Almost every beginner guitarist dreams of playing their favorite solos, which rock the audience with awesome techniques, speed, and melodic compositions. But more than often, great solos are pretty difficult which require time and patience to play.
Before a beginner guitarist plays advanced stuff, it is a great idea to learn some easier solos to build up some speed, comfortability, and technique which will give you the confidence and technique to play your desired solos. This is a process every lead guitarist passes through before mastering their instrument.
Luckily, there are many easy guitar solos in every genre that are educative and fun to play simultaneously. Every one of them has something to teach you and make you practice some techniques while making you feel like a rockstar playing some of the most famous solos of music history.
Do not get upset if you can not play any partitions; just be patient and try until you can. And of course, do not forget to have fun and enjoy these fantastic solos. Ultimately, that is the final goal.
Smells Like Teen Spirit – Nirvana
Probably the most famous song of the grunge legends Nirvana, Smells Like Teen Spirit, rocked the world when it came out in 1991. With heavily distorted guitars, excellent riffs, and lyrics, along with its easy yet fantastic guitar solo, it is a brilliant song to learn for a beginner.
Following the vocal lines, the solo is not fancy, but it sounds great. You should watch out for the bends as they create the soul of the solo. Try to make them sound accurate and release them slowly as these are kind of bluesy bends.
Smells Like Teen Spirit Guitar Tabs
Sweet Child O’ Mine – Guns n’ Roses
Another classic hard rock hit, Sweet Child O’ Mine by the world-famous Guns n’ Roses, offer brilliant guitar solos and interludes for guitarists of every level. The song was released in 1987 and hit the charts strongly thanks to Slash’s amazing guitar playing and Axl Rose’s brilliant vocals.
The last solo of the song where the Wah is turned on is not suitable for beginners. But the first solo is great to play with its relatively slow tempo, melodic structure, and striking techniques. There are various types of bends, legatos, and slides in the solo, making it a great song to learn and master for beginners.
Sweet Child O’ Mine Guitar Tabs
If you also like to play some solos on your acoustic guitar you may want to check my post Top 35 Acoustic Guitar Solos You Must Learn – Tabs Included
Zombie – The Cranberries
The Cranberries classic and probably the most famous song of the band, Zombie, was released in 1994. The song got globally famous and hit the top of the charts with its political and unique lyrics, along with its straightforward but great-sounding guitar partitions.
The solo of the song consists of slow-paced parts with slides and double stops. It is a great solo to master the slide technique and get more comfortable around the fretboard.
Californication – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
One of the biggest hits of the American rock band Red Hot Chilli Peppers is undoubtedly Californication. Released in 1999, the song became one of the most performed tunes of the band while it also won a Grammy Award.
The solo of the song is an excellent example of how simplicity can sound amazing. It is very melodic and exciting, which makes it a great first solo to learn and master. Plus, it features some bends which will help you to progress with your technique.
Livin’ On A Prayer – Bon Jovi
The signature song of Bon Jovi, Livin’ On A Prayer, was released in 1986 and became the second chart-topper tune from the band. Thanks to its great riffs, talkbox solo, and excellent vocals, the piece is still one of the most sold releases in rock history.
The solo of the song is pretty straightforward, with single notes played in a rhythmic structure. As it uses different positions on the fretboard, it will help you get more comfortable with your instrument while you enjoy playing one of the most iconic solos of rock history.
Livin’ on a Prayer Guitar Tabs
If you want to get better at playing solos and learn some famous licks by legendary guitarists, make sure to check my post 50 Famous & Easy Rock Guitar Licks For Beginners
Don’t Stop Me Now – Queen
Don’t Stop Me Now is the 1978 hit of the English legends Queen. It is considered one of the most fantastic tunes of the band in which vocals, guitars, piano, drums, and bass all work together amazingly in harmony.
The solo is a typical Brian May solo which is highly melodic, following the chords nicely. You should crank up your gain to play the solo, and that is it. The rest is pretty straightforward.
Otherside – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ guitarist John Frusciante is known for their great-sounding yet straightforward guitar solos. So, another RHCP tune, Otherside, is the next tune on the list. It is an extremely melodic song with a short yet amazing solo.
