In this episode of Gear Factor, Alter Bridge’s Mark Tremonti and Myles Kennedy delve into how they learned an essential skill — the guitar solo.

Tremonti was elated when he realized the first step to soloing was to play easy licks that sounded impressive. Hammering on open strings was the key to his development as a master guitarist, thanks to the influence of AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” and Iron Maiden’s “Wasted Years.”

Van Halen’s “Eruption” was a major turning point for Myles Kennedy, who like all of us, had his mind blown by Eddie Van Halen’s iconic instrumental. “It sounded like it was from outer space,” Kennedy says about the song’s most recognizable movement. “Nobody had really done it like that before.”

As for the best guitar solo of all time, both Tremonti and Kennedy agreed Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” took the top spot. “It’s an example of somebody who understood taking the chord progression and playing the core tones, kind of arpeggiating,” Kennedy says. “When I was a guitar teacher, that was something that I spent a lot of time [explaining to] my students who’d want to learn to improvise; touching on what I’d call ‘the goal notes.’ That solo demonstrates that really well.”

Check out this edition of Gear Factor with Alter Bridge in the video above. To watch the band play their favorite riffs click here.

Alter Bridge's Walk the Sky is due Oct. 18 and pre-orders are available here. You can catch them on tour at the stops below.

Skillet, Alter Bridge + Dirty Honey 2019 Tour Dates:

Sept. 22 — Baltimore, Md. @ MECU Pavilion

Sept. 24 — New York, N.Y. @ Terminal 5

Sept. 25 — Philadelphia, Pa. @ The Met

Sept. 27 — Columbus, Ohio @ Express Live!

Sept. 28 — Grand Rapids, Mich. @ 20 Monroe Live* (Featuring special guest BRKN LOVE)

Sept. 30 — Toronto, Ontario @ REBEL*

Oct. 03 — Worcester, Mass. @ The Palladium

Oct. 05 — Cleveland, Ohio @ Agora Theatre

Oct. 06 — Detroit, Mich. @ The Fillmore

Oct. 08 — Minneapolis, Minn. @ Myth Live

Oct. 10 — Chicago, Ill. @ The Chicago Theatre

Oct. 11 — Kansas City, Mo. @Arvest Bank Theatre at The Midland

Oct. 13 — Manchester, Tenn. @ Exit 111 Festival

Oct. 14 — St. Louis, Mo. @ The Pageant

Oct. 16 — Mobile, Ala. @ Saenger Theatre

Oct. 17 — Birmingham, Ala. @ Avondale Brewing Company

Oct. 19 — San Antonio, Texas @ Vibes Event Center

Oct. 20 — Dallas, Texas @ The Bomb Factory

Oct. 22 — St. Petersburg, Fla. @ Jannus Live

Oct. 24 — Orlando, Fla. @ House of Blues

Oct. 25 — Orlando, Fla. @ House of Blues

*No Dirty Honey