How To: Play solos on the acoustic guitar

This two part series teaches how to improvise playing solos. First we'll review the basic 12 notes of the scale, which we need to know in order to begin working with keys and lead guitar scale patterns. I'll explain how the 12 notes of the scale relate to the guitar fretboard. This will serve as a basis for all things that follow, including barre chords.

I will introduce the Minor Pentatonic scale as an easy to follow pattern, and then show you how to find the correct key, or position, on the fretboard to play that soloing pattern. I have a trick I'll explain for finding the correct key to solo in by ear. I hope to engage some of you to help each other by posting links to sound files that we can all use to practice our soloing.