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Old 08-20-2019, 10:50 AM   #1
toleolu
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Default What inspires or drives your solos?

So many great musicians on this forum, I'm hoping some of you might share with me how you go about coming up with your solos.

I've always been so envious of people who seem to be able to convey so much emotion and feeling in their work.
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:14 AM   #2
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The solos I came up with for the last album I spent quite a bit of time developing. I focused more on trying to "tell a story" rather than doing a shred thing or playing as fast as possible.

I'm not a natural lead guitarist by any means so I tend to try and construct solos that are a bit challenging for my ability but not so far outside my level of technique that I can't play them correctly.

I try to work on the phrases and revise them until I am happy then string them all together into a performance.

There's a few solos on my album but the one's I am pleased with you can find here :

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFh58wwSvjo

Sea Spirit of the Night 2nd Solo @ 17:52
Blood Sacrifice Solo @ 22:43
Black Plague Eclipse Solo 1 @ 26:38
Shadow Beings Solo @ 32:57
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:26 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toleolu View Post
So many great musicians on this forum
Ah, well that counts me out then.

Regarding solo's

Doesn't really suit the genre I play around with. Best I can do is "noodle."
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:34 AM   #4
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I don't sing, play the keys in ever smaller capacity than guitar and have to fill space with something, so I noodle until I stumble upon something I don't utterly hate.

(noodling on guitar is a pleasant activity in general)
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:34 AM   #5
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I guess more than 90% of my solos are improvised.
Do lots of takes and then cut&paste.
Hard to do a predefined solo without loosing some feeling.
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Old 08-20-2019, 12:08 PM   #6
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Solos and melody lines are pretty much improv for me. The real goodness is when you can put technique and theory whathaveyou away and use it without thinking to express your emotions freely. When you tell someone a story and have them on the edge of their seats, you aren't thinking verbs and pronouns LOL.

My suggestion is to just sing melodic ideas over the music, then try to play those. Make sure you can 'see' what you sing on your guitar interval wise, if can do that well, your solos will get much better because it allows you to transfer what you hear in your head to the instrument directly. A good way to get good at that is to sing what you play, aka noodle solo notes in a simple scale and try to sing the note right when you play it until you can predict what you hear in your head will be what comes out of your instrument. IOW, practice scatting what you play, playing what you scat.

To underscore all of this, work on channeling your emotion through those arms, hands, fingers into the instrument instead of flailing about hoping magic is going to happen - that's what really matters and is often the difference between a meaningful solo and a circus act.
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Old 08-20-2019, 01:33 PM   #7
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I stand by there being no hard rules, but for me personally I always tried to be very intentful and useful with each part of the solo. I really do not like riffs or runs in solos if they are not serving a melodic purpose.

If a solo starts off improvised I almost always will go and change things in it afterwards.
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Old 08-20-2019, 06:22 PM   #8
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Default What inspires or drives your solos?

Total Incompetence...
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Old 08-20-2019, 06:38 PM   #9
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Just a small tip...works for me:

Imagine that you're the listener asking yourself what you would like to hear...then work on playing that. If you do this a lot you'll get quicker at it, then after a while the listener/player merge into the same thing, but along the way you can shift the focus. E.G. You're playing away but feel that it's not really happening...say to youself 'be the listener, be the listener'.

And don't forget to listen to everyone else in the band...even more than to yourself...just one little drum figure can give you something to develope.
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:15 PM   #10
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Thanks for all the replies, very helpful as usual.

Quote:
Originally Posted by inertia View Post

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFh58wwSvjo

Sea Spirit of the Night 2nd Solo @ 17:52
Blood Sacrifice Solo @ 22:43
Black Plague Eclipse Solo 1 @ 26:38
Shadow Beings Solo @ 32:57
Metal is not really my genre, but I really enjoyed a lot of what you did here. The solos on Black Plague Eclipse and Shadow Beings I thought were especially good.

The thing that really struck me, and something that I think I'm missing, is how your guitar tone fits so well in the songs. Kind of hard to explain, but it just seems to blend so well with the other instruments. It just seems to fit perfectly in how it stands out without stepping on what else is going on in the song.

I'm able, for the most part, to get what I want musically but when I play it back, it just doesn't feel like it fits with the rest of the song. Not so much from a pitch or musical standpoint, but more from a tonal balance standpoint. I'm sure my mixing skills, or lack thereof, is partly to blame for that.

