Tips for learning fast solos

[Spaced Out Ace]

I'm no speed merchant, but I tend to start by trying to play along at full speed a few times, identifying the bits I find tricky and then breaking them into chunks and slowing them down.

I find it takes a day or so for muscle memory to set in so once I've made some progress I'll need to come back to it later to sort of "confirm" things.

The other thing is that assuming you've physically got the speed and technique required to play a piece, the mental side of it is worth considering. I find a lot of being able to play fast is about being able to look at the fretboard and rather than thinking about the phrase I'm playing, thinking about where my fingers need to go next. To begin with that will be by breaking things down into phrases and knowing where and when the next phrase starts, and later on it's being able to think about each note individually. Once I can do that in my head it feels like I have way more time and I find myself relaxing and playing more smoothly.

Nice to see another puzzle piece method fan on the board.