Solo Writing Secrets (Part 1) – Original Song, Step-by-Step Breakdown

Ever wonder how to turn a chord progression into a real solo? In this video, I'll take you behind the scenes and show you exactly how I built the first half of a brand new solo from scratch - no fluff, just real world playing strategies you can use today.

Welcome to Solo Writing Secrets, Part 1!

Today’s episode is something different — I’m walking you through the first half of a solo I wrote for a new original song. I’ll break it down phrase by phrase, explaining not only what I played but why I chose each idea.

You’ll see how to:

Write solos over chord changes
Connect licks across the neck
Use techniques like bends, legato, pedal tones, and arpeggios
Build musical tension and resolution

If you’re working on your own soloing skills, this lesson will give you tools, inspiration, and a real-world example of how to turn scales into music.

The Chord Progression

We’re in the key of C# minor, but the progression starts on A to add movement.

Here’s the full progression:

A → C# minor → E → F#

These chords give us an emotional, modern rock/blues feel with enough variation to make solo phrasing interesting.

Phrase Breakdown (Part 1)

Phrase 1: Over the A chord

Uses the 12th fret on B and 9–11 on high E
Targets the major 7th of A (for tension)

Phrase 2: Over the C# minor chord

Continues from Phrase 1
Hammer-on from 12 to 14, resolving to the C# root

Phrase 3: Over the E chord

Stays in pattern 4 of C# minor, outlining the E root

Phrase 4: Over the F# chord

A climbing run: 16–18–19 across G, B, and high E
Culminates with a strong note on the 19th fret E string

Phrase 5: Descending & Quintuplets

Pull-offs from 17–16 and a big bend on 19 (B string)
Two quick quintuplet groupings (5-note phrases)
First one ends on 11 (G string), second ends on 11 (D string)
Brings us down into pattern 1 of C# minor

Phrase 6: Arpeggio Shape

We move to a low-position arpeggio that outlines C# minor:

Root → minor 3rd → 5th → flat 7 → octave
Notes: 4, 7 (A string), 6 (D), 4, 6 (G)

A smooth way to travel the neck and break up scalar motion.

Phrase 7: Pedal Tone Technique

This one uses an upper pedal tone at the 7th fret (high E string) and moves other notes underneath it:

On B string: 7, 5, 4
On G string: 6, 4
Each note returns to the high E 7th fret for contrast

This creates a climbing, melodic feel while still staying anchored to one tone.

Phrase 8: Wrapping Up Part 1

The second pedal tone section continues the same pattern in reverse and ends with a short walk-up — setting us up for legato technique, which will begin in Part 2 (in the podcast episode).

Play Along With Me!

Once you’ve worked through each lick, try playing it along with me at 50 bpm — slower than the full song tempo of 78 bpm. This helps lock in each phrase before moving up to speed.

What’s Next?

The second half of this solo is featured in tomorrow’s Play Guitar Podcast. We’ll pick up right where we left off and take it to the finish line.

If you're an Academy member, you’ll also find:

Full tab
Guitar Pro files
Backing track for practice

Available now inside your member dashboard!

Free Resource for Soloing Practice

If you’re working on your lead playing, don’t miss this free email course:

Blues Solo Breakthrough: 6 Steps to Confident, Killer Solos
You’ll learn how to apply scales musically, avoid the “noodling trap,” and build solos that tell a story.

Let Me Know What You Think!

Was this solo walkthrough helpful? Do you want more behind-the-scenes breakdowns like this?

Drop a comment on the video and let me know — I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for watching today's video and don’t forget to check out the podcast tomorrow for the conclusion!

▶▶ Want to start writing solos that actually go somewhere? Grab my free email course, Blues Solo Breakthrough, and learn the 6 steps to confident, killer solos— https://www.playguitaracademy.com/bluessolobreakthrough

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