Style Study - Noel Gallagher

By Nick Kellie Published on Mar 19th, 2010

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Noel Gallagher is often referred to as the brains behind the band, "Oasis." In this lesson we are going to be looking at his guitar style. Many of his solos are melodic and always complement the song, this is something we must all be aware of when soloing and something that any guitarist should always strive for. The main thing to be taken from Noel's guitar style is his use of slides in order to change position, as well as a healthy dose of "pre-bends." In terms of his note choice, we see the use of both minor and major pentatonic scales, the latter of which almost gives a light, melodic, country flavor to his sound. Guitar sound wise, Noel tends to favor a more distorted sound and in general he is pretty well known for playing semi-hollow body guitars with humbuckers, giving a real thick sound with sustain. Be certain to take your time with these licks and try to incorporate some of these techniques and ideas into your own style.

Lick Breakdown
Lick 1
Lick 1 sees the use of the beloved minor pentatonic scale, notice that we shift positions by use of slides. Be sure to keep the slides accurate and snappy. A sloppy slide can affect the overall timing if not executed with finesse.



Lick 2
In Example 2 we see the use of hammer-ons and pre-bends. Make sure when you hammer on, that the volume of the hammer-on is even with the volume of the picked notes. Also, be sure to make the pre-bend spot on…there is nothing worse than an out of tune pre-bend!



Lick 3
In the third example we analyze the rhythm guitar style of Noel. Be sure to use the pick stokes I have suggested as this will ensure a smooth and natural feel. The most important thing with this kind of rhythm playing is that you keep your right hand moving. Try breaking this exercise down into 1 bar loops until it starts to flow naturally.