leads... ?

[graver]

hi everyone. i m practicing leads now days .... so my question is like how shall i practice for that. like shall i keep a scale in front of me and go through fretboard note by note.. so that i learn that what note comes where, i am practicing for my ear as well as that which notes is where on fretboard.. so that if i listen to any solo or any lead part. or like any solo/melody comes in mind so that i can play that easily... i hope you understand my question....so please can you tell me that exactly how shall i practice.. ?

[chuck]

I think it really depends on what you want to practice, what you want to get out of it and I myself am starting to do this. The best thing to probably do is start with the Major scale and work into modes and how these get applied to certain keys. It is always good to learn by ear. I will state something that John Petrucci stated on his Rock Discipline training DVD (definately worth a purchase). When you see articles or lessons online or in magazines, setup a folder for each different type of study: Arpeggios, Scales, Speed Exercises, Sweeping etc..Then when you find articles or lessons on those areas you add them to the folder. You may then say allocated 2 hours a day to practicing say in your case Scales, Modes and Accuracy. Take out those folders and allocate time to each folder and study that for the time frame. Having a good study routine will definately make you progress faster instead of just sitting down and going all over the place with exercises and such without having an actual routine. It is also always good to concentrate on things that are difficult for you more than things that come easier to you. Anywho...learn scales and training by ear..It definitely will not hurt..Hope this helps..Later!

[JohnJumper]

Check out the calendar some of us on this site have put together. There is a little bit to practice each day. www.365practicesessions.com (http://www.365practicesessions.com)

[Bullhead]

Learning how to play leads doesnt just come to you overnight! (it didnt for me anyways). It takes lots of practice! heres some advice that helped me out.

Start off learning something easier like the pentatonic scale, it sounds kind of plain, but you can do alot of things with that scale and its an easy scale to learn.
Learn some of the leads to the music you listen to. I have guitar-pro, and i get a tab of one of the songs i want to play, then i go to the lead part with the speed trainer go through and repeat the lead sequence real slow, and you can set it up to go a little faster everytime you run through it.
And if you have the equipment to, it is really helpful to record an easy three chord progression, then improvise a solo over it.. it really helps you get an idea of what sounds good, and what doesnt..
Good luck !

[graver]

how do pentatonic exactly help .. wud it be like ..it will divide my practice into steps.. that first i will practice a 5 note scale... and when i become good on it .. then i move onto a normal (7note) maj/min scale .. is it like that .. ?