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How can you tell if you are a rythm guitarist or a solo guitarist. I don't really know which title to strive for. I want to be a solo guitarist because it sounds much cooler, but I can't play that fast... and I have been playing guitar for 4 years almost.

Also, if I should try to become a master at rythm guitar, then what techniques should I have or learn and what songs or things would be good to practice.

Thanx. Yeah, definitely speed comes with time, but what techniques can I practice to increase the speed, but keep the clarity of the chord?

Well, firstly I wouldn't worry about a title, I would just be the best guitarist you can be that does everything. I will say this though, it would be to your advantage to become a very solid rhythm player before worrying about learning to play lead. No respectable band is going to get a guitarist that can play lead licks, but can't change chords in time. So get that rhythm down first.

Second, some people (generally by being raised around certain kinds of music) have a better sense of melody than other people. Those people generally are better at soloing and playing lead parts than others that only know lead in the theory world. So, once you learn some scales try to play over some songs and see if you can put together notes that sound pleasing together, like the melody of a song, or if you are just hitting random notes in the scale. By the way, at the beginning almost everyone just hits random notes, so give it time and don't get frustrated too easily.

Third, playing fast isn't everything by any means. It can be nice to play fast when it is needed or it fits the mood of the song, but there is so much more to playing lead than speed. You have the way you touch the string, your attack on the string, whether you use a pick or finger, your left hand tremlo you put on the note, the way you express a note or series of notes, the note patterns you use. Speed is only one side of a multi-faceted beast that is playing lead guitar. Look at Eric Clapton, he made his fame by playing slow (thus his nickname, Slowhand) and he is almost always in the list of top guitarists ever. Can he shred like Vai, Malmsteen, or Hammett? Probably not, but there is a lot more to lead than just speed. A mature guitarists knows that at the right time letting one single note sound out can be more powerful than shredding 50. So, don't give up on playing lead just because you don't have your speed developed yet!

i know it sounds stupid but guitar hero helped my speed alot razz