You can teach yourself lead guitar!
When I was a young 10 - 12 year old, I was playing rhythm from sheet music in my basement band, with my brother on drums. So we had the whole rhythm and timing thing going, but I wasn't playing any lead. We tried out a guitarist who played a couple of lead licks in Can't You See, by Marshall Tucker. I asked him where he learned that, and he said, you can just listen to the tape and try to find the notes. A light bulb went off in my head! Wow! I never thought of that! I guess I always thought someone had to "give" you the correct, official sheet music. These days I know, you can verify it for yourself, sometimes more accurately than anyone else ever has.
So from that day, I sat down with a small Panasonic, battery-operated cassette player, and never looked back. My very first guitar solo to learn by ear was Ridin' the Storm Out, the 1972 original REO version. I had some wrong notes, but the thrill just kept me learning leads like this over and over throughout the years. It's safe to say I had 98% of my ability and knowledge by 1980, at the age of 17, and I definitely had more guitar stamina than I have had for years, as I used to play hours and hours and sometimes more hours, every day.
When I was 13, I used to watch a great guitar player in a local band at high school mixers in St. Louis. He played an SG. So fortunately, at the age of 13, my parents gave me an identical walnut 1976 Standard SG. You may know of this guitarist. His name is Tim Reynolds, and he often plays with Dave Matthews. One time after a dance, I asked him, "How do you learn everything so perfectly". He said to me, "Listen, you just gotta listen". So I always listen as closely as I can. And I find all the answers are right there on the recording. You can learn from any master guitarist if you have a recording of him. All you have to do is sit down, try to find, analyze and play every note, as precisely as you can.
So playing guitar solos is what taught me lead guitar, and how I self-taught myself lead guitar. I never had a lead guitar lesson, or a technique shown to me by anyone, and there were no YouTube videos in the day. But if you listen closely enough and try to replicate you can get there.
So it is with this background that I put together this site, with the intention that if guitarists play enough solos, they will understand the guitar and develop the styles of the players they like, and just become better all-around musicians.
I had to learn these by ear. For you, you also have video footage to view what I am playing, so I hope this all helps. I also try to write out tab for those that like it, but I never used tab, so it is a chore to me. What makes it really hard, is I just know the names of the notes on the guitar, not the fret numbers. So I have to try to figure out what fret numbers I'm on, and type it out on the correct string, all off the top of my head, after my videos are done. I try to proof my tab, but because of this, my tab is sometimes less accurate than my guitar playing. After all, I am a guitarist.... not a tab writer. :) I always welcome feedback and corrections, but if there are any differences, obviously, go with the video, and most importantly, learn to go with your own ears.
Hope you find some solos on this site to further you along in your musical journey. And feel free to contact me with any questions or requests.
Blessings to all,
Tom
So from that day, I sat down with a small Panasonic, battery-operated cassette player, and never looked back. My very first guitar solo to learn by ear was Ridin' the Storm Out, the 1972 original REO version. I had some wrong notes, but the thrill just kept me learning leads like this over and over throughout the years. It's safe to say I had 98% of my ability and knowledge by 1980, at the age of 17, and I definitely had more guitar stamina than I have had for years, as I used to play hours and hours and sometimes more hours, every day.
When I was 13, I used to watch a great guitar player in a local band at high school mixers in St. Louis. He played an SG. So fortunately, at the age of 13, my parents gave me an identical walnut 1976 Standard SG. You may know of this guitarist. His name is Tim Reynolds, and he often plays with Dave Matthews. One time after a dance, I asked him, "How do you learn everything so perfectly". He said to me, "Listen, you just gotta listen". So I always listen as closely as I can. And I find all the answers are right there on the recording. You can learn from any master guitarist if you have a recording of him. All you have to do is sit down, try to find, analyze and play every note, as precisely as you can.
So playing guitar solos is what taught me lead guitar, and how I self-taught myself lead guitar. I never had a lead guitar lesson, or a technique shown to me by anyone, and there were no YouTube videos in the day. But if you listen closely enough and try to replicate you can get there.
So it is with this background that I put together this site, with the intention that if guitarists play enough solos, they will understand the guitar and develop the styles of the players they like, and just become better all-around musicians.
I had to learn these by ear. For you, you also have video footage to view what I am playing, so I hope this all helps. I also try to write out tab for those that like it, but I never used tab, so it is a chore to me. What makes it really hard, is I just know the names of the notes on the guitar, not the fret numbers. So I have to try to figure out what fret numbers I'm on, and type it out on the correct string, all off the top of my head, after my videos are done. I try to proof my tab, but because of this, my tab is sometimes less accurate than my guitar playing. After all, I am a guitarist.... not a tab writer. :) I always welcome feedback and corrections, but if there are any differences, obviously, go with the video, and most importantly, learn to go with your own ears.
