Creating Emotional Solos

Introduction

Ever watched a lead guitarist blazing through a guitar solo, and wonder exactly how they do that? Beginner guitarists ask this sort of question all the time - they wonder how they figure out which notes sound right before they play them. In this article I'll show you how to create that same kind of solo that inspired you to play guitar.

Emotional Solos?

Well, emotional solos doesn't mean you're listening to a Nirvana solo, or an AC DC solo, etc..., it means you're really feeling it, from your guts down to your soul.

Some examples:

Guns N' Roses - November Rain

Pink Floyd - Time

Aerosmith - Livin' On The Edge

Led Zeppelin - Stairway to Heaven

Metallica - Unforgiven

Ozzy Osbourne - Mama, I'm Coming Home

Velvet Revolver - You Got No Right/ Loving The Alien

Anyway, hope you got the picture. There are lots of other songs which have that kind of solo which takes you to a place deep into your soul and you can't exactly explain if it's higher... In this Article you'll find differences, and how to make that special kind of solo. Just wait and see.

Before Creating The Solo

You know, before creating the solo... you need to have a purpose, you need to have a special feeling about somebody or something whether it's Fear, Anger, Love, Sadness, Happiness, etc... they're all important, but you need to pick one important subject which you really care about. So how's this suppose to be important in creating a solo, there are no lyrics, you say? Well...

The solo in a song is basically a missing emotional verse which takes place the guitar instead of vocals. So, the solo must react with the same mood the structure, lyrics and mood are in the song. You can't start a happy-feeling-solo while you're playing a sad-desperate kind of song... be creative, but match the mood.

In the beginning, before creating the solo, you need to listen to the song over and over again until you get a clear picture of the song, then it's time to hum the solo.

Structuring The Solo

Humming the solo before anything is most important. Nothing can match the most incredible feeling than yourself humming from your mouth, so get your tape recorder or any recording device and start humming that missing solo piece, try to figure out which is best to put, and mix parts with others, until you construct the best melody with your humming.

Now, the melody must be nice, but not so long, the best to put it is this way, "Short, simple and sweet" so don't try to complicate the solo so that no one will be able to play it, or you want to play a long solo because Pink Floyd do so. Let me tell you one thing, Pink Floyd have been experimenting with solos for decades so don't try to be them, it's better to do 2 Short Sweet Solos than a Long Boring one.

When creating the melody of your solo while humming try to be with the song, like there's a missing verse, but you're feeling it instead. Along the way, you should make a melody that makes sense, for example: If you're talking to a friend about horses and while you're talking you change the subject about Birds. I mean, you've got to keep the subject there, I know solos aren't spoken but you need to imagine you're talking in that moment, it's like there's another verse played with the Guitar instead of sung.

Creating Your Solo

Before getting any far you should always remember to stick to the basics, basics are the most important; putting what you have learned together will make it easier for you to make this solo.

Blues Scales, pentatonics, modes, arpeggios, scales... are all important to the solo, use whatever you're comfortable with most. Using some passing notes along the way are good too, whatever you're comfortable with is good to use, and in the end it will result as "the best you can give" until you get better. The best way to make a solo with no doubts is to give everything you know, learned and the most you can give, this will show your capability too.

Now, that you got everything in place, you should start to convert your hummed melody into your guitar playing, this involver ear training too, if you're not into ear training and have no experience with ear training you will find it harder to convert it. There are articles regarding this subject on this site.

Step-By-Step

01. Hum your melody, hum a phrase and try to make them match, try phrase by phrase until you've succeeded to the whole melody, and either remember the solo by heart or try to write it down; I suggest that you learn it by heart, because if you're really feeling the solo you should know it by heart and feel it to play it, you could also write it down until you've learned it all and then learn it afterwards.

02. Recording every mistake, etc... will be useful in the future, because some things come just by mistake, so remember to record your mistakes, because you might find the best lick you've made by mistake, and forget it, so if you'll record it you can again try to do it.

