Licks in Solo?


kjpro
Registered User
Joined: 01/04/10
Posts: 78
kjpro
Registered User
Joined: 01/04/10
Posts: 78
10/26/2010 1:10 am
Hey all,

Presently I'm learning some licks and would like to incorporate them into my solo, I do want to sound like I know what I'm doing.
So, just want to know if it's better to play a whole lot of licks in a solo, or just keep repeating a few? Like maybe 3-4 or so.
What do you guys/girls think? Any info will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks much
Ken
# 1
shahnen
Registered User
Joined: 12/21/09
Posts: 88
shahnen
Registered User
Joined: 12/21/09
Posts: 88
10/27/2010 1:54 am
what style are you playing?
# 2
kjpro
Registered User
Joined: 01/04/10
Posts: 78
kjpro
Registered User
Joined: 01/04/10
Posts: 78
10/27/2010 1:56 am
I play praise & worship and soft rock.
# 3
Douglas Showalter
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 09/15/08
Posts: 817
Douglas Showalter
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 09/15/08
Posts: 817
10/27/2010 10:55 pm
Where as you don't want to simply play one lick over and over and over; it certainly helps to play a few licks that say a lot with very little (if that makes any sense.) Guitar players get a bad rap in this respect as we are all too often guilty of playing so much and really leaving the listener with nothing to grab onto.

You want to develop a "motif", or a central theme to your solo that is stated often and everything else works around that. The licks that you know really, really well should be your guide and from there play around those but keep hitting the listener with that main idea. I think the greatest solos have very singable melodies and playing a ton of notes can be hard to execute that.

If you are playing praise and worship stuff, it is really easy to communicate this idea as that music tends to be very diatonic (in one key), and you can say a whole lot with very, very little. Something you may want to try is try learning some of the vocal melodies from the songs you are playing and incorporate those. Develop a few core ideas (or motifs) and from there simply play around those. You really don't need to shred to play a great solo.

Hopefully this helps? :confused:
Douglas Showalter
# 4

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