5 Lead Guitar Myths That Are Holding You Back (And How to Fix Them)

Playing guitar solos is one of the best ways to express your creativity—because it comes from deep within you. Every note, every bend, and every phrase is uniquely yours.

But sometimes, certain myths and misconceptions can hold you back from reaching your full potential as a lead guitarist. Maybe you’ve hit a plateau and can’t seem to break through. Or maybe you fear the so-called 'experts' who do nothing but critique other guitarists online.

In this post, I’ll break down five lead guitar myths that might be limiting your playing—and show you how to overcome them so you can step up your soloing game with confidence.

Before we dive into these myths, I also covered them in this video. If you’d rather watch, check it out below! 

Myth 1: You Have to Play Insanely Fast & Technical to Be a Great Lead Guitarist

You might think you need to be a speed demon, ripping through a gazillion notes with ultra-technical precision to play great solos. I have news for you: you don’t.

Now, don’t get me wrong—I love playing fast solos. But let’s try a simple test:

Next time you watch someone shredding up and down the neck on social media or YouTube, close your eyes and just listen.

• Does it appeal to you?
• Is it captivating?
• Does it make you want to hear more?
• Is it memorable?

If your answer is yes to all of the above, that’s great! But I’d bet that for many solos, you’ll answer "no" to most of these.

Speed isn’t the most important factor in a great guitar solo. Look at legendary guitarists like David Gilmour, Slash, Zakk Wylde, Joe Satriani, and Kirk Hammett—they can all play fast when they want to. But what makes their solos truly impactful? Memorable melodies.

Even Yngwie Malmsteen, as insanely fast as he is, weaves in beautiful melodies that stand out—at least to me.

How to Overcome This Myth

✅ Stop believing that speed = greatness. Some of the best solos are slow and melodic.
✅ Recognize that the pressure to "play fast" is self-imposed. You don’t "have to" do anything—play what feels right.
✅ Focus on phrasing. Don’t just play notes—add vibrato, bends, and dynamics to make every note count.

The best solos aren’t about how many notes you play—they’re about how you play them.

🎸 Want to build a solid foundation for lead guitar? My Lead Guitar Apprentice course inside Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy will help you transition from beginner to intermediate, giving you the tools to craft expressive, confident solos—without feeling like you have to shred a million notes per second.

👉 Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy and Get Access Here

Myth 2. You Need to Sound Like Other Famous Guitarists

Like me, you probably have guitarists you admire. For example, I’m a huge Joe Satriani fan—his melodies are captivating. I also love Jeff Loomis for his blazing-fast shred guitar. And then there’s Michael Amott from Arch Enemy—his solos, guitar work, and songwriting are incredible.

It’s great to have influences, but don’t pressure yourself into thinking you need to sound like your favorite players.

You don’t have to sound like anyone else.

I want you to realize that you already have something unique within you. Give yourself the freedom to express that ability—whether it’s shredding across the fretboard or playing just a few simple notes with pure emotion.

How to Overcome This Myth

✅ Understand that your playing is like your voice—only you can sound like you.
✅ Learn from your influences but don’t be confined by them.
✅ Experiment with different techniques, phrasing, and tones to develop your own sound.

At the end of the day, your best playing happens when you stop trying to sound like someone else and start embracing what makes you unique.

Myth 3. Better Gear Will Make You a Better Lead Guitarist

This is a trap that so many of us fall into—GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).

Look, I’m no different than you. I love gear. And while I’m a bit of a minimalist compared to some full-time musicians, I’d still love to have a room full of ENGL, Orange, Mesa, Marshall, Blackstar, and Friedman amps.

And let’s not forget guitars. And pedals. And studio gear.
Okay, okay—you get it!

But here’s the real pitfall of gear obsession and the never-ending search for the "perfect" tone:

You end up spending more time tweaking gear than actually improving your lead playing.

Does Gear Matter? Yes, But…

I’m not saying gear doesn’t matter—it absolutely does. But I’d be willing to bet that if you put any guitar and amp in the hands of the greats we talked about earlier, they would still sound like themselves.

Why?
Because they’ve spent more time developing their own style than chasing gear. That’s what I want for you.

How to Overcome This Myth

✅ Use gear as a tool to support your playing—not as a crutch.
✅ Improve your tone through technique (pick attack, vibrato, phrasing) before chasing new gear.
✅ Spend more time practicing and creating than tweaking settings.

The truth is, your tone starts with your hands—not the amp or guitar. Master that first, and no matter what gear you use, you’ll always sound like you.

Myth 4. You Must Know Advanced Music Theory to Play Great Solos

You’ve probably heard this argument more times than you’d care to:

🎸 "You're not a real musician if you don’t know music theory!"
🎸 "I don’t need music theory—I just play by ear!"

The truth? Both are right… and both are wrong.

Like most things in life, the real magic happens when you find a balance.

My Personal Story...

I was never a theory buff. I’m still not.

But after playing music since 1989 and performing live since the early '90s, I realized I had learned a lot of theory without even knowing it. Over time, it just became second nature. And once I realized how much that knowledge had actually helped me, I started applying it more intentionally—without letting it control my playing.

How Much Theory Do You Really Need?

You don’t need a PhD in music theory to apply basic concepts in a practical way. A little theory goes a long way.

Here are a few simple things that will serve you as a lead guitarist:

✅ Understanding which notes and chords fit into certain keys
✅ Knowing basic minor and major scales—and how to connect them
✅ Fretboard awareness—so you can always land on your feet

This knowledge gives you freedom.

