Building My Solo-Portfolio.

[ijustwannastrat]

So, I've noticed lately that I don't actually know any solo's, really. So, I would appreciate any help in suggestions for solo's/solo licks to learn. I know how to turn a lick from one key to another to use in other keys/chords, but I don't know the licks. I'm looking at mostly blues/rock/country. I know metal, and frankly I'm sick of it. Any suggestions you guys can throw out would be appreciated.

[asmith]

When I was a nipper, I learnt a ton of Hendrix solos, Steve Vai and Satch tunes, and the first half of Far Beyond The Sun. I had a need to be the fastest, the slickest, the most accurate. I still didn't get laid.

Then I settled down and stopped learning specific solos, and tried to emulate styles. I looked at mostly players like Trey Anastasio, Warren Haynes, Steve Vai, Nuno Bettencourt, Stevie Ray Vaughan. I checked out modes, common melodic licks, chromatic passing notes. I even turned the distortion off sometimes.

Then I decided I liked a decent song / harmony / arrangement and attempted to learn the building blocks of music underneath them so that I understood the wallpaper on top. Now when I want to flail out for a bit I might rip off Eddie Van Halen, or Steve Vai, but mostly I find good-time hard rock n roll comes out of my fingers when I'm playing, I channel a lot of Aerosmith, and I know what I'm doing there instinctively.

It was all very beneficial in other areas as well. I've written orchestral music, piano-based tunes, things reminiscent of early Bob Dylan songs, things reminiscent of Steve Vai tunes, and French-electro synth-dance because of a musical self-education. All I need to do is re-write the last medley of Abbey Road and I'll be set.

There's a point in all this. Tom Morello said he never learnt anybody else's stuff because he wanted to cultivate his own. I'm not going to condone such extreme behaviour. However, if you like a particular song, learn the whole song! If you like a particular solo, learn the solo. Hell, there might be some great exercises out there, but you're not going to learn half as much if you're not enjoying them, and they won't sound as good to someone else's ears as well.

So what are you into?

[ijustwannastrat]

Aerosmith, Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones, Steely Dan, almost anything rockin in the 60's/70's. I was aiming towards what you have. I figure the best way to learn to emulate a certain guitarist is to learn his signature licks to the point that they come second nature...

[asmith]

There you go then, you've answered your own question. Perhaps start with some Aerosmith, Zeppelin, Beatles, Stones and Steely Dan tunes.

[cynical1]

I always felt Robin Trower was able to accomplish more with less...

David Gilmour had an interesting approach to solos. He'd noodle riffs, assemble them together, then learn them as a cohesive solo for the song.

And while he's not a guitar player, listen to Miles Davis. He had an instinctive way of tying a song together with just enough to make his point, but not too much to have it lost in the muddle...especially his later stuff.

Another often overlooked player was Martin Barre from Jethro Tull. Never overplayed the solo and seemed to always add just enough to keep it moving, but not too much to toss it off track.

Steve Howe with Yes was mostly solo riffing, but he did a masterful job being heard along side the likes of Bruford, Squire and Wakeman...

And finally, Bill Nelson during his BeBop Deluxe days. His solo stuff was a bit eccentric...

Granted, these examples come out of the Jurassic Rock period, but I'm getting up there myself, and aside from some Jazz players no one really jumps out at me as soloists within the context of a song. Pyrotechnics is pyrotechnics...

Plus I live in zip code EIEIO, so the radio don't quite make it up here no more...

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[JFrankParnell]

go here truefire.com/join-free.html and sign up free, they'll give you a month of trufireTV. Really good little lessons 50 blues licks you must know, 50 blues rock licks, etc, from Jeff McErlain.

[newey]

All good advice, guys, but what I garnered from this was that IJWS wanted licks, not advice . . .

He said:

I figure the best way to learn to emulate a certain guitarist is to learn his signature licks to the point that they come second nature...

Well, that's part of it; you also have to be able to insert them in the right places!

Anyway, I'm in the same boat as IJWS- a rhythm player, mostly, not much of a soloist (well, not much of a rhythm player, either, but I try . . .) So, I, too, have been attempting to learn some of those signature licks.

