Ok, is there any solos that are basically the "whole" scale. Just the "actual" scale not there own version? Im basically just starting out on scale soloing and im curious if i could just play a normal scale the whole thing really quick and will it have a sweet solo sound? Or do i actually have to sit there for hours picking notes that sound good.?.. :x
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
Some people do just play scales, especially the "shredders" that run through them really fast. It gets really old listening to it in a hurry.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Ok, well ive been practicing my first scale its a blues scale. Im not just doing just the scale im stretching and bending notes and adding some of my own stuff it sounds "ok". man i just dont know how you soloists do it :cry:
Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio
I don't know if I'm properly classified as one of "you soloists," but I know what I like. You've got to put in the hours trying different combinations, and you especially need a good sense of rhythm to put them into, not just ripping up and down the scale. Where you really need to spend a lot of time is just listening to players you like and absorbing the sound, then go play around till you figure out how they're doing it. Eventually your own stuff will start coming out. Play along with recordings.
And, speaking from the standpoint of a blues lover, learn when NOT to play something. It's perfectly OK to leave "holes" in the music, and often that's more effective than just seeing how many notes you can cram into a space.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Ok, well ive been practicing my first scale its a blues scale. Im not just doing just the scale im stretching and bending notes and adding some of my own stuff it sounds "ok". man i just dont know how you soloists do it :cry:
Yep - that's how we do it too.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
yeah, that's how we do it....haha.
I try to tell a story when picking out scale notes.
the stroy has a beginning, then it tells the sad tale, then reinds the listener of the beginning , then ends with some closure to let the listener that the story is over.
Alot of guys will argue that melody is most important, others claim that it's all about speed, I try to combine the best of both worlds and create melodies and sort of link those melodies together with scale sequences or fast licks, but really there is no formula for writing solos, I remember writing a good acoustic solo when i was just fooling around on the guitar, not thinking about scales or anything.
Try picking up some licks and studying some solos, that's the best way to learn. Just be realistic, if you're new to playing guitar, shred playing is going to be really tough.
Steve-0
shred playing is going to be really tough.Shred listening's even tougher. :lol:
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Shred listening's even tougher. :lol:
:lol: Ouch!
Personally though I don't mind shred so long as it's not long, repetitive and boring. So a neo-classical player soloing for 5 minutes would probably be boring, but someone like Zack Wylde or Kirk Hammett who are, in my opinion, rock players with a shred side to them I really enjoy. Even SRV had a bit of a shred style to his playing in my opinion (just listen to some of the really fast licks from Voodoo Child, Little Wing and Scuttle Buttin').
Anyways, I was going to mention earlier that alot of players fall into traps when they learn scales, not to belittle scales because they're very important but don't think you have to know alot of scales to be good: I read in an interview once that Slash from G n' R (Velvet Revolver too) didn't learn scales when he was first playing and soloing, so obsessing about scales isn't always the best.
Steve-0
And, speaking from the standpoint of a blues lover, learn when NOT to play something. It's perfectly OK to leave "holes" in the music, and often that's more effective than just seeing how many notes you can cram into a space.
I'm with Ricochet here.
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming -- "WOW--What a Ride!"
Ditto on leaving holes.
(As posted in another thread) I'm a drummer for two bands locally. I have been exposed to the full gambit of lead soloists over my 30+ years of playing live. (Playing dead is harder than it sounds.) :shock:
My personal preference is leaving holes. One of our (soon to depart) lead players is hooked on lightening fast fingering. In the rock (loud music) scene they are wasted leads. We only hear a fraction of what is actually being played and most of it is a waste. I'd much more prefer to hear a melodic structured lead that compliments the song more than shows off the soloists speed.
My influences have been Steve Lukather from TOTO, the awesome lead guitartists from Night Ranger (sorry I can't come up with names), Chicago has always been my most favorite band, and of course I've always admired what Tom Sholz does with Boston, just to name a few. Those artists have found a happy medium and a quality ability to mix/mesh the two into pleasurable listening.
As for playing out, I also take a philosophy that when you make a $100 per person playing for 4 hours in a band, you can actually get a pay raise by playing fewer notes. :lol:
I'm much more impressed with a melodic lead than stuffing 32 notes into a 1/16 count. Show me the music over the speed any day.
Granted both can reside in the same song and I'm not by any means trying to belittle speed soloists. I believe that if you look at music in general the most simplistic songs seem to stand the test of time over anything else. JMHO....
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
Hey Bish, that was an excellent post. Now you all know why I'm such a Gilmour fan.
Are you talking about Brad Gilis?
Like I said, I'm a fan of both the 'more with less' soloing strategy, and the 'fast-shred' playing, it's a bit contradictory but I guess that's because I like alot of different types of music.
Just to add to this idea of leaving holes in a solo, the solo to "If you have to ask" by the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a great example of leaving holes in the solo, and it's one of my favorite solos.
Steve-0
Hey Bish, that was an excellent post. Now you all know why I'm such a Gilmour fan.
Are you talking about Brad Gilis? Thanks, FF. (Having a hard time calling you Fumble Fingers :oops: ) Are you talking about the Night Ranger guitarist? I believe that is correct and there were two that made up the lead ensemble.
As to your Gilmour plug. David? As in Pink Floyd and a host of other all-star bands? He's amazing, I just never got on the Floyd wagon. (no jabbing please.) A few years ago I played with a "coattails" band doing weddings, etc. We did Comfortably Numb and of course our guitarist learned it note for note, as he did with all songs. He currently plays a PRS guitar. Way out of my price range.
Bish
"I play live as playing dead is harder than it sounds!"
As Alan said, "that's how we do it too". It really is. You don't want to go threw the scale note by note.
Someone else suggested listening to your favorite players, and copying some of their licks. This is a great idea, and it helps A LOT. Copy from more than one player though, otherwise you will end up sounding a lot like one guy. Get a bunch of licks, figure out how to use them well and when to use them, and you're on your way.
Bends, slides, vibrato, the key to soloing!
