Soloing

Are Guitar Solos Even Cool Anymore?

20th March, 2024 by Sam Bell

Are Guitar solos even cool anymore? Does anyone use the word cool anymore? It’s these kinds of questions that we can forget to ask ourselves.

5 Steps to Playing Your Best Solo Live

20th October, 2023 by Sam Bell

Are your guitar solos sounding stale? Still chasing that musical sense of meaning with your improvisation? Read on ....

Why Guitarists Need To Learn Different Styles

23rd August, 2023 by Rich Shaw

Although there is a lot to be said for guitarists who specialise in one style, the benefits of learning different genres is plentiful. Richard Shaw discusses…

The Importance of Drawing Inspiration from Vocalists on the Guitar

23rd May, 2023 by Mitch Laddie

Learning from guitarists is what us guitarists do most. But there is a lot to be said about learning from vocalists. Superb guitarist and vocalist, Mitch Laddie, explains...

5 Tips For Playing Slow Solos

4th November, 2022 by Mitch Laddie

How can you deliver well constructed, emotive and intentional solos over a slow blues; avoiding overplaying and turning heads in the process? Read on

3 Reasons Why You Need A Whammy Bar

6th May, 2022 by Stuart Shields

Whammy bar, tremolo arm, wiggle stick; this ingenious implement commands more respective use than gratuitous dive bombing and wanton waggling!

Improving Your Guitar Speed

4th June, 2021 by Stuart Shields

So, you’ve arrived at the speedy part of that solo or have designs on melting some faces with your alternate picking. Hold on champ, before you reach for the metronome here are some tips to muse over

How To Write A Great Guitar Solo

20th May, 2021 by Stuart Shields

As studious lead guitarists, we put stock in our ability to pull the right improvised guitar solo out of the ether. But what creative depths could be plumbed if you had the time to write a solo?

Mitch Laddie’s Top 5 Blues Guitar Tips

25th February, 2021 by Mitch Laddie

Licklibrary blues expert, Mitch Laddie helps you fast track your blues guitar playing with 5 tips used by the pros; guaranteed to instantly supercharge your skills and sound.

3 Effective Ways To Turn Scales Into Solos

13th November, 2020 by Stuart Shields

So, you’ve put in the hours, listened to your teachers and learnt all your scales. Your neck is a playground of notes! But when you solo, all that comes out are scales! Sound familiar? Read on …

What Makes The Perfect Guitar Solo?

23rd October, 2020 by Stuart Shields

Is there such a thing as the perfect guitar solo? There have certainly been plenty of contenders! Does a formula for writing the ideal solo exist?

The Secret Of Great Pentatonic Guitar Soloing!

16th October, 2020 by Stuart Shields

It’s the first scale every guitarist must learn and our go-to choice when we want to play a good honest melodic guitar solo; but can we have too much of a good thing?!

3 Easy Ways To Sound Like Eric Clapton

4th September, 2020 by Stuart Shields

There are very few guitarists with whose influence you can instantly transform your playing. There is a reason Clapton is still regarded as the original and most important player of our time.

Technique or Feel? Which is more important?

13th August, 2020 by Stuart Shields

Ah, the age old guitar debate; which is more important? And can you play with both good technique and great feel?

Should Every Guitarist Play Metal Guitar?

7th August, 2020 by Stuart Shields

We are constantly being preached to about keeping an open mind when learning guitar, so why is it that metal guitar playing is often sidelined from essential study?

Melodic Use Of Guitar Scales

31st March, 2020 by Stuart Shields

A few tips and hints designed to shake things up a bit.

Pro Guitar Phrasing

31st March, 2020 by Stuart Shields

Phrasing; the Holy Grail of the improvising guitarist and that which separates us mere mortals from history’s greatest players.