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And... Take it!
Does anyone have any tricks or tips on soloing? Since the 1970s, I have been a rhythm player almost exclusively, but the band I'm in now is increasingly anxious about the same two or three people doing all of the solo work.
I am vaguely aware that the chord shape I use to play an 'F', barreing the first fret, second finger on the second fret of the third string, third and fourth fingers on forth and fifth string at third fret--that this chord shape can move up and down the neck to become an 'E' or a 'G' or an 'A' and so on. Same thing with the "A" shape, three fingers on the second fret, strings two, three and four. Barre that and raise it up a fret and it becomes a B♭, again to make a 'C' and so on.
Okay, fine. So I'm playing that 'F' shape on the 5th fret as an 'A'. All of those notes are in the key of A, right? But they aren't the only ones. How can I learn the others in that shape and start fiddling around like I know what I'm doing? I'm sure they would be in the same places as doing this over a 'G' two frets back, or an 'F' two farther back. I get that, but I can't find them when I need them. This is one of those hit-or-miss things like singing in the shower where it sounds so good at home, but when I get out in front of the band I tied my fingers up in knots and it all sounds awful.
One of my favorite Smothers Brothers bits from the 1960s was when Dick Smothers, the stand-up Bass player, would sing the first verse and shout "Take it!" and his brother Tommy would... do nothing. "You're supposed to take it, when I shout take it!" "I didn't want to take it!" I feel like that, now. I can hum or whistle notes that would fit within whatever chords are being played, but I can't seem to find them when I need them on the neck of a real guitar.
Anyone have any help?
I am vaguely aware that the chord shape I use to play an 'F', barreing the first fret, second finger on the second fret of the third string, third and fourth fingers on forth and fifth string at third fret--that this chord shape can move up and down the neck to become an 'E' or a 'G' or an 'A' and so on. Same thing with the "A" shape, three fingers on the second fret, strings two, three and four. Barre that and raise it up a fret and it becomes a B♭, again to make a 'C' and so on.
Okay, fine. So I'm playing that 'F' shape on the 5th fret as an 'A'. All of those notes are in the key of A, right? But they aren't the only ones. How can I learn the others in that shape and start fiddling around like I know what I'm doing? I'm sure they would be in the same places as doing this over a 'G' two frets back, or an 'F' two farther back. I get that, but I can't find them when I need them. This is one of those hit-or-miss things like singing in the shower where it sounds so good at home, but when I get out in front of the band I tied my fingers up in knots and it all sounds awful.
One of my favorite Smothers Brothers bits from the 1960s was when Dick Smothers, the stand-up Bass player, would sing the first verse and shout "Take it!" and his brother Tommy would... do nothing. "You're supposed to take it, when I shout take it!" "I didn't want to take it!" I feel like that, now. I can hum or whistle notes that would fit within whatever chords are being played, but I can't seem to find them when I need them on the neck of a real guitar.
Anyone have any help?
Tags: improvisation, it!, smothers, solo, take
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Downtown Freddy Brown on -
Nothing can really replace studying theory and actually "understand" what notes to play but that takes years! I know several "good" lead players that don't know any theory at all. So how do they know what note to play? They learn "patterns" or "boxes" (there are several books on the market) so when the chord is "C" they start on C and use one of the patterns they have learned. After a while you can alter the pattern a bit to fit the song you are playing. There was a book called "Guitar Tricks" that I bought years ago which included some nice turn arounds and endings that could be adapted to most keys. There is also a series, now on CD (I have LPs) that plays chord changes minus the solo (keyboard, bass and drums) that you can practice making up the solos. It comes with instructional books to help you.It's called Jamey Aebersold http://www.charlescolin.com/playalong/abersold.htm I suggest Vol.2, 3 and 16. Good luck....take it!
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Permalink Reply by Mark D Hiatt on
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Thanks, DFB. I was afraid that the problem was going to be me studying and practicing!
I have a nephew who fell into guitar a few years ago. He never wanted to have anything to do with me before, but when he found out I'd been in bands and on tour and played proms and such we became really close. Well, a year or so back I noticed he was spending every available dollar on some pedal or another. He was convinced that if he just spent another $49 he'd sound just like the guy on the college radio station. I told him it didn't work that way--that you can't buy your way to greatness, you have grind it out, playing the scales and learning the notes. I have a book or three around here, but I don't understand them, much. I was hoping I could get a book or DVD and suddenly be great, but guess I am just going to have to block-out a weekend or two and unplug the phone and... grind it out, myself.
Hmm.... I could swear I've heard that somewhere, before. Thanks!
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Permalink Reply by Donna Zitzelberger on -
How about starting with the Pentatonic Scales? http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/minor-pentatonic/index.php
Just start with the first pattern.
A really nice way to begin learning soloing is to use the Em pentatonic (at the first fret):
0-3 (1st string)
0-3 (2nd string)
0-2 (3rd string)
0-2 (4th string)
0-2 (5th string)
0-3 (6th string)
Record a 12-bar blues pattern using E7 A7 and B7 and noodle that Em pentatonic along with the recording. You will start to begin to get the idea of soloing.
The next step would be to learn all 5 patterns of the minor pents and how they create one big pattern over the fretboard.
http://www.cyberfret.com/scales/minor-pentatonic/index.php
These can be played both minor AND major. For example - if you are in pattern one and playing a minor pent - focus on your root notes as being the ones marked above in the link. So, if you are at the 5th fret, all those notes are "A" and you are playing an Am pent. If you want to change it to a C major pent, focus your playing around the "C" note, making it the root. To make it really simple - create a lick in which you start and end on the A note, playing it to an Am chord sequence you have recorded. It will sound minor. Then create a lick in which you start and end on the C note, playing it to a C chord sequence. It will be major. The minor one will have more of a rock feel, the major one will have more of a country feel. Of course, it can go the other way -- these are just generalizations.
This is a pretty easy way to get started and having fun while you do it.
Hope this helps,
Donna
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Thanks for the link, Donna. I like the fingerboard diagrams. I suspect that will help a bunch. I'm a little shaky on why I'd be playing E A and B, but soloing in Em, but I'm sure I'll pick this up. As I was telling DFB above, I kind of knew when I asked this that real answer is that I'm going to have to do the work. I need to brush up on my Majors and Minors and Roots-Thirds-and-Fifths, and so on. I'll get it, but it's going to take more time than I wanted to have to put in.
Thanks, though.
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Permalink Reply by Donna Zitzelberger on
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It has to do with creating tension which gives the blues it's edge. This may help for now:
http://books.google.com/books?id=3pXjs_pDa0gC&pg=PA145&lpg=...
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Permalink Reply by Donna Zitzelberger on
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Hi Mark,
Here is some more info about soloing with an indication of how certain notes work in other keys.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFtePrgcC0w
It has a lot to do with understanding theory and how things that we don't think will work sometimes actually do. I was recently boggled with why the C chord works better rather than an A7 chord in the song "I'm a Believer" and started a discussion on the Teacher forum. You may want to check it out - a lot of the teachers gave some great explanations.
http://www.acousticguitarcommunity.com/group/teachers/forum/topics/...
Hope this helps,
Donna
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