Soloing Strategies en Soloing Strategies: Randy Rhoads' Scales, Blues Licks and Daring Chromatic Maneuvers <!--paging_filter--><p>In the world of heavy metal, hot guitarists are a dime a dozen. </p> <p>Yet only a precious few stand the test of time and become enduring guitar gods. </p> <p>Randy Rhoads was one such player. Joining forces with singer Ozzy Osbourne in 1979, Rhoads burst onto the metal scene like a bolt from the blue. </p> <p>He was blessed with dazzling chops and an innate comprehension of music theory, and his style had a perfect blend of flash and melodic structure. </p> <p>Flowing legato sections segued to impossibly fast, palm-muted picking passages; incendiary trills and daring chromatic maneuvers coexisted with classically influenced melodies—all of which were derived from a seemingly inexhaustible supply of scales and arpeggios and laid out across an ever-shifting rhythmic landscape. </p> <p>What's more, Rhoads was so precise that he could seamlessly double-track anything he played, for maximum sonic density.</p> <p>Sadly, only three recordings&mdash;<em>Blizzard of Ozz, Diary of a Madman, </em>and <em>Tribute</em>&mdash;captured Rhoads' genius before a tragic airplane crash, in 1982, cut his life short. But the musicianship that lies within those grooves is as stunning and inspirational today as it was then.</p> <p><strong>Sequences and Scales</strong></p> <p>Rhoads would often sprinkle a solo with a flurry of pentatonic pull-offs such as those in <strong>Fig.1</strong>. Built from the A minor pentatonic scale (A-C-D-E-G), this lick is inspired both by the opening moments of the first solo in "Mr. Crowley" and by the fill just before the last verse of "I Don't Know." It's interesting to note that while Rhoads possessed the facility to rip through lines such as these using alternate picking, he often chose a legato approach for a smoother, more flowing outcome.</p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p><strong>Fig. 2</strong> features a three-notes-per-string legato scale run inspired by the solos in "Crazy Train," "Suicide Solution," and "Mr. Crowley." This line zips up the A natural minor scale (A-B-C-D-E-F-G) in a blinding flash of hammer-ons. Make sure you hammer firmly onto every second and third note, striving for equal volume of the pick attacks.</p> <p><strong>Blues Licks and Mixed Scales</strong></p> <p>Rhoads was fond of the blues scale (1-f3-4- f5-5-f7), and often milked its flatted 5th for all it was worth. For example, notice the emphasis on the Bf in <strong>Fig. 3A</strong>, an E blues (E-G-A-Bf- B-D) lick inspired by the opening phrases of the "I Don't Know" solo. Rhoads often mixed blues-scale licks with diatonic scales, and modes such as Aeolian (natural minor), Phrygian (1-f2-f3-4-5-f6-f7), and harmonic minor (1-2-f3-4-5-f6-7). </p> <p>Reminiscent of the "Crazy Train" solo, <strong>Fig. 3B</strong> offers a composite of F# Aeolian (F#-G#-A-B-C#-D-E) and F# blues (F#-A-B-C-C#-E).</p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p><strong>Chromaticism</strong></p> <p>Chromaticism is another hallmark of Rhoads's soloing style. His chromatic techniques ran the gamut from the simple use of <em>tension tones</em> (notes that lie outside of pentatonic and diatonic scales) all the way to full-blown chromatically modulating passages such as the ones found in <strong>Figs. 4A-B</strong>. </p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p><strong>Fig. 4A</strong> is similar to a move Rhoads used in "S.A.T.O.," where a minor-3rd hammer- on is moved down in half steps. Notice that the lick starts on two solid chord tones (G and E, the f3rd and root), then chromatically targets two resolving tones (D and B, the f7th and 5th). <strong>Fig. 4B</strong> features one of Rhoads's pet motifs: a descending fournote slice of a scale pattern&mdash;in this case, F-E-D-C of the D minor scale (D-E-F-G- A-Bf-C). Ascending chromatically, the palm-muted quadruplets hit sonic fruition with an Af-G-F sequence over the Fm chord. </p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p><strong>Fig. 5</strong> features another of the guitarist's favorite chromatic ploys, this one involving major and minor triads, along with partial 7th-chord arpeggios, moving along the top two strings. </p> <p>In this example, an A minor triad (A-C-E) moves up in half steps, then segues to the upper portion of an Am7 arpeggio (A-C-E-G), which also ascends chromatically. <strong>Fig. 6</strong> breaks the bounds of chromaticism with a pick-tapped trill that ascends in pitch via a gradual bend executed with the fret hand's 4th finger. Notice that, again, the example begins and ends on solid chord tones (G# and B [<em>3rd and 5th</em>], and B and D [<em>5th and f7th</em>]).