I've been getting a hell of a lot better at guitar, and am capible of playing almost any solo. but i do not know how they come up with them.

I know scales, triads, chord formation and all that. but whats a good method of creating a really good solo?

I dont expect nor want you guys to sit here and say "play this note here and there" i just want some guidance and tips. Its very easy for me to make killer rhythyms but i really want to play solos. Give me any guidance that you feel might be neccessary.

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Making solos isn't easy, as like anything on guitar you first start to do. It takes time to learn to feel a solo and you'll get better at improvising them too. Give it time and it will come. Give it practice, and it will come faster.

If you know the scales, and the order of the scales, then creating one is very simple. Creating one thats good is hard, but creating one is easy.

There are tons of diffrent ways to develop a solo and all depends on your style. But I find this way quick simple.

Lets look at the order of scales to show you where you can go:

Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
lydian
Mixolydian
Aeolian (where we are going to start)
Locrian

Ok, lets say you've got a simple rythum riff in A major that goes like this:

|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|-----------------------------|
|--2-2-----10-10-10-10-10/9-|
|--0-0-0----8--8--8--8--8/7--|
|-----------------------------| (Play a twice and end on A)
TIP: When your making a solo, try and make it fallow the chords if you can, or more importantly: If your going to have a note ring in the solo, have it be the note of the current chord or in 3rds mabye. It makes it sound perfect.

Now that we know we are in A, our order of scales is this:

Aeolian
Locrian
Ionian
Dorian
Phrygian
lydian
Mixolydian

Just smoothly go through parts of scales in A:
(Starts in Ionian and then slides one scale down to Dorian/Phrygian)

|--------13-12-10------------|---------------------------13-17-17~
|-10~10----------------------|------------------------15----------
|-----------------12-10-12/13|-12~12h13/15-15~15-14------------
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------
|-----------------------------|------------------------------------
|-----------------------------|-------------------------------------

I started on an A note and ended on an A note to make it match the chords which gives it a tone that matches the rythum nicely.

Not to tuff. You try.

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When creating a solo you don't always want to impress people. You want them to feel you. Know what you want to solo about, whether it be loneliness, or happiness, or anything in between make it sound like what you want it too. Put every drop of emotion that you have into it. Record a rhythm part you are going to be soloing too on your computer and have it play over and over again. Start playing notes and combination of notes and see what sounds best. Darko did a great job of explaining what scale you should be starting in and ending in.

First of all you have to be able to hear things in your head to come with a good solo. Think of melodies or something aggressive from something that you might of heard somewhere before and think about how much you can change things within that piece of music just to start out with it. Or listen to some of the great soloists that are out there and listen for everything that they are doing in the solo. Have a open mind about everything because you will be surprised how many of the great guitarists that are out there will tell you how maybe the listen to a another instrument to come up with a good solo. You have to be able to hear the notes in your head and then be able to apply them on your instrument. You have to noodle around alot with soloing as well to come up with something good that doesnt sound to much like something else. Know your theory and maybe study up on exotic scales from western or eastern countries to come up with something interesting. Be aware about things like dynamics and how much you can change up something you may already have by putting more feel and dynamics into it and playing it in different places on the fret board. Be expressive and not have the same dynamics for everything or it will get boring to listeners. Listen to what key your solo spot is in if your soloing in a song and think about the notes and try to imagine what kind of notes will fit in what you are trying to do.

^^

Good posts. It's just a burning inside that guides your soloing.

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Yeah, some good advice. I've only been playing for three years, and don't spend much time practicing or delving into musical theory. I can play a shitload of songs and solos, but I still struggle trying to memorise solos (even my own); so that causes me to use generic licks I have learned well from songs and incorporate them into my solos. Also, I find that I need a backing riff to solo to, and I just try to find notes/scales that fit well with the scale that the backing riff is in and experiment. It helps if you have good foundation of being able to play in odd timings, etc, so your solos sound more unique. I don't sit there thinking "ooh, I must play this note since it is in the current backing chord", I just try to get into the feeling I am trying to express. There is a 'lesson' on www.insaneguitar.com for visualisation during solos, it might be wise to check that out.

That's all fine and good for doing sad solos (hey, I think they're the easiest, but they sound good), but if you want to do some aggressive death metal soloing then add some "off-notes" into the mix and weird chord formations. Or you can inorporate other styles of music. Jazz/blues is good. Check out some Testament solos (e.g. "Practice What You Preach").

Btw, is there another thread that explains all those scale positions mentioned above?, as I'd like to brush up on my theory (although I'm a bit weary that it'll cause me to get into an irreversible playing rut)..

Great point. I often fear that I come off as a pentacostal theory fanatic. Soloing is a bit like poetry, in that, there are a million diffrent kinds of stanzas and such for writing poetry, but sometimes it is best written in an un-ryhmed scheme and to just let your emotions flow and to not confine them in a set pattern.

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I just let my hands do the talking. I just my mind down and whatever my body feels like playing, is what it plays. Blood solos are the shit.

Soulfull solos are the best indeed, but you shouldn't neglect musical knowledge. People think that once you become adaptted to music theory or technicallity that your solos will all be Ynview poopstick. False, it can only make your solos better.

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go for feel over technique & theory...thats pretty much it

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