Soloing

[Mercer]

I'm just wondering what scale you guys favor for soloing. I know that the key obviously makes a difference, but if you just layed out a solo, what would it be?

I use something like this:

 

0 x 0 0 x 0

T x x x x T

0 x x x 0 0

x x T x x x

x x 0 0 x x

 

x=played

0=not played

T=tonic (1)

[davis1]

honestly, scales are the last thing i think about when improvising,

i practice them nevertheless, but to me, everything is built upon the major scale, some might argue the chromatic, but major makes more sense, keywise.

[soc_monki]

when i make a solo i usually have something in my head that is going on...then i sit down with the rhythm and just jam over it for a while, and then see if my original idea in my head fits with whats working in the rhythm...if not, i do something else and keep jamming until i come up with something cool. then keep playing and evolving it until it gets to where i think i cant take it anywhere else...at the moment that is.

i usually dont just sit down and write out a solo...its all improv and i usually just follow the same basic layout when ever i play it, but it may be different, or might be the same...sometimes i never know LOL keys...yea i think about it, but not too much. play what you feel man...i work on scales and technique when im practicing but when its time to play i just play!

[soc_monki]

Originally posted by davis1 honestly, scales are the last thing i think about when improvising, i practice them nevertheless, but to me, everything is built upon the major scale, some might argue the chromatic, but major makes more sense, keywise.

but dont put down the chromatic...it can really add to a solo when done right. like one solo in my metal project...i just sat down and played some of the craziest, wackiest stuff i could think of...i used the chromatic scale and a diminished (i think) arpeggio and a diminished scale, and some weird tapping and sliding stuff. not conventional at all, but the solo rocks and fits the song well i think and was all improv LOL

[Alchemist]

I lay out solos in the key, or multiple keys that best incorporate into song. Sometimes I purposely go outside and cause dissonance, then bring it back to key. Sometimes that works well to create tension, but other times it sounds terrible.

If I am starting with a complete blank, I lay out the solo based on the mood I want it to project. Exotic, well I look at various exotic modes......sad, I'll probably reach for a natural or harmonic/melodic minor, or a mixoblues with some dissonance.... happy? well probably look for a major, etc...

It depends on the case..... and then I wank endlessly to my hearts content:wave:

[EdMan63]

I usually start out jamming along to the rhythmn and try and hear ideas. Major and minor scales. I practice them when I practice but when I play for real I just play what I think the song needs. Can be a time consuming process. Kind of hit or miss. But then it somehow begins to come together. Sometimes u just nail it the first time.

[rhat]

The biggest hurdle for lead players is to learn to play the solo so that it follows the chord progression. rat

[Sonnilon]

Originally posted by Mercer I'm just wondering what scale you guys favor for soloing. I know that the key obviously makes a difference, but if you just layed out a solo, what would it be? I use something like this: 0 x 0 0 x 0 T x x x x T 0 x x x 0 0 x x T x x x x x 0 0 x x x=played 0=not played T=tonic (1)

Damn dude, you made that look a lot more confusing than it needs to be. LOL I stick almost exclusively to harmonic minor.

[tlbonehead]

Originally posted by davis1 honestly, scales are the last thing i think about when improvising, i practice them nevertheless, but to me, everything is built upon the major scale, some might argue the chromatic, but major makes more sense, keywise.

Ditto. Not worse than a solo that seems fixated on scales instead of licks,intervals,etc,.

[tlbonehead]

Originally posted by rhat The biggest hurdle for lead players is to learn to play the solo so that it follows the chord progression. rat

Why would you say that?

[Chucksoup]

This is my fave:
e----------------------------------------------12--14--17-
b----------------------------------10--12--14-------------
g-------------------------7--9--11------------------------
d-----------------5--7--9---------------------------------
a---------3--5--7-----------------------------------------
e-1--3--5-------------------------------------------------



e-17--14--12-----------------------------------------------
b------------14--12--10-------------------------------------
g------------------------11--9--7---------------------------
d----------------------------------9--7--5-------------------
a-------------------------------------------7--5--3----------
e----------------------------------------------------5--3--1-

[PikPik]

When I solo I tend to stick to this riff and tweak it, heres the riff -

e---3-3-5-3-6-3-5-3-3-3-5-3-6-3-5-3-1--3-1-3-1-3-0-1-0-1-0-1-4-0-4-0-4-0-4-0-5-0-5-0-5-7-4-5-7-8-5-7-8-10-7-9-10-12

(its all tremolo picked)

I'll probably post a vid of me playing this riff later

[trey85stang]

I tell my lead guitar player to write something. bam done.