Metallica's Kirk Hammett says: ".. a solo should be like a good meal. Start off with a bang then have a good meaty middle section and then have a sweet finish..."

Joe Matera of Ultimate-Guitar.com conducted an interview with METALLICA's guitarist Kirk Hammett.

U-G:  When it comes soloing, what do you think are the important elements that each guitar player should consider when constructing a solo?

K.H.: Ideally a solo should be like a good meal. Start off with a bang then have a good meaty middle section and then have a sweet finish. For me when it comes to the solo part, the first couple of licks really need to set the tone of the solo. And it should really just jump out and grab you.

U-G: So is there anything that you specifically pay attention to when coming up with your own solos?
K.H: What I have always tried to do is to come up with catchy things you know, hooky parts in the guitar solo that will grab the listener’s attention. I will try to put melodic parts into that. But you know, sometimes I just want to make a bunch of noise.

U-G: I think as guitarists, deep down, we all want to do that as well.

K.H.:Yeah. But what I just described in regards to the solo is my general approach. But sometimes I just want to be atonal and discordant. I don’t know but there is something about my playing nowadays. I think it’s that I’ve gone back to playing really melodically. I think on the next Metallica album I am going to be playing with a lot more melody. More melody than I have been playing in the past ten years or so.

Read the entire interview here : http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/interviews/interviews/metallica_great_thing_about_us_is_that_theres_never_any_shortage_of_ideas.html