Hope you find some solos on this site to further you along in your musical journey. And feel free to contact me with any questions or requests.
Blessings to all,
Tom
See All Guitar Tabs |
See All Video Lessons |
If there are Tabs, they are always included with the Video Lessons. When you purchase a lesson, you get ONLINE access as well as the file links to DOWNLOAD on your receipt. The online pages have the built-in controls to speed and loop your videos.
Watch demo videos of the material the lessons cover.
Learn Lead Guitar Solos
- Learn rock guitar solos easily, by watching the videos and using the tab to practice.
- By playing along and repeating, you will automatically master styles and techniques of blues and rock lead guitar.
- You also will be practicing scales, timing and technique, while jamming to solos you love and recognize.
- When you purchase a lesson, you get DOWNLOAD links right on your receipt. You will also get ONLINE access within 24 hours.
- When you view your lessons online, you will have controls to speed and loop your videos.
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Featured Lessons |
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Green Grass and High Tides
Download for permanent keeping, the entire set of lesson videos, and they will also all be online for you as well. Green Grass and High Tides covers every note of The Outlaws legendary classic, with printable tab of every note, and 14 instructional videos. The videos are broken up to cover Hughie's and Billy's guitar parts. There is Billy Lesson 1 and 2, Hughie Lesson 1,2,3 & 4. Hughie's covers a greater part of the song including the rhythm licks. Then I play all of the parts slowly along with 50% speed backing tracks. There are Billy Slow Parts 1,2,3 & 4, and Hughie Slow Parts 1,2,3 & 4. There is a also a full playthrough showing both Hughie's stratocaster part and Billy's Les Paul part (on the SG).
Take It Easy
Includes 5 lesson files covering the Eagles classic. A Solo SLOW Playthru, the Intro and Verse chords, the Lead Solo Part 1, the Lead Solo Part 2, and the Ending and Other Licks lesson. Also includes a full playthru video of the song. No tab.
Highway Song
Highway Song by Blackfoot. Includes a video covering how to play the rhythm in the slow part of the song, including a detailed look at the picking of the notes, and a video on how to play the 2 slow intro lead guitar parts. This is just the beginning 2 slow solos. Includes downloadable and printable TAB.
Still The One
Orleans - Still The One LESSON includes commentaries on each harmony lead guitar solo, as well as an overview and rhythm intro.
Plus a slightly slower playthrough showing both guitar leads together. Includes downloadable tab of the main solo as well.
Spooky
ARS - Atlanta Rhythm Section. 5 Videos in all.3 Guitar Lesson videos covering Spooky by Atlanta Rhythm Section. One lesson on the rhythm chords, one on the first solo, and one on the second solo. 2 additional videos show playthrough's of the first two solos. Also includes printable tab.
Dirty Laundry
Don Henley - This lesson covers the first guitar solo as played by Joe Walsh, and the second as played by Steve Lukather. So you get to learn two different guitarist styles in this song. Each solo has a lesson video, a slow playthrough with tab (but NOT slow-motion) and a regular playthrough with backing music,.
I'd Love To Change The World
Alvin Lee - 10 Years After - I'd Love To Change The World - Guitar Lesson includes 6 videos plus a printable tab file. Contains an acoustic intro lesson, and another where I show and discuss every lead guitar lick in the song. In addition you get a Full Playthru with on-screen tab for every lick; Plus 2 slow-motion videos of the 2 fast solos with on-screen tab.
Roll With The Changes
Covers every Gary Richrath lick in the REO Speedwagon classic. Includes printable tab, a slow-motion video of every lead with on-screen tab, normal speed of all the leads, a play through of the full song, and 4 LESSON videos - 20 minutes total - explaining every guitar lick in the song.
My Old School
This Steely Dan classic lesson contains 4 videos. The first covers the chords and other general topics. Another explains each lead solo in detail. The third video is a playthru. Lastly, there is a slow-motion video of all the lead solos at 50% speed for easier viewing. Also printable tab.
Ramblin Man
The Allman Brothers - This video collection covers every lick in the song. Two videos explain every guitar lick. On two more videos I play the leads along at about half speed. Learn it all from the intro to the middle solo, to the ending, and all chords. Currently there is no tab.
