Tag: Pop Rock

Using Triads in Melodic Solos (pt 2)

If you’re looking to improve your melodic soloing skills, then this lesson is for you! By the end of this video, you’ll be able to create melodic solos using triads on the B-G-D strings. Also, you’ll learn how to connect these chord tones in a meaningful way! Let’s get started!

Play Video
About this video

In this video, you’ll learn to find basic chord tones by thinking in triads on the B-G-D strings. This works over any chord progression. By adding those sweet chord tones to your guitar solos, you’ll sound more melodic, and the listener will feel the harmony of your song better.

Concepts that are present in this video: chord tones, triads, visualizing on the guitar neck, melodic phrasing, anticipation, rhythmic motifs & embellishments.

I sincerely hope that this 2nd lesson will provide you with some guitar inspiration for your own melodic guitar playing. If you like the content, make sure you subscribe &  give the video a thumbs up. That does help the channel. Thanks a lot for your support!

Featured Lick
melodic soloing with triads

Playing a melodic solo with chord triads shows you the best notes to aim for in your phrasing. In this example (bar 11 of the solo), the melody first aims for the C (half step bend up from the 12th fret on the B-string). On beat 3, the melody goes for the D on the 15th fret of the B-string. Both notes are part of the underlying chord triads. 

Jam Track

If you’re interested, I offer a high-quality version (CD-remaster) of this guitar jam track that you can use in your Youtube/Soundcloud/Instagram/Social media videos:

Gear
  • Guitar: Suhr Modern Pro HH
  • Amp: Fractal Audio AX8
  • Pedal: Crazy Tube Circuits Black Magic Mk2
  • Mixed with plugins from UA, Slate Digital & Plugin Alliance

Melodic Soloing With Chord Tones & Triads (Guitar Lesson)

Chord tone soloing lesson that will help you create your own melodic solo (includes a lot of tips on melodic phrasing, repetition, intervals, and more!). Download the lesson PDF here:

Play Video
About this video

In this video, you’ll learn to find basic chord tones by thinking in triads. This works over any chord progression. By adding those sweet chord tones to your guitar solos, you’ll sound more melodic, and the listener will feel the harmony of your song better. This video includes an analysis of another solo on my channel. Concepts that are present in this video: chord tones, triads, visualizing on the guitar neck, melodic phrasing, repetition & variation. In

Full Solo

You’ll find the full guitar solo here.

Feature

The melodic solo is built around chord triads. When I improvise, I usually reference a pentatonic scale and add triad patterns on tap. Triads are easy to locate on the guitar neck and they contain the basic chord tones. In the video, I focus mostly on major triads. Below, you’ll find the minor triad patterns (E minor chord).

E minor triads
Jam Track (2021 remixed & remasterd)

If you’re interested, I offer a high-quality version (CD-remaster) of this guitar jam track that you can use in your Youtube/Soundcloud/Instagram/Social media videos:

Gear
  • Guitar: Suhr Modern Pro HH
  • Amp: Victory Duchess V40
  • Pedal: Crazy Tube Circuits Black Magic Mk2
  • Mixed with plugins from Plugin Alliance

Melodic Guitar Solo (Pop Rock) in D

I’ve been playing a lot on the Suhr guitar lately! Over the last weeks, I wrote a new, uplifting, melodic guitar solo in D.  Enjoy!  Update 26-11: I made a few (minor) additions to the tab!

Play Video
About Melodic Guitar Solo

I love playing solo’s in major keys, although it can be a bit of a challenge to keep things interesting. In my experience, it helps to play around with the major third and to search for chord suspensions (sus2 and sus4). I can’t pinpoint a clear artist influence for this melodic guitar solo, although some ‘Joe Satriani’ is going on (e.g., the legato flurries in bars 16 and 17). I aimed for a modern, spacious guitar sound, leaving room for your timed delays to ring through 😉

Gear Used
  • Suhr Modern Pro HH, Ernie Ball strings .010,  captured with Universal Audio Ox
  • Victory V40
  • pedals: Crazy Tube Circuits Black Magic mkII (lead tones)
  • D16 repeater (timed delays):
D16 repeater
D16 Repeater Plugin - get it at plugin boutique
Backing Track
More Melodic Solos

Energetic Rock Jam Track in G

Classic, uplifting rock jam track in G. Have fun with this blues rock guitar backing track! Download the chord chart here:

About this jam track

Inspired by classic rock track from Status Quo & others, this guitar backing track brings the boogie rock groove to shred your favorite blues rock licks in the key of G. The A-section builds up a classic rock & roll pattern, that develops into a more modern pop rock chorus, that opens up the arrangement with fuller chords and a joyful organ. Stick around ’til the end for a little surprise 🙂

Gear
  • The main guitar used on this uplifting rock jam track is a Fender Telecaster Vintera LPD
  • Amps used: only Victory V40 Duchess & The Mad Professor Honey Overdrive for rhythm.
  • Drums: Steven Slate Drums 5.5
  • Bass: programmed with Spectrasonics Trilian

I had a lot of fun making this classic blues rock backing track, & I sincerely hope that this video will provide you with some inspiration. Keep on playing that guitar! Maarten.