</p> <p><strong> Tapping and Trills</strong></p> <p> Unlike many of his peers in the early Eighties, Rhoads avoided jumping on Eddie Van Halen's tapping bandwagon. When he did choose to tap, though, the results were stunning, as the sequence in <strong>Fig.7</strong> reveals. In the style of the breathtaking climax of the "Flying High Again" solo, the example follows a double-tap/pull-off/hammer-on sequence constructed from triads that outline the changes. Some of the most dazzling Randy Rhoads moments are often mistaken for tapped excursions. </p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p>One such passage is the open string- pull-off extravaganza that occurs midway though his solo in the live version of "Suicide Solution," where he dispatches a sizzling array of triads and partials along the 1st [<strong>Fig. 8</strong>] and 2nd strings. </p> <p>Rhoads also had a penchant for classically influenced trills (two notes played in rapid alternation). He would use them to outline the chord tones of specific changes, as seen in <strong>Fig. 9</strong>, where the notes of an Ff7 arpeggio (F-Af-Cf-D) are alternated with notes a half step below.</p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <p><strong>The Solo</strong></p> <p>The solo [<strong>Fig.10</strong>] is a 15-bar rocker in the style of songs like "I Don't Know," "Flying High Again," and "Crazy Train." The first half (measures 1-8) sits firmly in the key of F# minor, riding a i-fVI-fVII-i-fIII-iv-Vsus-V progression (F#m-D-E-F#m-A-Bm-C#7sus4-C#). Measures 9-12 serve as a bridge, with modulating I-vi cadences (D-Bm and E-C#m) in the temporary keys of D and E major. Measure 13 signals a march back up (fVI- fVII-v-i; D-E-C#m-F#m) to the resolving i-fVII-i (F#m-E-F#m) chordal riff.</p> <p>The solo opens, in typical Rhoadsian fashion, with a head-turning pinch-harmonic bend. To execute this two-octave harmonic, attack the G string aggressively with the side of your pick, simultaneously brushing the string with the side of your pick hand's thumb; the ideal position for this contact is right above the rear edge of the neck pickup. </p> <p>Next comes a pull-off flurry made up of F# blues and F# Aeolian scales, followed by a tremolo- picked E major pentatonic (E-F#-G#- B-C#) climb. (Tremolo picking, in which notes are picked as rapidly and continuously as possible, was another Rhoads staple). An F# minor pentatonic (F#-A-B-C#-E) wrapup (measure 4) mirrors the opening lick.</p> <p>In measure 5, a short melodic passage capped with a quick trill nods to "Crazy Train," then segues to a brief Rhoads motif (see Fig. 4B). Instead of moving chromatically, as expected, the motif spills into a t h ree-notes-per- s t r ing B Dor ian (B-C#-D-E-F#-G-F#) run (see Fig. 2). C# Phrygian dominant (C#-D-E#-F#-G#-A-B; fifth mode of F# harmonic minor) provides the melodic framework for the chromatically enhanced legato phrasing of bars 7-8.</p> <p>The fireworks in measures 9-10 are inspired by the open-string pull-off concepts described in Fig. 8. Accenting the first and fourth note in each sextuplet should give you the propulsion needed for this rapid passage. A six-note pattern&mdash;down five scale steps, then up one&mdash;lies at the heart of the E major pentatonic phrase in measure 11. Visualize the pattern before putting the entire phrase together. In measure 12 a C#m7 arpeggio is laid out almost entirely on the G string; keep your eye on the 9th fret in order to hit it precisely. </p> <p>The trills come fast and furious in the next measure. Targeting the notes of a D major triad (D-F#-A) will guide you through this quarter-note-triplet passage. Finally, a relatively simple run up the E major pentatonic scale and a pair of dyads (F#/C# and E/B) provide a logical and musical conclusion to the solo. Now that we've gone through the solo bit by bit, look back over it and take note of its the rhythmic diversity&mdash;yet another characteristic of Rhoads's brilliant soloing work.</p> <p><img src="" width="620" /></p> <fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist"> <div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/randy-rhoads">Randy Rhoads</a> </div> </div> </div> </fieldset> Ozzy Osbourne Randy Rhoads News Soloing Strategies Lessons Magazine Wed, 03 Dec 2014 17:54:57 +0000 Tom Kolb Soloing Strategies: The Most Electrifying Riffs of Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page <!