writing solo's

Something i havn't really done yet is actually writing solo's. how do you guys go about it? any tips/techniques? i really need to get going on this i think, ive just been improvising all my solo's

Well, I'm very theoretical, and I would say compliment your solos by knowing exactly what chords you're soloing over; that way it always sounds epic. Improvising is a good start... keep doing that, and when you find a little lick you like in your improvising, write it down and keep using it.

are there specific modes for each chords? im really behind on this part of playing

Everyone starts somewhere, it's just a good thing you're asking questions! Yes, each chord comes from a certain mode. It all depends on what the scale and key is of your original song. Do you know the main idea of modes for the major scale?

If not, I'll give an example of what I mean and what you're asking... say you're in the key of A Major and you're using chords C#minor, F#minor, AMaj, & E... each of these chords are from a certain order of the A Major scale, right? So to fully understand these chords you need to know what order they're really in and what the mode is...

A Major is the root, and the 1 chord - so you would play the major scale over this.
C#minor is the third - so you would play Phrygian over this.
E is the fifth - this is usually a dominant chord. (because it has a major 3rd and flat 7th) - so you would play the mixolydian over this.
F#minor is the sixth, the relitive minor of the A Major scale, so naturally; you would play the minor mode over this.

Does that make more sense? If not, keep asking questions and I'll simplify it as best as I can. :)

yeah i think that all makes sense. but what about descending chords? like say Bm to Amaj, would that be a maj7th? the Bm i would play Aeolion obviously, so for Amaj would I play Mixolydian?

EDIT: oh yeah another thing, i recently tried economy picking, do you think it would be worth putting the time and effort into learning to do it fast and clean? or should i just work on my alternate picking

the only tip i can recomend is to do a solo in parts and then put it together. i dont really know how to explain it. knowing all the modes helps so that you arnt limited to one position on the fretboard

I just play.
(seriously)
it takes awhile but eventually you will know what each string at each fret sounds like before you play it(just as you will a chord or a modal run)
so .. I just play

RAWK!
Cs

Economy picking is good, I do it a lot, but it is so important that you're able to switch between the picking techniques. When playing quickly I'd stick to alternate picking.

If you're in the key of AMajor, you would play major and not the mixolydian, and B would be locrian, so you would play m7b5 chords.

oh i meant if i was playing in the key of Bminor, sorry

also for pentatonic, what then, just anything goes almost?

tell That to Wes Montgomery or Bill Frissel ;~)

i have a question 4 jazzmaverick,if u have a pregression like c#m f#m amaj and e,u don,t see solos go through that many scales,and what if its a real fast pregression u could,nt keep up with that,u could,nt change the scale every time a chord changes,at least if its a fast pregression.this would work if yer just playin a slow pregression like say a pregression like 60bpms in 4/4 time u could do this,but what if u have a pregression 4 a real song situation and u want 2 put a solo down with a rhythm,say the rhythm has all the same chords but played fast like 180bpms what do ya do then?

root notes and landing notes...and a sh-ton of chromatics in between.(not a direct quote but a rough idea of what Dimebag Darrell gave as a tip, GW magazine 2004)

I'm not saying to play the entire scale man, I'm saying to play the sweet notes within, and you can definitely pull it off... its just down to practice.

Guitarbadass, when you've Got a fast progression like that, you need to play and think fast, is not hard, changing modes or scales between them is not changing to a totally new scale, since all of them are connected, its just matter of choosing the right interval of the scale you're using' and make it fit into every chord in the progression, hope you understand

Well, this won't be the most 'professional' thing you've heard, but I litterally just fiddle with my guitar. I randomly strum chords and create different beats and decide how and if I'd like to keep them in a sequence, which order and tempo and just how I can make them sound best to me. The same goes for any new licks. That's all I do, I'm thick when it comes to knowing modes but really I never feel the need to know when composing. After a while of just playing and editing I'm satisfied enough with the outcome.

Please, explain. Or have you any suggestions how to find "right" interval for scale. Am I right to think, that you dont mean to play same position, where chord progression root note is goin at current time?

Thanks in advance

I think solos involve the guitar...

Okay ... slow down

1st - it is helpful to know modal movements and their association w/ chordal wanderings
2nd - it is not necessary to know modal movements and their association w/ chordal wanderings
3rd - play what you feel not what you read or are told to play.

and lastly some of my fav solo's ever break many "rules" of traditional theory. while some follow it fairly closely.

play what you feel.
if you cant play or find 'what you feel' you now know your next "lesson".

RAWK!
Cs

i just start playing random licks from scales and then i bend notes and bend choords and do like slides ect at random spots that sound good. u just gotta keep practicing and eventuyaly ull pump out solos that sound good. if ur good at feeling them music i guess.

Just start twiddling away, dude.

I like to think of it as writing individual riff puzzle pieces that I put together to make the bigger picture. Iffin that makes any sense.

yea ive definately been twiddling, imo im getting pretty dang good at improvising

I once heard this great guitar player on Youtube say, "If you can't hear the solo in your head, I don't know HOW you can solo".

So, a lot of it isn't really knowing a bunch of scales and whatnot, but it's really just hearing it in your head.

Personally, as a christian, I pray before I write and ask God for inspiration. Not telling you WHAT to do, just telling you what I do.

uh oh looks like a religious wierdo has entered.



by knowing scales and theory...

Umm, because I follow my faith makes me a weirdo? lol, k. I don't mind comments like that.

And as far as knowing scales and theory, that really doesn't make the solo, my friend.

no one ever called me a weirdo lol

nothin wrong with a christian on here i before a writing a solo,so what god is the creator of all things,including MUSIC so nothin wrong with askin 4 a lil inspiration before writing a piece of music,so there GUITARMASTERGOD,

he who speaks does not know
he who knows does not speak - Lao Tzu