Way Cool Jr. by Ratt, from Reach for the Sky (1988), is a high-energy hard rock track featuring a guitar solo by Warren DeMartini that is fast, confident, and packed with classic 80s rock vocabulary. DeMartini was consistently one of the best technical guitarists of the glam metal era.
About This Lesson
DeMartini plays this solo with total command — the technique is impressive but always serves the music. Fast pentatonic runs, aggressive bends, and precise vibrato combine to create a solo that is fun to play and genuinely musical. Great study material for 80s hard rock lead guitar.
What You Will Work On
- Warren DeMartini technique — fast, precise, and always musical
- Pentatonic hard rock runs — speed with direction and attitude
- Aggressive vibrato — wide, confident, keeping sustained notes alive
- String bends with precision — accurate pitch bending at speed
- 80s hard rock lead vocabulary — essential language for the style
Tips for Learning
- Study DeMartini across the Ratt catalog — he is consistently excellent.
- Work on alternate picking at progressive tempos before tackling the fast sections.
- Use a bright, high-gain tone to match the Ratt sound.
- Focus on the feel — DeMartini always sounds relaxed even when playing fast.
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.