Eric Johnson - Desert Rose Pt.2 - First Guitar Solo - Guitar Lesson

About Desert Rose Pt.2 - First Guitar Solo

Few guitarists demand as much from their picking hand as Eric Johnson, and the first solo in "Desert Rose Pt.2" is a clear example of why. Sitting in A minor at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, the solo is fast enough to expose any weakness in your pick attack but controlled enough that pure speed alone will not carry you through. Johnson's phrasing here leans heavily on clean articulation, where every note needs to speak clearly rather than blur into the next. The real challenge is matching his characteristic tone, which comes from a very deliberate pick angle and light touch, so pay close attention to dynamics as you learn. Work through the solo in small phrases rather than top to bottom. The Practice Toolbar is your best tool here: loop a two- or three-bar passage and slow it down until you can hear exactly where each note lands before bringing it back up to tempo. This is Progressive Rock soloing at its most demanding and most rewarding.

• The solo sits in A minor at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, meaning no retuning is needed but precise picking control is essential throughout.
• Johnson is known for using a specific pick angle to achieve his clean, bell-like tone, so experiment with your picking hand position as you practice.
• Breaking the solo into short looped sections slowed down is the most effective way to internalize Johnson's precise note placement and phrasing.