Killer Pop Solos: A Licklibrary Guitar Masterclass
"Killer Pop Solos" by Licklibrary is a comprehensive guitar course designed to elevate your guitar soloing skills to extraordinary levels. This course delves into the iconic and challenging pop guitar solos from various decades, featuring songs like "Beat It," "Easy Lover," "Rosanna," among others. Each lesson is crafted to enhance your playing technique and musical knowledge, making it ideal for guitarists eager to refine their style and skills. Below, we delve into each solo featured in this course, highlighting the learning outcomes and the benefits of mastering these solos, followed by the advantages of practicing with the provided backing track. This course is taught by Sam Bell.
Songs Included in this Course
- Michael Jackson - Beat It
- Phil Collins - Easy Lover
- Toto - Rosanna
- Rainbow - Since You've Been Gone
- Whitesnake - Is This Love
- Glenn Frey - The Heat Is On
- Steely Dan - Kid Charlemange
- Michael Sembello - Maniac
- The Black Crowes - Hard to Handle
- Free - All Right Now
Song Breakdown
Beat It
The electrifying solo in Michael Jackson's "Beat It," crafted by Eddie Van Halen, serves as a perfect introduction to rock techniques within pop music. This lesson focuses on string bending, vibrato, and tapping, offering a comprehensive skill set for incorporating rock elements into pop contexts.
Easy Lover
"Easy Lover" showcases a solo that blends perfectly with the song's rhythm. This lesson on the Phil Collins and Philip Bailey classic emphasizes timing, syncopation, and dynamic play, essential for creating solos that enhance a song's groove.
Rosanna
The solo in Toto's "Rosanna" is a beautiful blend of melody and technical skill. It teaches the art of musical expression through smooth transitions, emotive bends, and techniques like harmonics and legato play, making it vital for improving musicality.
Since You've Been Gone
"Since You've Been Gone" by Rainbow offers an accessible yet challenging solo. This lesson covers the effective use of scales and precise articulation, critical for crafting memorable melodies and elevating your solo performance.
Is This Love
The expressive solo in Whitesnake's "Is This Love" focuses on vibrato, slides, and string bending to convey deep emotion, enhancing your ability to tell stories through your guitar.
The Heat is On
Glenn Frey's "The Heat is On" features a saxophone-like guitar solo, teaching adaptability and creative solo construction. This lesson improves your improvisational skills and musical versatility.
Kid Charlemagne
Steely Dan's "Kid Charlemagne" is an exploration of jazz-rock fusion soloing, offering lessons in complex chord progressions and jazz scales. It broadens your harmonic knowledge and improvisational skills.
Maniac
The energetic solo in Michael Sembello's "Maniac" emphasizes rhythm and repetition. This track teaches the use of the guitar as a melodic and percussive instrument, boosting rhythmic soloing skills.
Hard to Handle
Learning "Hard to Handle" by The Black Crowes immerses you in blues-rock techniques, focusing on bluesy bends and soulful vibrato. This solo enriches your phrasing and expressiveness.
All Right Now
"All Right Now" by Free is an essential study in rock soloing, covering power chords, open string riffs, and pentatonic scales. It lays the foundation for rock guitar solos.
The Advantage of Practicing with a Backing Track
Using the backing track provided in this course enhances your musical practice by simulating a live band environment. It improves timing, encourages improvisation, and aids in playing in harmony with other instruments. This essential practice tool is key for transitioning from solo practice to live performance.
About The Tutor
Tutor Profile
Sam Bell
Sam Bell has been playing guitar from the age of 4, since then he has played many styles from Funky Blues to screaming Metal/Fusion on 8 string guitar. A member of UK tech metal band ‘Mask of Judas’, he is also currently writing his own solo instrumental album. He also...