Welcome! I am so happy to see you here and look forward to hearing your progress in the community!  Let's get started with some basic housekeeping.

If you are absolutely new to playing an instrument then spend some time getting to grips with some fundementals of music as this will build important foundations to build upon as you progress through the course.

I don't want to make any assumptions on your ability or level of confidence and so I am going to take this first part reeeeal slow! If you are new to lead guitar you should find this initial pace and repetition comforting. If you have some background knowledge then there is always fast forward ; )   

With music theory a little understanding will take you a long way and help you make deeper connections between all the elements that go toward creating and improvising interesting solos.

This note is so cool that one of the most famous record labels was named after it! So, if it is that important we had better learn it! It's one note that turns a regular blues solo into something a little more aggressive and raw.

Position 2 adds to your tonal palette with some notes off of the lowest strings on the guitar.

This is a landmark lesson. With just 3 positions you can now start playing a large part of the neck but, most importantly, you will use the BLuesBlock as a tool to start deconstructing solos and licks. 

The last position of the regular BluesBlock that lands you in the sweetest tonal range of the neck. A great area to slide up to from position 2 or skip accross from position 3.

This is such a great complementary pattern to the regular BluesBlock. Its different structure, great positioning and wide tonal range really helps move your improvisations along. It also forms the BB King Block in Major keys.... but that's for later.... get this pattern under your belt!

A straight forward lesson but one that I had to reconsider a number of times. I decided to leave the theory behind on this and I'm getting you to trust your ears.

Definitely geared toward the student who is new to soloing. However, even for the seasoned guitarist this method of categorizing licks helps you keep your solos fresh by mixing things up when it comes to giving voice and feeling to each note. If you are advanced then challenge yourself to solo while cycling through the X, Y and Z categories! This is a great, brain friendly method that reminds us that we have more than one tool in the toolbox!

Welcome to the SIP method! I created this framework for practice to keep you focussed and enjoying what you are doing. I'm using BB King and Gary Moore's amazing live performance of the "Thrill is Gone" for a quick demonstration of the SIP method. It's a great place to start building your improvisation skills!

This is what lets you show your audience that you are a lead guitarist and not a noodler. The BluesBlock makes targeting the chord changes so straight forward and really helps you lock into the underlying chord progression be it blues, pop, funk or metal!

A fun but gruelling method that develops real fluidity over the fretboard. This should become a staple of your practice routine!

George Harrison once said of Eric Clapton "His solos are different.. they always go somewhere". I'm not sure how Clapton structures solos in his head but sometimes we all need a guide to show us the way! This failsafe framework will always have your back.

Changing key to match the underlying chords is a really advanced skill made simple using the BluesBlock. A great tool to have at your fingertips. Also, be warned! The GilMoore plugin can suck you in as you start letting loose on ballad style solos! This is a LOT of fun.

Soloing in Major keys can be very simple and sound great! It can also be quite complex with many cool options for those who want to dig deeper. In this lesson we stop at the simple but all the strategies you need can be found in the Major Soloing course. 

At this point, if you have really put the time and effort into the course you need to start composing, creating and playing live. There are a number of ways to share your music but this is definitely not the end of the road there are so many avenues to explore.