03. When you converted the melody into your guitar playing, begin to notice some phrases, for example if there's a bit where there's a note which needs to be held a bit longer, go for it, try it, and ask people for their advice, ask whether it's best that way or the other way.

04. Bending, hammer-ons/ Pull-ofs, vibrato are some little tools which are useful and are almost always useable, try not to over do it, no one wants to hear the whole solo with vibratos only or hammer-ons, be creative and use some a bit where needed.

05. After closing the solo you should record it and hear everyday for a week or so, until you're really satisfied, accept it and feel the same feeling you felt at the time you played it, closing and ending the solo takes time, so don't rush on the things.

Closing Your Solo

Your solo should have an ending to your verse ex. If you're making a melody, it should have an ending, it's like you're talking about something and saying bye for the end of the solo, and you must respect the guitar and feel it as if you're talking to someone with it. Feel the feeling, and play the feeling.

When the solo is ready and you're satisfied and proud, say you're closing it, and that's how it is, don't try to change it in the future, because you won't have the same feeling next year as you had last week or when you did your solo. Others will respect the feeling you felt because you'll make them feel that same way you felt, without you or them even noticing, it's like something inside, remember, you're talking to someone else's soul.

Conclusion

Hope you liked this article, maybe next time I'll write something else regarding solos or something... Peace, cheers, Thanks,

Lee.

Comments

[kerrang]

1st! lol good writing mano, the part about nirvana and emotional solos-right on, time by floyd is probably my favourite ever

There is no emotion inherent in music.

Bleh, nothing that hasn't been written about 1000 times before.

[JB2500]

good article.

[Weybl Himself]

Isn't the idea behind an emotional solo just feeling the song? I mean the solo structuring stuff would be useful to some beginners, but once you've got that down (which shouldn't take long) the rest is just establishing a connection between your heart and your hands.

[pigglesworth]

The songs listed as example of emotional solos take THE AUTHOR to "A place deep within his sole", not everybody else. Whether or not a solo is "emotional" or not is entirely subjective and unique to every listener or player. As the person above me kind of said, emotions come from the brain/"heart" not an article on the internet.

[RockFreak000]

Sorry mate, but this article is no good.

[RomanL]

Hey mate, teaching articles have to be objective ones y'know? If you do not like Nirvana that doesn't mean by itself that the solo in Smells Like Teen Spirit is not an emotional one. Do yourself a favor and don't project your personal taste to what you are telling other people (if it is not supposed to be a review...).

[JMack]

I wish you had also included a section on performing solos. Standing like a block isn't going to let you express as much as if you're moving around. A good example is the Can't Stop video by RHCP. Simplest solo in the world, but it's moving because of the way it's performed.

[Gabuydachk]

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

[richwatkinson]

Music can't contain emotion

of course it can..just listen to Evanescence's My Immortal, or Gymnopedie No.1 by Erik Satie.

even better.. Fucking Hostile by Pantera.. are you telling me theres no anger conveyed in that song?

[NemesisX]

I think it's very hard to write an article like this, and he did a good job at it without being too biased towards his opinions.

Of course it differs from player to player, but are you telling me Nirvana have more feeling than Metallica or similar? I hope not.

[BBMrule]

This article will work for some people and not for others but it's his point of view don't have a go at the bloke.

I personally like the humming idea. Maybe some of the other things aren't right like not changing the solo at all but once again that is my personal opinion.

Nice ideas.

[Archaon]

I'm going to say it again:
Emotion is relative to the player and listener.

This article seems like a dumbed down version of most others I've seen on this topic, but I guess this serves its purpose for those guys that know absolutely nothing on how to write their own songs.

[Kutanmoogle]

It's a totally subjective topic that he tried to cover, and I give him kudos for that.

Really confusing writing style and sentence structure though.

[BBMrule]

stop havin a go at the bloke.
this is a article that will work for some but not others.
Personally, i like the humming idea but the not changing the solo at all is a bit wrong. But then once again that my personally opinion.
Nice ideas.

