What is your thought process when you're soloing over changes?

[Clint 55]

Developing your personal worldview for how you approach soloing over changes is a long process to get to be able to do it well and intuitively. What thought processes do you use for how to frame what notes to hit?

For me, I start by trying to outline each change. If I lose sight of that, I'll have in my head as a backup, the general key of the song or section that I can use to make notes fit. The end goal for me is to string together phrases that build on each other rather than only hitting each chord with disregard for the shape of the solo. However, I want to have several harmonic approaches and hit some of the chords for it to sound good. You can't only play 1 scale in jazz.

 

[GuitarStv]

Thought processes? Usually goes something like:

OK, here we go . . . there's a major chord, so let's hit it with a maj9 arpeggio, that always sounds cool . . . next chord is also major, I'll run with the major pentatonic for a bit . . . minor coming up, minor pentatonic lick with a 2nd . . . hah, this is easy . . . I'll try a harmonic minor thing over the next minor chord . . . oh crap something when wrong there . . . uh oh a diminished chord, uh quick, think of an arpeggio with b5s? . . . damn, now I'm behind a bit . . . just play the 3rd of whatever chord I'm on to recover . . . wtf is a b13 again? Ah fuck, now I'm well and truly lost . . . wheedly wheedly minor pentatonic in the key and hang head in shame for the rest of the solo.




I have a couple different approaches. If the song is slower, I'll use basic arpeggios to outline the chords as they change and then add in colour notes (9th, 6th, 7th, etc). If it's a faster song, I'll usually try to find a scale that matches the whole thing and target arpeggio notes with varying degrees of success . . . but usually there's a chord or section that doesn't quite match the scale, so depending on the mismatch I'll either completely change to a new scale in that part or I'll alter a couple notes of the scale for the segment.

 

[alex1fly]

I let my gut make decisions and my ear guides me to notes to land on. Not trying to impress anyone so if it feels good to me, it is good. Plus anymore, fewer people care about guitar solos/virtuosity the way they used to. It's more about the groove and the feel. So while my fellow guitarists will talk each other's ears off about modes and theory, I just try to build my repertoire of cool licks and my fluidity up and down the board. That being said, I did do near-daily classical/jazz/theory training on guitar, piano, and saxophone from ages 10-20 with several different teachers, so probably a lot of it is ingrained.

I've literally never thought "the next chord is an A, so I should play an A or C# or E". I've tried it on purpose, and it doesn't sound cool to me. I'm not the greatest solo-er, but I'm good enough to have fun and I keep getting better.

My latest push with soloing is actually to capture emotions and tell a story. Rhythm and timbre rather than specific notes. My best recorded solos lately have come from when I intentionally thought "okay, tell a story. Leave some space. Think about it, don't just play notes." Even something as simple as a whole step bend can have a variety of different emotions depending on when you start the bend, how far you bend, how fast you bend, how you strike the string.

Jazz and atonal stuff though, that's a whole different animal. But constantly modulating between modal scales just isn't fun for me, so I don't do it. Modulating between a minor third and a major third, or modulating between a flat 7 (natural/melodic minor) and a major 7, both of those are doable and detectable by ear and tend to happen more like once per progression. The heady jazz world of switching scales every other beat is not for me, listening or playing.

These days I'd legit rather have fun telling a relatable story with a pentatonic or blues scale than bust out a different scale for every change and impress nobody besides theoryheads. I get it, I respect it, but its not for me currently. Tastes and preferences are always shifting though so we'll see. It's great to have challenges and hurdles to overcome.

 

[LLL]

WAT.

 

[Clint 55]

I value your input, but I'm not interested in hearing about people's 1 scale + ear approaches in this thread. I'm talking about when you have to hit changes like in jazz. It isn't only done in jazz tho. Rock solists can and do do that as well as other genres.

My point is that I agree with you that changing the scale you think every half beat isn't viable. That's why I'm asking about people's approaches to hitting changes but giving them enough room to space things out.

 

[Clint 55]

Thought processes? Usually goes something like:

OK, here we go . . . there's a major chord, so let's hit it with a maj9 arpeggio, that always sounds cool . . . next chord is also major, I'll run with the major pentatonic for a bit . . . minor coming up, minor pentatonic lick with a 2nd . . . hah, this is easy . . . I'll try a harmonic minor thing over the next minor chord . . . oh crap something when wrong there . . . uh oh a diminished chord, uh quick, think of an arpeggio with b5s? . . . damn, now I'm behind a bit . . . just play the 3rd of whatever chord I'm on to recover . . . wtf is a b13 again? Ah ****, now I'm well and truly lost . . . wheedly wheedly minor pentatonic in the key and hang head in shame for the rest of the solo.