There are only 4 notes on the solo, which are played rhythmically, accompanying the chords. There are some slides in between to keep things interesting. It is a great solo to learn for absolute beginners.
Fix You – Coldplay
Fix You is the 2005 hit song by the English alternative rock band Coldplay. With its slow tempo and sentimental atmosphere, the song was loved by the fans and hit the top of the charts.
The solo of the song is pretty easy and played with double stops. It is a quite melodic and straightforward solo with steady strummed double stops and slides between different notes. Perfect for total beginners.
If you find the following solos too hard for you, you may want to start with something easier in the following post Top 45 Famous & Easy Guitar Riffs For Beginners – Tabs Included
Come As You Are – Nirvana
Released in 1992, Come As You Are became one of the signature songs of the American grunge legend Nirvana. It is a great song to learn for beginners, thanks to its accessible guitar partitions.
The piece’s guitar solo is elementary, with all of its notes on two strings. The whole solo can be played in the same position, making it the perfect first solo to learn.
Seven Nation Army – The White Stripes
One of the most famous songs of all time is Seven Nation Army by The White Stripes. The tune’s famous melody has been used regularly in commercials, sports events, concerts. It also is the first melody most beginners learn on their guitars.
If you can play the melody, the solo won’t give you a hard time. It is even easier than the melody itself. Just turn on your gain and enjoy playing it.
Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd
When it comes to simple yet beautiful guitar solos, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd may be the first guitarist that comes to mind. His way of composing simple yet outstanding guitar partitions is more than extraordinary, making you genuinely feel the emotions on every note. Wish You Were Here is one of the most outstanding examples of this.
All of the solos in the song are amazing, relatively easy, and fun to play. Especially the first one after the intro is a great acoustic guitar solo, perfect for beginners.
Wish You Were Here Guitar Tabs
If you like slow songs and want learn more of them to add to your repertoire, make sure to check my post Top 40 Famous & Easy Slow Guitar Songs For Beginners – Tabs Included
Can’t Stop – Red Hot Chilli Peppers
Another Red Hot Chilli Peppers tune, Can’t Stop from 2002, is no different than other RHCP songs with its short and melodic solo. This one features a higher tempo than the rest making it more funky and fun to play.
The short solo features some nice bends and slides on lower strings. It is ultimately an easy solo that is educative and enjoyable at the same time.
Use Somebody – Kings Of Leon
Use Somebody is the hit song of the American rock band Kings of Leon. The song got globally famous immediately after its release in 2008 and won a Grammy Award in the same year.
The tune’s solo is easy and repetitive, which is a characteristic of alternative rock solos. With different notes steadily and repetitively picked on different strings, it is a lovely melodic solo.
Jailhouse Rock – Elvis Presley
The rock n’ roll king Elvis Presley’s Jailhouse Rock from 1957 is considered one of the greatest songs of all time. It is an iconic rock n’ roll song which you can feel in high spirits every second.
The solo features some double stops, bends, and chords, which are all characteristics of the genre. It is a short solo but great and fun to play, which gets you familiar with the rock n’ roll type guitar playing.
If you are liking this article and want to learn more electric guitar songs to play, you may want to check my post Top 60 Famous & Easy Electric Guitar Songs – Tabs Included
Killer Queen – Queen
Another great song on the list by the English legend Queen is Killer Queen from 1974. This song is considered the best sum-up of the band’s style, and it became the first big hit of the band, giving them colossal fame.
The classic Brian May solo follows the vocal lines with great little touches to it. It is exceptionally melodic and fun to play. It has some outstanding licks with bends and legatos, which sound great with a moderate amount of gain.
(Everything I Do) I Do It For You – Bryan Adams
(Everything I Do) I Do It for You is the power ballad of Canadian singer Bryan Adams, released in 1991. The song became a huge success topping the charts almost in every country and ultimately winning a Grammy Award.
Even though it looks complicated, the tune’s solo is effortless. It features a slow tempo and some basic techniques, making it a great solo to learn.
Everything I Do I Do It For You Guitar Tabs
Highway to Hell – AC/DC
One of the most classic rock songs on the list is Highway To Hell by AC/DC. The song features iconic riffs and guitar parts, so try to learn the whole song instead of just the solo. The good news, they are all really easy.