[h2daenick]

i thot it was a good article and it will help me a lot

[Zoso68]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

speechless...

[info2new]

pigglesworth :
The songs listed as example of emotional solos take THE AUTHOR to "A place deep within his sole", not everybody else. Whether or not a solo is "emotional" or not is entirely subjective and unique to every listener or player. As the person above me kind of said, emotions come from the brain/"heart" not an article on the internet.

hey, ye, you've got a point but i'm just trying to give my points and show them how to make them, for example they can't make an emotional solo a big fUcken hard fast solo!! so i'm just giving basic ideas then it's up to them, i'm not saying anything special, just common sense ;

richwatkinson wrote:

Music can't contain emotion


of course it can..just listen to Evanescence's My Immortal, or Gymnopedie No.1 by Erik Satie.

even better.. Fucking Hostile by Pantera.. are you telling me theres no anger conveyed in that song?

You say conveyed. Which means the listener interprets it as such. Which means the music TRIGGERS an emotion in the listener.

It doesn't CONTAIN it. Which makes this whole topic VOID.

Clear?

[McClean05]

Great article Lee! i know what u mean by emotional solos! you ever hear RHCP's outro solo to Scar Tissue? amazing!!

[marvelboy_04]

good article

[Erc]

no good

[Zoso68]

lmao...not the article, just ppls reactions

[Smin0]

I really liked it, and I think it's a good article. To the people who were saying he was projecting his personal taste on it, and not being unbiased, you must have misread the article. He didn't say Nirvana (or AC/DC) didn't have any emotional solos, he said that it has to be one that you're really feeling - not just one from a usually very emotional band. Nirvana have a lot of emotional lyrics in their songs, doesn't mean their guitar solos are necessarily emotional, nor does it mean that they're not emotional. The solo just has to one that you really feel, it doesn't matter who it's by.

Also, to the 'music doesn't contain emotion', really, that's being a bit pedantic, surely? It's not a living being with a mind that can feel emotion itself, no, but it acts as a medium for emotion to be transferred and shared with others. Which, in some analagies (possible misspelling), could be referred to as 'containing' emotion.

[g-unitie]

this article helped me a lot when it came to the solo in this song i wrote....now it is better

[korn113]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

are you dumb? music is an expression of how you feel.. screw them.. your article is sweet..

[/-Vince-\]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

Are you ok ? :S I think you're not...

[dyingbreed88]

Good music is an expression of ones self. If there is no emotion in the songs than the songs are crap. The truly great songs are ones that you can feel and know what the artist is feeling. Damn...when did it all become structure and rules.

[maddd0g]

Well, while I think it is a valid topic.
This article is EXTREMELY biased. It should of had a wider spectrum too it, you didnt have enough depth, and you were suggesting that only Floyd and other classic bands have emotion in their solos. Why even state the word pentatonic? Tell the reader to pick a scale that would fit their song/solo and use it. Emotional solos definatly arnt limited to the pentatonic and some passing tones.

5/10...

Try again, good topic.. Bad execution.

[seek_&_destroy]

well whether or not music CONTAINS emotion depends on how you view that, some people may think that music ITSELF does not CONTAIN but shows or expresses emotion, get?

[vIsIbleNoIsE]

music is pleasant noise, and noise does not contain anything, it's just a thing. but if you don't think music is related to emotion, just go learn to shred cuz you'll suck at everything else.

don't start about that last sentence, you get what i mean =P

[sral76]

[quote]Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. [quote]

That is the stupiedest thing I have ever heard anyone ever say....

And the article was ok, good tips and advice. But many many other articles have been written on this before.

[poopikins]

Music can't contain emotion.
That is the stupiedest thing I have ever heard anyone ever say....

He's just saying that music itself only triggers emotion, it doesn't actually contain it (if it actually "contained" the emotion it would have the same effect on everyone). I don't think he's trying to say it has no relation to emotion, which obviously isn't true; everyone with half a brain knows music is related to emotion, and is possibly the most effective way of conveying it.