Quote:
Originally Posted by karbomusic View Post
To underscore all of this, work on channeling your emotion through those arms, hands, fingers into the instrument instead of flailing about hoping magic is going to happen - that's what really matters and is often the difference between a meaningful solo and a circus act.
To me, that's one of the things that separates musicians from people like me who know how to play an instrument. One of the things I struggle with as well, I can play the notes, but I can't always tell the story.

Quote:
Originally Posted by synkrotron View Post
Ah, well that counts me out then.
I know you're kidding there synk, I've listened to, and tried playing over, a lot of your music. Psi Cygni and Euphrosyne are two of my favs. Did you do the music for that Acid Rain video.

Thanks again to all.
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:21 PM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Goldreap View Post
Just a small tip...works for me:

Imagine that you're the listener asking yourself what you would like to hear...then work on playing that. If you do this a lot you'll get quicker at it, then after a while the listener/player merge into the same thing, but along the way you can shift the focus. E.G. You're playing away but feel that it's not really happening...say to youself 'be the listener, be the listener'.

And don't forget to listen to everyone else in the band...even more than to yourself...just one little drum figure can give you something to develope.
Very good point, and something I touched on in my previous response. A lot of the time, when I'm playing, usually with head phones on, what I'm hearing sounds OK, but when I play it back, it's nothing like I thought it would be. I guess when I'm playing, I'm focused more on playing, and not really listening.

Unfortunately, I don't play in a band, just pretty much me on my own recording stuff in the man cave, trying to come up with something that sounds half way decent.
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:23 PM   #12
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I use solo a fair bit.
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:24 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by thevisi0nary View Post
I stand by there being no hard rules, but for me personally I always tried to be very intentful and useful with each part of the solo. I really do not like riffs or runs in solos if they are not serving a melodic purpose.

If a solo starts off improvised I almost always will go and change things in it afterwards.
Sorry I missed this in my earlier replies, but yes I agree with you about riffs and licks. There's definitely places where they fit, but to me anyway, they shouldn't be the driving factor. Agree with the no hard rules as well. Lot's of really good music out there that breaks a lot of the so called rules.
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Old 08-20-2019, 07:27 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toleolu View Post
convey so much emotion and feeling in their work.
the secret, 99.8% of musician instrument players & vocalists are using memorized finger patterns & finger timing for that 'conveyance' in solos

so ask yourself- are these solos really so 'emotional & original'
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Old 08-20-2019, 09:20 PM   #15
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It's a zen thing. Before I hit record I meditate for a few minutes and imagine that John Petrucci is channeling through my fingers. I have an inner chant going that says, "You're better than he is. You're better than he is." Then I open my eyes, look myself in the mirror, pet the dog (also named Petrucci) and realize that that ain't gonna happen and I hit record and play my usual blah-blah solo.

Works for me...
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Old 08-20-2019, 09:26 PM   #16
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It's a zen thing. Before I hit record I meditate for a few minutes and imagine that John Petrucci is channeling through my fingers. I have an inner chant going that says, "You're better than he is. You're better than he is." Then I open my eyes, look myself in the mirror, pet the dog (also named Petrucci) and realize that that ain't gonna happen and I hit record and play my usual blah-blah solo.

Works for me...
I try to channel my inner SRV, same result, blah blah!!
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Old 08-20-2019, 10:13 PM   #17
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Typically the rhythm parts...

But then I listen to my "solos" and typically delete them.

Joking aside, one can only allow sincere emotion by excluding the critical/analytical/intellectual aspects. This is probably why drugs are a popular approach.


Take Stairway to Heaven as an example. Iconic, amazing solos. By Page's admission, they were improvised, but he already had an idea of where (on the neck) and how he would play them. In other words, preparation and practice.

So here's my advice: Listen to your broccoli. Ok that's someone else's advice, but still good advice.

If you're having trouble expressing emotion, it's probably due to overthinking. If you're having trouble coming up with ideas, it's probably due to a lack of improvisational experience. Many of the the great composers became so largely due to long hours spent improvising. That's a fact.

In short the answer is: time. But then again, my solos suck so don't listen to me.
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:30 PM   #18
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Habit, most of the time.
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Old 08-20-2019, 11:46 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toleolu View Post
I've listened to, and tried playing over, a lot of your music. Psi Cygni and Euphrosyne are two of my favs.
Thank you, a big compliment that

I'm assuming that you have listened to both of those tracks on YouTube.

