice 'till your fingers are bloody, that's a good start. Then go for the hard stuff. And remember to practive accuratly, better accurate than fast at first, don't want your brain learning "wrong but fast is ok". It takes time, don't get discouraged.

 

[Lopes]

The one piece of advice that anyone can use is:

It doesn't matter what you do as long as you look good while you do it.

 

[Mendel]

paul gilbert's vidz are good caue paul gilbert teaches a 8 year old boyguitar. and that kid is around 9 years old and can shred really speedy.

anyway, no boundries from angelo is really good for your arp technique and picking. also, try to build things up. like starting on not to complicated stuff ( metallica solo's etc ). then build t up to solo's from . . . Nevermore \m/ . it has to be fun anyway

 

[J the TyranT]

My first ones to learn were some Queensryche and Metallica solos... simple simple shit. You'll get them in no time, Matt.

I checked out a few Frank Gambale DVD's just for ideas... and, you'll definitely get a few... also, I checked out the tabs on some other guys' solos... Marty Friedman, Alex Skolnick... some dudes who ripped up some shit I felt I could play [cuz I cant sweep wortha fuck, but Im pretty quick otherwise]

Seriously, learn a shitload of 80's leads... Warren De Martini stuff, John Sykes [man, Im breaking out the old names here today!] and you start kinda picking up some ideas.

Like that one dude said... the Zakk Wylde school of pentatonics can be utilized a bit.. some.. I dont do much in way of tapping... Im still learning myself

 

[Kazrog]

A friend of mine just sent me this link:

http://www.guitartricks.com/

Some cool stuff on here! Above all, practice to a metronome, start slow, gradually increase the speed only as you get things perfect.

 

[JeffTD]

Paul Gilberts video's were insanely helpful to me, as was John Petrucci's Rock Discipline.

One thing I can't stress enough though, is to stay away from shredding pentatonics. It ends up sound redundant and repetitive, and so many people do it already! My favorite scales are the harmonic minor, phrygian, and dominant.

 

[Mendel]

My first ones to learn were some Queensryche and Metallica solos... simple simple shit. You'll get them in no time, Matt.

I checked out a few Frank Gambale DVD's just for ideas... and, you'll definitely get a few... also, I checked out the tabs on some other guys' solos... Marty Friedman, Alex Skolnick... some dudes who ripped up some shit I felt I could play [cuz I cant sweep wortha fuck, but Im pretty quick otherwise]

Seriously, learn a shitload of 80's leads... Warren De Martini stuff, John Sykes [man, Im breaking out the old names here today!] and you start kinda picking up some ideas.

Like that one dude said... the Zakk Wylde school of pentatonics can be utilized a bit.. some.. I dont do much in way of tapping... Im still learning myself

frank gambale is really really good yeah. but did u saw thoe picture's from the 80's early 90's . . that shit is gay for fuck sake lol.


pic's:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00007CWIA.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

http://www.musicnotes.com/productimg/KCHL70033.jpg


but he is increadible.

 

[commandante]

You call that gay?!! You sure don't know many musicians from 80s then...

 

[The ORIGINAL South Of Heaven]

I agree with everybody on the Paul Gilbert videos.

Also, it wouldn't hurt to learn some Necrophagist songs. Most people think they are impossible, but none of them are really THAT hard, if you just put a little bit of time into it.

 

[futurebre]

If you have Guitar Pro, try these exercises:

http://www.mysongbook.com/tab-tab_list-id_artist=1857.htm