How To Improve Your Lead Guitar Playing

Do you have a hard time coming up with guitar solos that sound like real music instead of a "combination of guitar licks"? Have you spent a lot of time looking for countless guitar exercises, new scales and guitar licks to play on the internet, only to realize later that these things are NOT making you a better lead guitar player?

The guitarists who attempt to make their guitar solos more creative by using the approach above, typically end up frustrated with their slow rate of progress and start to lose hope in their potential to become great guitarists. Very often they also start to believe in the common misconception that their ability to create great guitar solos is restricted by their amount of natural talent.

Fortunately, it IS possible for anyone to greatly improve their lead guitar soloing skills with the right approach. If you haven't reached this goal yet, I want to show you the most common reasons why guitar players struggle with creating truly GREAT guitar solos and give you the steps you can take now to massively improve your lead guitar playing.

The truth is that most guitar players focus on entirely the wrong things when trying to improve their lead guitar soloing and improvising skills. Many guitarists assume that the solution to their guitar soloing challenges is in learning more "new" skills (innovative soloing concepts, new guitar licks/scales/arpeggios etc...). In reality, simply acquiring new musical skills will not (in and of itself) make your lead guitar playing better, just like having a lot of ingredients in the kitchen will NOT make you a "better" cook. While having a lot of musical skills will give you more options to choose from, these skills will NOT "increase your ability" to create great guitar solos until and unless you learn how to "integrate" them to make the best musical choices possible in any musical situation. For the vast majority of musicians, it is this lack of ability to fluently APPLY and INTEGRATE their existing skills that prevents them from mastering the art of lead guitar soloing.

Now that you understand more about why the traditional ways of improving your guitar solos are ineffective, here are some specific steps you need to take to begin to integrate your existing lead guitar playing skills on a deeper level and greatly improve your guitar solos in the process.
Learn The Guitar Fretboard Inside And Out - True mastery of the guitar neck goes much deeper than simply being able to identify a specific note/fret on the guitar. In order to really know your way around the guitar, you need to be able to play all the scales and chords used in your style of music everywhere on the neck, and be able to combine these shapes fluently. Guitar players - from Jimmy Page and Stevie Ray Vaughn to Randy Rhoads and Eddie Van Halen - all have/had this exceptional awareness of scales and chord shapes on the fretboard. This skill enabled them to improvise great guitar solos effortlessly in any key without "getting lost". In contrast, guitarists who struggle with making their lead guitar solos sound like music, often do not have this skill well developed and become stuck with soloing in the same 1-2 positions every time they play lead guitar. Regardless of how many scales you actually know, if you cannot fluently play them all over the guitar neck, you will have a VERY hard time with using them creatively in your lead guitar soloing.
Master Aural Skills (Train Your Ear To The Fullest) - Most guitar players (even the RARE few who actually practice ear training exercises on a regular basis) do not have a clear understanding of what it really means to "have a good ear for music". It is commonly believed that ear training is all about "being able to identify any interval, chord, or scale" after hearing it. Although this skill IS "a part of" having a good ear, in reality, ear training plays a much deeper role for your lead guitar playing. At the highest level, aural skills are "the link" between all of your musical skills (guitar technique, music theory knowledge, phrasing, mastery of scales and chords and more) that enable them to work TOGETHER to create the most expressive guitar solos possible. Master musicians use their ears to imagine the music they want to hear and direct their hands to produce that sound on the instrument as quickly and naturally as you speak your thoughts when holding a conversation. Without good aural skills, your musical skills can only work in isolation and your ability to create great guitar solos will forever remain limited (more on this below).
Create Music With Your Mind Instead Of Your Hands - Most guitarists approach the process of lead guitar soloing in a mechanical way by "playing scales over chords". After learning the key of the chord progression, most musicians simply begin to solo by running through familiar scale shapes and licks. Essentially their mind goes on autopilot and all of the "creating" is done with the hands.

In contrast, great lead guitar players rely on their ears and their mind to imagine what they want to hear before playing a single note, and use their hands (guitar technique) as well as their music theory knowledge, mastery of the fretboard, and other musical skills to express what the mind wants to hear. Although they also end up "playing scales over chords", the overall level of creativity and expression achieved is much greater because all of their musical tools/skills are integrated together as one "creative whole".

Although the steps above happen very fast (and almost always occur on a subconscious level), this kind of thought process is key to creating truly great guitar solos.

