If you are a beginner guitarist learning the electric guitar, you undoubtedly want to get started playing solos as soon as possible.
I have good news for you!
There are tons of easy electric guitar solos that are perfect for beginners!
Here is my list of the 10 greatest beginner guitar solos.
Contents
Van Halen - Ain't Talkin Bout Love
Van Halen released the song in 1978 on their debut album, Van Halen. It was the 3rd single, because they didn't really like the song.
The solo is very easy, you can play it with a single finger. One of the interesting things about it, which makes it pretty unique, is the use of the open high E string as a drone. It gives the solo an exotic kind of sound I think. Another interesting fact about it is that it was doubled in overdubs with an electric sitar.
Here are the tabs to the Ain't Talking About Love solo.
e|-------0----0----------------------0----------------------------------0--|
B|------10---10--10-12~-------------10---12N-12N-12N-13N-13N-13N-*12-8-----|
G|-9-12------------------------9-12----------------------------------------|
D|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-------0----0--------0--------------------------------------------|
B|------10---12--13---15---13--15/17--17/20---17^20^17--17^20^17----|
G|-9-12---------------------------------------------------------20--|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------------------------------------|
B|--17^20^17--17^20^17--17--------------------------|
G|----------20--------20--19b21-19--0---------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
RHCP - Californication
Californication by the Red Hot Chili Peppers' was released in 2000 on the album Californication. This was RHCP's seventh studio album. The song itself discusses the darker aspects of Hollywood and Western culture.
The great John Frusciante plays the solo in the song, I think it is really cool and fun to play. If you have a band, this is a great song to learn with your band buddies.
Here are the tabs to the Californication solo.
e|----------------9----------------------------------9-------------------------------------------|
B|---------10--------------------------------10--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------11b--11---------------------11b-----11--11--11--11p9-----------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------11--11-|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------------------9------12----14---------9--12--------|
B|--------------------------------------------------10-------------------------10----------------|
G|----------------9-----11b--------9-------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-----9--11---------------------------------11--------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----14b------------17----16---14---------------14----------------------------------------------|
B|------------------------------------------17---------------17-------14-----17---14-14--14--14---|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 16b-16b-16b--|
D|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------------14br——12------------12-----------------------------12---10–9---------------|
B|----17-----14-----------------------14-------------14-----12---------------------------10------|
G|--------------------------------------------------------------------14-------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Metallica - Nothing Else Matters
The song was released as the third single from their album, Metallica, in 1992. Nothing Else Matters was a great hit, and I think it still is today. It peaked at #11 in the US, and #6 on the UK Singles Chart.
James Hetfield plays the guitar solo, which is rare as he usually plays rhythm and sings. The solo is played mostly on the E minor pentatonic scale, with the blues note added.
Here are the tabs to the Nothing Else Matters solo.
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
b|---15--------15------------------------------------------|
g|---14b16-----14b16b14----12---14-12-11-12-11----11-------|
D|---------------------------------------------14----12-14-|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------12-------12-----------------------------|
b|-----------------------------15-12-----------------------|
g|-12-14-12--14b16----14b16----------15-12-15-14-12h14p12--|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
b|-15----15------------------------------------------------|
g|-14b16-14b16b14-12---------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|--/15-14----15-14--15/17-15--14h15p14----15-14-----------|
b|---------12---------------------------12-------12--------|
g|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------12----------------|
b|------------15----------------------12----12-15----------|
g|--12-14-12--14b16b14p12----12-14b16----------------------|
D|------------------------14-------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
e|---------------------------------------------------------|
b|--15b17b15p12--15b17--------12--15--12----/7--5--7--5----|
g|---------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------|
Green Day - Holiday
This song was released in 2005 on Green Day's 7th album, American Idiot.
The solo is very simple, but still sounds great. Beginners really dig it, because it is easy to learn.
Here are the tabs to the solo to Green Day's Holiday.
e|--------------------------------8---8----------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-6-6-6-8-9---------8-5--------6---6----6-6-6-8-9-----------8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-13-17-17-17|
G|-----------8-6-5------5-----5---------------------8-6-5----------------------------------------------------|
D|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-----------------------|
B|-17-17-17-17-17-18~----|
G|-----------------------|
D|-----------------------|
A|-----------------------|
E| ----------------------|
Nirvana - Smells like Teen Spirit
This super famous song was released as the lead single from Nirvana's second album, Nevermind, in 1991. The song pretty much defined an entire generation, it was popular across the globe.
To play the solo properly, you will need to learn to do string bends with your pinky . This will be hard at first, but as you develop your finger strength and coordination, it will become easy.
Here are the tabs to the solo to Smells Like Teen Spirit.
e|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
B|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
G|---------8---10-------|----8-8b(10)r(8)-6-5-|---5-6-5---------|---------------------|
D|----8/10------------6-|---------------------|-----------8---6-|----8-8b(10)r(8)-6-5-| x2
A|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
E|----------------------|---------------------|-----------------|---------------------|
* * * *
e|----------------|----------------|
B|----------------|----------------|
G|----------------|----------------|
D|----6-5-----6-5-|----6-5---6-5-5|
A|----------------|----------------|
E|----------------|----------------|
*
e|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|
B|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|
G|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|
D|-3---6-5-----6-5-|----6-5---6-5-5-| x3, |-3---------------|
A|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|
E|-----------------|-----------------| |-----------------|
The White Stripes - 7 Nation Army
This song was released in 2003 on the band's 4th album, Elephant.
