The theory on solo work

Been reading this forum for quite sometime now and the same questions seem to pop up how do I do my own solo?

I would say know your scales mainly pentatonic, major pentatonic and blues scales first. Timing is an important part of music suggest you use a metronome to keep the beat right

Moving on now to the technique side. I have found was a useful tool for example spend a few moments practising pull off, hammer ons, bending strings and others as well. This may sound boring but its essential that you have all the guitar techniques in place.

Now for you own solo. A solo can be as along as you like it. To get you started I will give you a couple of my own examples on how I carry out my own work.

I have a good habit of whistling my solo out aloud then playing the notes on the guitar in using a scale I know about. If you use this technique then I suggest some short whistling until you get the notes you want to play. Then move on to another whistling and get that down. Don’t forget add in a bit of technique side may a bend or a pull off this will make the solo different and interesting. You have to keep people attention or they will walkout. Interesting point to think about how many of you whilst an unknown piece that has no meaning never been herd before? This is how I get some new solo ideas

Next is questions and answers most people find this to be easier me I tend to find it a bit hard (don’t know why nor that I care). So what are questions and answers lets say for example What are you doing today? (Question) reply I am busy with my housework and walking the dog, question walk the dog? Answer Yes and so on. This will be put down on the guitar or sung out which ever takes your fancy. Don’t forget add in a bit of technique side may a bend or a pull off this will make the solo different and interesting. You have to keep people attention or they will walkout.

Music have to have intervals make it easier think of a small gap or pause before creating the next part of the solo. Listen to blues player or any player you hear a gap before the next line kicks in. Don’t forget to add some of your own techniques feelings and emotions. Minor scales make a sad sound, Major a happy sound and blues a deep dark sound of tension.

When I started out it was hard even complex until I taught myself to listen and sit down and link the scales up. No need to bash out fly around the fret board at a great neck speed. You are learning and will keep on doing so even the great masters are still finding new interesting lines in solo work.

Good luck and I hope that this theory will help

Simon (ps my English is not that good before you say anything)

Nice one, good tips and hints there. If I could add something, I could say that if you plan your solo, you could use also "head, tail" technique (it just sound funny) to construct solo.

Same technique applies also riffs, so think your solos a parts, head part and tail part. Head part say 4 beats you conform the "theme" or melody and tail part do some tricks and move position. For me it will add some professional touch on solos.

Anyway, nice thread.

Empirism you can join in the more help the better you never know you might have something different to me. Funny thing is you had

Thanks for your help

Simon

hey some advice for soloing and theory, look up melodic harmonization, this will help you a lot. Everyone has there own way of writing a solo, but this topic of theory will help you in general with your soloing.

also, it seems that you refered to an interval as a duration of time or a gap of time. i might have read it wrong so don't take this the wrong way. but a interval in musical terms is the distance between to notes. like how E and G is a minor third, G to B is a major third, and B to E is a perfect fourth. Intervals are the building blocks of music, just like how I built a E minor triad using intervals.