Hi GMC'ers! In this lesson I focused on creating a solo with different hues, several techniques in A minor, and changing the color of A minor into a darker shade. This is very important, no matter which style you play.

I thought it would be great to mix the A minor pentatonic, blue note, and some diminished together. However I didn't want to sound like Malmsteen (since that's a typical characteristic of this great guitarist), so I worked to make it sound more experimental. It's more in the Vai style.

Always try to mix scales, use different positions, use a pick, not use a pick, play several strokes per note, just play one stroke, and so on. This will enlarge your concept of how to articulate a melody to make it more original. Mixing things that have already been done and looking for new twists make you discover new colors and new ways of approaching an idea.

It's also good to pay attention to the other instruments. The bass can fill up a guitar melody quite a lot, and also stress the notes the guitarist wants to suggest but never plays. For example: the guitar can play a single note while the bass line does a walk, stressing the intention of the characteristic color the guitarist wants to imprint (an example: guitar plays just A Eolian and bass plays the entire Eolian scale with its alterations). If you add in the drums creatively, the number of resources you can use is endless.

Tuning:
* D - G - C - F - A - D
(From thick to thin string)
* Down One Whole Step

Chords:
A 9 - A dim - D 9 - F 9 - B flat - G 9

Techniques:
* Creating a melody
* Legato
* Bends
* Vibrato
* Riffing
* Tapping
* Slides
* Picking

Scales:
* A Minor Pentatonic (with blues notes)
* A minor Harmonic
* A 7 Arpeggio
* B Flat Major 7 Arpeggio
* G Minor 7 Arpeggio
* F Major 7 Arpeggio
* A Flat Diminished Arpeggio

If you have any questions:
* Give feedback (upper-right-corner)
* General Forum

Thanks!/ Chowy

A minor pentatonic with blue note

A minor harmonic scale

A 7 arpeggio

B flat major 7 arpeggio

G minor 7 arpeggio

F major 7 arpeggio

A flat diminished arpeggio