The guitar solo consists of bluesy licks, which are all easy to play. These licks are really classics that are used by many guitarists, from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Page. So learn the licks very well to create your own ones.
If you want to play some amazing riffs along those solos, you should check out my Top 60 Famous Easy & Intermediate Metal Riffs Ever – Tabs Included
American Idiot – Green Day
The punk rock band Green Day’s famous hit American Idiot features a highly entertaining solo that is great for beginner guitarists. A part of it is played with power chords followed by single repetitive notes with some slides in between. With some overdrive, it is a fun and easy solo to play.
Angels – Robbie Williams
The best-selling single of English pop singer Robbie Williams, Angels is another song with an extremely easy and short solo which is perfect for absolute beginners to add to their repertoire.
This is a short and repetitive solo that is highly melodic and fun to play. Be aware of the bends as they are the highlights of the solo, and they should be played correctly.
Whole Lotta Love – Led Zeppelin
Whole Lotta Love is one of the greatest songs of the American rock legends Led Zeppelin. Its solo is relatively easy and also a good practice with many bends, legatos, and scale runs.
Start slowly when playing and build up the speed as the high tempo of the song can be a challenge.
Madness – Muse
The 2012 hit song of the English rock band Muse, Madness is yet another tune with a superb solo to learn and master for beginners. It can be challenging as the solo features many different techniques, such as 3 note legatos and tremolo bar movements, but with some practice, you will master it in no time.
It is a fantastic solo to learn as it features some great-sounding licks and techniques. Listen to the solo carefully to play it close to the original recording.
We’re Not Gonna Take It – Twisted Sister
The 80’s hard rock tune by the Twisted Sister, We’re Not Gonna Take It, is not only remembered with the ridiculous hairstyles of the band but also with its good guitar riffs and solo.
The solo closely follows the vocal lines but adds some extra notes to keep things interesting. It also uses the tremolo bar to create nice vibrato effects, which are always fun to experiment with.
We’re Not Gonna Take It Guitar Tabs
Love Hurts – Nazareth
1974 rock hit Love Hurts by Nazareth is a slow-tempo rock song with a short but melodic solo full of bends and vibratos. It is the perfect solo to practice some fretting hand string movements.
The solo is literally crying with bends and vibratos, which give the tune a gloomy atmosphere. Try to adjust the pitches of the bends correctly to play it properly.
Paranoid – Black Sabbath
Paranoid by the hard rock pioneer band Black Sabbath is a must-learn song for every rock guitarist as it is one of the most iconic pieces of the genre. It features a fantastic solo by the great Tony Iommi, which any guitarist can play.
There are some fast pull-offs and bends, so start slowly and build up the speed later.
Holiday – Green Day
Holiday is one of the most famous songs of the punk rock giants Green Day. The tune features a simple solo that is suitable even for absolute beginners as the whole solo is played with single notes.
To keep things interesting, pay attention to the dynamics of the solo. This is one of the most effortless solos on the list: you will learn and master it in no time.
Nothing Else Matters – Metallica
One of the most famous and successful hits of the thrash metal legends Metallica is indeed Nothing Else Matters. The song has a slow tempo and is remembered with its fantastic solo, played by James Hetfield rather than Kirk Hammett.
The solo is reasonably easy with excellent licks to play, which are incredibly melodic. With a good amount of distortion, you will have the utmost fun learning and playing it.
Nothing Else Matters Guitar Tabs
Come Together – The Beatles
Released in 1969, Come Together is one of the most well-known pieces of the great The Beatles. The tune features an excellent solo in the middle of the song, which is mainly played on the same string.
This solo is another excellent solo to practice your bends. The second solo is also great to practice the positions on higher notes.
Gimme Shelter – The Rolling Stones
As one of The Rolling Stones classics, Gimme Shelter is a great song with a superb solo at the end. It is a highly melodic solo with many bends and bluesy licks. It features many characteristic licks that you should learn and apply for your own playing.
Where Is My Mind – Pixies
Where Is My Mind by Pixies is known chiefly as the soundtrack of the iconic movie Fight Club. It is a fantastic tune with a great melody, but even though it is not well-known, its short solo is also great for beginner guitarists.