Remember—theory isn’t a set of rules you have to follow. It’s a tool. It serves you, not the other way around.

Trusting Your Ears Is Just as Important

As you venture out and explore your playing, trust your ears.

• Does that note or phrase sound good? Keep it.
• Does it sound off? Adjust it.

Your ears are your best guide. Theory can help build a foundation, but at the end of the day, it’s your ears that tell you what actually sounds good.

How to Overcome This Myth

✅ Use theory as a tool—not a rulebook. It’s there to serve you, not limit you.
✅ Let theory guide your creativity, not control it. You don’t have to “fit” your playing into theory.
✅ Learn basic scales and chords to help guide your solos.
✅ Balance theory and ear training—both are valuable.

🎸 I cannot stress this enough: Trust your ears. That’s where your true style lives.

Myth 5. Overcomplicating Your Solos Makes Them Sound Better

Overcomplicating and overthinking your solos can be one of the biggest barriers holding you back from becoming the lead guitarist you were meant to be.

It’s easy to fall into the “play more notes” myth, thinking that making your solo as complex as possible will earn admiration from other guitarists. But here’s the truth: playing more doesn’t always mean playing better.

Play What Feels Right—Not What You Think Others Want

Once again, I’m not against fast or technical solos. But I want you to ask yourself:

Are you playing what truly feels right?
Or are you playing based on what you think others expect?

My Personal Solo Story

I’ve caught myself overthinking my solos many times—both when recording my own albums and even during live shows.

Even at my acoustic shows, where I loop a rhythm live and solo over it, I sometimes overplay because I feel like my solos might be "too simple" or "too easy for other guitarists to learn."

But every time I go back and listen to my recordings, I notice a pattern:

The solos that blend melody with just a touch of shred always sound better and feel more natural than the ones where I crammed in a million notes.

Give Yourself the Freedom to Be YOU

This goes back to embracing your own style as a guitarist.

• If fast, technical solos are what feel natural to you, go for it.
• If your solos are more melodic and expressive, lean into that.
• If you’re a mix of both, even better.

But don’t force complexity just to impress other guitarists.

Most music lovers don’t care how technical your solos are—they just want to be moved by your playing. They want to feel something.

Let Your Solos Breathe

Even if you love playing fast, remember to leave space in your solos.

It’s been said that the most impactful part of a solo is often the space between the notes. That’s where the emotion happens. That’s where the music grabs you.

How to Overcome This Myth

✅ Blend melody, phrasing, and technique instead of filling every millisecond with notes.
✅ Listen to great solos and notice how they use dynamics, space, and tension.
✅ Let go of the pressure to play ultra-fast or overly complex.
✅ Make sure the solos you’re playing (or writing) are what YOU truly want to play.

At the end of the day, the best solos aren’t the ones with the most notes—they’re the ones that make you feel something.

6 Practical Lead Guitar Tips to Break Through These Myths

Now that we’ve covered the 5 biggest myths holding you back, here are 6 practical lead guitar tips to help you break through and develop your own unique style.

I want to share some practical things you can start doing right now to not only stand out as a lead guitarist but also craft your own unique style and make it shine.

1. Improvise as Much as Possible

The best way to develop your own style? Create your own solos instead of only learning others.

Playing along to your favorite solos is great for inspiration, but if you only play other people’s music, you’ll never truly develop your own voice.

2. Record Your Own Rhythms and Write Solos Over Them

Writing solos over your own chord progressions is one of the fastest ways to develop your unique sound.

This not only helps your lead playing but also improves your songwriting as a whole.

3. Use Techniques That Bring Life to Your Solos

🎸 String bends – Add emotion and vocal-like phrasing.
🎸 Vibrato – Gives your notes power and sustain.
🎸 Slides & legato – Smooth transitions between notes.

These little details are what separate a great soloist from just someone who can play notes.

4. Focus More on Playing Than Gear

Remember—your tone starts with your hands.

Gear is great, but don’t let tweaking settings overshadow actually playing. Spend more time practicing, writing, and improvising.

5. Use Theory as a Tool, Not a Rulebook

Theory should serve your playing, not restrict it.

Learn the basics, but don’t feel like you have to fit into a theoretical box. There are no rules—if it sounds good, it is good.

6. Play with Heart

At the end of the day, your solos are your voice.

Make sure your playing expresses what’s inside you—because that’s what makes your music unique.

🎸 Want to build a solid foundation for lead guitar? My Lead Guitar Apprentice course inside Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy will help you transition from beginner to intermediate, giving you the tools to craft expressive, confident solos—without feeling like you have to shred a million notes per second.

👉 Join the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy and Get Access Here

What's Next for You?

I want to leave you with this: focus on developing your own style, especially in your solos.

🎸 Lead guitar is like your own voice.
🎸 You have a unique talent within you.
🎸 Give yourself the freedom to express it.

If you're new to soloing or feel like you need to master the fundamentals, my Lead Guitar Apprentice course is the perfect place to start. It’s designed to take you from beginner to intermediate, giving you a solid foundation for rock and metal soloing.

If you're already at an intermediate level or beyond, check out Melodic Shredder—a course packed with short, killer solos to play along with, helping you level up your technique and creativity.

Both courses (and more) are available inside the Jason Stallworth Guitar Academy. Learn more below.