I have a couple different approaches. If the song is slower, I'll use basic arpeggios to outline the chords as they change and then add in colour notes (9th, 6th, 7th, etc). If it's a faster song, I'll usually try to find a scale that matches the whole thing and target arpeggio notes with varying degrees of success . . . but usually there's a chord or section that doesn't quite match the scale, so depending on the mismatch I'll either completely change to a new scale in that part or I'll alter a couple notes of the scale for the segment.

Yeah same with me haha. Aprs are my favorite thing to make up ideas, too. I'll run scale sequences to just add fast rhythm. I'm trying to get to a standardized approach that I can execute with regularity. For now, I'm just working a few tunes for a while until I get it.

 

[Clint 55]

WAT

YAS

 

[Aceman]

My thought process is: Let me sit down here and plan this sucker out....

when playing it: Let me play that thing I planned.

 

[Clint 55]

Yeah

 

[Bogner]

I just sweep pick and arpeggiate the entire neck of the guitar as fast as possible so that no matter what key or change may occur I am there at lightning speed. I am so fast and precise that I lull the listener in with my virtuoso technique and 24 fret stretch capabilities. They deserve it so I give them every possible note because less isn't more. Less is less.

 

[Blille]

I value your input, but I'm not interested in hearing about people's 1 scale + ear approaches in this thread. I'm talking about when you have to hit changes like in jazz. It isn't only done in jazz tho. Rock solists can and do do that as well as other genres.

My point is that I agree with you that changing the scale you think every half beat isn't viable. That's why I'm asking about people's approaches to hitting changes but giving them enough room to space things out.

I've tried a variety of methods but what I found most satisfying was to focus on just a couple of notes to highlight to play literally when the chord changes. Mostly 3rds and 7ths.

Basic example in a ii V I in C Major I would play C over the Dm as the last note into the B as the first note over G.

The I discovered this is called voice leading and everyone know about it lol https://www.learnjazzstandards.com/...heory/how-to-use-voice-leading-in-your-solos/

I quickly realized I could get away with whatever in the middle if I just landed those.

 

[Clint 55]

I like that. I found this lesson on enclosures that I've been trying to integrate. At 7:08.

 

[Mincer]

I try to play a melody that I like the sound of while also amusing myself with how many chord tones I hit. I generally don't do licks.

 

[Blille]

I like that. I found this lesson on enclosures that I've been trying to integrate. At 7:08.

Enclosures are great. They are even easier on guitar IMHO

My former teacher created an online product you may enjoy https://www.mwgcourses.com/ check the free trial out and you may pick up some stuff. A lot about jazz guitar improvisation at all levels.

 

[PFDarkside]

It goes like this:

”Sounds like E, E blues it is!”
”ooh that note doesn’t sound good. Let’s bend.”

In all seriousness playing the changes is something I was trying to do, but I never got very far.

 

[Blille]

It goes like this:

”Sounds like E, E blues it is!”
”ooh that note doesn’t sound good. Let’s bend.”

In all seriousness playing the changes is something I was trying to do, but I never got very far.

The let's bend is a great trick. I also like to play again the wrong note a few times to justify it while I figure out how to resolve it. Sometimes the chord changes and you're saved.

 

[Mincer]

It goes like this:

”Sounds like E, E blues it is!”
”ooh that note doesn’t sound good. Let’s bend.”

In all seriousness playing the changes is something I was trying to do, but I never got very far.

I also do things like: This solo sounds like I should bend here, so I will completely avoid it. Or, its in E? Let's avoid the 1st and 12 positions. Sometimes taking out the most obvious (or What Every Guitar Player Would Do) leads to some interesting places.

 

[beaubrummels]

Thought process? Sheet. Talk to me after a few beers and I loosen up. I fire all my guns at once, then explode into space.

 

[Clint 55]

You guys are a bit belligerent and anti-intellectual but you've actually offered way more wisdom than the guys on the jazz forum lol. They're scrooged over there.

 

[Blille]

You guys are a bit belligerent and anti-intellectual but you've actually offered way more wisdom than the guys on the jazz forum lol. They're scrooged over there.

Hold my beer while I go there.