This track is a genuine treat for newbies who are into the electric guitar, as it's quite simple to learn and play.
When you listen to the song, you may notice that it sort of sounds out-of-tune at times. This is because they play the solo with a guitar slide.
If you like this solo, you may want to check out other songs by the band. They composed pretty simple melodies, great for beginners. It just goes to show you that you don't need super complicated riffs to write great songs.
Here are the tabs to the 7 Nation Army solo.
e|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|-9--9-9-9-9/12b--11~---9-9-12-14-12--12-12/14-12-11~~------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------| x2
e|-12--12-15-12-12-15b--14~---12--12-15-17-15--15-15/17-15-14~-----------|
B|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|-12--12-14-12-12-15b-14~~~---12--12-14-12-12-14-12-------------------------|
B|---------------------------------------------------13-12-------------------|
G|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|---------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Red Hot Chilli Peppers - Can't stop
Can't Stop was published on the band's 2002 album titled By The Way. It was actually one of the very few RHCP tracks in which the lyrics were authored after the music was written.
The solo uses lot's of whole-tone bends, but other than that, it is more than suitable for beginner guitar players.
Here are the tabs to the Can't Stop solo.
e|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
B|-15b17-----15b17---15---15---12---12----------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------12---12-------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Eric Clapton - Wonderful Tonight
The song was released in 1977 on Eric Clapton's 5th album, Slowhand. The story behind the song is an interesting one. Clapton wrote the song about George Harrison’s ex-wife, Pattie Boyd, whom Clapton married in 1979.
The solo in the song is actually sort of the intro riff. It is very memorable and pleasant to the ear.
Here are the tabs to the Wonderful Tonight solo.
e|----------------------12--------17br-15-15-----17br-15-14---------------------|
B|-------------12h13h15----15--15-------------15------------17-15-13-13h15------|
G|-------12h14------------------------------------------------------------------|
D|-12h14------------------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
e|--------------14b-----------------------------------------------------10h12-10|
B|-12-15--12-15-----13/15-13-12-12h13p12--------------------------12-13---------|
G|---------------------------------------14-12----12--------12-14---------------|
D|---------------------------------------------14-----12h14---------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
Slash - Godfather Theme
Godfather is one of the best movies of all time. It turns out that Slash (Guns N Roses, Slash's Snakepit) likes the movie as well. So much, that he played an interpretation of the movie's main theme song, Speak Softly Love.
Turn up your distortion and get ready to learn a real crowd-pleaser at concerts. Tune in a bit of delay as well to get the perfect tone.
Here are the tabs to Slash's Godfather Theme solo.
e|--t10---9-10-t11---10-10-/5---5~~---|
B|------------------------------------|
G|------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------| x2
A|------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------|
e|--t10---9-10-t13---10-9-12-11-9-10-9-5-6-5-7-8-3~~|
B|--------------------------------------------------|
G|--------------------------------------------------|
D|--------------------------------------------------|
A|--------------------------------------------------|
E|--------------------------------------------------|
e|---9-12-11-9-12-9-11-9--------------------------|
B|-9---------------------9-8~~--------------------|
G|------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------|
e|---9-12-11-9-12-9-11-9--------------------------------------|
B|-9---------------------9-8-t7---9-12-14-t17---9-12-14-15h16-|
G|------------------------------------------------------------|
D|------------------------------------------------------------|
A|------------------------------------------------------------|
E|------------------------------------------------------------|
e|----------------------------------------------|
B|-9-9-10-9-13-12-9-6-7~~-----------------------|
G|----------------------------------------------|
D|----------------------------------------------|
A|----------------------------------------------|
E|----------------------------------------------|
Elvis Presley - Heartbreak Hotel
The song was recorded Elvis Presley and released as a single on January 27, 1956.
This is a fantastic solo for beginners. You can play it on the acoustic as well if you like, but it sounds best on the electric of course. You’ll use pretty much every single lead guitar technique known to man with this solo. It is in the key of E by the way.
Here are the tabs to the Heartbreak Hotel solo.
e|12-12-12-12--------12|12-12-12-12-12-------|
B|12-12-12-12-12-15--12|12-12-12-12----12-15|
G|X--------------------|---------------------|
D|X--------------------|---------------------|
A|X--------------------|---------------------|
E|X--------------------|---------------------|
e|12-12-12-12-------12|12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12-12|
B|12-12-12-12-12-15---|16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16-16|
G|X-------------------|-----------------------------------|
D|X-------------------|-----------------------------------|
A|X-------------------|-----------------------------------|
E|X-------------------|-----------------------------------|
These were my favorite solos, I hope you like them. If you want to learn even more, check out this list of easy guitar solos on TheGuitarLesson.com. There are many more to choose from, all of which will increase your knowledge and guitar skills.
The best part about learning to play solos from real songs is that you get to practice important lead guitar skills in a fun way, through using them to make real music.
Have fun, and if you have any other solos you love, leave a comment and let me know!