Learning ALL of a song.

[Zarathustra]

I've been playing for a couple of years, and I'm still not really able to play a whole song. I learned pretty much all of Metallica's Kill 'Em All album during the summer, but I just couldn't get the solos up to speed, and I ended up getting frustrated and skipping each song because of the solos. Now my question is, should I be forcing myself to get these songs (Or any songs I start) down in their entirety?

[xenor]

Look at the music as climbing to stairs and have goals just one step higher; no more. If the solo is too hard; find an easier solo. That way; you'll progress and don't get dissapointed with your technique.

[Zarathustra]

Thanks, but honestly I'm having trouble finding solos that are easier than Four Horsemen.

[Dimebag]

if your into metallica (which everyone should be, the first 3 albums specially were masterpieces) try lookin at the solos in nothin else matters, for whom the bell tolls, and the first 2 solos in one (the one right at the begining and the one half way, theyre both played with no distortion, kinda classical, the fast solo is just plain lunacy) and maybe enter sandman. Try writing your own solos as well. Just write em slow so that you get a good sounding solo, then just build up the speed. The only way to get a song that is perfect for you to play is by writing one yourself. Only you can play something in your style, and thats one of the reasons why learning other peoples solos is hard, theyre built in to that persons style. I often do that when im learning a new technique like sweeping. Just spend a bit of time writing one, then speed it up gradually.

[wild_child]

The great thing about all metallica songs is that they have two guitar parts. There's always a rhythm part for you to play behind the solo, why not do that? Obviously you can work on the solos, but whenever you sit down to play along with the track, you'll be able to play the whole song and not wind up getting frustrated. I believe the majority of the rhythm guitar behind the solos in kill 'em all is a riff used somewhere else in the song, so you probably know it already.

i remember a few years ago i wanted to play the solos to master of puppets more than anything in the world, I got the slow solo down ok (i prefer that one anyway) but the frenzied second solo was a little too much for me, although it was ok cause i could play the verse riff already. i just went with that and pretended i was James Hetfield infront of my cd player :cool:

much practice, sweat and hard work later, i could finally pretend i was kirk instead! whether that makes me a better guitarist.. well the jury's out on that one... :p but the point is i could play the track the whole way through and get equal satisfaction regardless of my technical abilities.

as always though, if you wanna nail these solos, youre gonna have to break out the metronome and woodshed for as long as it takes.

[Dimebag]

Yeah, wild child knows it. I cant play any kill em all solo's either, but just playing the rythm to seek and destroy makes me cream my pants. Its got some of the best fiffs ever in it, and even the ryjthm has some easy yet effective twiddles. hen theres the riff just after the short drum interlude thats fairly fast thrash. As wild child said, i like to pretend im james and just get into the stance infront of the mirror with my legs wide apart, then just play it all downpicking. That songs all about spot on timing, and its my favourite song ever to play, despite the fact i can't play the solos.

[GuitarLausing]

Yeah, learn the nothing else matters solo. It's really easy and I learned it like a year and can play it correct, but it's like theres something lacking. I can't make it sound like when James play it. So i do my own thing, and take that solo and play it in my own style.
At jamsessions, where i've played that song alot and when i was trying to play the solo 100% correct, I screwed up every time. When I played it my own way, i could really pull it off with flying colors, just by changing some of the parts where i usually screwed up while playing the original, with something that i think sounds better and feels better to execute. I've gotten a lot of complements since i started putting my own things into my playing. So if you think its too hard or it sounds strange, try experimenting to see if you can come up with something in the same style that you think sound better yourself.

If you just want to learn a solo correctly, i recommend slowing it down to a level where you can play the solo piece-of-cake without thinking about, just to get the timing and hand positions right. If it feels to easy, don't make it harder for yourself.
Stay at the same level until you can do it 100% there, then take it up a few bpm's every day until you're up to speed.

Whatever you do, don't get fanatic about it. If you're getting frustrated then do something else, Rome wasn't built in a day.

[Los Boleros]

Some good advice here!

I think that solos are somewhat personal and to learn someone elses solo down to the exact feel is rather difficult. (At least until you reach a much higher lever of your musical carrer. Who knows, maybe at that point you would be into metal anymore) Anyway I think you should not think that playing your own solos is a bad thing. It is a good thing.

[diron]

First post :D

I've found myself having the same problem recently.

I can play a couple songs start to finish, but in Metallicas Master of Puppets I cant play the fast solo... just too much for me right now.

A small suggestion when this happens, it to re-write the music, firmiliarize yourself with the notes and you'll have a better understanding of it when you try to play it up to speed..