The most important thing I want you to notice is that most of what actually "creates" a great guitar solo needs to be done with your mind and your ears. This is totally different from the thinking process of inexperienced guitarists, whose guitar solos are merely an attempt to "fill up space/silence with notes".
Continuously Work On Your Guitar Phrasing - Many lead guitar players continuously search for "notes to play" but neglect looking for better ways of HOW to play (phrase) those notes. Good guitar phrasing involves much more than applying an occasional bend or vibrato to a note. When I train my students how to master guitar phrasing, I show them how this skill consists of "macro" and "micro" level components. "Macro" level phrasing refers to how each phrase fits into the big picture of the lead guitar solo and the song itself (much like phrases flow in a conversation). "Micro" level phrasing deals with ornamentation applied to individual pitches of the phrase. It is important to understand the difference between the two components and to have effective strategies for training both of these areas of phrasing.
Get Regular Feedback On Your Lead Guitar Soloing From More Experienced Guitarists Or From A Guitar Teacher - Unlike improving your guitar speed, where you can measure your own progress in a tangible way, improving your lead guitar playing is a very "intangible" skill. This means two things:

1. It is very hard to become aware of specific flaws in your lead guitar soloing when you don't know what things you should be listening for.

2. It is also challenging to determine whether or not your guitar solos are actually improving and what areas of your lead guitar playing still need work.

You will make the fastest progress when you have your guitar solos analyzed by a guitar teacher who can not only point out specific flaws in your guitar playing but also can create an effective lesson strategy to help you overcome the specific challenges that are holding you back from creating truly great guitar solos.

Now that you understand more about what it takes to improve your lead guitar playing, you should become excited as you realize that all of your musical goals are entirely within your control to achieve. When you begin to implement the steps I have outlined above, your lead guitar soloing skills begin to improve rapidly.

Tom Hess is a highly successful online guitar teacher, touring musician and a guitar player for the band Rhapsody Of Fire. He teaches guitar players around the world in his online guitar lessons. Visit tomhess.net to get free guitar playing resources and to read more guitar playing articles.

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Left Handed Playing Guitar - Tips for Left Handed Guitar Student

If you are left-handed, should you learn left handed (upside down and backwards), or just stick with the way a right-handed person plays?

And the answer is...it depends. It depends on whether you are brand new and have never picked up the guitar or you have been working at it for a while.

Here's the deal: playing guitar left-handed is a misnomer. There really is no right-handed or the other. Sounds confusing right? Everyone has heard of the left-handed guitar. What about Jimi Hendrix? Didn't he play left-handed? Let me explain it like this: If you were playing the piano and you're using left hand, would you switch your hands around? Most people can immediately visualize how silly that would be. The reason we get confused with the guitar is that one end looks different from the other. It doesn't really matter, because both hands have to learn roughly the same amount of complex movements. There's no reason to switch the guitar around. If fact, the left hand will have to perform more complex movements than the right hand, at least in the beginning. It's right-handed people who should be switching the guitar around!

What about Jimi Hendrix (one of my inspirations)? He just didn't know better. He was great in spite of playing upside down and backwards. That's what it actually is by the way: upside down and backwards. Not left-handed. Hendrix would have been great if he played the guitar straight up, behind his back, or standing on his head. Human beings are capable of incredible things.

What about the guitars for sale that are "left-handed"? One word-marketing. They found a certain number of people who either believed they needed a "left-handed" guitar or who had been playing upside down and backwards. They knew these people would buy it, so companies made it for sale.

There are problems with learning and playing a guitar upside down and backwards. You will always have to translate what another guitarist is doing in order to learn from it. It's like learning by looking in a mirror. Everything look backwards. You won't be able to pick up a friend's guitar and play it. It won't be strung the same way as yours unless he happens to be in the same boat. You won't be able to buy the majority of guitars in the music store, and you'll always have to pay more for a comparable hand left version. You'll have less choice of instructors available to you, and you'll have a harder time with guitar videos and instruction books. Since it's just not necessary, or even useful, I strongly recommend that if you are starting out, and you're left handed, you learn with a right-handed guitar like anyone else.

What if you've been playing upside down and backwards already?

If you've been playing guitar "left-handed" for any significant period of time I most likely wouldn't try to change you. It's very difficult to undo the habits you've already created, and quite demotivating. It's likely better to continue in the direction you've been going and buy a left-handed guitar. A guitar manufactured to be played this way has been designed to sound and work better than a regular guitar turned upside down and strung backwards. In the big picture, practice will make all the difference.

Tomas Michaud is a guitarist, recording artist, entrepreneur, music educator, and father. He is the owner and Music Director of the SF Bay Area's premier music education facility, Starland Music Center in Alameda, CA, and has taught or consulted with thousands of students over the past thirty years.
Receive more tips on learning guitar at http://www.starlandguitarlessons.com/

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Angles On Playing The Guitar: Beginner Guitar Lessons

Teaching angles for beginner guitar lessons is not just about holding the guitar at the correct "angle". Nevertheless, it's more than just placing the neck in relation to the floor.

