How To Play Lead Guitar
How to Play Lead Guitar: Seven Things to Know
Have you always wanted to know how to play lead guitar in your band?
Are you tired being in the background just churning out chords and rhythm brush after brush?
Worry not, there are a few ways to improve your guitar playing and actually get in the lead.
How to play lead guitar tip #1 – Passion ala Slash
You need to be committed and love what you do before you start dreaming to be the lead guitarist of a band. Take Slash of Guns ‘N Roses and Velvet Revolver for example, he plays the guitar with a whole lot of soul.
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How to play lead guitar tip #2 – Don’t be Blue about the Blues
Learn how to play the blues scale because the blues are the basics for most guitar solos. Listen to Eric Clapton; he does the blues so very well.
How to play lead guitar tip #3 – Do the One-Note Mantra
Single-note picking is a basic in lead guitar. You got to teach yourself to do it or you are out the window. An example of this is Slash playing the Star Spangled Banner. Of course, a lot of bending was also used by Slash in this piece to make his guitar sing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PH0bfY-hzWU
How to play lead guitar tip #4 – Obsession with the Five-Note Progressions
Guitar pentatonic scales are musical scales that are used in Celtic songs. With the music revolution pentatonic scales are now also used in rock songs among others. Learning these scales would be of use if you want to play lead. Learn it and impress the crowd with progressions.
How to play lead guitar tip #5 – Do the Riff Raff
When you are doing a riff you can follow a few simple tips that have been tested by time. Do not worry about being original, no one is original nowadays neither are riffs. In fact, all riffs have been played already.
If you are trying to compose a progression you can just mix them up to suit the mood of your song. Progressions in G Major are usually followed by a C or a D. Isn’t that easy? You can also use an Em after the G or occasionally an Am or a Bm.
If you start with an Am you can follow it with a D. Study the progressions in C Major and G Major and you are on your way.
How to play lead guitar tip #6 – Bend the Rules by Bending the Notes
String exercises are essential to become a good lead guitarist. By pushing a string up and pushing it down, you will be creating higher notes.
How to play lead guitar tip #7 – Rapture with Tablature
Map out your solo. You do not need to be a musical genius to master this skill. Tablature uses letters and numbers instead of the traditional staff and notes.
If you have mastered all of these tricks, you can finally give yourself a pat on the back.