Questions tagged [solos]

A solo is a section or complete piece of music played or sung by one musician, with or without additional accompaniment by an ensemble or tape.

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How to solo over diminished triads in a bluesy style?

I play the guitar and I like throwing in diminished triads. They can be easier to finger than the full diminished seventh chord or seventh chord if you're doing country or jazzy less fully voiced ...
Molly Stewart-Gallus's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
95 views

What is this plucked instrument musical style called? [closed]

I know a number of great string instrument players who mostly write/perform solo instrumental music on their instruments, be it a guitar, a bass or anything else. A few examples: Aram Bedrosian - ...
Topper Harley's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
135 views

Is there a way for one player to have a solo but the rest of the instrument keep playing?

I'm writing a piece where there is like a bass line which is made up of all 5 string section parts (orchestra) that each have a similar rhythm, and that all together makes a cool sound. I want to add ...
Cole Cervigni's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
35 views

specifics on modal playing, or emphasizing an underlying chord

i've been reading a lot about modal playing, perhaps that which is derived from modal Jazz. the sources i've been reading & watching seem split about the notes/scale & which to emphasize. some ...
beadgcf90's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
73 views

Sputtery tonging on Trombone when playing music

For some reason, whenever I play a piece of music (in this case, H. Vincent's 'Air for Baritone/Cornet'), I find that my tonging is very stutters and rough between notes, yet if I play one note, low ...
Ramdomly Random's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
57 views

How can I find sheet music tabs and/or learn to play like M.Ward? [closed]

For starters, the song Shangri-la would be good. There is an ok tab on UltimateGuitar.com but it is just a simple one note at a time solo tab and there is a lot more complexity to this song and his ...
statHacker's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
413 views

How do i solo with both scale and chords? [closed]

I know how to play pentatonic, major and minor scale. The question in solo i have chord progression like: C G Am F. Then i play C major scale, i could play are C major chord in all shapes. But how ...
TomSawyer's user avatar
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5 votes
5 answers
2k views

Best approach to count Seven Four Signature (7/4)?

I listened Pink Floyd "Money" from the album "Dark Side of the Moon" for a while break after and started to think about Seven Four (7/4) time signature in music theory and how to ...
Jere_Sumell's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
904 views

Post-concert routine for soloists? [closed]

I'm curious about what happens when a soloist walks off stage after a performance. Where do they go? Where does the conductor go? Everything backstage is a mystery for me.
Allison's user avatar
  • 49
2 votes
1 answer
781 views

Ableton: Pressing solo button on audio track mutes all tracks, including the one I am trying to solo

In my Ableton Live 10 project right now, I have both midi and audio tracks. When I press the solo button on my midi tracks it behaves as I expect - the solo'd track is audible and all the others are ...
user1521999's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
164 views

Big Band solo conventions

I'm writing an arrangement of a typical AABA jazz standard for big band. After the 1st chorus (AABA once) I want a saxophone to take a solo. It occurred to me that I could let a different instrument (...
yerman's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
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App for listening to an orchestra instrument by instrument [closed]

There is a similar question on the forum, but not quite the same. Do you know of any app able to show orchestra whole music sheet, play tutti, and allowing to select one or several instruments you ...
Fred_O's user avatar
  • 11
5 votes
2 answers
514 views

Notes and Beat "slashes" in the same measure

I have a song I'm working on where the chorus ends with a half note in the first half of a measure. I would like to do an instrumental/solo, I want to allow freedom to the musician so I have just ...
Curto's user avatar
  • 327
3 votes
4 answers
201 views

When to use open note or closed note for solo on acoustic guitar for the same pitch?

Suppose you want to hit E5 (which is 0 fret on 1st string) in a passage of your solo, what are the reasons you'd pick the open note or the closed note on 5th fret 2nd string? In general for electric ...
mofury's user avatar
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9 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why does pentatonic + diatonic embellishments sound so much better than just using the diatonic for guitar solos?

I've learned both diatonic and pentatonic scales across the fretboard but when I go to solo, it sounds so much better to me if I use the pentatonic as a base and then pepper in some of the diatonic ...
dcw6751's user avatar
  • 91
5 votes
1 answer
334 views

What is the full form of cont. RH solo and its meaning?

Sorry for my naivety, this is my first time posting here. Does cont. stand for contrary motion for the right hand wrt to the left hand?? I'm playing a song and there's this improvisation for an ...
Ishan.J's user avatar
  • 340
1 vote
3 answers
587 views

Broken violin string during solo. What normally happens?

