Here’s the tablature and explanation of the Under A Glass Moon solo!**

Download my complete tablature of the Under A Glass Moon solo: TAB

FIRST PART OF THE SOLO****

Measure 1

  • Execute a scratch before playing the double stop with bending (this is nasty!)

  • The whammy bar moves in eighth-note triplets with a total range of 1 to max 2 tones

Measure 2

  • Pay attention to the harmonics:
  • on the bending it’s C#,
  • on the 12th (as soon as you release the bending) it’s a B (so these first two harmonics are 2 octaves higher than the starting note)
  • on the 9th (G#) the harmonic is a C (so a major third).

Measure 3

  • While vibrating the D# on the 5th string with your right hand, quickly change the pickup and put it on the neck

Measure 4

  • Pick all the pull offs except the one on the 6th string (where you’ll execute a hammer on), at that instant the right hand changes the pickup again: you need the bridge pickup to best execute the harmonics in the following measure!

Measure 5

  • Natural harmonics: rest your finger on the string at the fret and, after picking, lift your finger to allow the string to vibrate.

  • Once you’ve executed the last of the 3 natural harmonics, lower the whammy bar to release it only after picking the first note of the following measure (E on the 2nd string)

Measure 6

  • Bending: (12th fret 2nd string) arrive slowly at the target.

  • Vibrato: once the bending arrives, execute the vibrato. This vibrato is very fast, almost nervous. I execute it with two quick forearm jerks. Once the vibrato is finished, come back down and immediately pull off to G# (9th fret).

Measure 7

  • The 2 vibratos are important! Pickup change on the last vibrato (switch to neck)

Measure 8

  • This scale is seriously fast, repeat it until exhaustion, like any technical exercise!

  • The first 6 notes of the scale are a sextuplet pattern typical of J.Petrucci! Very beautiful and easy to execute at high speeds!

SECOND PART OF THE SOLO****

Measure 9

  • Pay attention to the ghost notes! A detail? NO, ESSENTIAL to create the right groove!

Measure 10

  • V.I.P. (Very Important vibrato) on the double stop at the 9th fret.

Measure 11

  • Slow bending

Measure 12

  • Lick on the blues scale. Just some inside picking and various pull offs, nothing difficult. Wide vibrato at the end (about 1 and a half tone range).

Measure 13

  • Vibrate once (bend and release even slightly) the 2 times where it’s marked on the tab.

Measure 15

  • Descending sweep: the important thing is that you DON’T distinguish ONLY the first and last note BUT all of them! Pay particular attention to the mini-barré executed with the middle finger at the 16th fret.

  • Once the sweep is finished, vibrate fast on the 16th fret 3rd string.

Measure 16

  • Our friend 3-notes-per-string.

THIRD PART OF THE SOLO**

Measure 17

  • Slow bending and wide vibrato.

Measure 18

  • Strictly alternate picking (in sixteenth notes) to be rhythmically consistent.

Measure 20

  • Vibrate once on the arrival note of the descending scale.

Measure 21

  • Lower the whammy bar on F# and release it after the slide to G#.

Measure 22

  • Bending & release on E, then tap the B and execute THE SAME B&R as before.

  • On the first string: Tapping E (XII, right hand) and simultaneously B&R on B (VII, left hand).

Measure 23

  • Sweep: study it at all speeds to properly separate the notes. It’s important to play it relaxed (especially left hand). Rhythmic reference point: G# (XVIII 4th string) at the end of the measure.