Euphrosyne is still available for free download on my SoundCloud page. So please feel free to download and mess around with it as you see fit. It is one of my many creative commons pieces.

I was thinking of releasing Psi Cygni as part of an album on Bandcamp so I removed the download option on SoundCloud. But I can certainly make it downloadable again if you want a lossless copy.


Quote:
Did you do the music for that Acid Rain video.
I think you are referring to that video where there are a number of cheer leaders that have been involved in a car crash. Great video that and I like the choreography, not that I'm any kind of expert on that.

But, no, I didn't do the music for that one. The artist in question is someone a lot more talented and popular than me and they go under the name of Lorn.


cheers, and thanks,

andy
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Old 08-21-2019, 02:27 AM   #20
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Good stuff! And interesting to think about...

Hopefully, it just flows, right? But if I'm stuck, two really simple things often help:

Think of one word or a simple phrase describing what you want for the mood, then, well, play that lol. For instance if I think "soaring" I'll be putting together long climbing lines and wide intervals. "Aggression" would be totally different, maybe fast choppy minor key runs with lots of bends and dissonance. Stupid simple but works for me. I guess it would be better to do this automatically or unconsciously but to me playing with that intent can really help. Or perhaps to put it another way really it's just a method or reminder to focus and edit, it's so easy to throw too much at a solo and then of course things end up very samey.

#2, add contrast. For me melodically that usually means dissonance, could just as well be consonance. Of course this can also be applied to rhythm, technique, position, you name it.

I dunno, these are just kinda tricks, maybe you're looking for something more philosophical, there's always this:
https://youtu.be/5KvSKksHsSg?t=209

Have fun, rock on!
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Old 08-21-2019, 02:41 AM   #21
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3 things off the top of my head:

Question and answer: Tried and true, as old as melody itself. Swap between phrases that leave you waiting for a resolution and phrases that resolve that question. The best soloists are conversational.

The silence is as important as the notes: give phrases space to stand out and sink in.

Timing is important: it's easy to get loose when noodling, but getting the on-beat accents right on the beat will give them more impact, make the solo sound like it belongs in the song more, and also give more impact to when you play around the beats and use more circuitous rhythms.
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Old 08-21-2019, 02:45 AM   #22
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Always have your phone with you to record what comes into your head wherever you are or whatever time - whistle it, sing hum whatever. Otherwise it's lost.

Works about one time in fifty for me as a non whistler/singer/hummer/etc (or soloist come to that).

But the one in fifty is usually good or the start of something good.
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Old 08-21-2019, 09:38 AM   #23
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Always so impressed and grateful for all the great comments and suggestions I get on my posts.

Gave me a lot to think about, and I think I may have hit on the main problem. Compared to most of you, I suck!!!

I've spent a lot of time listening to the music people here post on the different services out there and I'm constantly frustrated by how my music doesn't even come close.

It finally dawned on me that it's pretty analogous to my golf game. I'm a pretty good golfer, a 5 handicap, but compared to people who have spent most of their lives working on their game, I suck!!

Same with music, I'm a pretty good guitar player, but compared to people here who have been playing and mixing music for most of their lives, once again, I suck.

I've been reluctant to post things I come up with but I think I need to re-evaluate that position. I need to go back to basics, start posting some basic rhythm tracks and get your feedback on how to improve the quality of the musicianship and the mix. No sense trying to come up with a good solo over a song that sounds like crap!!!

I've got a couple of things I've been working on, think I'll re-record the rhythm parts and post one or two of them. The drum parts are difficult for me since I'm not a drummer and I have to pretty much rely on the grooves in MT Drum Kit for timing and what not, but maybe once I get a song or two out there, someone can help with that as well.

Thanks again to all. I'm going to try to get something up on the collaboration section in the next week or so.

Mahalo
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Old 08-21-2019, 10:36 AM   #24
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toleolu View Post
Gave me a lot to think about, and I think I may have hit on the main problem. Compared to most of you, I suck!!!
You don't suck! You're just on a different level than other guitarists. We ALL are on different levels. As you practice and learn you will rise from level to level. Just takes time and effort. You'll be fine.
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Old 08-21-2019, 10:52 AM   #25
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Same with music, I'm a pretty good guitar player, but compared to people here who have been playing and mixing music for most of their lives, once again, I suck.
Reminds me of when I got my first digital recorder coming from analog. A beautiful Yamaha MD8 in the late 90s - I brought it home, started recording, cried for two hours when I realized tape had been covering up my flaws all those years.

