soloing 101
CHOOSE YOUR GOAL!
How To Play A Great Solo - Start Here!
In the video, we will:
Explore the concept of relying on one good idea
Look at an example of using one idea
Daily Exercise: One Good Idea
Use the backing track below to either compose or improvise a theme using one short, simple, repeatable idea
Use the tips in the image above to guide you and give you ideas on how to evolve your solo throughout the backing track
You’re Doing This Right When:
Your idea is so simple that you can easily remember what you played, even after a few minutes.
How To Make Your Solos Interesting - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Explore the difference between notes and textures
View examples of melodies and textures
Demonstrate the balance of the two
Daily Exercise: Using Notes and Textures
Use the backing track below to either compose or improvise a solo alternating between notes and textures.
Use the image above to give you ideas on what kinds of techniques to use for textures!
You’re Doing This Right When:
You can tell if you’re playing notes or textures!
Ways To Shred - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Explore the different soloing textures
Talk about differences between each texture
See an example of each texture in action
Daily Exercise: Playing With Textures
Use the backing track below to either compose or improvise a solo using textures wherever you can.
Pick one that you’re the most comfortable with - or want to work on, and try to weave it in with your melodies. Use these textures to create motion and interest within your solos.
Want to learn some of these techniques?
Tap the buttons below!
How To Write Solos - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Explore the idea of balance
Learn how to create balance within your solos
Look at examples of balance in actions
Daily Exercise: Creating A Balanced Solo
Use the backing track below to either compose or improvise a solo alternating between notes and textures. When you feel yourself growing tired of one thing, move onto another idea that does the opposite of what you were just doing.
Pick 2-3 qualities from the picture above to experiment with.
Find 2-3 qualities that you like to play with, and master those.
You’re Doing This Right When:
Your solos sound fresh every few seconds, even after minutes at a time. They feel dynamic and interesting.
How To Make Shredding Easier - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Learn how to identify our strengths
Find out what to do with them once we know what they are
Look at an example of taking one simple trick and making the most of it
Daily Exercise: Play To Your Strengths
Compose a lick that allows you to play fast without expending too much effort
Rely on “finger choreography” - finger motions you don’t have to think about, which make sense to you, and allow you to play notes quickly.
If you like alternate picking, use that. If tapping makes sense to you, do that. If you like hammer-ons and pull-offs, use that.
Use the buttons above to guide you on how to come up with “finger choreography.” Pick two that you like - feel free to come up with your own patterns!
You’re Doing This Right When:
You find a group of notes that you can play quickly and easily, using fingers that are easy to work with. Your fingers perform motions that are easy to execute and produce notes quickly, without having to think.
How To Shred Without Thinking - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Discuss a trick that professionals use to play quickly without thinking
Review three spots on the neck to play the same group of notes
Combine them in a demonstration to show you how it’s done
Daily Exercise: One Shape Everywhere
Find three notes of your choice in three different octaves on the neck.
For example:
E: 7th fret, 5th string
E: 9th fret, 3rd string
E: 12th fret, 1st string
Find at least two other notes around that first note. Make a short, simple easily-playable lick out of those three notes.
Play that lick in your three different spots, and alternate between areas. Experiment with going up and down the fretboard through those three shapes, and try to incorporate speed as best you can. Aim to be able to play your lick without thinking in three spots!
You’re Doing This Right When:
You can look at your neck and see three spots of available notes at the same time. Your fingers can find them quickly, and you use the same muscle memory to play the same notes quickly and easily.
The Most Common Shred Techniques - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Review common shred techniques
Demonstrate how each is done, and what each technique requires
See examples of each in action to see how they sound
Daily Exercise: Common Shred Licks
Aim to practice each of these shred licks - either one per week, or one per day.
Practice them for at least five minutes, and get them up to comfortability and speed
Shift them around the fretboard and try to play them in as many different spots as possible!
Want to learn some of these techniques?
Tap the buttons below!
Combining Shred Licks - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Talk about ways to combine shred techniques
See demonstrations and tabs of combined shred licks
Hear how combined techniques can add flair to solos
Daily Exercise: Combined Techniques
Try to come up with your own combined techniques using the licks and techniques you feel good with.
Come up with one per week, and practice that lick every day - aim to incorporate them into your playing everywhere on the neck
You’re Doing This Right When:
You can drift in and out of shredding techniques at ease, feeling your brain switch between the various muscle memories and lick vocabulary.
Want to learn some of these techniques?
Tap the buttons below!
Create Unusual Licks With Symmetrical Shapes - Start Here!
In this video, we will:
Talk about how to use symmetrical shapes to play fast
Learn the what a symmetrical shape is
See an example of how a symmetrical shape can look and sound
Daily Exercise: Symmetrical Shapes
Aim to create a new lick using symmetrical shapes - any fret coverage is good.
Sweeping, tapping, legato, alternate picking, and selective picking are all great for this.
String skipping is great too!
You’re Doing This Right When:
You keep to the same frets, no matter what - even across strings! Even when it sounds out of key.
Fun Soloing Games - Start Here!
Tap the buttons below for some fun soloing games to play while improvising - these will help your creativity, ear training, and fretboard knowledge.