Here's a few basic ones I've been working to get down to the point where they're part of my genetics. When you dream them, then you've practiced them enough!

These are based off of an Em pentatonic scale, and can of course be slid up/down as needed. They are courtesy of Clapton, who probably lifted them from Chuck Berry, who took them out of the Mississippi mists . . . as basic as it gets, I guess . . .

Try playing the notes singly as well as in unison:



So, there's your licks to practice for today!

It occurs to me that we should have a thread titled "A Lick for Today", where every day someone else would post a new lick for us all to work on that day. Of course, many folks would already be familiar with the lick in question, but it never hurts to revisit stuff, and maybe someone would post something fresh, and we'd all learn a bit.

Only one per day, whoever posts it first has the one for that day.

Just an idea, I've posted mine for April 26, 2011 above, so I'll leave it to someone else to carry the ball on this if there's any interest.

[4real]

Apr 25, 2011 15:14:19 GMT -5 ijustwannastrat said:

So, I've noticed lately that I don't actually know any solo's, really. So, I would appreciate any help in suggestions for solo's/solo licks to learn. I know how to turn a lick from one key to another to use in other keys/chords, but I don't know the licks. I'm looking at mostly blues/rock/country. I know metal, and frankly I'm sick of it. Any suggestions you guys can throw out would be appreciated.

No time to TAB things out, or an exhaustive list...but a few suggestions.

In the classic rock vein, Kossoff's solo in Free's "All Right Now" is a classic for that 'slow burn' opposite of shredding and so good. In fact, analyse the whole song as it tends to be played wrong and badly quite a bit.

Stairway to heaven is an obvious one for Pages classic circular soloing and again, a lot to learn in the way it is structured, not just 'licks' but how it builds. Pay special attention to that classic opening phrase ending on the F note for the F chord and the loose swagger that is typical of Page's style. "Since I've been loving you" is also a classic in the blues rock style and an absolute masterpiece, again learn the song and how it work, not just the solo of a bunch of 'licks'.

So...in rock, you can't go past the Yardbirds crew, Page (above), Beck and Clapton. Obviously for clapton there is lots to choose, the cream era is an obvious place for hours of soloing (that is how i learned early on) but his best work was really as a 21 yo 'clapton is god' era with John Mayall's Bluesbreaker "Beano" album...an absolute classic and the blueprint for the marshall/les paul combination that will never die.

For something with more of a 'twist' I've always loved Beck, Blow by Blow is a classic and particularly "since we've ended as lovers" remains his trademark tune.

Of course, HENDRIX stands unique, again phrasing and not to forget the many flavours to his approach. The soloing is great, the vision...but I love that whole Little wing, castles made of sand Curtis Mayfeild style pretty rhythm work. Also check out his chord sequences. For solo's 'little wing' is often selected, but "Wind Cries Mary" is a stunner, notice how the chords are changed for the solo section and something so bluesy is played major (contrary to belief, not everything is in minor pentatonic to be blues!).

I went through a period of Roy Buchannan worship, and thatere is a distinctive blues/country player. A lot of players I like are for the very distinctive phrasing.

In blues, the three kinds are obvious...BB, Albert (another fav) and a lesser extent (for me anyway but a big influence on clapton).

Love him or hate him, John Mayer is a very good player who synthesise a lot of influences...the video 'where the light is' is cheap and I found inspiration, even though you just want to hate the guy, he knows his stuff!

For super hot playing, I quite like the hellecasters. Country is not my strong point, but Brad Paisley is a great modern player with amazing chops and can write a good song in that style.

In jazzy styles, Grant Green, Wes Montgomery and Kenny Burrel are worth hearing. Django of course can run rings around any player...with two fingers alone.

It's not always obvious from his albums, but Eric Johnson has a deep understanding of his influences and his DVD 'total guitar' is quite a good reference for his take on things.

His contemporary SRV can't be ignored either...plenty of licks there to steal. "Lenny" is a great tune to learn for something different and contains a lot of influences.

Knophler is also great...check out the way he tends to spell out the chords and of course, the phrasing.

