Improvised solos.

[lee33]

I've noticed that this is one of the main topics in this forum.

Well the way I do it (as I've mentioned before) is to play it as I hear it in my head.

This is one I made yesterday.

It's a bit rough with the odd duff note, but it's only a bit of fun - not a masterwork.

I like solos that are fresh and not overworked (or in this case straight off - first take).

This is my idea on how to construct a solo by using the same method you use when you whistle or hum to yourself. I didn't consider scales or modes or even chords. It's all done in the brain - and I'm the first person to hear it.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/nwd/impro.mp3

[Julian Vickers]

Hey man, I like your tone. the solo is pretty nice. I take it that you do of course use some scale patterns though. It's in Ab (or G#) major throughout, and you pretty much exclusively used notes from that scale.

check out my recording under the thread title "2min song with shuffle licks!" you might like it, the solo (which is not that brilliant) was only one take.

[TheDirt]

Hey, that sounds really good... it would make good "mood music" playing in a hotel lobby or something. I agree, great tone on the guitar.

I also like the backing track... where'd you get it?

[beginner]

So "Lee" what would interest me is if you have studied much music theory and then you thought: "Actually I don´t really need it!", or if you don´t know very much about theory because you always went fine without it.

[lee33]

The backing track is one eof those 'band-in-a-box'- things.

A great proggie to practice with.

I know a fair amount of theory, but I don't let it dominate.

I hear what I play in my head like when i whistle. I don't need to think scales or modes - i know where the notes are so I just play them.

I've yet to see any post in any forum that makes any sense when it comes to modes. If you don't play jazz fusion - you don't need any knowledge of modes.

All you need is the basic scale patterns all the way up the fretboard - then you hear in your head when you want to add any other notes.

Lee

[beginner]

But then I just don´t get it, because why should all players(who don´t play fusion jazz) with such a good ear like you waste their time with studying theory?

[Azrael]

I hear what I play in my head like when i whistle. I don't need to think scales or modes - i know where the notes are so I just play them.


COME TO MY HEART!! :D

[lee33]

But then I just don´t get it, because why should all players(who don´t play fusion jazz) with such a good ear like you waste their time with studying theory?


You need theory to write music. Not for soloing. I'm pretty OK on theory as i started as a classical guitarist as an 11 year old (I'm 50 now).

Theory won't make you a good guitar player. Lack of theory will hold you back as a composer - but that's another thread.

Do you whistle or hum solos when you are out walking? Well guitar soloing is just the same. Rather than shaping your lips to make sounds, you pluck strings with fingers on certain frets. But it's just the same. Just as you whistle what you hear in your head - so must you learn to play guitar. Try whistling something that you don't hear in your head. Can't do it huh? Now answer me WHY you'd want to whistle something you didn't hear in your head.


Lee

[beginner]

I recently started to write some melodies over some of my riffs by humming and whistling, and it sounds ok, not pretty good but I think it´ll get better the more I do it. And I never heard it in my head before I whistled it over the riff.

[ketsueki15]

same here lee..I just play what I hear in my head...I dont any theroy at all...My ear will do me much better than theory...thats just my perosnal opinion and so far my ear has done much better than tryin to apply theory..thats just me tho
I cant whistle so I try to hum it out..sometimes that doesnt even work because it sounds like mush...I evenutally figure it out..
Like i dont know jack about jazz but so far I have been able to figure out jazzy chords that fit together...thats good enough for me..lol

[Azrael]

*snickers* we should open a dictionary of cool typos.

"perosnal" is cool *LOL*

but nothing beats "ASWEME" :D