4 Ways to Master the Basic Techniques of the Solo Guitar

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4 Ways to Master the Basic Techniques of the Solo Guitar
4 Ways to Master the Basic Techniques of the Solo Guitar
Anonim

Knowing the basics of the solo guitar in depth is an art and a skill that is acquired with time and practice. In this particularly detailed article, you will find out how to play the pentatonic scale and learn several techniques that will help you master the instrument.

Steps

Method 1 of 4: The Pentatonic Scale

Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 1
Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 1

Step 1. Many people want to play lead guitar

You wanna do it too, huh? Join the crowd. There is a great deal of guitarists - and they all, fortunately, use common techniques. So you can do it too.

Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 2
Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 2

Step 2. Learn the pentatonic scale

The minor pentatonic scale is by far the hardest scale used in hard rock music. And, guess what? It's even pretty simple.

  • Here is the complete pentatonic scale of A minor on the 6 strings:

    • ---------------------5-8----
    • -----------------5-8--------
    • -------------5-7------------
    • ---------5-7----------------
    • -----5-7--------------------
    • -5-8------------------------
    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 3
    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 3

    Step 3. Play it up and down, using the alternating pick, at least 4000 times a day or until you feel like improvising

    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 4
    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 4

    Step 4. Change key by playing the same pattern on different keys

    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 5
    Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 5

    Step 5. Always keep the same number of frets between your fingers, no matter where you start the riff - change the position but the pattern remains the same

    • For example, here is the same scale in the key of C:

      • -------------------------8-11
      • ---------------------8-11----
      • ----------------8-10---------
      • -----------8-10--------------
      • ------8-10-------------------
      • -8-11------------------------
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 6
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 6

      Step 6. Use index and ring fingers if you can

      Otherwise, try your index and little finger.

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 7
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 7

      Step 7. There are seven basic techniques you can use to spice up this pattern and make it a solo rather than a simple scale

      I'm talking about: bending, skipping, slide, hammer-on, pull-off, vibrati and chromatisms

      Bending

      The bending (from the English bend = to fold) of a rope is a self-defining technique.

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 8
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 8

      Step 1. Press and pull the string up or down, causing more tension and therefore an increase in the pitch of the note you are playing

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 9
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 9

      Step 2. Use the fingers you are not using to help you bend the string

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 10
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 10

      Step 3. Don't bend the string randomly, do it in such a way that it produces a note that matches the note that you can find 1, 2 or 3 frets later than the one you are pressing

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 11
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 11

      Step 4. To make sure you do it correctly, bend the note and listen to its pitch

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 12
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 12

      Step 5. Next, compare it to the pitch of the note you were targeting, which will be 1, 2 or 3 frets later

      • The bending that allows you to reach the pitch corresponding to the next key is called “half-tone bending”.
      • The bending that allows you to reach the pitch corresponding to the note played two keys later is called “one tone bending”.
      • On the other hand, the one whose note reaches higher pitches is called “overbending”. This, of course, produces a rather interesting effect.

      Skipping

      Skipping (from the English skip = to jump) is another technique to understand which it is not necessary to be Einstein.

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 13
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 13

      Step 1. Basically, instead of playing a note on the scale on the string immediately below, you jump directly to the note on the next string

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 14
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 14

      Step 2. You can skip as many strings as you like, but skipping a lot of them will make the scale sound rather odd

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 15
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 15

      Step 3. You can use skipping by either playing the scale in a descending or ascending manner

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 16
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 16

      Step 4. Use this technique whenever you want

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 17
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 17

      Step 5. You can also "skip" school or work if you find this information too exciting to bear

      Slide

      The slide is a rather elegant technique.

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 18
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 18

      Step 1. Basically, instead of picking the next note in the scale, you can slide your finger from the key you are pressing until you get to the one corresponding to the note you want to play

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 19
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 19

      Step 2. If you want insult in addition to damage, you can pick the note, fold it, sue it for damage, or whatever stimulates your imagination

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 20
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 20

      Step 3. Not that it needs to be said, but you can slide from a high note to a low note as well

      Hammer-on and Pull-off

      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 21
      Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 21

      Step 1. Hammer-ons require a 1-pound hammer to perform properly

      1. Use the hammer to break your fingers and save yourself the trouble of doing the exercises.
      2. Naah, that's another joke. These are actually quite simple techniques to deal with. What you need to do is pick a note on the scale and place your ring finger on the fret corresponding to the next note, without pinching the string.
      3. Try to do it a few times and you will realize, especially if you do it quickly, that you will already have it in your head how to do it.

        Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 22
        Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 22

        Step 2. Pull-offs are something similar, but they can be slightly more complicated

        1. To perform a pull-off, lift your ring finger off the note you're playing, continuing to let it vibrate with your index finger which will already be in place.
        2. The fact is that you don't just lift your finger, as while doing so you will have to apply light pressure with the tip so as to hit the string.
        3. As with the hammer-on, the idea is to get two notes for the price of one.
        4. Keep practicing until you can play the notes cleanly, then combine some hammer-ons too and start showing yourself to the people.
        5. For extra points, practice the fifth and seventh frets of the G and D strings, then do another pull-off from the fifth fret ending with the open string.
        6. Switch between the fifth and seventh frets and close on the open string, and enjoy the Eddie Van Halen style.
        7. If you don't like Eddie Van Halen, though, don't. You could be corrupted by the dark side.

          Vibrato

          Vibrato is simply bending the string repeatedly and quickly, quite gently.

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 23
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 23

          Step 1. This technique is all in the wrist, with which you will have to quickly swing or vibrate the pitch of the note

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 24
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 24

          Step 2. There isn't much to say about vibrato - practice on your own

          Chromatisms

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 25
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 25

          Step 1. Chromatisms are the art of adding "passing notes", ie those notes that are not actually present in the scale but which serve to add a different touch as you move from one note to another

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 26
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 26

          Step 2. That's what the middle finger was made for (among other things) - but don't hold these notes for too long

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 27
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 27

          Step 3. If you play some of them quickly and let them slip in between notes of the scale, you might get that interesting touch you wanted

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 28
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 28

          Step 4. But if you keep them for too long, you risk playing out of tune (which is not the best)

          Method 2 of 4: Harmonics

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 29
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 29

          Step 1. It is not essential, but you could add some artificial harmonics as well

          • These are light touches that cause the notes to play at a very high pitch.
          • Ideally, they will scream like you would at an N'Sync concert.
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 30
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 30

          Step 2. To make these sounds, what you need to do is let the skin of your finger touch the string as you pinch it

          • Performing this technique on different points of the string will produce different harmonics - when you master them perfectly it will be time to make the leap, grasshopper!
          • The natural harmonics are very similar, but completely different.
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 31
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 31

          Step 3. Harmonics can be easily achieved at the fifth, seventh, twelfth and nineteenth fret by simply placing your finger without pressing the string on the neck, picking and lifting the finger very quickly

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 32
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 32

          Step 4. Try to understand how they work, then turn up the gain and play them using the guitar lever to make it seem like the sounds are coming from outer space

          Yeah, it's very cool.

          Method 3 of 4: Quick Pick

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 33
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 33

          Step 1. Quick picking can be used for dramatic effect, or for playing violent solos without using hammer-ons or pull-offs

          Helpful Hint: Get the hardest pick you can find, and slide it sideways between the strings gently

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 34
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 34

          Step 2. You can use this technique to palm mute the first part of a solo on the lower strings (making it sound like a thermonuclear explosion), and / or continue hopelessly and randomly until you reach the notes. as sharp as you can

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 35
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 35

          Step 3. Be aware that this technique makes a lot of noise and is quite impressive, plus it allows you to take a lot of liberties with respect to the key of the song

          Method 4 of 4: One-Hand Tapping

          One more thing - do you want to do one-handed tapping like Eddie Van Halen?

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 36
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 36

          Step 1. Throw the pick away and use your right hand to play hammer-ons and pull-offs

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 37
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 37

          Step 2. Alternate with left-handed hammer-ons and pull-offs; add the shampoo, lather thoroughly, rinse and repeat the process

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 38
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 38

          Step 3. Many people were disappointed when they discovered that this super flashy technique is actually quite easy to learn

          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 39
          Master Lead Guitar Basics Step 39

          Step 4. Although it is called “one-handed tapping”, in reality both hands are used

          Two-handed tapping, on the other hand, is much more cynical and complicated to learn.

          Major and Minor Scales

          • Complementary to the major or minor pentatonic scale, there are of course major and minor scales.

            • The major

              • -----------------------------5-7-9-
              • ----------------------5-7-9--------
              • ------------------6-7-------------
              • ------------6-7-9-----------------
              • -------5-7-9----------------------
              • -5-7-9---------------------------
            • A minor

              • -----------------------------5-7-8-
              • ----------------------5-6-8-------
              • -----------------4-5-7------------
              • -------------5-7-----------------
              • -------5-7-8----------------------
              • -5-7-8----------------------------
            • Study and deepen the execution of these scales just as you did with the pentatonic. You will want to learn many more.

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