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Simple solos

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(@evh5150)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

Could someone please post a simple solo from a well known song? I have been learning scales but I need to know how to make the notes into an actual solo instead of just playing a scale back and forth. This is where I'm stuck!


   
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(@luvgilmour)
Estimable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 150
 

This is a start... More small riffs then solos... https://www.guitarnoise.com/article.php?id=206 Alternatively, just go to Google, type the song you want to play and put the word tab or tablature next to it and chances are very good you will find it...

I'll only be down there (in the basement practicing) for a couple of minutes or so...
My SoundClick Page: http://www.soundclick.com/bands/pagemusic.cfm?bandID=470725


   
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(@wes-inman)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

Hi EVH5150 and Welcome to GuitarNoise

I am guessing you are probably a Eddie Van Halen fan. Eddie always said Eric Clapton with Cream was his greatest guitar influence.

A really simple, but very beautiful guitar riff by Eric Clapton is Wonderful Tonight. It is a pretty simple song in the key of G, and the repeating riff and solo is basically played with the G Major Pentatonic scale with one note from the G Major scale. I've already made it sound far more difficult than it is. But it is very slow and easy to hear, so you shouldn't have too much trouble with it. All the same, Eric plays this very simple riff with incredible feel, so this is an excellent starter solo.

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@cyranodb)
Estimable Member
Joined: 22 years ago
Posts: 178
 

Hi there, and welcome to Guitar Noise. These people rock. When I first started and bothered to practice scales and chords I couldn't for the life of me see where this came all together to make music. One thing you might want to is check out some of the simple beginner songs and the solos suggested. Once i started them (and I'm still working on them) I began seeing how chords and scales came together to make music and you can start putting together some of your own stuff if you know them pretty well. Enjoy the ride man and good luck :D

"I use heavy strings, tune low, play hard and floor it. Floor it, that's a technical term." - SRV


   
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(@maxrumble)
Honorable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 441
 

You can try the little brother lesson on Suzie Q in the outa site lesson links. It uses the minor pentatonic with the nut acting as the index finger.

Cheers,

Max


   
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(@redpoint)
Reputable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 210
 

I recommend the solo from the Beatles' "And I Love Her"

It's recognizable, and pretty easy. It even has a slide or two in it...

Gm Dm Gm Dm Gm Dm
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-----------9--7/10---------------9--97-----------------9--7/10--------
-|--5--7--8---------------5--7--8----------------5--7--8-----------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Bb C7 F Gm
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-|-----------------------------------------------------------------------
-|--10--7----------------------------------------------------------------
-|---------8--7--75--------------/7-------------------------------------
-|-----------------------5--3--5--------3-------------------------------
-|------------------------------------------5--3--1--1/3-----------------


   
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(@evh5150)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 3
Topic starter  

THANKS so much for the pointers. I am starting to find that it's true that following what Clapton did is going in the right direction as far as learning to solo. I have learned the intro to "Sunshine of Your Love" and "Cocaine" and it appears to be the minor pentatonic scale. This goes along with Van Halen's "Runnin With the Devil" which is kind of along the same notes, RIGHT??? Similarly I've just learned the intro to "Voodoo Chile (Slight Return)" and it seems to be based on the same thing.

LOL...am I heading in the right direction?
I want to learn to hear a piece of music and improvise, maybe not get it note-for-note, but be able to hang in there and make it sound good.


   
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(@wes-inman)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 5582
 

EVH5150

You are doing good. Learning from listening to solos is very good because it develops your ear. Listening carefully is a major part of playing good lead guitar.

I know many others would advise you to take lessons if you can afford it. I am self-taught and it can be done, but taking lessons is super helpful. You will not develop bad habits, you will learn to read and know theory. This will enable you to progress much quicker. But it is still important to develop your ear, so keep listening to solos and trying to copy them.

Work on rhythm guitar too. Playing good rhythm is just as important as solos and just as difficult. Eddie Van Halen and Eric Clapton are both excellent rhythm players as well as Hendrix. There is a lot more to rhythm guitar than just strumming chords. As a guitar player you spend 90% of the time playing rhythm, so don't be weak there.

But the biggest secret is just practice. The more you play, the better you get. If you want to be really good, you've got to put in the hours.

Lots of good articles here on rhythm and lead, so study the lessons and check out the Easy Song Database. And never be afraid to ask a question. This is a great site, we all help each other out. :D

If you know something better than Rock and Roll, I'd like to hear it - Jerry Lee Lewis


   
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(@ginger)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 393
 

Ok, I got one for you. Even though it's not from a very well know song it's still a good solo and is also a good exercise, (for me anyway)

This tab is the original of how the solo is played, but, you can move it across the lines for a higher sound if you want. That's what i do.

Solo, (chorus plays underneathe):
e------------------------------------------------
B------------------------------------------------
G------------------------------------------------
D---------------12^(13)--12--11------------------
A---11--12--14------------------12/14--11h12h11--
E------------------------------------------------

e---------------------------------------------
B---------------------------------------------
G---------------------------------------------
D--11--12--14--7/9h7--9^(10)9^(10)------------
A-----------------------------------7-9--/--4-
E---------------------------------------------

e--------------------------------------------
B--------------------------------------------
G--------------------------------------------
D--------------12^(14)--12--11---------------
A--11--12--14-------------------12/14-11--12-
E--------------------------------------------
(this part is really quick, the slide from 7/4 is very subtle, but quick
at the last possible second).
e------------------------------
B------------------------------
G------5---7-5---7-5-----------
D--5-7---5-----7-----7-5-7/4---
A------------------------------
E------------------------------


   
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