I'm not a violinist but I've seen a couple of online videos where a soloist breaks a string. They go to the leader of the first violin section and come back with a replacement violin. What exactly ...
chasly - supports Monica's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
142 views

Back in black sound

I'm finally learning back in black from tabs after doing it by ear for a long time. I've come to the iconic lick during the intro and its tab is given by this almost everywhere: For the life of me I ...
Tom White's user avatar
4 votes
5 answers
1k views

Figuring scales from a chord progression

How does one figure out scales from a Baseline? Say for example, the Rhythm Guitar plays Bm chord for 4 Bars and then Amaj for 2 and Gmaj for 1 and then back to Bmin. How do i figure out, what scale ...
Abel Tom's user avatar
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0 answers
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Are the notes in Blues scale in Am I Evil solo? [duplicate]

e|-11-12-11---11-12-14-14-14-12-11-12-11----|-----------------7---| B|---------12----------------------------12-|-10---------/7-------| I am analyzing the Guitar Solo of Metallica's cover version of ...
Abel Tom's user avatar
  • 209
0 votes
3 answers
535 views

How to "transpose" a guitar solo across the fretboard

I'm a new guitar player and i started learning some solos. I'm using an acoustic guitar and when i try to play something (eg. Pink Floyd's Time solo (one of the most beautiful soloes ever made)) I ...
Raydar's user avatar
  • 1
2 votes
2 answers
334 views

Background sound of pick hitting string

Whenever I try picking a string by itself (usually lower strings) it makes a background sound thats kind of like the pick rubbing against the string when I play that overshadows the actual fret sound. ...
Leighton's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
447 views

What mode does this guitar solo use? [closed]

I'm trying to learn this amazing guitar solo from W.C. Fields played by Gabor Szabo. It starts at 02:00. I learned this first section which is in the key of G major. At 02:20–02:32 it switches to ...
cuspy-halo's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
232 views

Guitar - Pinky finger on high notes / small fret

I have a question regarding the use of the pinky on smaller frets , 10 onwards . Let's say I am learning a guitar solo, from Metallica Nothing else matters, when they alternate from fourth srting fret ...
Kiwimoisi's user avatar
  • 151
1 vote
3 answers
706 views

Relationship between chord progression of backing track and scale of solo

I've started improvising guitar solos over some backing tracks like this one, and the videos always start by stating the chord progression and then saying which scale you can solo in for it to sound ...
NeonBlueHair's user avatar
-1 votes
2 answers
129 views

Need help in writing Guitar Solos using story [closed]

I heard lot from online videos(Literally all) that the key thing to awesome solo is - Story. But I am kinda confused that how one implements this? Please share how you implement the "Story" ...
user9339131's user avatar
1 vote
5 answers
349 views

How to make a slow melodic solo sound beautiful

I’ve listen to many songs where there’s a lead guitar part that is very slow and not that impressive, but the song sounds amazing, But when I try to play them they just sound like some notes and not ...
Slapp45's user avatar
  • 477
1 vote
2 answers
139 views

What are the rules of writing a solo for guitars or violins on a keyboard?

What are the harmonic rules that serve as the foundation of a solo? For example, notes of triads serve as the foundation for voices and arpeggios, with an occasional non-chord tone. Harmonic function ...
David LE's user avatar
  • 105
2 votes
4 answers
668 views

How to choose scales for improvisation based on chords used in a progression?

When playing a tune that has both, minor and major chords, what scale would be safe to use for soloing? It seems that a Minor Pentatonic would work for the minor chords, but not that well for the ...
John Mercer's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
178 views

Question about playing over chord changes, go to next chord

In music theory there is a process for going to the next chord that involves playing a note just before the next chord that resolves to a chord tone of the upcoming chord. However this messes up my ...
Vision's user avatar
  • 25
0 votes
1 answer
63 views

Electric guitar online solo training class suggestions (paid or free)

I am a stackoverflow addict as a software engineer but not sure if it is appropriate to ask this question here. If not, please feel free to advise. I play guitar last 15 years but never become a pro. ...
curiousBoy's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
918 views

A Dorian scale/chord progressions

I'm currently jamming a song in G Major with focus on the A Minor. The chord progression goes Am C D. I know that the A Minor Blues Scale sounds pretty sleek, but I just have the feeling that A Dorian ...
Finn's user avatar
  • 71
5 votes
1 answer
100 views

Improvising in two pulses/tempos at once

In this documentary, Brad Mehldau states this about his trio with Jorge Rossy and Larry Grenadier: It’s pretty specific what I’m doing, I think, especially with the trio. We have the regular pulse ...
jdjazz's user avatar
  • 11.2k
2 votes
3 answers
253 views

How to decide which key to transpose to to make a song better for solo guitar

I'm working on a solo guitar version of She's Always a Woman by Billy Joel. I bought a lead sheet from guitarinstructor.com. It's in Eb. I'm planning to come up with my own arrangement of it based ...
Frank Henard's user avatar
1 vote
5 answers
181 views

Any ideas for soloing on guitar?

So far I have known 3 pentatonic shapes, I don't just run it up and down when soloing but I don't think it's a good solo. I've heard about harmony, target notes, chords, one pentatonic per chord but I ...
Zi Hao's user avatar
  • 23
3 votes
1 answer
179 views

How do I properly support a bass solo as a keyboard player?

As an amateur keyboard player, I am used to comping with (or against) a guitar solo, sometimes staying out of the way, other times harmonizing against it, or even just "responding" to its calls. On ...
Editortoise-Composerpent's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
204 views

How good am I supposed to be at my 3rd year of playing electric guitar? Also, suggestions for songs and exercises to improve faster [closed]

I was just curious how good am I supposed to be after playing 3yrs on the electric guitar. I am self taught and I almost did not play at all on my 2nd year. Most of the time I just do different ...
JohnnyJJ's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
148 views

Scale Recommendation for Tricky Key Change

I'm playing a pretty tune, which calls for a solo on the following chords: Cm G7 C Fm A♭ Cm G Cm As you can see, the key temporarily changes, shifting the tonic chord to major before its ...
Aryeh's user avatar
  • 599
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

What other scales can be played over ii chord in ii-V-I besides Dorian?

Soloing over ii-V-I is usually associated with modes. Dorian-Myxolydian-Ionian. I'm trying to expand my soloing by playing "outside", so I wanted to find out what other scales can be played over ...
Phemelo Khetho's user avatar
4 votes
6 answers
2k views

Why does soloing over the pentatonic minor of the fifth of a major scale sound so good?

If I play a pentatonic minor scale a fifth above the root, it sounds really good. Why? As an example, if the band is playing a vamp on A major, I can solo on an E minor pentatonic scale for days. Is ...
empty's user avatar
  • 12.3k
3 votes
2 answers
276 views

Has it always been the tradition for conceto soloists to have their music memorized?

At all the performances of concertos I've attended, the soloists perform without sheet music, whether it is a concerto for piano, viola, or horn. Has this always been the performance tradition for ...
cjm's user avatar
  • 1,123
6 votes
3 answers
494 views

How can I play a solo when there is no chord progression?

Ok I'll explain the situation. I have to play a guitar solo during one section of a song. The problem is that during that section the other guitar only plays the D5 chord in an irregular pattern with ...
ElShakes's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
854 views

how change key while solo/improvisation on guitar?

I'm playing a song with the chord progression: Am7-Am7 Gm7-C7 F-F When the song starts I am in the key of A, but in wich key am I when the Gm7 or the F chord is playing? And how am I supposed to ...
Milo_666's user avatar
  • 341
3 votes
2 answers
501 views

How to write guitar solos from a keyboardist perspective?

I'm a keyboardist and sole composer in a band, and usually I write organ/keyboard solos, but I wanted to write a guitar solo for one of the songs. I would let the guitarist make his solo, but he is a ...
hvksh's user avatar
  • 170
4 votes
1 answer
184 views

What scale(s) would I use to improvise over this riff?

I am a keyboard player and as an exercise, I like to figure out riffs or background chords to songs I like and improvise over them. I chose to tackle this riff, starting at 6:14 with a guitar soloing ...
hvksh's user avatar
  • 170
2 votes
1 answer
165 views

Changing the timing of a phrase

Preface: I can't seem to create a great solo, but..... I have this phrase, it's from Stevie Ray Vaughs Texas Flood and it consists of about 15 notes. It sounds great... Next I play the same notes in ...
mike628's user avatar
  • 1,161
1 vote
2 answers
246 views

Major Mediant of F Major Scale [duplicate]

I'm writing a solo over a progression in F Major. However, the progression uses a major mediant instead of the usual minor. Therefore, my progression in F major is IV-III-vi-ii-I (Bbmaj-Amaj-Dmin-Gmin-...
Gus's user avatar
  • 11
5 votes
2 answers
100 views

Question concerning the integration of jazz solos into the rest of the ensemble

I am a relatively new jazz player. I do know a sizable amount of theory, though. My question was if there were any tips and advice you could give me concerning if and how soloists try to adjust their ...
Techable's user avatar
4 votes
4 answers
647 views

Rolling Stones Sway guitar solo chord function

I enjoy jamming over Sway by the Stones. The final solo is C minor pentatonic mainly played over two chords, C major and Bb major. While I understand why you would use a minor pentatonic on a major ...
Babaluma's user avatar
  • 485
1 vote
1 answer
153 views

Is this too difficult for a solo flutist?

There are 2 woodwind instruments that come to mind when I think of a high pitched solo. Those are the flute and the clarinet, both of which can have either a mellow or a piercing quality depending on ...
Caters's user avatar
  • 6,554