All the great players on those Steely Dan records...fantastic stuff where only the best survived.

Santana is another...obviously there is a Parthenon of "guitar gods" to learn from.

Just a few suggestions, take any of their 'hits' (sultans of swing, etc) or any little bit of a song to incorporate that ear catching lick and make it your own...see how it works in a progression and the solo, learn to alter it to fit other progressions.

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For me, I've always wanted to sound like "me" if that makes sense. Of course you take from all over, but learn an approach and make it your own. Find a way of phrasing that is yours (or a mix of approaches you assimilate). There are a million SRV clones out there, do what he and others did and make your own thing out of like all these great players did. Map out in broader ways the structure of how a solo builds and climaxes and works, and why something as simple as 'all right now' is such a classic solo. Learn the bass parts as well, a huge part of that free solo as a hint.

As a final suggestion, don't sacrifice the rhythm aspects of guitar playing for the rock god 'lead' style. Learn more than just solo's but how they work with the tune, and how to play stuff in the 90% of the time not soloing. For a lot of styles you can put in some tasty licks between lyrics and such...this is an art in itself.

Another thing to try, is to learn to play melodies, just try and play anything that comes into your head, work out how to do it with different phrasing, bends and other articulations, rushing parts or laying back, put a heavy 'swing' on to things...this will build a lot of different skills and accelerate playing what you hear over playing what you know and hone a melodic sensibility.

When I get time, perhaps I could make a list...but probably better that you come up with a list of the kinds of things that really catch your ear.

[ashcatlt]

Jun 17, 2011 4:46:32 GMT -5 4real said:

Another thing to try, is to learn to play melodies, just try and play anything that comes into your head, work out how to do it with different phrasing, bends and other articulations, rushing parts or laying back, put a heavy 'swing' on to things...this will build a lot of different skills and accelerate playing what you hear over playing what you know and hone a melodic sensibility.

I love this! I know it's not exactly what wannastrat was looking for, but it's great advice.

My first guitar book was (I think) a Mel Bay Jazz Guitar workbook. It didn't actually tell me anything about how to play a guitar, but it was invaluable.

The first section was all about basic interval theory. Pages and pages of "What note is three semitones above Ab?" "What note is a minor third below C?"

The second (and final) section was all re: improvisation off of a theme. There'd be a simple snippet of a melody and you were to add and/or change notes to make it more interesting, change the feel, etc.

I've done this sort of thing ever since. I don't play much in the way of lead myself, and I've always been a big fan of the "anti-solo" thing. Think Kurt Cobain in songs like "Breed", "D7", "Milk It". (No, he's not the only or maybe the best, but just what I can think of off the top of my head right now) Lately, though, in Circadian Nations, I've been trying to work on more "normal" sounding lead stuff. I almost always start with the vocal melody and start just noodling around off of that. Add passing tones, change phrasing, maybe drop a note here or there till I come up with something that (hopefully) adds something meaningful and interesting to the arrangement.

So, yeah, just grab some melody with which you're familiar and learn to play it on the guitar. "When the Saints...", heck even "Twinkle Twinkle"! I recently stumbled across the opening phrase for "Moondance" and decided to work my way through the entire vocal thing. Morrison himself incorporates some really cool phrasing techniques, and it was a lot of fun. Don't ask me to play it now, though!

[irwired]

Another thing to try, is to learn to play melodies, just try and play anything that comes into your head, work out how to do it with different phrasing, bends and other articulations, rushing parts or laying back, put a heavy 'swing' on to things...this will build a lot of different skills and accelerate playing what you hear over playing what you know and hone a melodic sensibility.

I second what Ash just said.

Plus I live in zip code EIEIO, so the radio don't quite make it up here no more...

And this would work for C1 as well

I have been setting up virtual radio stations on Pandora www.pandora.com/
If you haven't already played with Pandora here's how it works.

Get a free membership, which give you 40 hrs a month of play time.

For any players you like to emulate, create a "station"

Build up your list of stations, then hit the "mix all" button.

Pandora will add to that list music it considers to have similar DNA.
The music that comes out can be quite interesting.

Choose your weapon and play along.

Depending on the recording of course you won't always be in tune.
But it is great fun to try to field whatever comes your way musically.

Cheers
Wirey

PS. Out of curiosity I did a search for classic rock and came up with classic.3wk.com/player/player.php?format=wm&station=classic
They play a hand picked mix of 60-70's rock.
Over the past couple of hours I've heard some well known and some obscure tunes.
Something for those of us in the musical desert. ;D
40,000 Headmen is playing as I write this, haven't heard this in years. (Traffic)

[ijustwannastrat]

I appreciate all the comments.

One thing that perked my ear (I couldn't think of another phrase) was John Mayer. Now, I may be shot for this, but I personally think that his song "Gravity" is the most important thing to happen to blues in the last 20 years.

I'm digging Kossoff, but then again, Free is great.


I think that when I start to get more used to these licks, that I may start writing them down in a book. Not for myself, but for 40 years down the road, when a grandson or neighbor boy wants to pick up the guitar.

[4real]

Sorry I could not be more specific, hard to advise what another guy might like you know...there are always lists about of the 'greatest classic rock solos of all time" you could play through.

Obviously; stairway, watchtower, wish you were here, crossroads, etc are featured.

...

I do like the song 'gravity' and his 'blues trio' thing with bass great Paladino...that vid is cheap and has that band and others and is great...but he is so annoyingly good yet smug some times, you just want to...well...you know....but he certainly can play and writes a decent song all things considered.

There are some good YT vids on playing the solo from gravity and a beautifully constructed solo.

...

The melody thing is important I think...there are various strategies one can use and combine of course

Generally there is the melody thing, either of the song or another or one that you make up. Just a bit of practice on this will hone a melodic sense I believe.

Then there is the harmonic approach, typical in jazz but also in the playing of someone like Knophler. You also want to have some sense of melody or at least voice leading, but generally playing very much to the harmony.

One problem with a lot of rock is that the harmony is not doing a whole lot LOL and even the melodies aren't that, err, interesting without the lyrics and hysterics...so you get that riffing and 'circular riffing'. A fave of southern rock it would seem (think sweet home Alabama) but a feature of Page with is often syncopated repeating figures.

Analysing things into the basic categories and where the climax of solos are and how they achieve them are great ways of getting a handle on things. Many players have a consistent trademark way of doing these kinds of things...EVH has this tremolo picked thing up a string for instance that appears regularly. Copy or devise your own moves like that is always good to have in the trick bag LOL.

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I have been taking a time warp trip lately back to 1983 when I was starting to emerge from 'rock-ville' and the blues, through a bunch of ancient badly recorded cassettes of stuff.

In this badly recorded performance ina tech college cafeteria with a couple of out of phase cheap mics in the back of the room, no PA and completely improvised with very little rehearsal the week before is interesting and might illustrate some of these points in my playing and in this case the sax player steve...(bear in mind i was only 20 ok...LOL)

soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=10768227

Ok...so a very 'jazz blues rock' kind of take on a wes montgomery tune would you believe (road song).

So the melody is stated and it is my turn to solo. A completely different 'melody', the middle 8 i am trying to navigate the modulating there, otherwise it is that classic rock approach...a bit of circular riffing and my own take on things. An opening statement, and a lot of 'bends' and such...a few pinch harmonic things...an eye on the basic bluesy progression. Given the instrumental thing and that the melody has already been pounded home, a different approach is probably necessary anyway...

You should note that all my playing there is pentatonic based, no fancy jazzy stuff in my playing really...again, it shows in that B section. It was 1983 and I might have been a little too influenced by trends of the era LOL

Ok...steves turn...I continue to outline the basic melody below and he is basing his solo off of the melody or off it (say in the middle 8 where I play the legit melody) in some interesting ways...a very different approach to what I attempted (I can still see him with sax in hand just looking at me sceptically when I played a solo...LOL)

Both are valid approaches and everything in between. I've never been much chop at playing other peoples solos note for note and there is a risk in that...so stealing riffs and ideas, forming a structure and giving things some direction through the chord sequence the melody or some othe melodic device tends to keep things moving.

