t some point or another, most guitarists have debated what makes a ‘perfect’ guitar solo. But is there truly a formula for crafting a guitar lead that will achieve maximum impact with a listener? We asked John Mayer, as much a master of the superb, show-stopping solo as anyone playing the instrument today, for his opinion. And while he (not surprisingly) let out a laugh at the mere mention of a scientifically created perfect solo, he also acknowledged there’s something to be said for approaching your leads with certain strategies in mind.
“I think pitch, repetition, motif, all these things have a lot to do with which parts of your emotional map a solo is hitting at any given time,” Mayer says. “I mean, if you start high, there’s nowhere left to go, right? So I see it as building a ramp.”