The short solo features a lovely scale run, starting with bends and moving to the higher notes on lower strings. Pretty amazing to learn and play.
Stairway To Heaven – Led Zeppelin
The most iconic song of hard rock history is probably Stairway To Heaven by Led Zeppelin. With outstanding lyrics, amazing guitar partitions, its structure that slowly drives to the climax at the end along with Robert Plant’s perfect vocals, and Jimmy Page’s fantastic guitar truly takes you to heaven.
The iconic solo may not be the easiest, but it is easy enough for every player to practice and learn. It is a must-learn solo for every rock guitarist for sure. Take your time; practice it slowly, piece by piece. This solo has everything you need to practice, from impressive scale runs to great repetitive licks, excellent dynamics, and almost every technique you will need.
Stairway To Heaven Guitar Tabs
High and Dry – Radiohead
English alternative rock giants, Radiohead’s High And Dry is yet another great song with an easy and melodic solo. You can learn it pretty quickly as it is only played mostly with 2 strings. Let the E string ring throughout the song, and be careful with your picking hand to hit the strings correctly.
Wonderful Tonight – Eric Clapton
The guitar virtuoso Eric Clapton’s romantic piece Wonderful Tonight has a lovely solo suitable for beginner guitarists. The solo goes down and up the scale with some hammer-ons and bends. Listen to the song carefully to get the timings right.
I Love Rock ‘N Roll – Joan Jett
I Love Rock ‘N Roll by Joan Jett is an outstanding song for a beginner guitarist. Every part of the song is beginner-friendly, including its melodic solo.
The solo features nice bends, slides, mutes, and legatos: Everything you need just in a few bars. Add plenty of distortion and enjoy playing this classic rock solo.
I Love Rock ‘N Roll Guitar Tabs
Feel Fine – The Beatles
Another catchy yet straightforward solo from The Beatles can be found in the famous piece Feel Fine. It is an excellent first solo to learn as it is short, easy, and highly melodic.
This solo is also great to get comfortable with the slide technique as it features many of them. You should use a clean tone to sound like the recording.
Apache – The Shadows
A The Shadows classic, Apache is an excellent song to play for lead guitarists thanks to its structure without vocals allowing the electric guitar to shine. Hank Marvin’s beautiful melodies and his iconic use of the tremolo bar are utterly entertaining to play while it is not challenging even for beginners.
You should give your attention to the rhythmic patterns and timings to play the song correctly. After you get comfortable with the riffs and solos, you can add the iconic tremolo bar movements.
La Bamba – Ritchie Valens
The rock n’ roll version of the famous Mexican folk song La Bamba by Ritchie Valens features a lovely melodic solo that offers simple and great partitions for novice guitarists.
The solo starts with some nice arpeggios and goes on with repetitive single-note partitions. You will have to use different positions on the fretboard to play this solo.
Live Forever – Oasis
Live Forever by one of the greatest Britpop-rock bands of all time, Oasis, is yet another amazing song with a straightforward solo to add to your repertoire. The solo sounds terrific with the chord progression as it accompanies it truly well.
The solo features almost everything you need as a lead guitarist; lovely partitions that go well with the backing music, various techniques, and a unique style.
Island In The Sun – Weezer
The alternative rock hit from 2001, Island In The Sun by Weezer, features one of the most effortless solos to play on the list. The solo is short, straightforward, and played in a slow tempo, making it an excellent solo if you are just getting started playing lead guitar partitions.
Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix
When it comes to guitar solos, Jimi Hendrix has a special place in rock history. His way of using the electric guitar revolutionized the instrument with exceptional guitar licks, tones, and riffs. All of this can be seen in one of his most famous songs Hey Joe.
The solo features some characteristic Hendrix style with double stops, bends followed by scale runs and slides. As this is a slow-tempo song, you will not have a hard time learning it.
Hard Day’s Night – The Beatles
Another great The Beatles song, Hard Day’s Night, has a simple and melodic solo to learn, just like the rest of the pieces of the band.
It is a pretty short solo that you can play with only 3 strings. It is a lovely solo with some slides and hammer-ons, which you can learn quickly.
