Do Your Solos Sound Just Like Scales?

Learning to solo is like learning to speak a new language…

Let’s say your going to be traveling to a country that speaks a language that you do not understand. Your going to need to be able to communicate even if it’s in a very basic form.

So, first you need to learn a few words just to get by and then you add words and phrases to your vocabulary as you need them. Learning to solo is the same way.

First you learn a scale in one position.  For example the 6th shape of the Pentatonic Scale. This is a common shape that almost all guitarists learn first. You will be able to learn this in one day if you don’t already know this one.

Then after you feel comfortable with the shape of the scale you can now begin to create a solo. A solo is like a song within a song. It has a beginning, a middle and an ending.

That’s all you want..keep it simple. Next sing or hum a phrase and try to play it using the pentatonic scale you just learned. Use your ear it will tell you the correct notes.

You can play almost anything you can sing using just the pentatonic scale because 99% of all singing is pentatonic. That’s right the melody that is being sung usually comes form the pentatonic scale.

So the rule is if you can’t sing it don’t try to play it. Not yet anyway. You need to master create the simple phrase first before adding to this. Next, try to answer your first phrase. An answer phrase sounds kind of like the first phrase only we change it a little.

Then keep doing this a few times then go back to the original phrase and repeat it. This will take time to master but it will go a long way to helping you learn to improvise your own solo’s no matter how advanced they may be.

Even if you want to play like a virtuoso this method should be mastered first. If you don’t your solos will sound more like scale exercises and most likely bore everyone to tears.  Don’t let this happen to you…Learn more about soloing today with Guitarin60Seconds.