Caught Up In You
Learn every guitar note in 38 Special, Caught Up In You. Downloadable and online lesson videos, including detailed explanations of every guitar lick and techniques used to play them. Four videos in all. Three are lesson videos. One covers all the chords and rhythm. Another covers the middle guitar solo, and another the ending solo. Also there is a fourth video full playthrough of the song video for reference. There is no tab with this lesson.
Blue Collar Man
Covers every guitar lick in Styx Blue Collar Man with 3 traditional lesson videos, plus a full playthru video. There is no tab with this lesson.
Kid Charlemagne
A great Steely Dan song and solo, this lesson shows a full playthru of the song, and then each solo playthru in slow motion. Also has 3 commentary video files on the rhythm and 2 solos. Complete downloadable /printable TAB, covering every note in the song, including all rhythm guitar.
Rock n Roll Hoochie Koo
The Rick Derringer classic. This lesson contains the following videos: Lead Solo Part 1 lesson, Lead Solo Part 2 lesson, all rhythm and other licks lesson, a full playthru of the song, a lead solo playthru, lead solo with tab, and lead solo in slow-motion with tab. Plus a printable pdf tab file.
There Goes Another Love Song
The Outlaws - This lesson contains 3 lesson videos covering all the guitar parts in the song, and a full playthrough video to see all the parts with the backing music. Also there is a printable TAB pdf..
That Smell
Lynyrd Skynyrd classic. Contains a full-playthrough of the song, all with on-screen TAB. Then also has slow-motion versions of each part with on-screen tab. No commentary.
Dreams Ill Never See
Molly Hatchet - This lesson completely covers the guitar solo and rhythm in Dreams I'll Never See. Includes an "Overview" slow-play-through video for quick reference and review, plus 2 DETAILED lesson videos explaining the entire guitar solo, plus a rhythm lesson explanation video. Additionally, includes a slow-motion and normal playthrough video with ON-SCREEN TAB, as well as printable tab.
Bodhisattva
Steely Dan Bodhisattva - Guitar Lesson includes:
Intro and Verse Lesson
Main Solo Lesson Part 1
Main Solo Lesson Part 2
Ending Solo Lesson
Normal Speed playthru of all the lead guitar
Very Slow (real-time)playthru of the main solo
Its a Long Way There
LRB - Little River Band full classic. Seven commentary lesson videos explain every lick in the song. Also a full playthrough with ON-SCREEN TAB, and printable tab.
Do You Feel Like We Do
Peter Frampton's classic as played on Frampton Comes Alive. 6 video lessons: #1 Intro and Rhythm, #2 Solo 1, #3 Solo 2, #4 Talkbox Part 1, #5 Talkbox Part 2, #6 Ending Solo and Licks PLUS the full PLAYTHRU video PLUS printable TAB of every note in the song.
Call Me The Breeze
Skynyrd - 5 commentary lesson videos covering all the guitar notes in the song, plus a playthrough of the song. Includes downloadable printable tab.
Flirtin' With Disaster
Molly Hatchet - I talk through all the licks in the song in 8 lesson videos, plus there is printable tab and a full song playthru video.
25 or 6 to 4
Terry Kath and Chicago - Learn 25 or 6 to 4 on guitar. This complete guitar lesson has 11 video files, including 3 Lesson Videos. Lesson 1 covers the first half of main guitar solo. Lesson 2 covers the second half. Lesson 3 covers all of the other lead guitar licks in the song.
The other 8 files are slow-motion video with on-screen tab, covering every guitar lick in the song. Plus includes printable tab of all guitar licks in the song.
Burnin For You
Full guitar lesson showing every note in the Blue Oyster Cult (BOC) song. Contains 4 videos Including a rhythm lesson, a main lead solo lesson, an "other" lead licks lesson, and a fast/slow-motion playthrough with on-screen tab of the main solo. The song is fully tabbed with chords and notes.
Sultans of Swing
Dire Straits/Mark Knopfler - 11 videos talk through every lick in the song. Plus 3 more videos with on-screen TAB - one of the full song, and the other 2 covering the 2 solos, in normal speed and slow-motion. There is a full song playthrough and printable tab.
LEADSOLO OFFICIAL GUITAR TAB SET
Many FULL LENGTH classics covering EVERY NOTE, including Takin Care of Business, Do You Feel Like We Do, Green Grass and High Tides, It's A Long Way There, I'd Love To Change the World, 25 or 6 to 4, Rocky Mountain Way, Roll With The Changes, and more.
Currently includes 93 tabs!!!
