Solo first or backing first?

[CW14]

Does one way work better than the other? Can anyone tell me some solos that were written before the backing or vice versa?

Thanks

[Infectious]

Hey there! Umm...you know I've never heard of anyone ever writing a solo before writing their backing but believe me I'm sure it's possible. Y'know...you jam a little bit and u write a clever little solo and you might record it and add a backing later. Of course...I would like to think that the backing to the solo is usually written first just to establish the key of the song. Even a sparse chord progression will do for a solo...Often during solos the backing is pretty simple, as far as I know anyhow.

But...to answer ur question it really can be done either way but I think it's most common to write the backing before the solo. Hope that helps. :D

[CW14]

Thanks for clearing that up. Songwriting is confusing me a bit

[Infectious]

No problem man. We all need a little help in some areas.

[6strngs_2hmbkrs]

I don't think I could ever write the solo first... it's always backing first, solo overtop... cause the solo has to meet the mood of the rest of the song, not the rest of the song meeting the mood of the solo... to me at least, if you find it possible to write the solo first, then go ahead.

[Pantallica1]

Sometimes, I will find myself playing cool licks that I would like to incorporate into a solo. I end up using them when I write a song, but I have never came up with a solo and tried to fit the song around it.

I would say backing first, then solo. But if you can get away doing it the other way, go for it.

[aschleman]

Thanks for clearing that up. Songwriting is confusing me a bit

songwriting should never be confusing.... just do what comes to you. If it's a solo that you like... write something around it (I've personally never heard of anyone doing it that way... I'm sure it's been done though)... then do it that way. If you're writing music it should all be natural... otherwise it reflects in the song. In the words of the late Ray Charles "make it do what it do, baby"

[rockonn91]

is it possible to do a backing track to a solo? it just....isnt right. i mean course its possible it just wouldnt work right

[Superhuman]

I've tried solos forst then backing and they always turned out ****e. If you write a solo without backing, then maybe that's how it should stay ie. without any accompaniment (check out the intro to Joe Stumps' "Eastern Beast" for an excellent example).
Backing first gives you the proper foundation for a structured solo: timing, key and overall feel.
If you plan on writing a solo first and then adding backing later, I would suggest tabbing it out first before lifting the guitar or using a midi program to write. That way you get to see what you are writing musicaly and will be able to make whatever adjustments are needed... its an awfull lot of trouble though compared to banging out some licks over a backing track!

[leVee]

songwriting can be confusing. You have to write, and re-write, and re-write, and on and on. (not that i ever do ;) ) anyway, if you just "go with it," all the time, your stuff will end up like Kearauc's ("First thought, best thought")

Dont be a beatnick! Revise! Revise!

[bardo2]

Can you like double the part on the bass to start to give it bottom,Then use that to come up w/ the accents for the drums and so on

[bardo2]

Check out the tune section:Title of post is
"And now for somthing completly different"

[isogrifo]

I actually wrote (most of at least) a song today, it's kinda bluesyish, the solo kinda sounds a bit like Hendrix's "Castles Made Of Sands". And now that I think about it, I wrote the solo first, and that can work and it might not. A solo is not for showing off, it is to take you to the next part of the song, so you write before the solo and you write after the solo, then you write the solo that connects the two parts. Then you could write the backing to it, I think that way is easiest. But if you want you could do it backwards. :D

to Pete Townshend "Where did you learn to play that way?" (about the windmill), and Pete replies, "It was bowling actually!" :p :rolleyes:

[Cryptic Excretions]

I've written a solo first then the backing before... like, once. I had to slightly alter the solo because of time signatures and what not, but the solo is still very true to the original and I kind of think the alteration sounds better, but it's possible and can be tricky, but still doable. The results were pretty good too, so y'know.

[kill em all]

Usually write the backing and get everything organized and looking like a song. But if it's not for a band, and you want to truly express yourself, it feels great to write a "free" solo with no regard to anyone or anything. And it'll come from the soul. Those are the best solos, not necessarily the best songs.

[6strngs_2hmbkrs]

But if it's not for a band, and you want to truly express yourself, it feels great to write a "free" solo with no regard to anyone or anything. And it'll come from the soul. Those are the best solos, not necessarily the best songs.
I do this all the time, except, usually they are improvised, not written, and I haven't recorded any yet (doh!)

[Jolly McJollyson]

Neither. Melody first, then backing. Then solo based on the melody.

[magicninja]

Write the solo first? Wow I usually got to feel the song overall before adding a solo but the theory inspires thought.

[Jolly McJollyson]

Write the solo first? Wow I usually got to feel the song overall before adding a solo but the theory inspires thought.
He does have a point though, I don't know of many classical composers who write the harmony first...