--paging_filter--><p>Truly a guitar god, Jimmy Page is one of the most captivating soloists the rock world has ever known. Daring, spontaneous, melodic, bluesy, diverse, flashy, breathtaking and, yes, sloppy, all are adjectives befitting his singular style.</p> <p>And while Page may occasionally crash and burn, the next moment he's sure to be soaring to unprecedented heights. Let's check out some of his most electrifying licks.</p> <p><strong>The Licks</strong></p> <p><strong>Fig.1A</strong> contains the basic blues phrase that Page used to launch many a killer lick. You'd be hard-pressed to find an early Zeppelin rocker&mdash;“Good Times Bad Times,” “Communication Breakdown,” “Dazed and Confused,” “Whole Lotta Love,” “The Lemon Song,” and “Moby Dick,” to name a handful&mdash;that doesn't feature this move in one permutation or another. </p> <p>Practice the phrase with various picking strategies, including raking (all downstrokes), a down-down-up pattern, and hybrid picking (pick and fingers). <strong>Fig. 1B</strong> features a 16th-note variation on the same lick; note the rhythmic displacement here&mdash;the accents now fall on shifting parts of the measure, rather than always on the downbeat. </p> <p>Page uses this approach in the opening measures of his solo on “Good Times Bad Times” (from <em>Led Zeppelin</em>). <strong>Fig.1C</strong> reverts to a triplet feel and adds 2nd-string pull-offs; this phrase recalls the one Page cycles in the double-time section of “Dazed and Confused” (<em>Led Zeppelin</em>).</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>Throughout Page's diverse solos, there is one common thread: thematic repetition. While some themes appear as extended melodic phrases (as in the opening bars of “Black Dog,” “Over the Hills and Far Away,” and “Achilles Last Stand”), many come in the form of cycled adjacent-string licks carved from major (1&ndash;2&ndash;3&ndash;5&ndash;6) and minor (1&ndash;f3&ndash;4&ndash; 5&ndash;f7) pentatonic scales. </p> <p><strong>Fig. 2A</strong> is an E minor pentatonic&ndash;based (E&ndash;G&ndash;A&ndash;B&ndash;D) sextuplet figure played on the top string pair. Perhaps the most famous example of this lick comes at the end of the “Stairway to Heaven” solo (<em>Led Zeppelin IV</em>, a.k.a. ZOSO).</p> <p>Consistent picking direction is the key for getting this one up to speed (try up-down or down-down). </p> <p><strong>Fig. 2B</strong> mixes triplets with straight 16ths in a hammer-on/pull-off flurry of E minor pentatonic notes. <strong>Fig.2C</strong> mixes A major (A&ndash;B&ndash;C#&ndash;E&ndash;F#) and A minor (A&ndash;C&ndash;D&ndash;E&ndash;G) pentatonics in the same pattern Page uses to cap his solo on “Heartbreaker” (<em>Led Zeppelin II</em>). <strong>Fig. 2D </strong>is pure A minor pentatonic. Listen for this one in the stop-time section of “Rock and Roll” (<em>Led Zeppelin IV</em>). Picking down-down here should make for the best outcome.</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>Page's lines are also peppered with scale sequences. <strong>Fig. 3A</strong> is a pull-off-fueled, groups-of-three sequence that cascades down the E minor pentatonic scale in 12th position. Page fires off a similar line in the outro solo of “Good Times Bad Times” (<em>Led Zeppelin</em>). <strong>Fig. 3B</strong> is a six-note sequence that travels up the neck via the A minor pentatonic scale. This one's a bit trickier, as it employs hammer-ons, pulloffs, and slides. Work through both examples slowly, gradually increasing the tempo as you master the moves.</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>Page employs plenty of string bending in his solos. <strong>Fig. 4A</strong> demonstrates unison bends, as heard at the end of “Stairway to Heaven.” For the first two dyads, keep your 1st finger fixed on the 1st string; and, with your 4th finger, bend the 2nd string to match the pitch of the 1st string. Use your 3rd finger for the 3rd-string bends. <strong>Fig. 4B</strong> shows Page's superhuman over-bends (“The Lemon Song” and “Whole Lotta Love” [<em>Led Zeppelin II</em>]). Such bends take some muscle, so give the string a good yank-just don't hurt yourself. </p> <p><strong>Fig. 4C</strong> shows Page's pedal steel-influenced bends as heard in “Over the Hills and Far Away” (<em>Houses of the Holy</em>) and “All My Love” (<em>In Through the Out Door</em>). </p> <p>Keep your 4th finger fixed on the 1st string while you bend the 2nd string with your 3rd finger. <strong>Fig. 4D</strong> is an example of Page's behind-the-nut bends in “Heartbreaker.” As you hammer on and pull off the notes with your fret hand, reach behind the nut and push down on the 3rd string with your pickhand fingers.