- 25 or 6 to 4
- All Right Now
- American Woman
- Amie
- Aqualung
- Back In Black
- Black Dog Solo
- Black Magic Woman
- Blue Collar Man Solo
- Bodhisattva
- Burnin' For You
- Call Me The Breeze
- Carry On Wayward Son
- Comfortably Numb Solos
- Crazy On You - Acoustic Intro
- Crossroads
- Dirty Laundry Solos
- Do It Again Solo
- Do You Feel Like We Do
- Don't Fear The Reaper Solo
- Down To The Waterline
- Dreams Ill Never See
- Flirtin' With Disaster
- Fooled Around And Fell In Love Solo
- Golden Country
- Green Grass and High Tides
- Hard To Handle
- Highway Song Intro Rhythm and 2 First Leads
- Hitch A Ride
- Hocus Pocus
- Hold On Loosely Solo
- Hot Blooded
- Hotel California - Lead guitars only
- I Know A Little
- I Like To Rock
- I'd Love To Change The World
- Its A Long Way There
- Josie
- Just What I Needed Solo
- Kid Charlemagne
- La Grange
- Lay It On The Line Solos
- Life In The Fast Lane
- Long Time
- Magic Man
- Mainline Florida - Bonamassa Live version
- Mama Let Him Play
- Man Ill Never Be Solo
- Mary Had A Little Lamb
- Melissa
- Mindbender
- Money Solo
- My Best Friend's Girl Solo
- My Old School
- My Sharona
- Peace Of Mind
- Peg Solo
- Pride And Joy
- Purple Haze
- Rainbow In The Dark Solo
- Reelin In The Years
- Rikki Don't Lose That Number
- Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo
- Rock You Like A Hurricane
- Rocky Mountain Way
- Roll With The Changes
- Romeo Solo
- Scuttle Buttin'
- Sign Of The Gypsy Queen Solo
- Simple Man Solo
- Smoke On The Water
- Spooky
- Stairway To Heaven
- Still The One Solo
- Sultans Of Swing
- Sweet Child O' Mine
- Sweet Home Alabama
- Takin' Care Of Business
- Texas Flood
- That Smell
- There Goes Another Love Song
- Tightrope
- Too Much Time On My Hands Solo
- Too Much To Lose
- Travelin' Man Solo
- Turn Me Loose
- Two Tickets To Paradise
- Voyager
- Walk This Way
- Whole Lotta Love Solo
- Workin' For MCA
- You're All I've Got Tonight
- You've Got Another Thing Comin'
About the tabs:
- This is a TAB set. No videos are included.
- Includes 92 tab files I have written. You only download ONE ZIP file that expands to 92 pdf files.
- Tabs are mostly full songs but some just the solos. The title of the tab file will say 'solo' if it only covers the main solo.
- I have personally created all of my tab to show how I technically play the licks.
- An amazing number of notes are not picked. These are the usual hammer-ons (h), pull-offs (p), bends (b), slide (/).
- If there is not an 'h' 'p' 'b' '/' before the note, that means I actually pick the note.
- This detail will help you start to develop the habits that make it easier to play faster.
- You not only learn awesome solos, but develop your technique as a guitar player.
- This is NOT standard musical notation.
- NOTE: This is a TAB set. It does NOT include videos.
Just Get Everything
Become a Premium Member and get automatic online access to everything, including any and all future releases. As an extra convenience, I will put everything on USB flash drives and mail to you so you don't have to download what is currently available. For future releases, you will have an ALL ACCESS coupon code. You can use this code anytime to download any videos or tabs for permanent keeping. For a quick immediate download, I have attached the LEADSOLO OFFICIAL TAB SET for download to this product.
Current Feature: Bodhisattva - Steely Dan
$59.99
Many FULL LENGTH classics covering EVERY NOTE, including Takin Care of Business, Do You Feel Like We Do, Green Grass and High Tides, It's A Long Way There, I'd Love To Change the World, 25 or 6 to 4, Rocky Mountain Way, Roll With The Changes, and more.
Currently includes 93 tabs!!!