Joker And The Thief – Wolfmother
If you like to play rock solos, Joker And The Thief by Wolfmother has a lot to offer for you. The intro, riffs and solo, all sound amazing and are pretty straightforward to play.
This solo uses many different positions on the fretboard along with essential techniques like hammer-ons and slides. If you have the phaser effect on your amp or pedal setup, you can experiment with it to sound closer to the recording.
Joker and the Thief Guitar Tabs
Easy – Faith No More
Faith No More cover of the Easy by Commodores is a great pop-rock song with a lovely solo. Along with essential techniques, it uses notes on different strings to train your picking hand.
You should give your attention to the vibratos as they create the unique style of the solo.
On The Road Again – Willie Nelson
The blues classic by Willie Nelson, On The Road Again, is a perfect song to learn some country-blues style soloing. It is a short and simple solo but sounds great with the accompanying chord progression.
The whole solo can almost be played on the same string with slides and single notes. So, it won’t give you any trouble mastering it.
Soldier Of Fortune – Deep Purple
The famous ballad of Deep Purple, Soldier Of Fortune, features a melodically brilliant guitar solo. The solo is driven forward with many bends that create a crying tone that compliments the song’s progression amazingly.
You should play the bends accurately to make this solo sound good. It is a perfect solo to train the technique.
Soldier Of Fortune Guitar Tabs
Mother – Pink Floyd
Another easy yet incredible David Gilmour solo can be found in the song Mother from The Wall album. The Pink Floyd piece features some unique licks by Gilmour with many bends and simple yet great-sounding musical sentences.
You can add a bit of reverb and delay to your overdrive tone to play this solo. It sounds excellent when played properly, along with a good tone.
Animal – Def Leppard
One of the iconic bands of hard rock history is Def Leppard, and their solos are excellent to play as they sound much harder than they really are. So playing their solos will make you seem like a better player. Their famous tune Animal is a great example.
Although the solo of the song is short, you can also try to learn the lead guitar partitions behind the chorus and riffs.
Baby Blue – Badfinger
This tune is well-known by the Breaking Bad TV series fans as it appeared in the iconic final episode. Actually, it is an old tune with a superb solo that works really well with the accompanying music.
Some of the bends on the higher strings can be tricky to play, so practice them patiently with relaxed hands to get the hang of it.
Dance The Night Away – The Mavericks
One of the most straightforward solos on the list comes from The Mavericks. The iconic tune Dance The Night Away features an amazing yet elementary solo to play which is perfect for absolute beginners.
The whole solo is played with single notes, which will give you no trouble playing. Just keep an ear on the rhythm, and you are good to go.
Dance The Night Away Guitar Tabs
I Saw the Light – Hank Williams
The country solos can be entertaining to play, especially if it is a melodic one. I Saw The Light by Hank Williams offers an amazing country solo that is simple to play and will give you some understanding of the country-style lead guitar.
The solo is played with many repetitions and some legatos and double stops, which are all characteristics of the genre.
Temple Of The King – Rainbow
Good power ballads often feature lovely solos which sound melodically amazing. Temple Of The King by Rainbow may be one of the best examples of it. The great Richie Blackmore plays a brilliant solo at the final of the tune, which sounds genuinely remarkable with bluesy bends, lovely licks, and slow tempo sentimental playing.
You should give your attention to the timing along with the pitches of the bends to play this solo properly. It uses many notes in different fretboard positions, which is fantastic to get comfortable with your instrument.
Temple Of The King Guitar Tabs
Conclusion
All of these solos selected from different genres will help you develop a solid foundation before moving on to more advanced stuff. In the blink of an eye, you will realize that you can play many solos, eventually moving on to choosing your own solos to play.
In their guitar solos, every guitarist offers something new that you can learn from. So besides playing the solos correctly, keep your attention on how they build their solos, which techniques they use, and how they keep things melodic and exciting with their choice of licks. This will help you significantly when you compose your own solos.
My final advice would be to try to play the songs you like listening to. This way, you will be encouraged to play your instrument more often, which leads to a faster progression. As with every instrument, practicing and not giving up when you feel stuck is the key to being a master guitarist.
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