Angles to be aware of are:

The wrist in relation to the neck.The knuckles in relation to the fret board.The thumb and finger holding the pickThe angle of the pick between the thumb and finger.The angle of the pick against the stringsThe wrist angles for picking and strummingThe plucking finger anglesThe angles of both elbowsThe general tilt of the guitar bodyThe neck in relation to the floor.

To go over each angle in detail and to mention some others that keep cropping up can take weeks of lessons. Therefore the teacher should be aware of all the different degrees of angling that take place in beginner guitar lessons. Many good or bad habits will be formed because of this.

The best way to deal with angling is to show the student how one angle may vary in one player to the next, or even one position to the next.

No two players have the exact size and shape physical characteristics. Position wise, the same scale passage an octave higher will most definitely require a different angle placement of the elbow, wrist and knuckles. Sometimes the angle of the neck is even re-angled in order to accommodate a more adaptable position.

At his point in the early stages of beginning guitar lessons, it must be stressed that there is not one universal angle workable for everyone.
This is why when the student after being told how to position the hand at a particular angle, will fail to produce a clear sound.

Keep in mind fluidity of motion. Of course, we have basic positions, but let the student know that the positions are like guide posts that are aimed for and then moved away from. Fluid motion needs to be stressed or else one may end up being a very stiff and limited player.

To start the student off it would be wise to give only three major angles:
1. The Back and Spinal column at 90 degrees to the floor
2. Awareness of the angle of the wrist with the knuckles placed away from the frets
3. The angle of the pick against the strings.

It may be debatable since there does not seem to be much study on this subject, however, these are the most crucial angles in beginner guitar lessons. Keep watch over these angles as the student progresses and then correct the others as the student moves on to more advanced guitar lessons. Compliment angle instruction with guitar finger stretching exercises and the fluidity of motion should become apparent soon.

Gene Petty

You can learn guitar finger stretching exercises at Gene's site: http://www.onlineguitarlessonsforfree.com/.
Gene also has a few articles and beginner guitar lessons at http://downloadguitarlessonsfree.com/

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Before Guitar Playing - Developing a Buying Strategy

Before you can fully enjoy guitar playing, you should embark on something exciting: buying a new guitar. You go to the music store and immediately face a world of possibilities, a supermarket of tantalizing choices. Every guitar on the wall seems to scream, "Pick me! Pick me!" Should you resist, exercise restraint, and avoid the models you know you can't afford?

Heck, no. Be bold and just try any model that strikes your fancy. After all, you're not asking to test drive the Ferrari appearing in the showroom window; you're simply asking the salesperson to see how different guitars feel and sound. And you're not being frivolous either. Before you dive into guitar playing, play a range of guitars to help you understand the differences between high-quality, expensive guitars and acceptable but affordable guitars.

So indulge yourself. Even if you don't have enough experience to recognize the subtle differences between a good guitar and a great guitar, at least expose yourself to them. And don't wait until the day that you decide to buy an instrument to pick one up for the first time. Make several visits to the music store before you're ready to buy and then take the time to absorb your experiences. Try to visit several different music stores if you can. Some stores may be the exclusive dealer of a specific brand in your region; other retailers may not be able to sell that brand of guitar. Also, you pick up far more knowledge about what makes a good, playable guitar than you may think just by handling several different instruments.

Buying a guitar can be like what happens after you think that you have the basics of a foreign language down pat and then visit the country where it's spoken: You practice your best Berlitz for weeks, but the first time that a native starts speaking to you, you're completely flustered. But don't rush it; hang in there. You're just buying a guitar; you're not in a strange land trying to find the closest restroom facilities. You're eventually going to sort it all out. In no time, you'll enjoy the bliss of guitar playing in your home.

Don't simply wait until you get to the store to develop a buying strategy (which, by that time, usually translates into no strategy at all). Keep in mind that the two most important factors in making any purchasing decision - especially concerning a guitar, where passions tend to run high - are to develop a plan and to gather all the information you need to make the best choice.

