Originally posted by fyler
this probably won't be very helpful advice, but i like to do creative visualization when i play. not necessarily in a narrative way, but i'll think to myself "what would someone falling down a flight of stairs sound like?", then proceed to attempt an approximation of that sound. it's not a particularly "technical" approach, but it's fun, and you can come up with some cool ideas/sounds.
Originally posted by Mr.Hanky
Wow, I don't know how you guys do that. I try not to think at all and I live in the moment and just let it happen and take it's course. Ususally the only time I will think about it is before entering, do I want to come in like a freight train, or like a hummingbird, and then go from there.
For me, not thinking and not knowing is where it is at, you simply get out of the way of the music. I find this fascinating because you WILL play things you have never played before. The trick is to capitalize on them, and not paint yourself into a corner.
My best analogy is that it is like surfing, every wave is different , you can never predict them, and would be foolish to try.
Originally posted by Jimmydeez
My favorite is when the whole band is brought into the solo especially drums. I love when a band latches onto a groove or a riff and they rock it out for a bit and then add variations. This really helps us add some cool dynamics to our songs.
Here is an example:
Straight forward rock beat..... then Bass, drums, and acoustic lock onto a cool groove while sax and lead guitar are playing a riff together.... then back to the rock beat as I take my solo based on the riff.
I love hearing this kinda thing. Lots of my favorite bands do something similar when they are jamming. I like to hear the whole band tell a story with the song with my solo just being one part of the story.
Originally posted by ivers
How do you go about working on this, to be consistent in the ability to 'tell a story' when you improvise a solo? I find this the most challenging aspects of playing these days, and I'm very interested in how people approach it.
Originally posted by rh
Not trying to be glib, but do you have a story to tell?
Originally posted by Mark Robinson
One of our drummers, years back, would automatically slam into a ride cymbal thing, at pretty high volume, whenever I would start a solo, this was his way of contributing energy etc. The problem for me was that we had too few options, when opening up at max energy for the section. Over the years we've worked it out, so that now, he'll cut me a break if asked, and reduce his footprint at the beginning of a solo so that I can do something other than blasting at the top of my guitar voice, with nowhere to go.
Originally posted by KHK
The "thinking" aspect of playing is a 'Fine line" type of thing. I understand folks who say that their best playing occurs when they don't think. My best playing occurs when I am in a zone where every thought is about what I am playing, what others are playing and where I want to take it and nothing else. I expect we might be feeling the same thing but to me it is a very concious, thoughtful state.
Originally posted by lhallam
Relaxed focused awareness open to the cosmos. When you hit it, there is NOTHING like it.
Originally posted by harryjmic
Here's my synopsis of a couple guitar lessons I took about soloing.
1. Think of your playing as speaking with someone. When you meet someone you don't go up to them and speak nonstop for 5 minutes (well maybe some of you do). You greet them first by saying, "Hello". They answer. Then you say "My name is whomever". They respond. Then you start to tell them something. They respond. Then you tell more, etc. The person listening to you is the audience, and this is your time to stop playing and let the band perculate a bit.
2. Think of soloing as gears in a car. You don't start off driving in 4th gear do you? Start off with little licks and lots of space, gradually build with more complex ideas and intensity.
Ever since I've done this my playing has gotten way better because I'm playing in the band and not on top of it.![]()