Sweet Home Alabama - Lead Breaks

All solo's on this page are broken down into phrases. These phrases are smaller sections of the solo. Use them to memorise each solo riff by riff. When you place your mouse over the TAB it will reveal the phrasing, when you click that phrase you'll play an audio example of that phrase. You can listen to the entire riff with backing by clicking the "Listen to all the following parts combined" link.

Keep an eye for this symbol.

1st Lead Break

Listen to all the following parts combined

This riff is a favorite of mine! it's fast, melodic and challenging. If you are a beginner, then it maybe a little hard for you to get it up to speed. When learning something difficult learn it slow and in time. If you try and start to fast then you'll end up learning mistakes and in the future when you have to correct them it will be twice as difficult.

As far as what fingers to use it is always a case of common sense. For example you wouldn't start this riff with your 1st finger. Mainly because the next note played is below it on the 12th fret. Obviously you would start with either your 3rd or 4th finger. When bending I have a habit of using my 3rd finger, even when I have to stretch over a 4 fret span between a bend and the next note. I have taught this song to lessons and some prefer using their 4th finger on the bends (especially the 1st bend in bar 37).

Tips: Bar 38 (Phrase 2) - Keep it finger correct, lay your 3rd finger flat across the 10th fret to start with and use your 4th finger when it goes up to the 11th.

Tip: Bar 41 (Phrase 5) - In the 5th last note there is a slide from 9th to 10 then back down to the 9th. I prefer to bend the 9th, it makes the phrase flow a little better.

Main Solo

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In my personal opinion this solo waffles on towards the end. It doesn't seem to contain enough melody to make it easy to remember. Make sure you use the "Phrasing" method to help you remember each riff. Some solo's you can sing the guitar parts riff by riff (e.g.. Hotel California), this make it easier to remember because it's already in your head and all you have to do is put the melody to the guitar. Throughout this main solo there is a lot of pentatonic scale use, so try to know what scale you're playing in, it does help in the future.

Tips: Bars 62 to 64 (Phrase 3) - If you click on the 1st part of the phrase it will play the entire phrase. Then it is broken down into groups (1 to 5). By placing your mouse over each group you can view each individual one and sample the audio. This riff sounds like it goes out of time and it is very difficult, so work with the audio to get it right. It also includes some stretching with your fingers. Here are the suggested finger placement.

• 12th fret (1st finger)
• 14th fret (2nd finger)
• 16th fret (3rd finger)
• 17th fret (4th finger)

Tips: Bar 66 (Phrase 5) - The wiggly line (~~) represents "Vibrato"