More
- Rock Ballad SoloLEVEL 4Focuses on different phrasing techniques like slide, bending,, vibrato, question and answer.
- Pop Rock BalladLEVEL 7Pop Rock ballad Solo teaching importance of dynamics and phrasing control.
- Hard Rock Ballad SoloLEVEL 5This is a ballad style solo, focusing on vibrato, melody and bluesy phrasings in the style of Slash and Zakk Wylde.
- Rock Ballad Solo in A MinorLEVEL 4A melodic hard rock ballad solo in A minor.
- Lydian Rock BalladLEVEL 7Let's explore the famous lydian mode.
- Space Rock BalladLEVEL 7Mystical composition with open chords & Emotional phrasing
- Your first Rock BalladLEVEL 1Learn the Am & Em chords, then play your first rock ballad!
- Epic Ballad SoloLEVEL 6Learn to create a melody by thinking as a singer and not just as a guitar player. An emotional ballad is a good start for this.
- Beginner Ballad SoloLEVEL 3Groovy rhythm, sus chords & dynamic melodies.
Feedback
Gabriel Leopardi31st August 2021Thanks Gabriel for taking the time to develop your answer!
The concept is ok to understand, and when I tried to put it in pratice, my brain fried :-D
In the Am scale, spotting the VI (F), the III © and the VII (G) and each time finding the 3rd of each note... and then in different positions... I almost had a brain damage :-)
I guess to goal is to vary the target note using the 5th, the root and the 7th... so after 2h exercising I mentally changed scale/mode with each chord. And somehow chances are high to land on the root/5th/3rd/7th by ear without thinking too much. And is easier when moving on the neck when you know your shapes. Mentoring can definitely be an option.
Ok! Let's continue HERE.
Hamid29th August 2021Thanks Gabriel for taking the time to develop your answer!
The concept is ok to understand, and when I tried to put it in pratice, my brain fried :-D
In the Am scale, spotting the VI (F), the III © and the VII (G) and each time finding the 3rd of each note... and then in different positions... I almost had a brain damage :-)
I guess to goal is to vary the target note using the 5th, the root and the 7th... so after 2h exercising I mentally changed scale/mode with each chord. And somehow chances are high to land on the root/5th/3rd/7th by ear without thinking too much. And is easier when moving on the neck when you know your shapes. Mentoring can definitely be an option.- Gabriel Leopardi28th August 2021I really love the way you teach, your call and respose lesson was great and this lesson is awesome!!!
You wrote that the notes played follow the chords, it is not necessarily obvious to me as I see those Single notes all as part of the C# minor scale and moving around in a melodic way. It seems to seamless and smooth when compared to a standard blues where the next chord or scale choice is intuitive. Is it really possible to improvise this way AND thinking of the chords at the same time? It so melodic that it seems impossible, any suggestions to develop this skill? Or just stick to the scale and be more creative?
Hi Hamid, thanks for your words about my lessons.
I understand what you mean, and it's exactly what I asked to my teacher when I was studying composition. The answer was simple, you need to know the chord progression in advance in order to follow the chords while improvising. I remember that he said: "if you want to have a great time and enjoy the process, you should know the chords that are coming."
My approach to learn how to follow the chords was to work on triads and arpeggios, and then connect them with the full scales. It's a slow but beautiful process. However, you can also try the following exercise:
- Take a simple chord progression in any key. For example the one used in this lesson: Phrasing & Improvisation.
The progression is Am - F - C - G. The key is A minor.
- Start by playing 1 notes over each chord. This note should be the third of each chord. Over Am, you play C note (5th fret on 3 string), over F, you play A note (7th fret on 4th string), over C you play E note (5th fret on 2nd string), and over G you B note (4th fret on 4th string).
- Repeat this process for a while, and try to visualize A minor scale around this notes.
- Once you are comfortable, add some notes from the scale to connect the thirds of each chord.
This is the type of exercise that you need to practice. You can repeat this idea in other parts of the neck, and you can do the same with roots, and fifths of the chords. Let me know if it makes sense and feel free to write me a PM to start working on this at my mentoring program. - Hamid28th August 2021
I really love the way you teach, your call and respose lesson was great and this lesson is awesome!!!
You wrote that the notes played follow the chords, it is not necessarily obvious to me as I see those Single notes all as part of the C# minor scale and moving around in a melodic way. It seems to seamless and smooth when compared to a standard blues where the next chord or scale choice is intuitive. Is it really possible to improvise this way AND thinking of the chords at the same time? It so melodic that it seems impossible, any suggestions to develop this skill? Or just stick to the scale and be more creative? 
Kristofer Dahl29th May 2021Well spotted MisterM, I raised it to level 4!
@Gab killer melodies!! 👌- Gabriel Leopardi29th May 2021
Thanks a lot friends!
This is awesome. Some years ago I had a couple of lessons with Andy Timmons. He is all about melody. Great job here.
Wou! You're lucky! 
Monica Gheorghevici29th May 2021Very beautiful Gab!
- Tlabella28th May 2021
This is awesome. Some years ago I had a couple of lessons with Andy Timmons. He is all about melody. Great job here.
Manu RASSE28th May 2021Hi Coach
Absolutly great !!!
Final licks need a better technic => level 3 not suitable
- ClaudioStrat28th May 2021
this is beautiful Gabri
Practicing Peers
- Total views: 0
- Member views: 0
- Guest views: 0
- Lesson
- My notes
Hi GMC!
Welcome to this new lesson!
This time, I've recorded a melodic solo over a Ballad Rock backing track in C# minor inspired by some amazing Youtube guitarists like Stel Andre (I borrowed the first phrases from him! Check his channel HERE), Jack Thammarat, Andy James, Marco Sfogli but also by the classics Joe Satriani, John Petrucci and Andy Timmons.
The main idea of this lesson to show you some techniques and concepts used to improvise melodically over backing tracks. We'll see different ideas on how to structure your solos, and develop your phrases to make your jams sound like actual pre-made songs.
Chord Progression:
| C#m7 | Asus2 | E | B5 | x4
| A | C#m7 | B | % | x2
Key:
C# minor
Guitar tone:
To record guitars, I’ve used Neural DSP Archetype Plini. Click HERE to download this preset.
Download all my Neural DSP’s presets HERE.
Jump to start: Home or `s` , you can also click/tap the lesson part again (the numbers above player)
Go to next part: PageUP or End.
Volume: ArrowUp / ArrowDown keys
Go to any part: Number keys (combinations also possible)
Pause or play: `k` or space key
Fullscreen: `f`, esc to close
Increase / decrease speed : `+` or `-`