[poopikins]

Oh...I forgot to comment on the actually article . Can you really explain to somebody in words how to play an emotional solo? It seems to me like something you can only really learn through experience.

[poopikins]

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

I think he's just trying to say that music can only trigger emotion, but can't actually contain emotion, because then it would have the same effect on everyone. Saying music actually contains emotion is like saying light contains color, but light doesn't actually contain color; color is merely the mind's interpretation of light. However, light can certainly trigger color, just like music can certainly trigger emotion.
On the article...the author really needs to work on sentence structure, and on expressing thoughts clearly and concisley. I'm not one of those "grammar police" people, but in formal writing incorrect grammar isn't really acceptable; it makes you look like you didn't put enough effort into your writing. Also, is it really possible to explain to people in words how to craft an emotion solo? Either it's something you can only learn through experience, or something far to complex to teach in a few paragraphs.

[poopikins]

Sorry about posting the same info twice...for some reason my post wasn't showing up, so i tried posting again...my third post expresses what i was trying to say best so just refer to that one.

[little_wing_14]

to add emotion to a song, you shouldnt necessarily hum it and plan it out...sometimes u just gotta feel the song and go with it....so wut if its not the same solo everytime, if u feel it and express yourself the solo should get the point across everytime its your song not everyone elses so express it the way you want it to and just feel the song look at Eddie vetter or Jimmy Hendrix they never play anything exactly the same and they still express themselves emotionally through soloing

[SteveHouse]

Anyone else notice he said that the solo is a missing verse played on guitar about 200 times? IDK, maybe it just seemed like it.

[cefasnacht]

this is much better than his last article, this one made a lot of sense with alot of good info! plus alot less grammar mistakes, this one's readable, thanx for proof-reading this one! 4 stars!

[Atreideslegend]

too didactic, who are u to say which solos are emotional and which aren't? I can see what ure getting at but you're method is flawed.

[backtothe70s]

JMack wrote:

I wish you had also included a section on performing solos. Standing like a block isn't going to let you express as much as if you're moving around. A good example is the Can't Stop video by RHCP. Simplest solo in the world, but it's moving because of the way it's performed.

Hmm... lets see.... Gilmoure? one person who play with emotion but stand still.

[OneLastSaluteFW]

Nothing Else Matters by Metallica hit me like no other solo
ive heard those listed above and i know others will disagree (for their own opinion and preferance) but James' voice leading up to that solo and the solo itself inspires me the most

[edwardhaine]

Wey for stating the obvious.

[peterocker]

10x another good article and i mean it, im not sayin this because i know u but true, i never made solos so this would be a help for the begining.

[BrianApocalypse]

"You can't start a happy-feeling-solo while you're playing a sad-desperate kind of song"

WRONG! good article though 8/10.

[scarfacesuit]

if you're playing a sort of sad song with a happy solo it sounds completely retarded. the listener is feeling the song, and then all of the sudden, they're like "...wtf just happened? is this the same song?"

i liked this article as well. i never personally had thought of simply humming the solo before making it. i usually just mess around with sounds until i get it. i might try that though.

[vanceboy]

Nothing new. basic information that has been covered a lot before.

[Cobalt Blue]

I haven't heard (perhaps just not recently) all the songs you mentioned. but it sounds to me like like your aying only a slower solo can be emotional.

[wasted youth]

hey that really helped dude thanx

[The_Raven]

DONT LISTEN TO THE METALHEADS CRITICISING YOU!
This is a great article, the Solo has a bit of your Soul in it awakening others emotions.
Very good, I did a Solo after readin' this article and it was actually beut.

Great job! Send me more solo lessons!

[guitar_doom]

Look,everyone that says solos or music can't have emotion is completley wrong. If music can,t have emotion then explain emo. Tis article was kick-ass and it helped me alot!!!

