What's the difference between a good and a bad solo?

[Milo]

I think there are two kinds of guitar solo in rock music
-the first one is solos that really seem to be improvised, like in the Darkness song ("i believe in a thing called love"), or in "another brick in the wall" (although this one is not bad).. these kind of solo is easy to be improvised but has nothing to do with the second kind of solo

-the second kind is solos that seems perfect, solos that you like to sing while listening to them, example Stairway to heaven, hotel california, beat it solo, "smoke on the water", "bohemian rhapsody" slow solo, "no one like you" solos (scorpions), "fade to black" FIRST solo, "master of puppets" slow solo... and the last one, as a very good example, the guitar solo in Johnny B. Goode in the back to the future Soundtrack: this one is perfect, all the licks in that solo are incredibly well linked to each other, and make it stunning... and i wonder "how did he start composing from nothing and end up with such a solo!"

Now, according to you, what are the difference between the first and the second kind of solo? except the fact that it improvised or not improvised

[zeppenwolf]

-the second kind is solos that seems perfect, solos that you like to sing while listening to them, example Stairway to heaven /.../ Now, according to you, what are the difference between the first and the second kind of solo? except the fact that it improvised or not improvised
The solo to Stairway was not only improvised but recorded in one take.

If you want a good example of composed solos, you could use "Flying High Again" by Ozzy; all of Randy's solos were composed.

For most songs I don't think you can tell just by listening to it, so how could you say there is a difference between them in the first place?

Eden

[Axe-aholic]

Improvised solos can be just a 'good' as written ones.

When you improvise, the goal is to play the melody in your head, not just link a bunch of licks. When you achieve the goal then the solo is 'good' regardless of whether anyone likes it or not, imo.

[JeffN]

Someone once said

"Good improvised music sounds composed, and good composed music sounds improvised"

[Lars]

I would tend to think there are (yes,) 2 types of solos.
The Melodic, or the Mechanical. Melodic solos go with the bass and other instruments in mind, and after listening to it you can conveniently hum all of it to yourself. A good example is David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, Yngwie Malmsteen

For Mechanical, I think Eddie Van Halen has a lot of it, because he has so much mechanical skill on display, and you might not be able to hum it out... easily.

This is how I judge a solo...

[Caffeinated Cat]

For me, a good solo digs into the melodic and harmonic content of the song and takes it somewhere higher. It can be fast, slow, improvised or composed.

A bad solo is one where the player ignores the melodic and harmonic content of the song, plays something that really doesn't have much to do with the song, doesn't take the song anyplace. Just a bunch of notes like he's not too interested in the song, bored with it, didn't have any ideas in the first place. Technique for the purpose of showing off technique, not adding to the song. Or of course it can also be bad if the guitarist tries to do all the good stuff but just plain doesn't have the chops to pull it off.

[Koala]

Goods what you like, bads what you dont. Theres no formula, or no rules to grade solos. A one note solo can be brutal sometimes, other times you need 32nd notes at 320 bpm.

[oRg]

I love legato solos. The fluid sound of legato really appeals to me. I guess that's one of the reasons I like Allan Holdsworth. He's a mechanical player but his mechanics are fluid yet he still makes time for the melodic stuff. I guess my answer to the question "what's the difference between a good and bad solo?" is this: It once again comes down to personal preference. What you may think as a horrible solo may actually be thought of as one of the best by someone else. You can really see this in alot of music that is played on the radio. Sometimes I think to myself "man this is a horrible solo" but I know there's someone out there thinking "man this solo is awesome". The only thing that establishes a difference between good music and bad music is you.

[EricV]

Steve Lukather is amazing when it comes to improvising solos that have a reat structure and both melodic and emotional content. I guess you get good at it when you do a lot of big recording sessions where the clock is ticking and you need to be able to come up with something good fast.

I agree that the difference between a good and a bad solo is subjective, and depends on your own preferences.
I can´t really tell what makes me think that a certain solo is good or not... I mean, I can listen to a PG solo, like the one in "Technical Difficulties" and get goosebumps, cuz it, to me, has dramatics and a serious vibe ( agression... ) combined with amazing chops, and next I can listen to, say, the solo in "Holy Mother" by Eric Clapton, where he plays the same note for several bars... very restricted, but very emotional, too
Eric

[Gandalv]

Goods what you like, bads what you dont. Theres no formula, or no rules to grade solos. A one note solo can be brutal sometimes, other times you need 32nd notes at 320 bpm.
Just out of curiosity, is 32nd-notes at 320 BPM possible? (ie. has anyone ever done it and survived?)

[EricV]

Nope. I don´t think it would even be possible to tell the different notes from each other. Too fast.

[Guitarperson88]

I love legato solos. The fluid sound of legato really appeals to me. I guess that's one of the reasons I like Allan Holdsworth. He's a mechanical player but his mechanics are fluid yet he still makes time for the melodic stuff. I guess my answer to the question "what's the difference between a good and bad solo?" is this: It once again comes down to personal preference. What you may think as a horrible solo may actually be thought of as one of the best by someone else. You can really see this in alot of music that is played on the radio. Sometimes I think to myself "man this is a horrible solo" but I know there's someone out there thinking "man this solo is awesome". The only thing that establishes a difference between good music and bad music is you.



Org, I as well love legato solos alot. Allan is nuts. To me, a good solo fits the song, It's just not random notes. Like, A good solo that fits to me is "Lights of heaven" By Joe Satriani. He goes nuts in a few parts, but he is so melodic and phrases the melodies.

A bad solo...hmmm well..I'd have to say i've heard some but i have to remember them.

[Alan(Lost)]

It's pretty simple. If people like a solo, it's good. If people hate a solo, it's bad! (that is people in general)

[Cronus]

I disagree. If YOU (the player) like the solo, it's good. If you hate the solo, it's bad. Just my opinion that the music you make should be for yourself first, and if the masses like it, cool. If not, then whatever. Of course that doesn't always work in the music business....

[Koala]

Just out of curiosity, is 32nd-notes at 320 BPM possible? (ie. has anyone ever done it and survived?)

:D Just a figure of speech Gandalv!