- 25 or 6 to 4
- All Right Now
- American Woman
- Amie
- Aqualung
- Back In Black
- Black Dog Solo
- Black Magic Woman
- Blue Collar Man Solo
- Bodhisattva
- Burnin' For You
- Call Me The Breeze
- Carry On Wayward Son
- Comfortably Numb Solos
- Crazy On You - Acoustic Intro
- Crossroads
- Dirty Laundry Solos
- Do It Again Solo
- Do You Feel Like We Do
- Don't Fear The Reaper Solo
- Down To The Waterline
- Dreams Ill Never See
- Flirtin' With Disaster
- Fooled Around And Fell In Love Solo
- Golden Country
- Green Grass and High Tides
- Hard To Handle
- Highway Song Intro Rhythm and 2 First Leads
- Hitch A Ride
- Hocus Pocus
- Hold On Loosely Solo
- Hot Blooded
- Hotel California - Lead guitars only
- I Know A Little
- I Like To Rock
- I'd Love To Change The World
- Its A Long Way There
- Josie
- Just What I Needed Solo
- Kid Charlemagne
- La Grange
- Lay It On The Line Solos
- Life In The Fast Lane
- Long Time
- Magic Man
- Mainline Florida - Bonamassa Live version
- Mama Let Him Play
- Man Ill Never Be Solo
- Mary Had A Little Lamb
- Melissa
- Mindbender
- Money Solo
- My Best Friend's Girl Solo
- My Old School
- My Sharona
- Peace Of Mind
- Peg Solo
- Pride And Joy
- Purple Haze
- Rainbow In The Dark Solo
- Reelin In The Years
- Rikki Don't Lose That Number
- Rock And Roll Hoochie Koo
- Rock You Like A Hurricane
- Rocky Mountain Way
- Roll With The Changes
- Romeo Solo
- Scuttle Buttin'
- Sign Of The Gypsy Queen Solo
- Simple Man Solo
- Smoke On The Water
- Spooky
- Stairway To Heaven
- Still The One Solo
- Sultans Of Swing
- Sweet Child O' Mine
- Sweet Home Alabama
- Takin' Care Of Business
- Texas Flood
- That Smell
- There Goes Another Love Song
- Tightrope
- Too Much Time On My Hands Solo
- Too Much To Lose
- Travelin' Man Solo
- Turn Me Loose
- Two Tickets To Paradise
- Voyager
- Walk This Way
- Whole Lotta Love Solo
- Workin' For MCA
- You're All I've Got Tonight
- You've Got Another Thing Comin'
About the tabs:
- This is a TAB set. No videos are included.
- Includes 92 tab files I have written. You only download ONE ZIP file that expands to 92 pdf files.
- Tabs are mostly full songs but some just the solos. The title of the tab file will say 'solo' if it only covers the main solo.
- I have personally created all of my tab to show how I technically play the licks.
- An amazing number of notes are not picked. These are the usual hammer-ons (h), pull-offs (p), bends (b), slide (/).
- If there is not an 'h' 'p' 'b' '/' before the note, that means I actually pick the note.
- This detail will help you start to develop the habits that make it easier to play faster.
- You not only learn awesome solos, but develop your technique as a guitar player.
- This is NOT standard musical notation.
- NOTE: This is a TAB set. It does NOT include videos.
$579.00
$359.00
Become a Premium Member and get automatic online access to everything, including any and all future releases. As an extra convenience, I will put everything on USB flash drives and mail to you so you don't have to download what is currently available. For future releases, you will have an ALL ACCESS coupon code. You can use this code anytime to download any videos or tabs for permanent keeping. For a quick immediate download, I have attached the LEADSOLO OFFICIAL TAB SET for download to this product.
aBOUT tHE lESSONS
- Some lessons cover the full song, while others only the solo or leads.
- Some include guitar tab and some do not.
- My tab is not formal notation, but the popular basic type tab with string and fret numbers, pull-offs (p,) hammer-ons (h), bends (b) and slides ( / or \). It is invaluable though, because if a note shown is preceded with a 'p', 'h', 'b' or '/', you can infer it is NOT picked. I have taken great care to write the tab accurately to represent how it is picked. This will help you develop good habits, so that you can play fast with 'strategic' picking, rather than picking every note. After a while, you will find the picking techniques are the same in all of the solos.
- The tab does not show timing. For timing I recommend practicing along with the original, listening closely, and learning to feel the timing.
- Please read each product description for complete details by clicking on the titles below.
Most lessons include Simple Guitar Tab
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You can download this sample of my guitar tab to see the style in which they are written - no "strings" attached. No email or name is required. This one covers the Pure Prairie League's "Amie" including the acoustic lead during the intro and the acoustically played guitar solo.
Be sure to look at the description of each lesson before purchase. If it does NOT include tab, it will be stated in the description. Otherwise you can assume it includes TAB. |
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I use the BOSS GT-001 guitar processor to record all of my videos, instead of playing through an actual amplifier. You can read about it here on Amazon.
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