Are you a lyrical guitar player? And what does that even mean? Soloing in a lyrical way means that you’re playing lines that could be sung, so that automatically rules out a lot of fast runs and wide interval leaps.
Before I go any further, know that a solo can be a mix, where you play some phrases lyrically but then mix in faster runs and/or wider interval leaps, and perhaps even double stops and chords to vary the texture.
There’s no official right or wrong choice, but I think it’s also very important to keep in mind the context. There are songs, or maybe places in songs, that call for you to play lyrically, as if your guitar is singing. There are other places where faster runs and wide interval leaps are appropriate.
What does the song call for from you in your guitar solo? The goal is to make good musical decisions, and of course, that’s subjective, but just like you know whether to enter a room quietly or bombastically, common sense will usually tell you what the right choice is.
Listen to your favorite players and pay attention to how and when they play lyrically and when they don’t.
