There are songs where the audience will want to hear the solo, note for note. Most of the rest of them, you can get away with some noodling. When you get to those songs that folks want to hear the note for note, either learn those ones specifically, or skip them until you do.

I have been watching this thread play out for the last few days and am impressed with how everyone has jumped in to help a fellow guitarist. We are all benefitting from your knowledge and experience and are in essence getting a free lesson.
You folks are the best!

Well, I've been going over the material, and as I ease myself into the actual riffing and chord progressions of each song, I'm finding at least competent solos coming forward pretty easily.

Much obliged for the directional advise. I won't be setting the world ablaze with godlike licks, but that was never really the goal here.

Glad you're hangin' with it, Griff'!

Yeah just learn the songs first. The solos USUALLY aren't that hard in most stuff. But if you can try to absorb the song, maybe you can at least just know what scales or arpeggios are being used and simplify it if you have problems.

The most important part by far is the ability to play and remember the songs. Solos are secondary.

Now if you are trying to play some flashy licks. I actually know a bunch of very cool SIMPLE fast licks that sound alot harder than they are.

All ears.

Actually Jeff Beck would agree. Asked in an interview if he was a flash guitarist, he said "Absolutely" and "I play simple things that SOUND hard." Some of those "simple things" are not that simple for the rest of us, Jeff!

But it IS true that not all flashy licks are terribly hard, and some things that sound easy are BRUTAL - especially if the piece was originally written for piano or violin and the fingerings are totally unnatural on guitar!

I doubt, though, if you'll be required to play any Bach violin pieces on your gig, at least not at tempo - LOL!

When in doubt, harmonic-squeal it out; I guaran-damn-tee it, the audience will LOVE lots of harmonic squeals at the ends of phrases, especially with heavy-handed vibrato an/or whammy-bar action (this latter warbling can be done with or without harmonics and still go over bigtime). Think Zakk Wylde, Jerry Cantrell... I'm sure you can name a bunch more...



I'll vouch for Bruce, I'm sure he can show you some cool licks and phrases that you can put to good use! I've heard him noodling around on an acoustic and he definitely has the goods. PM him and get together on that.

Good stuff griff, glad you're jumping in. We often need a prompt to push on in our playing...esp a set list full of new stuff to learn! Good luck with it...

This is why I don't play lead guitar.

I'll solo on bass all day long but not on guitar. Because lead guitar is so much more than just choosing what notes to string together. It seems strange to me that so many replies focused on note choice.

Hammer ons and pull offs only get you so far. Slides and bends go further. Basically having as many tricks up your sleeve as possible helps. Because you need variety.

Take some 3 note (triplet) figure and softly palm mute it. Gradually play louder until you end with Caevan's harmonic-squealies. Total notes used: 3. But you stretched it out for several measures. End with some long sustained note that you bend and shake for several more measures.

Yeah, it's been done before. So? You want to take a different approach to soloing then pick up a different instrument. Electric guitar is an antique already. Don't you think the innovation has pretty much dried up by now?

In the same time you could have exhausted yourself playing triplets all up and down the neck, working hard mentally to not repeat yourself. And the audience wonders why you're playing jazz to a rock song.

That's not to say that soloing should just be a vehicle for stringing together tricks. It should be based on melody, harmony, rhythm and dynamics. Phrasing. It should be musical. But if it doesn't have embellishments (tricks) then people may wonder why you don't play piano instead.

Update. Initial audition went well. Sunday will be the full band rehearsal, Wednesday will be the first gig.

Good luck!!!

G.

Break a leg! Keep us posted; looking forward to reading of your triumphant domination of the enthralled, rabid crowd.



Just so ya know, I only prescribed said squealin' wheelies as a quick 'n' dirty way to make it through an expected solo section while pleasing the audience enough to get by, until a few weeks of practices, thought, and hard-work can put more substance in there than filler.

Here's some comedy for you.

Yesterday, at our full band rehearsal, everybody is stunned as I bring in my rig - a Roland 1x12 combo, my trusty TS, and a wah pedal.

They ask what I gig with. I reply "You're looking at it. You need me to bring my own SM57?"

Jaws drop.

I fire it up. I've got my dirty channel backed down to around 6 on the pre, and my clean just on the edge of breakup at around 5. Neither are super loud.

Jaws drop farther.

Seems the last several guitarists they've had have used that horrible Dimebag Darrell wannabe tone (all highs and lows, no mids, with way too much gain) - and here I'm sporting a quasi SRV sounding thing with just enough dirty to say it's dirty.

I'm in like Flynn, with the "dress" audition being the Thursday night gig - as long as I translate well to the stage (not an issue - I play better in front of crowds than at rehearsal) this becomes a permanent gig.

What guitar ya playin' through that rig for 'em?

That was the funniest part. I pull out the only axe I have not in the shop, my little Epiphone Prophecy, and they're all just "oooh boy, metalhead in the house"...

Congrats Griff! I Hope the live audition goes well (I'm sure it will) and you get the gig!

The Epiphone Prophecy!

Uhmn... which model?

This one? This one? Or this one? Or, this one? Or... ??

And... what color izzitt?



Ya aughtta plant a few folks wearing "Metal Chef" T-shirts in the audience that night; at least one...

If you start bringing Metal Chef food to rehearsals, you'll eventually become band leader and take over.