It's a good thing really, just keep recording, identify the rough edges, sand one down, move on to the next and sort of forget about self-judgement and progress for a while. Next thing you know, things are better. My suggestion is concentrate purely on the source and how it sounds, mix it, but don't use a mix to fix it IOW. It is called mixing not fixing FWIW.

I have hundreds of songs or parts of songs I've written and recorded, I have 10 times that of "tests". Those tests as I call them ARE my experience in recording myself - being tests, there is no bar I have to reach, no stress of good enough, it's just about trying, evaluating, learning, rinse, repeat - not to mention this will actually result in usable snippets for future songs - that sort of just happens along the way.
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Old 08-21-2019, 11:31 AM   #26
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toleolu View Post
I'm a pretty good golfer
I played pitch and putt once. That's about my limit...




Anyway, can I ask, what is it you are seeking to create?

I honestly can't remember whether you have posted any of your tracks here before.

You are a guitar player.

So what's your bag?

Jazz?

Metal?

Punk?


Reason I ask is, I'd love to be able to play and record stuff like Meshuggah, but I've tried, and died.

I love prog, too, but my writing skills ain't up to the task.

But I also love electronic stuff, have done since discovering Tangerine Dream back in the seventies, and I found I could apply myself there.


What I am trying to say is, sometimes we have to lower our sights a little and work within our skill set.

Some of us improve over time, of course, and can start creating what we love. But, personally, I am glad I have worked within my limitations, and put stuff out there, rather than practising and practising till my fingers bleed and not actually produce anything.


Just a thought...

cheers

andy
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Old 08-21-2019, 11:52 AM   #27
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I was digging through some stuff I had done awhile back and came across this:

https://forum.cockos.com/showthread....14#post2172714

Just put it up on the collaboration section. Figured it was a pretty good place to start.

Don't worry about hurting my feelings, but suggestions/critiques on the musicianship and mix would be appreciated. I played the bass and keyboard in addition to the guitar parts, but I have only been playing bass and keyboard for a few months so those parts are pretty basic.

Thanks
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Old 08-21-2019, 12:00 PM   #28
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Anyway, can I ask, what is it you are seeking to create?

I honestly can't remember whether you have posted any of your tracks here before.

You are a guitar player.

So what's your bag?

Jazz?

Metal?

Punk?

andy
Pretty much blues and classic rock. I like jazz, just can't play it. On the acoustic side, big Neil Young fan.
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Old 08-21-2019, 12:43 PM   #29
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Pretty much blues and classic rock. I like jazz, just can't play it. On the acoustic side, big Neil Young fan.
Thanks.

Can you sing?

I listened to your blues idea. I'm not best placed to comment on mix but the basics of a composition is there or there abouts, I guess. It's not something I listen to. I have done, in my early years, but not for ages.

Obviously needs more flesh putting on the bones.

I'd even go so far as to suggest getting a band together.

Not easy, I know. But I have been very lucky being involved in two "rock" bands over the years. In both I played guitar and keyboards, to the best of my abilities.

Thing is, being in a band is so much more satisfying, especially for this kind of thing. Jam sessions are excellent for starting new ideas... I used to love jam sessions. Collaborations ain't the same, really. That said, an online collaboration is better than nothing.

I wish you well in your musical endeavours
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Old 08-21-2019, 12:54 PM   #30
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Definitely try to play those solos while hearing yourself from the speakers/amp. Headphones can affect your sense of space and even timing and you might never notice it until you play it back. If you don’t like to hear yourself playing loud while soloing turn it down so low that you hear your strings, it might make you play very differently compared to everything being loud.

Some quick tips how to milk those solos out of your fingers when you feel like you don’t have it in you.

- make a single phrase (a few notes) and then play it again again with slightly altering it all the time. Soon you’ll have a solo that is very melodic and still might have some unsuspected golden nuggets in it.

If you want to get adventurous with it, you could double track a simple phrase and pan the guitars hard left and right, then when that double tracked phrase has played a couple of times use a third guitar track that starts when the phrase ends. You could start it with a really dissonant notes and have even the drums only play hi hats/cymbals at that point to make it a real ear grabber. Then you could simply play some pick scrapes and noises and have a few tracks of those mingled with some melodic or dissonant notes and it would probably be really interesting for the listener to hear.

- Warm up by playing random solos over some of your favorite songs and then when you feel that some of it sounded good go for your song.

