Members zepfan976 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Do you guys play the solo note for note or learn the basic structure and improvise? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Flying_Milkman Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Not learn anything and yell at the singer for not telling me that we we're playing it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mattburnside Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 For me, it's a matter of how "hooky" the solo is. In general, if a non-musician can hum all or part of it, then I consider it to be an important part of the song and I play it (mostly) note-for-note. If it sounds like a bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure, then I come up with my own bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PaulSter Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Do you guys play the solo note for note or learn the basic structure and improvise? For me it depends on the tune. Some really rely on the solo for the idenfication to the tune. Those are the more melodic solos that are a song in and of themselves. OTOH- something like "Voodoo Chile" would get a different solo each time. PaulS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burningleaves Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 In my coverband days we did a little of both. It really depended on the song and if it can be and or was worth changing around. How much room it had to work with etc. Most of the CCR stuff for example that we did was pretty much the same as they played it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zeppelin Rules Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I think as was said it depends on the song. If you were playing something like Stairway, I'd say that since its such a recognizeable solo you should play it note for note, but if its anything fast that making up your own is a good idea. Or if a solo has maybe a signature lick or something, make sure to include it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soc_monki Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 depends...some songs need to be note for note IMO, or as close as possible. something like Crazy Train or Symphony of Destruction (i played both those solos in my old metal band). i remember playing a gig and the band before us played Crazy Train and the guy totally screwed up the solo, so i had to show them how to do it right! LOL and Symphony of Destruction was a bitch...Marty Friedman has a weird style. but i pulled it off, just barely most times.then some songs, like Rebel Yell or You Got Another Thing Comin', would be close but not exactly (i would learn the solos by ear and if i couldnt figure a part out or just didnt feel like it, i improvised). usually worked well enough Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SanDiego333 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I think as was said it depends on the song. If you were playing something like Stairway, I'd say that since its such a recognizeable solo you should play it note for note, but if its anything fast that making up your own is a good idea. Or if a solo has maybe a signature lick or something, make sure to include it.+ 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 's mel gibson Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 When it comes to Santana songs, you MUST do the solo note for note. That goes for Led Zep too. People who don't play guitar will know you're off if you're off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aenemated Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 yeah, depends on the song. every time i've heard sweet child covered - and the lead can't play the fast part - i'm like "dude, yall shouldn't even be doing that same." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Burgess Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 I improvise on every solo I take. I care very little about what was on the original other than the basic chord progression. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members darkone15 Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 when we do "the ocean" I go basicly note for note but on "I Can't Quit You Babe" i make my own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members session_of_jam Posted March 20, 2007 Members Share Posted March 20, 2007 Note for note is better, unless the solo is lame.Does depend on how popular the song is, and how well the crowd knows the solo. If its epic (comfortably numb for example) everyone wants to hear it note for note. If its a Tom Petty song, let 'er rip cause its probably better than whats on the CD.Sometimes you can fool the crowd into liking your version by playing the beginning of the solo, go off in the middle, and land on the last few riffs again. But if your just trying to get support from us for not doing your homework, you won't get it from me. After all, you are the one who wanted to be the lead guitar player....edit: Nothing against Tom Petty....he's one of the best song writters ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich4Once Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 And Mike Campbell is a pretty tasty player, too. I've played with a guy that learned everything note-for-note, and I'm more of a seat of the pants guy...it worked out okay. He tended to play stuff that needed to be right on, and I played the other stuff. He's a lot more "technical" in his playing...really speedy, and able to play just about any "metal" guitarist-type solos, except that his playing was kinda stiff, where my playing was kinda loose, and more bluesy. If you're a note for note guy, get in a band with a guy like me (or vise versa), and you'll have the best of both worlds. It worked for Tesla! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members strat2 Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 For me, it's a matter of how "hooky" the solo is. In general, if a non-musician can hum all or part of it, then I consider it to be an important part of the song and I play it (mostly) note-for-note. If it sounds like a bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure, then I come up with my own bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure.Says it all right there............ :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spikezone Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 For me, I try to learn them note by note, if only because I have heard the songs so many times I can only hear them one way in my head and maybe I wrongly expect all the Joe Schmoes in the crowd are the same and the songs just don't seem right without the solos the way they were recorded. It's just a weirdness with me, and has caused me some distress over the years. For instance, in the last group I was jamming with, the other guitarist could outshred me all over the place, but he couldn't be bothered to spend the time to learn the solos, where I did. Despite the fact that he could outplay me any day of the week, I think it made him feel insecure (or maybe not LOL!) that I took the time to learn them by rote, and the group didn't last too long. Let me emphatically state that I never leaned on him to learn the songs like they were recorded (but sometimes it ticked me off that he didn't even bother to learn the actual song structure right) and he never leaned on me not to. The weird thing of it all is that when I am at home playing by myself, I'll just put on whatever albums are around and just improvise over them and couldn't be bothered to learn any of them verbatim. -Mikey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 Depends on the song,again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spikezone Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 Rich4Once, I didn't read your post before I entered mine, but we obviously have different points of view. Thanx for yours... -Mikey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rich4Once Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 Rich4Once, I didn't read your post before I entered mine, but we obviously have different points of view. Thanx for yours...-Mikey I'm not against the note for note thing...it's just not something I've ever been comfortable doing. It works out nicely playing with a guy that has a completely different take on it. In my current band, the other guitarist is more of a note-for-note guy, but he also plays keys, so on many tunes I'm the only guitarist. We all agree that there are songs where note for note doesn't matter, and songs where it does. I understand that, and I'll try and get close if I'm playing it and that's the case. When we play Separate Ways from Journey, those melody lines Neal Schon plays *have* to be there, and I play them. There's a few other licks sprinkled in between, and I sprinkle my own in those places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kuhnfyoozed Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 It depends. If its a solo that everyone knows and expects to hear, you damn better well play it. If you start improvising during Stairway to Heaven, get ready to dodge some vegetation. If its something with a lame solo like Day Tripper, improvise all the way. Its very situational. I usually take the original solo, learn it note for note, and then play what I would've written here or there. Small differences, but they add a little bit of my style into it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Athiest_Peace Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 I keep the rhythm note for note...the other guy often deviates the solos on most songs. Of course the music we play nothing is really a "popular" song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members myway Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 If your doing a true classic, zep, old Aerosmith, etc. you better have that solo down. Most of your classic audience know the solos better than you do. Your playing along , everybody is getting into it, build up to the solo! Then all all the sudden, BRAINFART! you decide to improvise over it. Very anti-climatic. Other not so well known tunes you can do it and get away with it. But the staples...you better stick with the tried and true solo. Besides, there is always the long blonde haired,bearded, beer belly dude that has been screaming'" PLAY FREEBIRD!", at you all night. If he dosen't get his solo....he'll be waiting to tell you how bad you suck in front of the whole crowd. And he'll be right. He has been playing that solo on his air guitar for years, he know's when you mess it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jealousblues Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 Do you guys play the solo note for note or learn the basic structure and improvise? It depends on the song. If its signature I think its best note for note but if its not its fun time! Also, sometimes you can use key parts of the solo (like signature licks) and play what you feel around it. Just you have to play w/n the spirit of the song. I just have fun If I can too! Its music, its supposed to be fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jealousblues Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 If your doing a true classic, zep, old Aerosmith, etc. you better have that solo down. Most of your classic audience know the solos better than you do. Your playing along , everybody is getting into it, build up to the solo! Then all all the sudden, BRAINFART! you decide to improvise over it. Very anti-climatic. Other not so well known tunes you can do it and get away with it. But the staples...you better stick with the tried and true solo. Besides, there is always the long blonde haired,bearded, beer belly dude that has been screaming'" PLAY FREEBIRD!", at you all night. If he dosen't get his solo....he'll be waiting to tell you how bad you suck in front of the whole crowd. And he'll be right. He has been playing that solo on his air guitar for years, he know's when you mess it up. To be honest that guy is an asshole anyway ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted March 21, 2007 Members Share Posted March 21, 2007 For me, it's a matter of how "hooky" the solo is. In general, if a non-musician can hum all or part of it, then I consider it to be an important part of the song and I play it (mostly) note-for-note. If it sounds like a bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure, then I come up with my own bunch of improvised slop with no melodic structure. That about sums up my approach. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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