Learn To Play Lead Guitar. A Beginner Guitar Lesson

Learn how to play lead guitar.

In this lesson, you will learn tips and tricks for playing lead guitar better.  Playing lead guitar can be exhilarating if done correctly.  Instead of focusing on chord shapes like you do in rhythm playing, you will focus on scale patterns.

 

It is a single-note melody that you will be creating to play lead guitar.  If you follow these tips you will be well on your way to becoming an excellent lead guitar player.

 

Be good at playing rhythm guitar

One of the things that a lot of guitar players who want to play guitar solos overlook is rhythm playing.  Being good at playing rhythm guitar is going to make you good at playing lead guitar.  The reason for this is that you play the solo over the chord progression in the rhythm section of the song.

 

 

Since this is the case, you want to have a great understanding of the rhythm being produced.  This will help you to create a lead guitar part that will go with it.  A lead guitar part that will harmonize with the rhythm guitar.  The better you know the rhythm, the better you’ll create the lead pat that goes with it.

 

Start with the minor pentatonic scale

The best place to start when it comes to playing guitar solos is the minor pentatonic scale.  It is very popular and works with all kinds of chord progressions in both minor and major keys.  Also, the way it is shaped across the fretboard makes it easy to play and remember.

 

 

Here is an example of the A minor pentatonic scale.  As you can see from the diagram above it covers all six strings and is played at the 5th fret.  The reason why it is called the A minor pentatonic is because it is a minor scale and it starts on the A note on the 6th string.

 

If you take time to study this diagram and practice this scale, you will be well on your way to becoming a great lead guitar player.  I recommend you study the diagram and be able to pay it back and forth.  Once you can do that, you then work at playing it in different locations up and down the fretboard.

 

Work on personality traits

This is how you make the scale that I recommended sound like music.  It is not enough to learn the scale, or any scale for that matter.  Going through guitar scales is just step one.  It is a good introduction to lead guitar playing, but you must progress further.  You must learn personality traits.

 

These are things such as hammer-ons, pull-offs, string bends, slides, vibrato, etc.  It is these techniques and more like them that are going to make your guitar scales sound like you hear them in songs.

Hammer-ons are where you pick a note and hammer on to the next.  A very popular technique in lead guitar playing.

Pull-offs are the same as hammer-ons but in reverse.  You pull off a note to another.

String bends are where you pick a note and then bend it up.

Slides are another way to express individual notes.  You can slide up or down.

I recommend you work on these techniques and get familiar with them.  There are many more, but these are a great way to get started.  Work with them individually and then work with them collectively.  As you do this you will get familiar with them.

 

As you do, your ear will begin to recognize hearing them in songs.  They will build your foundation for playing guitar solos and fuel your creativity.  Along with that, you will enhance your overall musicianship.

 

Practice with a metronome

This is a technique that can make a huge difference in your lead guitar playing.  It allows you to build timing, increase your speed, reduce the tendency to rush, and allow you a sense of progress when practicing.  All this and more can be achieved by working with a metronome.

I highly recommend you get a good quality metronome and begin working with it.  Set the click to about 100 go through the minor pentatonic scale and match each note to the click.  Once you can do this you then play two notes per click, then three, and so forth.

 

You then increase the speed slightly and repeat the process.  If you do this diligently, you will begin to see progress in your lead guitar playing.  Your timing will improve as well as the skills mentioned above.  This will motivate you to practice daily.

 

Use backing tracks

Once you get familiar with the techniques associated with this lesson, you start to create small pieces of music that begin to sound like guitar solos.  Once this begins to happen, I recommend you work with backing tracks.

 

Backing tracks are pre-selected chord progressions that you can practice soloing over.  These can be found on the internet, or you can choose to create your own.  No matter how you choose to do it, this is an integral part of lead guitar paying and not a technique you want to overlook.

 

Work on these tips daily

Only through determination, and commitment to daily practice that you will benefit from what I have taught you here.

 

Make sure you are good at playing rhythm.  The better you know chords and chord progressions the easier it will be to solo over them.  Learn the minor pentatonic scale.  Make sure you can play it at different locations on the fretboard.

 

Master your personality traits.  Hammer-ons, pull-offs, string bends, etc.  It is these techniques that make the scale sound like music.  They will also provide ear training.  Get a metronome or work with one online to help develop your timing.  Use backing tracks for improvisation development.

 

And last but not least, work on all this daily.  The more hours you put in, the more you will get out.  And if you need more help with this, feel free to contact me as I offer private guitar lessons.  We can set up a free consultation and get you to your desired result quickly and efficiently.

 

Also, be sure to check out the guitar method books I author and sell on Amazon.  They are written in a step-by-step format and are designed for easy learning.  Even if you have no previous music knowledge.  You can quickly get started with my method books.

Thanks for reading and best of luck.

Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins