Doing a guitar solo....

...and stuff

Moderator: Capt. Black

User avatar
nightmare
Ashton
Ashton
Posts: 133
meble-kuchenne.warszawa.pl
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 2:59 pm
Location: My House,Christchurch

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by nightmare »

slash-ed wrote:
nightmare wrote:I improvise everything,I don't even worry about being in-key haha.
I don't know if there is a nicer way to say this, but improvising, while blatantly not caring about being key is quite an epic fail...

Oh, and in constructive-land, I loop the solo section and jam over it till I find bits and pieces that sound good at certain places, and try and shove them together like Basket Case said. It's much the same as songwriting sometimes for me, actually, I'll hear certain words going well in parts of the song and try and make some gibberish up that suits...
Seems to work well with what I do.I know full well that I need to improve and use proper techniques,particularly when the other guitarist leaves in Corrupted Omen.I've been told it sounds like a Slayer solo haha,and considering I play thrash metal is pretty cool to hear.Sometimes I pull out solos that do sound off,but considering my recent love of diminished and sus chording it works well I think.But I do plan on inproving my soloing techniques.

User avatar
RUDENBARK
Gibson
Posts: 764
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Waikato

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by RUDENBARK »

El Chris wrote:depends if you're in a recording situation or live
Yeah I find that too (although in my case , more like composing rather than recording). Sorta depends on what I'm playing too, and what style.
Blues, piss-easy, improv all the way. For almost anything else though (save for my more "psychadelic" moments, lol) I find I really have to go through it note by note, usually to the point of having a general idea then start playing stuff slooooooow as so it's just how I want it. Apart from blues I find it doesn't come all too easy for me, but with patience can often get something half-decent.
Danger Mouse wrote:I find I can sing a good solo, so have had medium success with humming it into a mic, then trying to play it on guitar... although my playing ability often isn't up to my humming ability.

If I try and play what is in my head without the above step, my fingers seem to refuse and just go off somewhere completely different, which I then don't like. I have spent hours and hours writing bad solos, mainly because I've spent hours and hours and hours playing without the accompaniment of music and so have learned how to solo pretty well... just not how to solo over anything (hence my recent NPD).
Yes!
+1 and all that shit, lol.
For me some of it comes from just fiddling about on the gat. But probably just as much comes from the ol' humming a tune as well.
slash-ed wrote:
nightmare wrote:I improvise everything,I don't even worry about being in-key haha.
I don't know if there is a nicer way to say this, but improvising, while blatantly not caring about being key is quite an epic fail...
Used to feel the same way. But have come to realise that's not necessarily a hard and fast rule. GENERALLY speaking - YES, STAY IN KEY PLEEEEASE!!!! lol
(I shudder to think what it sounded like one night when the monitor had "issues" (Played blind, ARGH! Couldn't hear A THING!) and I ended up soloing in the wrong key, lmao. Luckily was all whammy and wah and effects so, probably, no-one noticed (wishful thinking, lol))
But there's been several instances though when I've tried experimenting by going out of key and it sorta doesn't really sound all that bad, can get some interesting sounds going on. A bit like playing chords that aren't - sometimes that bit of dis-chord/dis-harmony can be just the ticket.

Of course the favourite quick-fix for live out-of-key slips is just to repeat it a few times, 'cause "I meant to do that" and it sounds okay anyway, lmao. Hey! It works! Just try it!
You have the right to remain silent... But I wanna hear you scream!

User avatar
calling card
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4279
Joined: Fri Nov 23, 2007 10:56 am
Location: Hoodoo dump, BOP
Has liked: 855 times
Been liked: 274 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by calling card »

RUDENBARK wrote:
El Chris wrote:depends if you're in a recording situation or live

Blues, piss-easy, improv all the way. For almost anything else though (save for my more "psychadelic" moments, lol) I find I really have to go through it note by note, usually to the point of having a general idea then start playing stuff slooooooow as so it's just how I want it. Apart from blues I find it doesn't come all too easy for me, but with patience can often get something half-decent.
I'm such a non-achiever, nothing 'bout the blues comes easy to me, I've never worked anything out note for note - only a close approximation or interpretation.
2024; I have explored the extent of the perimeter dome, there is no escape. I am become Morpheus

User avatar
sgt mukuzi
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1929
Joined: Thu Aug 11, 2005 2:50 pm

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by sgt mukuzi »

an easy way to play "out"

when in a Major key: just move what your playing up a semitone

when its out its so beautiful
sambrowne wrote:I've included things like chord voicing’s and musical terminology for those that can understand it, while trying to keep it accessible enough for fans to enjoy as well.
You are a hypocritical, whining bitch. F*$k off and die Anthony.

User avatar
RUDENBARK
Gibson
Posts: 764
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Waikato

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by RUDENBARK »

calling card wrote: I'm such a non-achiever, nothing 'bout the blues comes easy to me, I've never worked anything out note for note - only a close approximation or interpretation.
Yeah I don't know what it is eh. Anything else and I have to do that, note by note. But for some reason when it comes to blues playing...............dunno, just seems to flow out easy as (usually, lol), can just twiddle away for ages. Not even into the blues all that much, which makes it all the more confusing, lol.
You have the right to remain silent... But I wanna hear you scream!

