Metal Mike: Break Your Rhythm and Build Confidence in Taking the Lead

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While doing my metal guitar workshops, one of the topics I hear a lot about is the art of tackling the ability to play lead guitar.

I often hear guitarists tell me they want to know how they can begin to play more lead in their band. They are interested in sharpening their skills, but they seem afraid and unsure of just how to dive in. Often they feel there is an invisible wall stopping them. They just don’t know.

I've been thinking about it for a bit and realized there is a gray factor that surrounds this. This gray factor has mostly nothing to do with the technical side of learning how to play (scales, techniques, etc.). It is more of a mental battle in honestly becoming open to learning something new.

It’s One Big Puzzle

First, I have never looked at guitar playing as falling into two separate categories consisting of lead and rhythm. I just thought of it all as guitar playing. I don’t know why these two have become so segregated. Many people think playing lead is harder than playing rhythm, but believe it or not, there are countless guitarists who feel the opposite way. They both take a lot of hard work to master.

Know that if you are interested in becoming a better lead player, the “interest” is often your “talent” telling you to give it a shot. What happens is that life gives us these little nudges of interest on different topics that we can ignore or check into. In my view, whatever interests you is very often something you can become good at.

If you doubt it, I still have good news. With practice, we can become better at almost anything. Just because you will not become a professional football player doesn't mean you cannot get good at throwing a football. I really believe that if you have no talent at all in something, you can still become better at it with practice.

The "Lead guitar isn't my thing" statement has been around as long as wind, fire and water. Let me ask you: Do you hate guitar leads? If you really hate them, then stop reading right here. Then again, ask yourself why you got this far in the first place.

Fear is a four-letter word. Let’s be frank. Most of the time, fear is a sneaky, destructive snake that slivers into everyone’s psyche. And if I had to pinpoint one thing that stops anyone from starting to learn to be better at anything, not only lead guitar -- it's fear. We are afraid of sucking at a task. We are also afraid that it will take a lot more time and effort to learn something. We fear leaving our comfort zone. So, we say the heck with it!

Like the posters in offices across the world say, "Remember that everything is hard before it becomes easy."

Learn how to record a simple rhythm track and solo over it. It does not matter how bad it sounds. You will hear what sounds bad -- and then you'll improve it. Be honest and you'll get better. Listening to your playing recorded is like looking in the mirror -- you know what you like and what you do not like. Save the good, fix the bad. Recording is the best and often quickest way of improving on the guitar.

Above all, I just want you to know that you should see a big green light that says "Go” in front of you if you are thinking of learning new guitar techniques -- lead or whatever else. Do it! And just as important, keep those horns swinging high!

Polish-born Metal Mike Chlasciak has recorded or performed with heavy metal greats Rob Halford, Sebastian Bach, Bruce Dickinson and Axl Rose. Mike is the long-time guitarist for Judas Priest frontman Rob Halford's solo endeavor, Halford. Mike's new album, The Metalworker, is due in spring. For more info, check out his official website and visit him on Twitter.