Need help improvising "Rock" style solos.

[EXPcustom]

I can improvise Blues solos all day long it comes really easy to me, I can improvise all up and down the fretboard etc...

I don't know why but I am just having a hard time improvising rock style solos, is there any tips of where I should do the bends and what note I want to resolve on.

Let me give you an example of how I want to improvise, I really like what this guy in this video is doing, what scale is he using and is he bending the 5ths and resolving on the 3rds or the root? I just need a push in the right direction.

 

[War Admiral]

I can improvise Blues solos all day long it comes really easy to me, I can improvise all up and down the fretboard etc...

I don't know why but I am just having a hard time improvising rock style solos, is there any tips of where I should do the bends and what note I want to resolve on.

Let me give you an example of how I want to improvise, I really like what this guy in this video is doing, what scale is he using and is he bending the 5ths and resolving on the 3rds or the root? I just need a push in the right direction.

He's playing over a C#m and A vamp and basically using the C#minor pentatonic/blues scale with the addition of the 9th once in a while. Makes me think of an Amanda Marshall song btw...anyways....bluesy licks a plenty. Mix this up...Bend on the minor 7th a lot up to the root, bend from the root to the minor third, bend the fourth up to the fifth...hit the strings with some attitude and some singing vibrato and thats about it.
Have fun!

 

[Heritage Softail]

Go to Cyberfret.com

Look for the Scale creator codex. Nothing viral or a program that will mess with your computer. It will take the key and mode you want and bring up that scale over 12 frets. Quite handy. Lots of other playing instruction on there that is way more simplistic that some of the stuff posted on this site.

I am thinking he is playing a pentatonic scale with the passing 'blue' notes. For fast flurries you can toss in chromatic passing notes out of the scale. There are lots of great ideas on that site. Learning the 3 note per scale patterns will help you build shreddy rock licks you can toss in any old rock song.

 

[War Admiral]

I can improvise Blues solos all day long it comes really easy to me, I can improvise all up and down the fretboard etc...

I don't know why but I am just having a hard time improvising rock style solos, is there any tips of where I should do the bends and what note I want to resolve on.

Let me give you an example of how I want to improvise, I really like what this guy in this video is doing, what scale is he using and is he bending the 5ths and resolving on the 3rds or the root? I just need a push in the right direction.

He's playing over a C#m and A vamp and basically using the C#minor pentatonic/blues scale with the addition of the 9th once in a while. Makes me think of an Amanda Marshall song btw...anyways....bluesy licks a plenty. Mix this up...Bend on the minor 7th a lot up to the root, bend from the root to the minor third, bend the fourth up to the fifth...hit the strings with some attitude and some singing vibrato and thats about it.
Have fun!

Pretty simple right here.

 

[EXPcustom]

Thanks for the replies so far but I am still having a problem with having my improvs sounding too "blues" if that makes sense to anyone.

I am trying to get out of the habit and get it to sound less bluesy.

 

[ttosh]

Thanks for the replies so far but I am still having a problem with having my improvs sounding too "blues" if that makes sense to anyone.

I am trying to get out of the habit and get it to sound less bluesy.

My advice is to get you some backing tracks and experiment. Record yourself experimenting if possible. Do all kinds of things, pick a strange mode that fits the chord progression from the standard modes or some funky mode bend notes in different places than normal, accent in different places. Try some more rock type approaches to not sound so bluesy, stay away from two notes per string on some sections, try to stay in time, but throw in some funk/rock or whatever is moving you. Most of all do this to some simple backing tracks and experiment and find what works for you. You will find a lot out about yourself and limitations doing this as well, and you can really watch yourself grow as you listen to recordings done a few months ago versus some today. I also advise finding backing tracks that use the same chords in the track, but change up tempos and styles. I have one that is pretty much in Dm right now that goes from basic rock, to jazz and then pretty heavy sounding, makes you think about switching it up in the same song and how to move through moods as well as everything else going on.

Hope that helps some and good luck!

 

[stefvorcide]

learn the "power licks" in E minor

 

[Inquisitor]

E minor ftw.
Played alot of Manowar a while back. E minor sometimes pops up in solos at the wrong song at the wrong time because of those experiances.

 

[stephen sawall]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use aeolian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

 

[War Admiral]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use ionian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

I'm going to kindly disagree with you sir...some of the best rock solos and riffing of all time have the blues note (flat 5th) in there. Sounding like heavy rock or bluesy really doesn't have anything to do with the scale choice, it has more to do with attitude and approach.
One more thing, Ionian (minor), ????????

 

[Jack Napalm]

I am guessing he meant to write Aeolian?

The first recommendation struck me as odd.

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).

If you are playing minor pentatonic there isn't a flat 5 anyway. If your basing the scale off the Major scale. Its just 1,b3, 4, 5, and b7.

updated to reflect proper quote. -jack

 

[EXPcustom]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use ionian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

I am just using some old program on my computer to improvise solos and it has all kinds of chord progressions, it tells you what key its in and its kind of on you to improvise. If you have a chord progression to recommend I am all ears but I kept doing the blues sound bend thing... I am trying to get out of that habit.

 

[War Admiral]

I am guessing he meant to write Aeolian?

The first recommendation struck me as odd.

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).

If you are playing minor pentatonic there isn't a flat 5 anyway. If your basing the scale off the Major scale. Its just 1,b3, 4, 5, and b7.