</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>Page also shows a penchant for pulling off to open strings. <strong>Fig.5A</strong> features A minor pentatonic- derived pull-offs similar to the ones in “Heartbreaker.” <strong>Fig. 5B</strong> is a sequenced minor-pentatonic-pull-off-fest that he used in “Whole Lotta Love.”</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>Although he was a flashy soloist, Page could turn a slow-blues phrase like no other. <strong>Fig.6A</strong> is inspired by his opening lick in “Since I've Been Loving You” (<em>Led Zeppelin III</em>). <strong>Fig. 6B</strong> speeds things up a bit with an E blues scale (add major 7th) (E&ndash;G&ndash;A&ndash;Bb&ndash;B&ndash;D&ndash;D#) line like the one in “The Lemon Song.”</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p><strong>The Solo</strong></p> <p>The 20-bar, riff-driven solo [<strong>Fig.7</strong>] is based largely on an A5 chord. The only change occurs in measures 13-16, where C Lydian harmonies (Dadd4/C and C) modulate to E Mixolydian chords (D/E and E5). The feel is hard rock with a funk undercurrent.</p> <p><img src="" /></p> <p>The solo opens with the lead guitar mirroring the main riff-an open-position A5 chord vamp interspersed with G and C notes. This continues for several measures before segueing to an open string-fueled A Dorian (A&ndash;B&ndash;C&ndash;D&ndash;E&ndash;F#&ndash;G) lick inspired by the opening riff of “Over the Hills and Far Away.” At measure 5, the solo begins in earnest with a gradual 3rd-string bend that spans two and a half steps (five frets!). If your guitar is sporting heavy strings, you may want to opt for a whole-step bend, from B to C#. </p> <p>Next comes a squirrelly A blues (A&ndash;C&ndash;D&ndash;Eb&ndash;E&ndash;G) lick that leans heavily on the f5th (Eb). This is followed by a pair of quirky oblique bends: the first is a half-step bend from F# to G, which results in a major 2nd (G&ndash;A) rub between the 2nd and 1st strings; the second is similar, but the rub is even closer this time, with the bend producing a minor 2nd (F#&ndash;G) between the top string pair. For both moves, make sure you let the two notes ring together through the release of each bend.</p> <p>Measures 8&ndash;11 provide rhythmic and melodic space with a sequence of quarternote unison bends culled from the A minor pentatonic scale. The rapid-fire phrase in measure 12 is inspired by the opening licks from the “Whole Lotta Love” solo. Fueled by pull-offs and slides down the 3rd string, it begins with the A blues scale (pickup notes), segues to A Dorian, and culminates in A minor pentatonic notes. Put the phrase together bit by bit and you'll begin to understand the sequential patterns at work.</p> <p>The Dadd4/C&ndash;C changes in measures 13&ndash;14 call to mind the unique harmonies of songs like “Dancing Days” and “The Ocean.” Here, the lead guitar plays a pair of melodic motifs drawn from the C Lydian mode (C&ndash;D&ndash;E&ndash;F#&ndash;G&ndash;A&ndash;B) and decorated with 3rdstring bends and slides. </p> <p>Measure 15 brings D/E&ndash;E5 chord changes, and the melodic motif reaches its conclusion on the 4th string with a bend-and-release move (F#&ndash;G&ndash;F#) resolving to E. What follows is sort of a backwards version of the pull-off licks in “Whole Lotta Love.” View this as an open-position E blues-scale pattern that segues to a 3rdposition E minor pentatonic line, which in turn yields to A major pentatonic notes around 5th position.</p> <p>Measure 17 marks the return of the main riff with a bluesy, stuttering series of prebent C notes in a triplet rhythm. Measure 18 contains a gradual whole-step bend from C to D, and the solo goes out with a couple of classic phrases lifted from “Communication Breakdown” and “Stairway to Heaven.”</p> <fieldset class="fieldgroup group-additional-content"><legend>Additional Content</legend><div class="field field-type-nodereference field-field-related-artist"> <div class="field-label"><p><strong>Related Artist:</strong>&nbsp;<p></div> <div class="field-items"> <div class="field-item odd"> <a href="/jimmy-page">Jimmy Page</a> </div> <div class="field-item even"> <a href="/led-zeppelin">Led Zeppelin</a> </div> </div> </div> </fieldset> Jimmy Page Led Zeppelin Soloing Strategies News Soloing Strategies Features Lessons Magazine Fri, 21 Feb 2014 15:12:19 +0000 Tom Kolb