David OToole9th June 2007Great idea Marcus, I think this will help members pick up those solos alot! David
Matt9th June 2007That is absolutely brilliant
i cant explain how excited i am for the next 2
Gen9th June 2007As always, exellent lesson!, but i have a question, must i use the alternate picking for this one, cuz i think you dont use it right?
- Gen9th June 2007
As always, exellent lesson, but i have a question, must i use the alternate picking for this one, cuz i think you dont use it, right?
preownedguitar9th June 2007I love you! LOL. Thanks. Great stuff as always man.
GuitarDude9th June 2007Great lesson I'm gonna learn this right after I'm finished with your first lesson
- jake the snake9th June 2007
great solo, thank you so much!
Andrew Cockburn9th June 2007I love the harmonic minor scale, and you have a great tone - great lesson Marcus
- stratman339th June 2007
This is great!Not really a challenge for me but i know the next ones will!Great lesson as usual Marcus.
- jake the snake9th June 2007
awsome:)
signularis9th June 2007how is the best way to learn speeing up i can do it slow but i casnt make it speeding up my i havent trained my hand for speed yet my teacher only learns me technique but hasnt learn me yet how to speed up and with technique to use my hand is tyring up quickly when i speed up
lefty019th June 2007Thank You. This is just what i needed.
- Mark Schiewe9th June 2007
Hey Marcus, what's your take on scalloped fretboards? I looks like you have a very controlled vibrato. Is this mainly do to your scalloped fretboard?
- nrpstreetballa10th June 2007
i love ur vibrato
Ryan10th June 2007awesome dude, i love neoclassical stuff..
Marcus Lavendell10th June 2007Gen,
I mostly use alternate picking (old habit), but if you're more comfortable with economy picking you could use it at all the "3-notes-per-string" licks. I actually recommend you to do that!- Marcus Lavendell10th June 2007
Mark Schiewe,
Yes, I prefer scalloped fretboards because I get a little bit better grip of the string while doing vibrato. Though it isn't the key to a good vibrato! My vibrato is exactly the same on a non-scalloped fretboard, but it's more of an effort for me to play like that since I'm simply not used to it. I only scallop my fretboards just enough so I touch the wood a little bit (so it's not a very "deep" scallop). - Marcus Lavendell10th June 2007
signularis,
check out Kris's awesome lesson about speedpicking: https://www.guitarmasterclass.net/memberson...king1-video.htm - Mark Schiewe10th June 2007
One more question Marcus, is your guitar tuned down again in this lesson?
- Marcus Lavendell10th June 2007
Mark,
Yes! I'm sorry, I forgot to post that! I tune down one half step (to E-flat) 
Aaron10th June 2007i love the slow solos and you really pulled this one off. cant wait for the other 2.
christian11th June 2007What kind of guitar are u using, it seems pretty sick?
Thanks- Mark Schiewe11th June 2007
In video 4 why do you recommend playing without the pinky?
- Marcus Lavendell11th June 2007
Mark,
Good question! It's because I found it's good to have the pinky "free" in case you need to reach a higher note immediately after (it's less of an effort that way).
So if it's not too uncomfortable I recommend you to leave the pinky out in this lick. - Leviathan13th June 2007
we need some more lessons like this... beginner intermediate and whatever the last one is///
- Leviathan13th June 2007
Will this help me pick out the a minor notes? and make my own neoclassical solos...
jammer9114th June 2007I could pratice this stuff more often
Yonrak17th June 2007Holy cow
Abit advanced for me at the moment. Might have a go at the beginner one tomorrow though =)
Great lesson, love the three level idea! Hope it catches on.- tha_max19th June 2007
Gah! I can't get the vibrato in my bend
XxLeviathanxX21st June 2007Friggin A.
- Victafor2nd July 2007
this is great, definately in my skill level
- atomix13375th July 2007
Boo, half step down -.-...
But AWESOME riff man, you just don't know how helpful the difficulty levels are!
THANKS. 
MegaJeff5th July 2007Yeah, half step... lol. Insane vibrato man, mine may sound good but yours sounds amazing!
Cheers!- davaflava12th July 2007
very nice lesson!!! I can't wait to give this a try(give my lead guitarist a run for his money eh?)
Cherio13th July 2007dude this lesson is awesome! u have a real nice vibrato aswell! cheers
chast23rd July 2007Very nice lesson, to get started with this genre.
The vibrato in your bends sounds awesome- davaflava25th July 2007
i almost got it !!! that those two big stretches is what kills me haha damn nubs of mine
- Marcus Lavendell26th July 2007
Thanks guys!
It's seems like many of you nail this solo by now. It's highly appreciated if you'd want to share that, and upload a video response at the forum (or YouTube for example) - Guitar3426th July 2007
Awesome lesson! Loved It!
- fire2nd August 2007
great but for beginner still quite fast, isnt it?
- misha16th August 2007
one of the best lessons here.....
i like this neoclassical sound;
good work marcus
want more of'em:) - teh_shredmaster27th August 2007
wow this helped me so much thanks
visi0n12th September 2007cool !! gonna learn it and post it on the forum!
LwShieN25th November 2007Its an awesome idea , since neoclassical is complex and difficult , splitting to 3 lessons is an awesome idea ..
Awesome lesson !! looking forward to more neo classical lessons
- Marcus Lavendell25th November 2007
Thanks guys!
Khaos Keith19th December 2007are you tuned down a half step? that or im just really out of tune haha
- Khaos Keith19th December 2007
oh never mind i just found the answer in the comment haha
Tomy Jeon21st December 2007Great lesson!
