Irrational Rhythm Soloing - Shredding at 170 bpm

			
			SOLO LESSON. 
		
			Advanced solo that uses lots of odd grouping of notes, this allows shredding at speeds that feel uncomfortable for standard note duration. Includes alternate picking, legato, tapping, sweep picking (economy).		

		Tags : 
			shred, legato, alternate, picking, sweep, economy, tapping, quintuplets		


		Hello GMC! Remember my first lesson? It wasn't long ago, so check it out if you like this lesson and you haven't done so before. This solo is my second solo of the same song called once upon a time. This piece was simply an improvised Jam, every time it was played, it was played differently until I decided to make it a song, and gave it some structure. Still most licks were improvised and later on selected to make a solo.



The main problem when shredding over this jam was the tempo, at 170 bpm 8th note triplets are too slow, 16th notes are somewhat fast but not crazy shred, 16th triplets would be insanely fast. The solution here would be to use other odd groupings of notes, such as quintuplets.



Using these note durations can be difficult, specially at slow speeds, the only thing that can be done is get familiar with the sound. With the guitar some of these odd grouping of notes are easier than with other instruments. 



Triplets for example become easy on certain patterns because it is common practice to arrange the scale shapes in a 3 note per string pattern.



Quintuplets also become easy with one pattern in particular as shown in this example in the hey of E minor:



.|---5---| |---5---| |---5---| |---5---|

-------5-7-8-7-5-----------5-7-8-7-5---------

-5-7-8-----------8-7-5-7-8-----------8-7-5---

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This pattern is widely used by players such as Paul Gilbert, Chris Broderick, Rusty Cooley, and almost every shredder out there. If you are a Dream Theater fan you can hear an example of these quintuplets in "erotomania" from the "Awake" album.



The solo in this lesson is challenging, but not because of the speed, but because of the timing, I included standard note durations, triplets, quintuplets, and even ninetuplets (if there is such a word).



Sometimes the licks are played with a swing feel, because the song is based on a swing rhythm. If even if you don't know it you have heard this before, as is widely used in blues and Jazz. The notes will be written in regular 8th notes and guitar pro will play them like that, however you should note where it should be played with a swing feel by looking at the videos.



The solo is in the key of E minor, with a few off notes, you could again experiment over blues scale, maybe others since the rhythm guitar plays some off notes scales like C# and G# which belong to E major, but I love the sound of the minor here.



Have fun!