Playing A Solo Advice

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

I have been playing almost 2 years now and finally have the chance to get together with a small band to jam. I can do pretty good backing up and making steel like sounds and can figure out a melody break to simple songs as long as I can work it out in advance.

My question is what are you guys thinking when you take a break and you donâ€™t know the melody, do you think chords/licks or something else? My lick vocabulary is limited and if I start trying to play out of chords it kind of all sounds the same and not anywhere near what I need to play.

So if you guys would help, what are you thinking during your break when you donâ€™t have anything worked out? Any advice, courses etc would be much appreciated.

Duane Becker · From: Elk,Wa 99009 USA

Doug, I always think 'just chords' when I'm playing a non rehearsed lead. If you stay within the chord pattern you will be fine to just pick anything. However a word of caution: Some of the players in bands I've worked with will get lost if you don't stick with a melody. So just make sure they are familiar with the song, or at least it is a well enough known song that you can branch of and go off melody. Other then that, I also like to play a break simple style following the melody that seems to work great too-if you get a chance on working it out.

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

Thank you Duane, I have spent a lot the shutdown trying to get to the point where I can play with a band. Trying to figure this wonderful instrument out 1 piece at a time!

D Schubert · From: Columbia, MO, USA

Free advice. Start at the bottom, work your way up the neck. Or start at the top... If you don't know the melody, play something melodic, something you could hum or whistle that also fits the chord progression. Leave some empty space, like a vocalist or a horn player taking a breath. Find a stopping place before the singer comes back in.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

If you post the Set-List for your new band we can probably make more specific reccomendations. Also, look in the Tablature section of this Forum for song titles you will be doing.

You can get alot of mileage out of this lick from the Winnie Winston book, for any king of Truck Drivin Man type of song.
Just go to the AB position of whatever chord the song goes to and play this lick.
It is shown here in the Key of E:

Here is another little chickin-pickin lick you can play/repeat through the chord changes of a typical Country song, again shown in E at the 7th fret:

Dave Hopping · From: Aurora, Colorado

+1 on working out melodies at home! The more you can do that, the more it gets into muscle memory and the easier it becomes to play melody at the beginning of a solo while you're figuring out where to take it.

As Duane says(in different words), it helps bandmates who key in on melody. The crowd likes it too, when they hear something they can relate to. After all, we're generally NOT playing to a room full of steel players.

That might be a good thing! Winking

Doug Taylor · From: Shelbyville, Kentucky, USA

I appreciate the replies. I have much to learn.

Jon Voth · From: Virginia, USA

One way I try to sound intelligent (when I am not) is to center my solo around the AB pedals down position (on 8th fret if you are in F). Pickups on string 8, 7, 6, & rock the A pedal string 5 on the downbeat-stuff like that. The IV chord is open just two frets down, and the V chord is back to the "home" fret, then pedals down when back to I chord. Things are close together and easier to "see".

And when I was brand new every note I did was pre-planned and rehearsed. I was flying blind and it is very hard on PSG to truly "improvise", meaning knowing in your mind what you want to play while simultaneously finding the note on the guitar. I does come slowly eventually.

Pat Chong · From: New Mexico, USA

Hi Doug,
You have been at this for 2 years. Very good, but be patient. As Dave brought out, "muscle memory" is involved, and, of course, takes time to learn. Jon said "it does come slowly, eventualy", and it does...Try as we all want to, we can't hurry learning and muscle memory up except by practicing/learning/applying. The fact the you have a band to jam with is good. We are all trying to be able to play without thinking too much, and that is what your goal is...be patient.

...Pat

James Sission · From: Sugar Land,Texas USA

Study intervals and permutations like Paul Franklin teaches and you'll be able improvise whatever you want. Developing "muscle memory" by playing the same song over and over just gets you good at that particular song. Concentrate on learning the guitar through intervals and muscle memory through permutation, or as John Voth pointed out you'll be "flying blind".

______

Fred Treece · From: California, USA

An entire solo can be played on 4 or 5 strings. Or even 1 or 2, if you feel so inclined. Find a home for your right hand and stay there for the whole solo. Being able to move freely amongst all 10 (or 12) strings comes with practice and real life experience.

Bobby D. Jones · From: West Virginia, USA

If you are sharing the ride with another instrument, Say fiddle or lead guitar, Be positioned till you have eye contact with the other player, So a nod of their head or yours can transfer the lead.

If you are playing the whole ride, Plan and move up an octave to add a some spice to the song. Using the same strings. (Sample) If playing in G chord using 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th frets, And 6th fret with A pedal and F knee (Raise E's) lever for another G. Practice taking the a song up to the 10th fret and moving up to the 15th and 17th fret a few bars before giving the song back to the singer.

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