Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

[fingerace]

Guys (and girls) I need your help...

When I listen to a song or any chord progression, I can sing a solo and it comes out great. It has a nice climax and nice phrases and flow etc.

When the time comes to get my hands on the guitar, everything goes blank sometimes. (Sometimes I hit the nail in the head, but not always...)

The solo that I thought through, isn't transfered on the guitar! I end up playing standard Clapton licks and the solo doesn't have the propper climax and flow...

What do you suggest? The solo is there, I have just hummed it and it's great, but it doesn't seem to get on the real guitar!

I know that practice will help, but what kind of practice?

What can I do?

Thanks a lot

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Cheesy as this may sound, keep a voice dictation unit (read: tiny tape recorder) with you, and hum or howl the solo into the thing to record it. Now you've got something to transpose!

It's a problem I've run into as well.

I think you can do this with the newer iPods, too.

- Keith

 

[RW James]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

I know this might fall under the heading of practice... but what I do is make a backing track of the section I will solo - then put into a loop. I play it several times until I feel like I have it down.

Then I'll play it some more. But now I put little variations in, so it doesn't get stale.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Thanks Keith... I thought about that too, I have to get myself a little recorder.

Rick, I didn't understand. You play a solo constinuously in a loop over the progression and gradually build it up? Is that it?

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

If you can play what you sing, you'll always have melodic solos. Practice scat singing while you play, and worry more abut matching the rhythms of your singing than the notes.

 

[fingerace]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Yes, scat singing is the term! Thanks. I do that and it comes out very nice.

but I can't figure out how to translate it on the guitar. I guess doing it while playing will help.. thanks...

 

[Tor]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Cheesy as this may sound, keep a voice dictation unit (read: tiny tape recorder) with you, and hum or howl the solo into the thing to record it. Now you've got something to transpose!- Keith

That is exactly how David Gilmoure constructs his solos too.

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

That is exactly how David Gilmoure constructs his solos too.

Cool! I wasn't aware of that.

The best jazz players (and all musicians who know their instrument well enough) are able to play the notes the moment they think of them. Improvisational styles like jazz really lend themselves to this kind of technique.

Check out Jamey Aebersold's instructional series. He has great books to put you on that very path. It's useful for musicians of all styles.

- Keith

 

[tone4days]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

yeah - singing into a recorder is a great tip

next on that path , of course, might be to learn to write it down in notation (tab or standard) ...

another approach (parallel) for when you go to play is to break it down phrase by phrase ... work out the lines you sang ...

and breathe when you are playing .. only play notes when you are exhaling ... when you stop to take a breath, stop playing ... then start a new phrase when you starte exhaling again

t4d

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

and breathe when you are playing .. only play notes when you are exhaling ... when you stop to take a breath, stop playing ... then start a new phrase when you starte exhaling again

For a great example of this soloing style, check out Jaco Pastorius' solo on "Teen Town." You'll find this on Weather Report's album Heavy Weather. It's like scat with all the breaths.

- Keith

 

[fingerace]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

cool! thanks keith, t4d... I ll try those...

 

[shogunlegend]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

i sometimes record what i hum on my cell phone which has a voice recorder. it comes in handy :headbang:

 

[Markk]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Cheesy as this may sound, keep a voice dictation unit (read: tiny tape recorder) with you, and hum or howl the solo into the thing to record it. Now you've got something to transpose!

It's a problem I've run into as well.

I think you can do this with the newer iPods, too.

- Keith

So true...that and practice.

 

[RW James]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Rick, I didn't understand. You play a solo continuously in a loop over the progression and gradually build it up? Is that it?

No... I loop the backing track. If the solo is 16 bars, then it plays those 16 bars over and over and I work out the solo over that.

I use Cakewalk for this, but I know there are other products that do the same kind of thing.

The recorder is a good way to go as well... but you can do both.

 

[KirkLorange]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Fingerace ... melody loves chord tones!.

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Interesting. I used to do a lot of ear training, play a note, sing the note, then do the reverse. The goal is then to be able to sing an "A", then play it and be correct. Move from there to intervals (unison through two octaves) and be able to sing both the pitch and the interval and be correct. My teacher did a lot of this with me too, he'd play a small phrase then I'd have to mimic it back by ear.

The ultimate goal of course is to be able to translate what you hear in your head to the fretboard (or keyboard/keys/etc.)

 

[fingerace]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

Thanks for the tips guys! Nice ones. I ll try everything you suggested.

I am getting a little philips recorder and I ll check out the book that Keith suggested too.

Fingerace ... melody loves chord tones!.

So, I have to think chords instead of single lines?

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

I am getting a little philips recorder and I ll check out the book that Keith suggested too.

Start here.

- Keith

 

[fingerace]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

I 'm getting that best seller DVD he has... "anyone can improvise"

 

[Pink Unicorn Horsey]

Re: Thinking a solo over and then actually playing it... HELP PLS

This is a great book, too. It's not just for jazz players, believe me.