Guitar solos are a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, rock, metal and jazz styles such as swing and jazz fusion.
Guitar solos are also used in classical music forms such as chamber music and concertos. Guitar solos may be unaccompanied works for a single guitar. As well, they may be accompanied by other instruments, ranging from a small ensemble such as a jazz quartet or a rock band, to a large ensemble such as an orchestra or big band.
Unaccompanied guitar music is found in folk and classical music dating as far back as the instrument has existed, and the use of a guitar as a solo voice within an ensemble dates back at least to the Baroque concerto.
