If you’re just learning guitar, getting started with playing solos might seem daunting. It’s a big change to go from strumming chords to your favorite songs, to playing lead lines. The best thing is to start out easy, but not too easy. The more you challenge yourself, the better a guitarist you’ll become. Just remember to take everything in bite size chunks as you’re learning. To help you get started with solos, I’m recommending a couple that I’d learn if I was just getting started - one from three different genres. The feeling of learning and playing lead is amazing. Let’s get into it.
1. Classic Rock: "Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream
"Sunshine of Your Love" by Cream is a classic rock staple with a simple and straightforward guitar solo. If you know your pentatonic boxes, this should be a lot of fun. And if you don’t know your pentatonic scale, this is a great song to practice the boxes with - it’s always more fun to learn scales/techniques with an actual song. This solo is a great intro to the blues-rock style and will help you develop your bending and vibrato techniques. Plus, who doesn’t love Cream-era Clapton?
2. Blues: "The Thrill is Gone" by B.B. King
B.B. King's "The Thrill is Gone" is a legendary blues song that every aspiring blues or rock guitarist should learn. B.B. always made these small box patterns soulful, and got a lot of mileage out of the handful of notes he used. The solo contains tried and true blues licks that are perfect for beginners. This song also helps beginner guitarists break out of E minor, as it’s in B minor. A good song to start learning that part of the fretboard.
3. Alternative: "Say It Ain't So" by Weezer
"Say It Ain't So" by Weezer features a catchy solo that’s a blast to play. I feel like I played this song a million times growing up with my friends. Put on your favorite grunge tone, and make sure you learn the chorus section too - it’s great for learning bends. After this song, I’d recommend Weezer’s “Buddy Holly”, which is also in the same vein, and has another killer solo and lots of great lead playing.
You can play lead!
Tackling these beginner guitar solos isn't just about leveling up your skills; it's about boosting your confidence as a guitarist. Remember, no one’s judging your playing, and if you give it enough time, you can learn anything. So, if you hit a snag, don't worry. Take it slow, dissect each solo into digestible parts, and, most importantly, have fun. If you ever have any questions, reach out to me. I’m @ChasingSound everywhere.