[flesh fries]

this was a really good article...helped me write solos a little better

and to everyone saying that music doesnt contain emotion, you are wrong, when i write music, i base it on an event in my life, and how it affects me, seems pretty emotional to me

[UnsignedRecords]

well that's a pretty stupid statement in general, 'music has no emotion'.
music = expression = feelings = emotion
dumbasses.

[UnsignedRecords]

oh, and good article by the way.

[rbj1313]

wow, that is all i can say. wow...

[RRRone]

i like the 'nothing else matters'(Metallica) solo too

[livefortoday]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

exactly. me neither. music "hitting you in the soul" is just because you find it beautiful and that has all to do with repetition and variation (except for the lyrics). and a pentatonic scale solo NEVER "hit me in the soul".

[Darth Chridious]

I have read up on many lessons about soloing and how to find your own touch with your guitar but yours is the best out of them all!

good job

[klim_bassist]

a little long, but great article for beginners

[info2new]

livefortoday wrote:
[quote]Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

exactly. me neither. music "hitting you in the soul" is just because you find it beautiful and that has all to do with repetition and variation (except for the lyrics). and a pentatonic scale solo NEVER "hit me in the soul".[/quote]

Well it's that you think that way, me and the people I know, say it like that, so leave other's opinions alone, pls, it's like your saying that i'm a buddha and you think something in my religion is fake, pls, i beleive it that way like 90% of earth think it that way, and you're one of the 10% sick bastarDs, goodluck pal....

[info2new]

livefortoday wrote:

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.



exactly. me neither. music "hitting you in the soul" is just because you find it beautiful and that has all to do with repetition and variation (except for the lyrics). and a pentatonic scale solo NEVER "hit me in the soul".[/quote]

Well it's that you think that way, me and the people I know, say it like that, so leave other's opinions alone, pls, it's like your saying that i'm a buddha and you think something in my religion is fake, pls, i beleive it that way like 90% of earth think it that way, and you're one of the 10% sick bastarDs, goodluck pal.... sry for the mistake above

[BrianApocalypse]

"if you're playing a sort of sad song with a happy solo it sounds completely retarded. the listener is feeling the song, and then all of the sudden, they're like "...wtf just happened? is this the same song?"

Listen to Poison Heart - Ramones.

[[Creative Name]]

Good article but I always improvise my solos. I hate memorizing solos, when I do I just feel like it isn't comming from inside of me and it is just a fabricated solo, not one with emotion.

[farmergiley]

firstly. WTF?! to the people that say music doesnt contain emotion. when playing an improv solo u truly put emotion into it. u throw it all into it cos of the connection between the sound and urself. it is this emotion that has been thrown in which then moves to the listener giving them the same emotion that u put into it. people who dont put emotion into music r just soulless. and lastly id like to say that the saxophone is much better to throw emotion into than guitar.

[lsw444]

[quote]pigglesworth wrote:

The songs listed as example of emotional solos take THE AUTHOR to "A place deep within his sole",

Sole? Of his foot? Like from the heart of his bottom? Pretty cool if that was an intentional smelling mistake. The other 'soul' you hear in soloing is "a place deep within his ars'ole"

[RRRone]

info2new wrote:

it's like your saying that i'm a buddha and you think something in my religion is fake, pls, i beleive it that way like 90% of earth think it that way, and you're one of the 10% sick bastarDs, goodluck pal....

u mean u are a 'buddhist' and not 'buddha'.
i was wondering all this time why the heck were u callin yourself buddha.
and that music=emotion thing seems completely true to me.

[info2new]

lsw444 wrote:

[quote]pigglesworth wrote:

The songs listed as example of emotional solos take THE AUTHOR to "A place deep within his sole",

Sole? Of his foot? Like from the heart of his bottom? Pretty cool if that was an intentional smelling mistake. The other 'soul' you hear in soloing is "a place deep within his ars'ole"

I meant Soul, can i have a spelling mistake?

What do you mean? do you agree that some music comes from within your soul? and I didn't mean i'm a buddha, neither buddhist, but it was just a figure of speach

[SP_NIRVANA]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

All I can say is...You are a f*cking retard. Music IS emotion. I hate dumbf*cks like you.

