| The image of a lead electric guitarist rocking out | | | | verses with the chorus, the solo often falls |
| on a solo is probably one of the most ubiquitous | | | | between the second chorus and third verse. The |
| images associated with the rock and roll industry. | | | | other common approach is to place the solo at |
| Whether you associate rock guitar solos with the | | | | the end of the song. These solos are usually |
| afros, fringe and political turmoil of Jimi Hendrix's | | | | extended and create a memorable finale to the |
| age or the spandex, makeup and general | | | | melody. Songs like Guns N' Roses's "November |
| debauchery of the 1980s, these musical | | | | Rain" and The Eagles's "Hotel California" are |
| masterpieces are undeniably part of the American | | | | examples of the effectiveness of such wrap-up |
| rock and roll heritage. Of course, guitar solos can | | | | solos. Of course, "Hotel California" is also begun |
| be and are used in any kind of music, and genres | | | | with a guitar solo, albeit a shorter one, so one |
| like jazz, swing and blues regularly make use of | | | | might say that that particular song is bracketed |
| them. But there's nothing quite like the piercing | | | | by guitar solos. |
| notes from an electric guitar as it makes its | | | | Other famous guitar solos from the rock genre |
| presence known on the stage of a rock and roll | | | | include those in Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to |
| concert. | | | | Heaven," Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb" and Jimi |
| Perhaps the reason that guitar solos are so often | | | | Hendrix's "All Along the Watchtower." And let us |
| associated with rock music is the singularly | | | | not forget the song that Michael J. Fox |
| dramatic effect of the performance. The electric | | | | memorably revamped in "Back to the Future," |
| guitar is amplified, sometimes to the point of | | | | Chuck Berry's immortal "Johnny B. Goode." |
| threatening the audience's ear drums, and often | | | | It is worth mentioning that in many rock bands, |
| played with a technique known as distortion. This | | | | two guitarists actually are actually responsible for |
| technique makes the instrument's sounds fuller | | | | the guitar solo(s). The lead guitarist is the one you |
| and adds harmonic overtones, making for an | | | | notice, the one making the incredible music, but |
| even more spectacular overall impression. And of | | | | the rhythm guitarist is just as important, as he |
| course, the other essential component to a good | | | | accompanies the lead with chords and riffs. Also |
| rock and roll guitar solo is an enthusiastic | | | | occasionally heard are solos by bass guitarists, |
| performance. It's all very well for a guitarist to be | | | | although these are less popular in rock music than |
| insanely talented and able to induce incredible | | | | in genres such as heavy metal, jazz, and punk. |
| music from his instrument, but if he can also | | | | When they are used in rock music, bass solos are |
| manage to thrash around on stage as though | | | | structured and performed in a similar fashion to |
| having an epileptic fit, so much the better. | | | | that of a typical guitar solo, sometimes with the |
| As a general rule, the rock guitar solo is a | | | | musical accompaniment from the verse or chorus |
| relatively short and purely instrumental portion of | | | | section. |
| a song. In the classic song form that alternates | | | | |