Solos from Scales

[Angus]

Hey. Lets say I wanted to create a solo from a scale. What are some good ways to create patterns and such from the notes of the scale? Is there a certain way to create solos from scales, or do guitarist just mess around and stumble on good sounds?

[GuitarHitman]

Just make something up and work on it till you think it's good.

Take for example the intro of Guns N' Roses - Sweet Child O' Mine.
It's made up of the E minor pentatonic scale (only one of the notes isn't in the scale) and that was a real catchy but simple riff.

[Slash]

hi

id say first work on the riffs (rythm) and then write the solos. this way the solos and licks fall in place much faster. The best way to work your way through the solo would be to listen to sounds that sound simlar to what you want. It helps to improvise too. :)

l8r
Nikhil

[cyberfret]

There is a lot of experimentation that needs to take place as you are learning to improvise. I would suggest recording yourself playing a chord.....like A major. Then practice improvising with an A major scale, or an A major pentatonic scale over it. Do the same with minor. Play an Am chord, and improvise with an A minor, or A minor pentatonic scale.

Try limiting yourself to just 2 or 3 strings. Your ear will become familiar with what the notes sound like much quicker. And knowing what the notes will sound like before you play is the name of the game.

Or course learning licks is a very important part of learning to improvise as well.

Be sure a check out the improvisation section.
http://www.cyberfret.com/improvisation/index.php

Check out a program called Band in a Box. This is the best software for learning to improvise. Check it out at the link below, and there is also a demo that you can download.

http://www.pgmusic.com

--Shawn