Alone by Heart is one of the greatest power ballads of the 80s. The guitar solo by Howard Leese is emotional, melodic, and perfectly crafted — wide bends, singing vibrato, and phrasing that elevates the song to another level.
About the Solo
Leese plays with restraint and precision. The solo builds naturally from the song’s emotional intensity, using carefully placed bends and sustained notes to create maximum impact. This is a lesson in how to serve the song while still making a musical statement.
What You Will Work On
- Emotional melodic phrasing — every note connected to the song’s feeling
- Wide string bends — full-step and beyond with accurate pitch
- Sustained vibrato — keeping long notes alive and expressive
- Dynamic building — starting soft and ending with intensity
- Ballad timing — feel and placement over a slow tempo
Tips for Learning
- Listen to the full song first — the solo lives in the context of the emotion.
- Work on bend pitch with a tuner — everything is exposed on a clean tone.
- Practice vibrato at different speeds to find what feels most natural.
- Record yourself and compare the emotional impact with the original.
WANT TO MASTER THIS SOLO PROPERLY?
Private Rock Guitar Lessons via Zoom — Diego Fonseca
Rock & metal specialist with 20+ years of teaching. Students across the US and Canada. I will build a lesson plan around the music you actually want to play — solos, technique, theory.
✔ Free 30-min trial lesson ✔ US & Canada timezones ✔ $240/month · 4 lessons
Fill out the form and Diego will reply within 12 hours.