How do you vibrato when you're doing a bend at the same time? Like the 15th fret on the 2nd string.- Marcus Lavendell22nd December 2007
@ Tomy
It's not that difficult. Check out my third vibrato lesson, I explain it there (in the first vid) - Tomy Jeon25th December 2007
Hey, that vibrato lesson really halped. Thanks.
nsskid3rd January 2008sweet mother of ............ that was great!!
- nsskid3rd January 2008
MMMM it seems like my vibrato doesn't sounds cool as your vibrato? is that my pickups sucks or what?
- nsskid3rd January 2008
-.- how do u do the e flat again? -.- =( sorry
- Marcus Lavendell3rd January 2008
Thank you nsskid!
Vibrato has nothing to do with the pickups, I'm afraid. Check out the vibrato lessons here to learn more about it
You'll be in E flat if you tune down all the strings one half note (one fret). 
Taragon31st January 2008how do i download the backing track?
- Marcus Lavendell31st January 2008
@Taragon
Sorry, you can't download the backing track. - Taragon31st January 2008
@lavendell
okey, thats to bad. i wanted to put it on youtube when im playing
great lesson anyway
- Marcus Lavendell31st January 2008
Oh, I'd love to see that!!
Can't you just play along with the backing track found in the lesson, and record your vid with a webcam? You don't need to download the backing track for that
- Taragon1st February 2008
Yeah im gonna try that and see how it sounds..
Benny-G26th February 2008Awesome Lesson man. I love your strat. I'm looking in to getting a scalloped neck myself.
- Marcus Lavendell26th February 2008
Cool! Thanks Benny!
- Benny-G27th February 2008
No problem man, I totally dig your style
Carlos Carrillo4th March 2008hey marcus!!!!!!!!!!
great lesson!!!!!!!!!!!!
thanks- Marcus Lavendell4th March 2008
Thanks Carlos!
gorki23rd April 2008I'm almost there,Marcus. Slow but it sounds great in my ears; soon gorki will play like marcus...NOT.
One day I'll play 120 bpm. Fantastic music. I come home and watch yr videos and think I'm Marcus - MetronomaN30th April 2008
Marcus, you without a doubt are amazing ! great fealing, great tecnique, great lessons.
Thank you ! - Marcus Lavendell30th April 2008
Thank you gorki, and MetronomaN
sigma722nd May 2008hey sick beginner lesson...wut amp setting did u use because im trying to find the neoclassical tone
- sigma722nd May 2008
wuts the tempo too?
- Marcus Lavendell26th June 2008
@sigma 7
The tempo is 120 bpm. You can find the PODxt preset at the forum (in my board). 
bubbalicious10th July 2008solo sounds great and not hard to learn
- Halle2nd August 2008
Very nice lesson Marcus, I really like your vibrato
- Marcus Lavendell2nd August 2008
Thanks guys
Jesse13th September 2008.... "picks up jaw from floor"
..............................
"Still not able to talk"
.......................
This is Mind blowing.!- Jesse4th October 2008
D: Started today at 80 BPM, and now, I can play it full speed! Will upload video when I bought a pod!
- Marcus Lavendell4th October 2008
That's great Jesse!
Looking forward to see that vid - Jesse8th December 2008
Marcus.. IVE GOT A POD!!! I will record it tonight!!
With video! YAY! - GuitarMonkey7th March 2009
Great lesson, and love the tone. What can you tell me about your strat?
Alexiaden932nd May 2009Hey, Marcus, awesome lesson !
Kristian Hyvarinen21st October 2009Thank you, Marcus! After an hour of playing I already feel how learning this solo improves my playing!
- PiotrLadyzynski10th November 2009
Hi Marcus!
Can I get tracks from your lesson in mp3? I would like to practise while I'm not connected.
I would like to get:
1. Original recording mp3
2. Backing track in normal tempo mp3
3. Backing track in slow tempo mp3 
Daniel Realpe19th April 2010wow, the bendings! lots of feeling!
tarzan29th April 2015Hi Marcus, great set of lessons, even after so many years! I understand that you switch which pickup is being used to accent certain notes and to get the sound you want for certain sections of the solo. Can you please explain your thought process / creation process in how you decide when to switch and which notes / sections you want to use certain pickups for, so that we can learn to apply that technique in other pieces as well?
Kristofer Dahl29th April 2015Very cool question Tarzan, I hope you don't mind me hopping in.
One way to approach this would be to use the neck pickup for runs, as it tends to hide imperfections and give that smooth creamy sound. The bridge pickup has more bite, and is perfect to help sustained notes cut through like a knife.
As you can see and hear in this lesson, when alternating between the two tastefully - pickup switching adds a new tonal dimension to your lead lines.
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ok, in this lesson we will look at a solo in the harmonic A-minor scale. It's mostly regular picking, but also some sweeps.
I have made three versions of this solo:
* Beginner
* Intermediate
* Advanced
Start with this "Beginner lesson" until you know it inside out - then move on to Intermediate and then to Advanced. You find that the licks in this lesson basically is the same as in the intermediate- and advanced lesson. The difference is that there are more notes, it's faster, plus the techniques and phrasing is a little bit different in the "higher" lessons, but you'll still recognize them from this lesson!
I tuned my guitar to Eb.
The chord progression (in standard tuning) is:
| D#5 | / | / | / |
| E5 | D#5 | E5 | / |
| D#5 | G#5 |Related lessons:
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