- Write a new chord progression that you play as your solo. Or even play a couple of chords like a maniac on speed ending of course with a high Neil Young note or a noise chaos explosion.

- Solo over your whole song (while recording), in that way when the solo spot comes you don’t feel intimidated to come up with something on the spot and you naturally just continue to play whatever you were playing.

- Use editing. You could record totally random things without any backing tracks and throw those tracks in to your song. Then edit the best parts and make your solo without never having to actually play the solo. That would really make the solo unique, wouldn’t it?

In any case the possibilities are endless and it is good to remember what Shawn Lane (probably one of the most proficient and technical guitar players ever, sadly now dead) said about making music, he was adamant that people should make music at the level they are at the moment and never wait to get better to do it.
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Old 08-21-2019, 12:56 PM   #31
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I certainly didn't hear anything embarrassing in the audio file. It would be a good candidate for the suggestion to try to come up with hummed melodies, then try to play those over it as a solo type thing. Before I started singing, I used to play all my melody lines on guitar as placeholders but it had a nice effect of building several related skills just by doing it.
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Old 08-21-2019, 01:29 PM   #32
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I just set the project to loop over the relevant section of the song, and start in improvising. The first few takes are usually lame, cliche-ridden, lacking themes and development. As I continue to repeat the solo, I end up with phrases that I see as keepers, and play those same phrases during their assigned times. By the time I've done a dozen loops or so, I've got phrases I like throughout the solo. Comping is usually just a matter of listening to the last take and, where necessary, picking up an earlier take where I played the phrase better.
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Old 08-21-2019, 01:39 PM   #33
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My limitations.
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Old 08-21-2019, 02:05 PM   #34
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Thanks.

Can you sing?

I'd even go so far as to suggest getting a band together.

I wish you well in your musical endeavours
Can't sing a link. Bought a pretty good vocal mic hoping maybe ReaTune, or whatever that pitch correction plugin is, but no help. As far as a band goes, I've been trying to get together with other musicians, not so much from the standpoint of forming a band, but just some people to meet with and play music, exchange ideas, that kind of thing. Local music scene here is pretty tough though. I miss playing with other people though, best way to get better at something is being around people who are better than you are.

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Definitely try to play those solos while hearing yourself from the speakers/amp. Headphones can affect your sense of space and even timing and you might never notice it until you play it back.
Good idea, the headphone thing was because of neighbors complaining, I live in a condo, which is basically a fancy term for an apartment complex, and the lady living downstairs was pretty much a bitch, but she's moved and the people there now work during the day so I think I'll go back to playing more over the speakers. Can only use my monitor speakers though, if I go through the amp, the other neighbors will start bitching.

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I certainly didn't hear anything embarrassing in the audio file.
Thanks, but like Synk said, could use a little more meat on it. I'm going to add this to that post on the collaboration section, a 12 bar A major shuffle of sorts:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tr4ljvzxp7...Major.wav?dl=0

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I just set the project to loop over the relevant section of the song, and start in improvising. The first few takes are usually lame, cliche-ridden, lacking themes and development. As I continue to repeat the solo, I end up with phrases that I see as keepers, and play those same phrases during their assigned times. By the time I've done a dozen loops or so, I've got phrases I like throughout the solo. Comping is usually just a matter of listening to the last take and, where necessary, picking up an earlier take where I played the phrase better.
Good suggestion, comping and takes are something I need to get better at, because I generally do the loop thing when playing, but then I tend to delete the take(s) if I don't like them instead of trying to select the parts I like while discarding the crap.

This is just an acoustic finger picking thing I've been playing around with:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/tv69zgigvh...ustic.wav?dl=0
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Old 08-21-2019, 04:52 PM   #35
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Super solid rhythm skills, there's somebody out there right now wants you in their band or would form one with you, go find 'em!

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Can't sing a link.
Do you want to? Told myself that for a loooong time, then I had a song I had to sing if I wanted it to exist, so I sang it, then frankly I was inspired by karbo's cover series, and just decided to do that, now a year later I can sing and play through a short list of songs, and although I don't think I'm awesome or anything it's clear to me that I can do it and that I will continue to improve and it will become easier. I'd go so far as to say it's 99% will and commitment and 1% being willing to put in some work and the rest takes care of itself.
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Old 08-21-2019, 05:09 PM   #36
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Told myself that for a loooong time, then I had a song I had to sing if I wanted it to exist, so I sang it, then frankly I was inspired by karbo's cover series, and just decided to do that, now a year later I can sing and play through a short list of songs, and although I don't think I'm awesome or anything it's clear to me that I can do it and that I will continue to improve and it will become easier. I'd go so far as to say it's 99% will and commitment and 1% being willing to put in some work and the rest takes care of itself.
That's just totally awesome my friend.