Studying other solos, just by listening is a great way to be aware of these things and to have them come out in your own playing.

This tune is an AABA form and listening say to my solo there, I can see I came out with a strong opening statement, a bit of speed and energy in a circular riff, avoided falling on the root at the end of A1 and playing through to A2 as if to say, I've not finished yet. Landing on the root in A2...change of pace in the B section...then a similar plan to A1 & 2 but with a 'twist' that I recall i used to do a bit in those days. Normally you would expect the solo to climax high up in typical rock cliche style. Going low also works, the pinch harmonics are also good to give the impression of higher notes, but in reality these notes are way down on the low e string. This give room for the next soloist to 'take off'.

It is interesting to learn from other instrumentalists approach to soloing too. I can detect quite a bit of influence back then in just playing with Steve and his approach as well.

...

If planning to write some tunes to solo off, there are some interesting simple things you can ask yourself to make something more interesting to solo over, even with say a traditional blues approach. I love the way the solo in 'wind cries mary' JH has a different chord sequence to the rest of the song and turns things around. Or that in EVH's 'jump' the solo sequence drops down a tone so you feel this 'lift' when it seems to modulate back up to the original key. DO you really need to start on the I chord all the time, must a blues/rock song be 12 bars (little wing is 10.5 as I recall)...what if you stay with a pentatonic blues apraoch in key but the harmony moves? What you are playing off of can really make for an interesting simple solo.

...

ok...well not sure if that helps or is of interest, but there you go...history, what an amazing thing hahaha

...

speaking of 'melody' being used, it recalls clapton's famous solo in 'sunshine of your love' which opens with the old tune 'moon river' and using his 'woman tone' lol...so, such melody stealing is not just a 'jazz thing'. There are some melodies that are so commonly used in jazz they have names after the original song. "The cry me a river' lick is everywhere once you know it and I've heard it in J Becks playing more than a few times...also works well in blues and rock and works in mysterious ways!

[cynical1]

Having just started down the road to playing a guitar I can't offer any practical advice based on experience...but I have been scouring the Internet looking for lessons and training tips.

I found this:



The player in this video, Guthrie Govan, has a whole series of tutorials scattered all over YouTube. Most of them are light years above my current ability, but he explains things in a easy to follow style, versus just showing off how fast he can play...however he can get fast...plus he's articulate with a dry sense of humor. You can follow most of them here. And as an aside, check out this guy's solo stuff. He is an amazing talent and can cover a multitude of styles.

Something else I recently discovered is musictonic.com. It's just a front end for YouTube, but it only grabs music related video rather then the clutter of hits that the native YouTube engine seems to retrieve.

It's also a bit more user friendly by creating an auto playlist on the left and a Related series of links on the right. The Related feature works better when selecting a specific artist.

The search from the home page seems to work better then the search from the results page, but type in "Guitar Solo Lesson" and you'll get dozens of results to keep you occupied for a while. After running through a few you can then isolate the better instruction video producers and just isolate your searches on on them in the "Search Artist" box in the upper right corner of the page.

Hope this helps.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[ijustwannastrat]

That website is amazing. I am forever indebted to you for this.


In somewhat offtopic/ontopic, I jammed with a drummer and a bassist that I have never met before today. It was an experience. The drummer would play a beat, and the bassist would instantly grab a bassline. I would normally catch the bassline by about the 2nd time around, then would work a rhythm or lead. It was really cool. I played straight for 3 hours without stopping.

We decided that I was looking for something other than those two, but it was still a cool experience.

[cynical1]

Glad I could help. I spent about 3 hours there myself today...and my fingers still hurt...

And you bring up a good point...as long as we're wandering off topic for a bit... Jamming and becoming a band are two vastly different things. Finding the right mix of business and creativity is always a challenge and often elusive.

Good luck in the future.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[thetragichero]

something that has helped me (although i am far from a lead player) is to sit with an unplugged strat while watching tv or a movie and play little 'leads' over the background music
while it doesn't help with structuring, i find it helps tune my fingers/ear for when i'm playing with others
obviously you want to do this unplugged or your ladyfriend will have a fit!