I swear, solos are my kryptonite. There are a lot of things I can’t do on guitar, but solos are definitely the hardest for me.
You gotta get used to the frustration. It’s a cycle of thinking you’re awful at it for hours or even days, but eventually, you’ll nail it and feel like a guitar legend. For real, if there’s a part that’s really messing you up, isolate that part and focus on it. Don’t try to play faster than you can pick or reach chords that you can’t quite get. If it’s bending or harmonics or whatever, work on those separately before trying to put them all together.
@Wes
I don’t know how to play the improvisation-like part in solos. For example, the start of Symphony of Destruction’s solo. Not the main riff, but the first part. I don’t know why but stuff like that always throws me off, and I just can’t figure out how to handle it.
@Corey
Check out some Cacophony by Marty Friedman.
How do you usually try to learn solos? For me, playing it super slowly and along with the song (at a slower speed) really helps. On YouTube, you can slow things down and gradually speed them up by 5% at a time.
@Roux
I have Guitar Pro but it doesn’t seem to help. I’m trying to play slow, but even then, it feels impossible to follow.
Corey said:
@Roux
I have Guitar Pro but it doesn’t seem to help. I’m trying to play slow, but even then, it feels impossible to follow.
Do you know how to follow tabs and understand rhythm (like 4/4 timing, note measures, etc.)? Also, which solos have you been trying to learn? Maybe I can help you through it. To explain what I do: I start slow, repeat each measure until I get it right, then figure out the rhythm and count it out. After that, I practice with a metronome and play along with the song. What’s your approach like? Is it similar to this?
Corey said:
@Roux
I have Guitar Pro but it doesn’t seem to help. I’m trying to play slow, but even then, it feels impossible to follow.
I got to the solo in Symphony of Destruction, and now I’m stuck. More specifically, the improv part at the beginning. I don’t know why, but that part always throws me off. This is especially frustrating since Megadeth seems simpler than the progressive metal and technical death metal stuff I want to play. I just sit there trying to make my hands do what I’m seeing, even at 1% speed, but my brain just can’t seem to make sense of it. I get the basic note values like whole, half, quarter, eighth, and sixteenth notes.
Break it down into tiny chunks. Start with just a few notes—maybe just a short part of the solo. Play it slowly until you get it perfect. Focus on every detail—how those notes are played, the rhythm, any bends or slides. Don’t worry about speed at first. Once you can play it perfectly slow, practice with a metronome and increase the speed by 2-5 bpm once you can play it three times without mistakes. If you mess up, slow down and try again. When you get the speed down, move on to the next chunk. Keep doing this, bit by bit, and you’ll eventually get it all together.
Think of a solo like a speech or a poem. Imagine a toddler who just learned to say “mama.” Would you teach them something like Romeo and Juliet, full of complex words, instead of simple sounds to train their vocal chords? Same goes for guitar. Don’t try to learn everything in one go. Start small, work on technique with focused exercises, and gradually build up. Learn small licks and understand how they fit with the chords underneath. This way, you’ll develop as a better player than if you keep trying to tackle stuff that’s too advanced for you.
I don’t learn solos, I make my own.
Hell no. Dimebag’s use of legato and vibrato is everything! You gotta put in the practice.
Sometimes, you don’t need to play every single note. You can break it down into beats or sequences, just playing the start of each one. Using a metronome really helps. Also, you might benefit from getting a teacher and lessons. It’s like when you’re stuck on a hard level in a game, and then you get the cheat codes. Suddenly, that level you’ve been struggling with becomes easier, and before you know it, you’re on to the next one. Totally worth it, man. You’ll make huge progress.
@Merrick
I’d love to, but I’m currently unemployed and working on fixing that.
Tough break! Good luck on your job search. If guitar’s frustrating you, it might help to step away for a bit and focus on something else. My guitar progress comes in bursts—I notice a lot of improvement, then hit a rough patch, but eventually, things get better. Also, getting enough sleep helps with muscle memory.
Can you play the first two notes? Three? Where does it start falling apart for you?
Everything about playing guitar is about muscle memory. When learning chords, scales, or solos, it’s all about muscle memory. Start super slow so you can hit every note perfectly—no dead notes or fret buzz. Keep repeating it slowly. Eventually, you’ll pick up speed without even trying. Be patient and don’t rush it. You have a lifetime of playing ahead of you, so take it slow and steady.
I play flamenco guitar, and when I hit a tough run, I start from the end. For example, in a 16-measure run, I’ll start with the 16th measure and repeat it until I get it right. Then, I’ll move to the 15th measure and work on that until it’s solid. After that, I’ll practice both the 15th and 16th measures together, focusing on the transitions if they’re tricky.
I’m in the same situation—unemployed and can’t afford lessons, so I totally feel you. Here are some free recommendations: The Metronome 10 app is free and goes from 40-220 BPM, and it even helps you figure out the beats per minute of any song. Uncle Ben Eller has some great videos for speed improvement—they’re funny and easy to follow. If you haven’t seen Marty Friedman’s lessons, check them out. He’s super inspiring!