Well first of all you miss quoted me...Stephen said that. I would definitely use the flat 5th...come on.. some of the best rock riffs and solos use it!
For the other thing...yeah...I hope he meant Aeolian (minor) because other than that it doesn't make any sense. I know its silly but little typos like this confuse the fuck out of people sometimes. Its always a good idea to proof read what you write a couple of times to make sure its right.
For the minor pentatonic, its 1 b3 4 5 and b7 yes....there is no b5 unless you add it then it becomes 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 where now its a minor\blues scale.

 

[War Admiral]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use ionian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

I am just using some old program on my computer to improvise solos and it has all kinds of chord progressions, it tells you what key its in and its kind of on you to improvise. If you have a chord progression to recommend I am all ears but I kept doing the blues sound bend thing... I am trying to get out of that habit.

You don't need new chord progressions...you need a new approach to soloing. Listen to your favourite rock guitarists and listen to how they use pentatonics and blues scales when they solo. You already have the tools...just got to learn how to use them differently. Everybody has their signature licks that use these scales. Learn some of them and build on them. Bust out of that rut your in.

 

[Jack Napalm]

Well first of all you miss quoted me...Stephen said that. I would definitely use the flat 5th...come on.. some of the best rock riffs and solos use it!
For the other thing...yeah...I hope he meant Aeolian (minor) because other than that it doesn't make any sense. I know its silly but little typos like this confuse the fuck out of people sometimes. Its always a good idea to proof read what you write a couple of times to make sure its right.
For the minor pentatonic, its 1 b3 4 5 and b7 yes....there is no b5 unless you add it then it becomes 1 b3 4 b5 5 b7 where now its a minor\blues scale.

Sorry, about that. It was not intentional. I would agree about using the flat 5 as well. It just seemed like the OP was saying just use the pentatonic scale.

 

[EXPcustom]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use ionian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

I am just using some old program on my computer to improvise solos and it has all kinds of chord progressions, it tells you what key its in and its kind of on you to improvise. If you have a chord progression to recommend I am all ears but I kept doing the blues sound bend thing... I am trying to get out of that habit.

You don't need new chord progressions...you need a new approach to soloing. Listen to your favourite rock guitarists and listen to how they use pentatonics and blues scales when they solo. You already have the tools...just got to learn how to use them differently. Everybody has their signature licks that use these scales. Learn some of them and build on them. Bust out of that rut your in.

Could you suggest some rock solos for me to learn that use the pentatonic and blues scale, not looking for anything too fast just basic sounding stuff so I can get the phrasing and bends down good.

 

[War Admiral]

If you just want to get away from blues sounds a bit ...

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).
Use ionian (minor), dorian (minor sharp 6th) and phrygian (minor flat 2nd ) with the pentatonic instead.

I use dorian more than anything for basic rock sounds.

For me blues is more about singing and crying..... where rock is more about drive and pushing thru. Think about that a bit well phrasing.

Do you have a chord progression that you are working on a solo for ?

I am just using some old program on my computer to improvise solos and it has all kinds of chord progressions, it tells you what key its in and its kind of on you to improvise. If you have a chord progression to recommend I am all ears but I kept doing the blues sound bend thing... I am trying to get out of that habit.

You don't need new chord progressions...you need a new approach to soloing. Listen to your favourite rock guitarists and listen to how they use pentatonics and blues scales when they solo. You already have the tools...just got to learn how to use them differently. Everybody has their signature licks that use these scales. Learn some of them and build on them. Bust out of that rut your in.

Could you suggest some rock solos for me to learn that use the pentatonic and blues scale, not looking for anything too fast just basic sounding stuff so I can get the phrasing and bends down good.

Nobody beats Angus for flat out pure rock soloing using pentatonic\blues scales!!!!!! If you can cop his phrasing and attitude you will be MORE than half way there. AC\DC baby!!!
Once you get some of his licks under your belt you can try some other stuff depending on your style and where you want to go...

 

[stephen sawall]

You guys were right about the aeolian/ionian thing and the post was edited. Thank you for catching my mistake.

The reason I recommend getting away from the flat 5th was he said he wanted to get away from blues sounds .... and suggested a few other sounds to check out. It was not a general statement about using the blues scale in rock .... but a suggestion for this particular case. I agree completely about stuff like attitude and the stuff AC/DC does.

EXP .... I know you are into AIC .... Jerry does plenty of good stuff that you should check out.

It is best you come up with progressions .... but i well recommend something if you like. It is only a matter of using different sounds till they become part of your vocabulary.

 

[stephen sawall]

I am guessing he meant to write Aeolian?

The first recommendation struck me as odd.

My recommendation is use minor pentatonic and skip the blues note (flat 5th).

If you are playing minor pentatonic there isn't a flat 5 anyway. If your basing the scale off the Major scale. Its just 1,b3, 4, 5, and b7.

updated to reflect proper quote. -jack

I took it for granted everyone knows the difference between the Blues scale and minor pentatonic .... or would figure it out pretty quick. In the rest of it I recommended other notes to add flavor to the minor pentatonic sound.

I am glad I did not mention the micro bends above the minor 3rd.

 

[FIREBALL]

I can improvise Blues solos all day long it comes really easy to me, I can improvise all up and down the fretboard etc...

I don't know why but I am just having a hard time improvising rock style solos, is there any tips of where I should do the bends and what note I want to resolve on.

Let me give you an example of how I want to improvise, I really like what this guy in this video is doing, what scale is he using and is he bending the 5ths and resolving on the 3rds or the root? I just need a push in the right direction.

you need to learn the modes and practice bending to all the intervals in the modes