What's the Secret to Shreddin' Solos?

When I first started playing guitar, I hung out with a group of beginners. We would hang out and listen and play music all the time.

But after the first year, I found that I was progressing at a much faster pace than my friends were. So when we would jam, I was asked to play the more complicated parts. And when we started our first band, I was the lead guitar player.

What was my secret?

I started to learn the basics of guitar theory and playing scales. I had no idea why I was learning these scales, but somehow it was helping me with my lead guitar playing abilities, so I kept doing it.

What was I doing?

• Developing my ear and technique

• Learning the right notes to build my own solos

• Learning other player’s solos

As my playing improved and my confidence grew, I quickly saw that studying theory and learning scales gave me an advantage. I was getting better, so I just kept doing it.

The application of music theory takes time to digest and courage to put into use. Be patient and stick with it. It’s a worthwhile investment. After a while, who knows? You might become the lead guitarist in your band.

Ready to shred? Start with the E minor pentatonic scale in this video.

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