User avatar
Bg
Site Admin
Posts: 43187
Joined: Fri Sep 05, 2003 12:13 am
Location: Auckland
Has liked: 2254 times
Been liked: 3873 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by Bg »

RUDENBARK wrote:
calling card wrote: I'm such a non-achiever, nothing 'bout the blues comes easy to me, I've never worked anything out note for note - only a close approximation or interpretation.
Yeah I don't know what it is eh. Anything else and I have to do that, note by note. But for some reason when it comes to blues playing...............dunno, just seems to flow out easy as (usually, lol), can just twiddle away for ages. Not even into the blues all that much, which makes it all the more confusing, lol.
soundclips or it didn't happen ;) I'll be posting up a jam in the next day or so - I'll put you on the list :)
So, is that low alcohol or no alcohol at all? mmmm, no alcohol, do you want to try it? Noooooooooo.

User avatar
RUDENBARK
Gibson
Posts: 764
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Waikato

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by RUDENBARK »

BG wrote:
RUDENBARK wrote:
calling card wrote: I'm such a non-achiever, nothing 'bout the blues comes easy to me, I've never worked anything out note for note - only a close approximation or interpretation.
Yeah I don't know what it is eh. Anything else and I have to do that, note by note. But for some reason when it comes to blues playing...............dunno, just seems to flow out easy as (usually, lol), can just twiddle away for ages. Not even into the blues all that much, which makes it all the more confusing, lol.
soundclips or it didn't happen ;) I'll be posting up a jam in the next day or so - I'll put you on the list :)

(..........faaarq! i've been called out! i've been called out! wot do i do nooooooooow!?!...............)
:cry:
You have the right to remain silent... But I wanna hear you scream!

User avatar
dayl
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 5253
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 6:40 pm
Has liked: 446 times
Been liked: 384 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by dayl »

RUDENBARK wrote:

(..........faaarq! i've been called out! i've been called out! wot do i do nooooooooow!?!...............)
:cry:
you maccho up and play
Image

User avatar
alanp
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 4637
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 10:51 am
Location: Wanganui
Has liked: 4 times
Been liked: 11 times
Contact:

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by alanp »

dayl wrote:you maccho up and play
Image
Does this mean that if BG wins, we get Ruden's soul?
Capt. Black wrote:Call me if you're looking for the sound of a sows ear made from a silk purse with a side of hot bitches and alcohol

User avatar
RUDENBARK
Gibson
Posts: 764
Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2008 4:26 pm
Location: Waikato

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by RUDENBARK »

alanp wrote:
dayl wrote:you maccho up and play
Image
Does this mean that if BG wins, we get Ruden's soul?
Pft! Take the bloody thing! What the hell do I want with a "soul"?

..........hmmmm........actually, how much would you give me for it?
You have the right to remain silent... But I wanna hear you scream!

User avatar
rob_on_guitar
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 1671
Joined: Sat May 24, 2008 12:29 pm
Location: Te Awamutu
Has liked: 1 time
Been liked: 8 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by rob_on_guitar »

Im thinking of uploading a rythm to see what other would do with it, see if it would be anything like what I would do.
Like a fully instrumental song, but I guess I should finish it first to stop any cheating aye lol

User avatar
Fler
Squier
Posts: 314
Joined: Sat Jul 26, 2008 7:23 pm
Been liked: 2 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by Fler »

I've done solos on tracks from all sorts of approaches, from carefully writing them to work with the piece, to which has produced some brilliant results, to just 'winging it' as they say. Hell theres been one instance where I did a solo on a friends bands EP back in high school where time was so constrained that I was told the key, given a pair of headphones, plugged in via DI using a POD I had, and just went for it. Ended up being a good solo too, pity I never got a recording of it for myself...
(((Òran Mór

User avatar
Hot_Grits
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 3730
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 2:03 pm
Has liked: 3 times
Been liked: 5 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by Hot_Grits »

I usually just play and see what kind of narrative develops. Usually I have some vague idea of what I want to do and then it's just playing and seeing whether it's coherent. So I guess it's 'composition by directed improvisation'.
jeremyb wrote: Is it true about the bum sex before marriage thing being ok?

User avatar
Danger Mouse
Vintage Post Junkie
Vintage Post Junkie
Posts: 11459
Joined: Mon Oct 16, 2006 3:32 pm
Location: Jafa Land
Has liked: 351 times
Been liked: 661 times

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by Danger Mouse »

BG wrote:
RUDENBARK wrote:
calling card wrote: I'm such a non-achiever, nothing 'bout the blues comes easy to me, I've never worked anything out note for note - only a close approximation or interpretation.
Yeah I don't know what it is eh. Anything else and I have to do that, note by note. But for some reason when it comes to blues playing...............dunno, just seems to flow out easy as (usually, lol), can just twiddle away for ages. Not even into the blues all that much, which makes it all the more confusing, lol.
soundclips or it didn't happen ;) I'll be posting up a jam in the next day or so - I'll put you on the list :)

Ooo can I have a go too please???
The older I get, the more disappointed in myself I become.

cerealkiller
Squier
Posts: 381
Joined: Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:32 pm

Re: Doing a guitar solo....

Post by cerealkiller »

cool thread. come across the same question from my student recently as well.

there are thousands ways to go and many pretty good ones here. For me here is something that I do

1. once I got familiar with the music I would mute everything but the drum and record. everything got exposed as you don't have anything to hide behind :) and it's challenging to make the solo to still sounds good and making sense by itself. if it does it's probably gonna be great when you turn the backing back on.

2. record me singing the solos and then work it out by ear. More musical than bashing out licks or runs to me :)

3. Think melody as " shape ". Cus really when you play a note. you had 4 different ways to follow it up.. taking it up? down? repeat again or silent? If I listen to the note I just play really carefully it will lead itself.

my 2 cents :)

Post Reply