Singer and songwriter Jim Byrne has been a guitar player all his life. His songs has a twist of bluesy folk, country, Americana and Scottish. Discover effective guitar playing tips to help improve your guitar playing fast, as he offers some great all-around advice for beginner and advanced players alike. Visit Jim's website for more tips and to download two of Jim's latest songs for free => http://www.songsbyjimbyrne.com/freemp3music/index.html

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Learning to Perform While Playing a Guitar

Do you think that you're the next Kurt Cobain? If you've got the pipes to belt out Nirvana's classic songs such as "Lithium" and "Smells like teen spirit," why don't you back it up with awesome guitar-playing skills? By doing this, you'll have something more to show other than your singing prowess. But if you don't have any idea how to play a guitar, you can always take guitar lessons so you can learn the basics. Who knows? If you invest enough time and effort in this endeavor, you might even surpass your own expectations and be a guitar virtuoso.

If you're a beginner, the most basic question that you should ask your tutor is: how do you play the guitar? Well, for starters, you need to know how to form chords on the guitar's fret board by using your fingers. These chords are classified into two types: the major scale and the minor scale. By familiarizing yourself with these guitar chords, you can guarantee that you'll be proficient in producing various sounds by strumming or plucking the strings. Although you can play this stringed instrument using your own fingers, you can also employ a small flat tool called pick that's usually made of plastic, metal, or wood. The guitar's framework is often built from wood or polycarbonate materials with nylon or steel strings. It can also be categorized as an acoustic guitar, electric guitar, twelve-string guitar, classical guitar, and many more.

Learning to play the guitar can be done in a couple of ways. It's either you try to teach yourself by constantly reading books and watching online videos or hire a really good guitar teacher to help you out. But if you really don't have any background in playing this particular instrument, there's no reason for you not to choose the latter option. With proper guidance from a person who has enough experience and knowledge, rest assured that you'll quickly pickup several helpful techniques in playing guitar. Now, if you're wondering, how do you play the guitar properly while performing on stage? Try to watch several artists in the music industry. From country singers to rock legends, you can see that they all have different ways of handling this instrument. Aside from resting the guitar on your lap while you're sitting, you can also use a strap to sling the instrument on your own body. Thus, it would be easier for you to move around or even sing while strumming or plucking the strings.

Whether you're trying to form a kick-ass band or emerge as a solo artist, an important question that you should ask yourself is how do you play the guitar? Since it's a big factor that can surely affect your career, you must work on this skill to make sure that you can also use it in your performance. Caleb Followill of Kings of Leon and Dave Grohl of Foo Fighters are both capable front men of their respective bands. But aside from unbelievable vocals, what makes them even more special is the fact that they can blow your mind with their showmanship simply by standing in front of the microphone while playing the guitar.

Cindee Daniel, who has a degree in Journalism, has been a casual yet big fan of music since she first listened to The Beatles when she was 10. She then came to discover other bands, most specifically from the punk, grunge, and post-grunge movements, and has since been interested in the scene. Her exposure to music saw him writing music reviews for various websites and founding his own band, with him composing songs and performing drumming duties.

You may want to visit play the guitar for more information.

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Playing Guitar Is Fun AND Teaches Discipline

Like many people out there I had always thought that playing the guitar would be an awesome thing to do. In the right hands they make the best of sounds and that's the key, "right hands." I always wanted to learn to play the guitar but didn't have much discipline for it. I also had too many other things that I wanted to do that didn't take as much effort to learn (action figures, collectible cards, e.t.c.) Fortunately, I've grown up... a little bit... and now I have a guitar that I can call my own.

I got my first acoustic guitar for Christmas last year. It has been quite possibly the best material gift that I have ever received. The guitar I got is made by Johnson and is based on the basic dreadnought style but slightly smaller than standard. It's designed for novice guitarists such as myself to learn how to handle a string instrument before moving on to a larger full size guitar. As soon as I got it I signed up for a local college class for some intense instruction. While I didn't learn as much as I feel that I should have (I never do) I did learn quite a bit, and since the end of the semester I have practiced quite frequently in my free time.

One of my favorite ways to practice playing the guitar is to simply grab the instrument, the tuner, and my laptop. Then I search the Internet for the chords of different songs that I like, and want to play, and then I do my best to play them. Sometimes I've surprised myself and I sound very decent, and other times are more difficult. It is simply amazing how much goes into playing the guitar. There are so many different techniques and skills involved. The basic skill of guitar playing is playing chords. In the beginning it'll kill your fingers, but they'll get used to it.

Although, I don't recommend doing what I've done by playing for hours a day when you're still a beginner. Not to say it hasn't been worth it, because playing the guitar is a blast. If your goal is to continuously get better and better than playing the guitar will be a definite challenge, but it is definitely worth the hard work. If you, or your child, or your friend needs or wants a cool new hobby then try out guitar playing It's a great way to learn discipline while having fun, and you can learn to play some of your favorite songs along the way.

Jacob R. Long is a professional writer. He wrote the content for the website Dreadnought guitar.

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