10 Excellent Guitar Soloing Tips: (1) Learn songs, Learn licks (they are your brain's library!) (2) Don't just play scales (vary the order, add style, timing, dynamics), (3) Finish your sentences (end your licks on purpose & punctuate your licks!) (4) Play on the beat (the song's tempo is a rhythmic template), (5) Exploit chord changes - target chord tones, (6) Mix minor & major, (7) Use solo themes, (8) Play shorter solos, (9) Sweat every note (make each one count!), (10) Be in the music! It really is about the song!
- Anthony Stauffer, StevieSnacks (Facebook page and Lesson website)
Here's a tip on mixing major and minor: I always think of major & minor as "over and under" ... the major pent boxes fit over the top of a position 1 or 2 barre chord (ie., over where your third finger is positioned to make the chord), while the minor pent boxes fit under the top of those chords (between your first & third fingers) ... just try it, play a position 1 (E shape) barre chord or a position 2 (A shape) barre chord - for major think going up (over the top of the chord), for minor think going down (under your highest/top finger making the chord, i.e., between top & bottom)
Finally one last sweet tip - practice adding vibrato to every note you bend - bend to that sweet spot then add vibrato to make the note sing!
- Anthony Stauffer, StevieSnacks (Facebook page and Lesson website)
Here's a tip on mixing major and minor: I always think of major & minor as "over and under" ... the major pent boxes fit over the top of a position 1 or 2 barre chord (ie., over where your third finger is positioned to make the chord), while the minor pent boxes fit under the top of those chords (between your first & third fingers) ... just try it, play a position 1 (E shape) barre chord or a position 2 (A shape) barre chord - for major think going up (over the top of the chord), for minor think going down (under your highest/top finger making the chord, i.e., between top & bottom)
Finally one last sweet tip - practice adding vibrato to every note you bend - bend to that sweet spot then add vibrato to make the note sing!