The easiest way to get started playing lead guitar is to learn guitar scales. I recommend you start with your minor pentatonic scales. There are 5 of them and if you learn how to form them on your fretboard, you’ll be able to play anywhere you want along the fretboard and stay in key.
The best way to learn scales is to start with just one. The #1 scale pattern that is most commonly used in lead guitar playing (especially just starting) is a scale used by all the great guitar players and is the one pictured below.
This one is presented in the key of A minor at the 5th fret but it can be played anywhere on the fretboard. It is considered in the key of A minor because the A note is at the fifth fret. If you played it at the 3rd fret it would be the key of G minor.
If it was played at the 7th fret it would be the key of B minor because these are where these notes reside on the fretboard. And since this scale uses a flat third (technical term) it is a minor scale.
This is where I recommend you start on your journey to playing lead guitar. Get this scale down well, be able to play it in different positions on the fretboard, and then learn the other 4 scale patterns to go with it.
This will allow you to stay in key anywhere you choose to play around the fretboard. And the reason you learn scales is that scales are what create the melody in the music.
Chords create harmony and scales create melody. Guitar solos are considered melody so if that is where your interest lies, you want to learn scales and then learn techniques such as hammer-ons, bends, slides, etc to bring the scales to life. You know, make them sound like music.
If you are interested in furthering your education in lead guitar playing, I recommend you check out my website or YouTube channel of the same name which has many lessons on this exact topic.
Or you can check out the book I’ve authored and self-published on lead guitar playing Lead Guitar Wizardry Volume 1.
Rock guitar legends like Jimi Hendrix & Eddie Van Halen made playing the guitar look like magic.
Now you can learn how to play lead guitar and create magic of your own with this book. Jam-packed with simple diagrams and clear explanations, this training manual lets you practice at a pace that’s right for you. You’ll learn the secret formulas & techniques that provide the foundation of lead guitar as if you were taking private lessons with me.
In This Training Guide You’ll learn:
1. How to play your guitar solo you create yourself (your friends will be cheering for more)
2. The lead guitar solo techniques of musical greats that you commonly hear in songs
3. The modern step-by-step method to pick up axe skills faster than you thought possible. From finger exercises to scales and basic music theory, this is the how-to guide to help anyone who’s dedicated enough to put in the effort to learn the sacred art of lead guitar.
And much, much more.
In addition to the lessons in the book, you will also have access to my personalized help any time you need it. Just contact me through my website and I will be ready to help you. I also teach private guitar instruction online (throughout the world) through Zoom, Google & FaceTime as well as In-Person throughout the Denver Metro Area.
So if any of these options work for you, just contact me at your earliest convenience and I will be available to help you reach your goal of guitar-playing mastery. No matter if you like to play for fun or a profession. I can help you get there.
Best of luck with your guitar playing and until next time, take care.
Sincerely, Dwayne Jenkins