[aperfectshot176]

nice article man

[RippinRiffs]

Great f_cking artical. and everyone who says that music cant contain emotion is f_cking retarded. Thats all that music is, is emotion if you dont feel it, it sounds like sh_t.

[darthbuttchin]

this didnt tell me nething i didnt already know

[Greg Harper]

Anyway if music gives you no pleasure what th f*** are you playing the guitar for?????

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion. I didn't really care for the article, either.

Checked/Deleted.

[st.jimmy4091680]

ok good article but on this whats w/ sayin Ac/Dc has no emotion??

[Amroth]

Good Article! Speaking of emotional solos, i miss Estranged on that list... You got no right and Loving the alien though are what i call masterpieces. Just the ending of Contraband with Loving the alien is perfect.

[AdamDK]

Fantastic Article. I just read this after I played an emotional solo lol. Everything you wrote is right. I ahve a tip; If you want to make it even more emotional, use a WahWah pedal at the right inetrval of the solo. If often do that when I go onto the high pitched E 18th fret bend, and it sounds cool, like a sort of crying sound, it just rings like "Waaaaah". Again, brilliant article.

[rafinski]

i was reading these responses and i stopped halfway because what you guys are talking about is all bs. he said "emotional solos" not brainwashing the person into thinking what he wants. a good example of some emotional solos would be going back to old composers like bach, mozart and the like. i dont know about you, but i sort of regard their music as solos. each song gives me a different emotion, sometimes i feel like being alone, sometimes i feel like conducting or even air-pianoing. solos with no emotion are just there, and they dont make you feel anything at all, which is obviously not good. ANOTHER good example would be this article we're reading now. every person interpreted it differently, and we have different emotions about it.

heh, i thought i was the only guy who hummed solos and recorded them... im not alone! i also find that the solos in my head are ALWAYS the perfect ones, everytime, the right emotion and everything... but sometimes there isnt enough time to capture it, and i never ever feel it again... to those people who think it doesnt work, it does, and it feels silly, but it usually happens to me while daydreaming and i catch people staring at me funny, so dont worry, your not alone

[gign]

Of course music has emotion, and so do solos.

[Qaphela]

Gabuydachk wrote:

Music can't contain emotion.

What the ****?

[oddbod92]

I thought that this was a big help, and it makes a lot of sense really.

If you thinks its bad, dont read it!! simple!

[goulde shaw]

Well you can't really tell how to create a solo or even a song. It's just something you either feel, and really you can't be taught that. You can be taught techniques to use, but actually writing the song, takes emotion. Still a good read...I guess.

[goulde shaw]

By the way, AC/DC and Nirvana have emotional songs and solos. Keep in mind emotions don't only include being sad. It can include anger, fear, etc.

[Arkyopterix]

I'm only capable of making emotional solos whilst improvising. Any written work just doesn't seem to convey correctly, so I'm forced to make a choice between technique or emotion.

Stairway to Heaven may be famous, but not nearly as powerful as the No Quarter solo.

[DroptheBomb]

st.jimmy4091680 :
ok good article but on this whats w/ sayin Ac/Dc has no emotion??

im never sen really any kind of emotion in any acdc song, and ive lsiitn to them since 6th grade [junior now]
emotion isnt a 10001 songs about sex drugs and rok'n'rool whihc is more less what they almsot always convey in their songs.

even thought that ^ had nuthing to do with soloing.
im not gonna begin to argue about anything to do with the guitar skills of angus young,just a waste of time cuz ive done it a 1000 times.

-jinny-

[Gundersmoot]

This guy doesn't know what the **** he's talking about. All it takes to make an emotional solo is a key, Minor or Major equals sad or happy. This guy is guitarded.

[JakoSnako]

in my opinion, the only thing music is is emotion, but its not the kind of emotion you can categorize and index it with, its just an unspoken thing that you know instantly that you feel