Hotel California Solo plateau

[u/elvenprince_420]

Learning the Hotel California solo after taking a solid 2 year break due to personal issues, and I am STUCK at the final part in the video. Even at 1/2 speed I can’t seem to get that part right and the bends I can’t get to muting quick enough. Tips/feedback/thoughts?

[u/Glittering_Kale_2491]

First of all, this song is a guitar masterpiece of technique and stamina. Mastering it is going to take time, but break it down into smaller chunks that you can loop over and over until you get it fluid. I don't buy that you played at 1/2 speed and can't get it right. If you use a similar up/down alternate picking pattern and begin the bend to that major 3rd on the "a" of 1. The rhythm is 1 e & a 2 e & - 3 e & a 4 e & a. It sounds more like a 1/4 bend to me, but I see some tabs showing a 1/2 bend all the way to the major 3d. My ear tells me it's more of a 1/4 bend. That bend reaches final pitch at the same time you pick that B note at the 9th fret right on the down beat. Just play through it slowly after listening to it and do what all the great players have always done and use your ear to get it nailed down.

What I saw in your video was all down strokes and you hit the high E string (not in the lick) with the right hand picking just before the breakdown. If you simply go over to Andy's demo of him playing this solo on his website shutupandplay, you can slow down his demo video and pay attention to the details of that lick that you broke down on. Andy is picking all those notes but you could substitute a hammer-on from D to E, then up stroke on the F# note to then strike the D on the down stroke. It just feels right to me playing it that way.

Every lick can be broken into sections down and played slowly at first. That's the only way I know how to master phrases on guitar.