AquaHarmonix said: ok well i kinda can solo not well and this is my main question... when you solo you play one lick and then you go higher or lower on the fretboard and solo there and come back or whatever and how do you know like what goes with what (where to go on the fretboard)... wehn i try it doesnt flow like the other solos ive heard... can anyone help? if not is there a book i can buy? thanks a bunch
How to solo without scales:
Find the root note of the progression in many different octaves. Now find all the root notes of every chord in the progression, these will be your main notes for the solo. Now find all the notes in the first chord in as many different places and octaves on the neck as possible, then do the same for the second chord, the third chord, etc. You can use any of these notes at anytime (granted all the chords are in the same key), and make a pretty decent solo. If the chords aren't all in the same key, meaning they don't flow together like a typical progression would, then just play the notes in each chord while you're on that chord, change notes with the chord changes. If you're completely lost, strum the chords and hum a melody, now wait a while and pick that melody out on the guitar, thats how Nirvana did it.
This way of soloing is actually along the same lines as using scales and modes, its just the lazy way to go about doing it.
When you solo, you want to create phrases. Phrases are short little two or three note (usually) 'diddies' that you play on, almost like little melodies, find a phrasing sequence you like for a chord and hammer on it varying volume from loud to soft whenever you feel like it to create tension, then when the chord changes, make up a new phrase for this chord. All solos should have a beginning and an end. The tonic, or root, of the key or chord you're on is always a good note to begin and end on, and to hang around on for rhythmic purposes. Don't feel like you have to play a whole lot of notes in a solo, BB king sometimes only uses two notes for an entire solo, and its amazing.