20 years ago, when I lived in a band house, I was so shy to even hear myself sing that I would wait until no one was home but me, then I'd run upstairs to make sure no one just came home, hit record, sing a verse, run upstairs, rinse & repeat. I had a number of songs that just weren't going to be much more than they were without vocals. I finally got the first song completed, crappy lyrics and all but....

Vocals really woke the song up - and it went up another notch when I sung a couple harmonies. Even if it was all kinda bad, it was clearly more engaging with a vocal melody. I think I still have a copy of it somewhere.

So you are exactly right about the "if I wanted it to exist" part. And nothing says one has to publish it, just do it.
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Old 08-21-2019, 05:57 PM   #37
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@karbo: Damn right. Best thing you can do for yourself as a (non-singer) musician IMO, regardless of your vocal talent from an objective POV, wish I'd done it decades ago. Oh well, regrets not turned into lessons are pointless and useless, go practice fred.

The things we tell ourselves, huh? Note to self: Repeat 100x daily, "Do your thing. It's yours to do. The haters don't matter. That includes you." (Couldn't resist the Seuss homage. )
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Old 08-21-2019, 06:35 PM   #38
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I try my best to do phrases, short distinctive statements, repeated with a few variations, before moving on to another short distinctive phrase.

I take my cue from 2 greats:

Gatemouth Brown (Texas blues great) - he said listening to high-speed noodling is like having a conversation with the other person constantly screaming in your face nonstop. In that context, it does seem pretty unpleasant...

Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Govt Mule) - I watched him live many times, and noted he does a phrase, changes the pickup switch, does another phrase, changes the switch again, and so on.

The melodic content is derived from the chord structure usually; chord notes connected by scale notes and grace notes that fit the harmonic structure of the chords and chord changes.

BTW: Sorry I never got going on the collaboration we talked about; I've been 'hip deep in the hoopla' in the studio for months now. Lots of folks coming by to record stuff.
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Old 08-21-2019, 08:30 PM   #39
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Originally Posted by Philbo King View Post
I try my best to do phrases, short distinctive statements, repeated with a few variations, before moving on to another short distinctive phrase.

I take my cue from 2 greats:

Gatemouth Brown (Texas blues great) - he said listening to high-speed noodling is like having a conversation with the other person constantly screaming in your face nonstop. In that context, it does seem pretty unpleasant...

Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers, Govt Mule) - I watched him live many times, and noted he does a phrase, changes the pickup switch, does another phrase, changes the switch again, and so on.

The melodic content is derived from the chord structure usually; chord notes connected by scale notes and grace notes that fit the harmonic structure of the chords and chord changes.

BTW: Sorry I never got going on the collaboration we talked about; I've been 'hip deep in the hoopla' in the studio for months now. Lots of folks coming by to record stuff.
I totally agree on the phrasing and leaving space. I can't remember who said it, but something to the effect of the space between notes is just as important as the notes themselves.

Two great guitar players you referenced there. I always point to David Gilmour when talking about phrasing and melodic soloing. I can listen to his guitar work on Time all day long.

No worries on the collaboration brother, I'm here whenever you get some time.

If you get a few minutes, I'd appreciate any suggestions or critiques you might have on those rhythm tracks I posted on the collaboration section. I'm going to start posting more music hoping feedback from you and the rest of the people here can help me get to the next level on my playing and mixing skills.
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Old 08-21-2019, 08:45 PM   #40
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Super solid rhythm skills, there's somebody out there right now wants you in their band or would form one with you, go find 'em!

Do you want to? Told myself that for a loooong time, then I had a song I had to sing if I wanted it to exist, so I sang it, then frankly I was inspired by karbo's cover series, and just decided to do that, now a year later I can sing and play through a short list of songs, and although I don't think I'm awesome or anything it's clear to me that I can do it and that I will continue to improve and it will become easier. I'd go so far as to say it's 99% will and commitment and 1% being willing to put in some work and the rest takes care of itself.
Thanks Garvin, I appreciate that. Actually always kind of pictured myself as a rhythm player. More than happy to stay in the background filling in that back end.

As far as the singing goes, I tried it, but ReaTune kept throwing an error, something like, "You're kidding, right!!"
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