General Music Chat

Im started to get out and play with some different people lately, they dont play the normal stuff Ive played before, so every night we play, get to do 10-15 songs that Ive never played before, most is just standard rock and then we get some that have a lot of changes.

The rock stuff is automatic for me playing wise, I may not know the song that well but somewhere along the way I have heard the solo, so when its my time to play, I just go into that auto mode, or maybe its like phonics, just emulating what I remember from hearing a song. Ussually on these simpler songs I can comp chords, or whatever is necessary to make it sound right.

On the other hand we have started playing some things that are a bit more complicaated, we have bass, acoustic guitar, drums, and keys, so when we hit songs that Im not that familiar with, I find myself sort of noodling to get a feel for the melody and approach it this way, instead of hitting a big chunky chord and being out of key.

I agree with what someone said, to play a solo or improvise I try to let the music breath, kinda of like when you talk. I think of tension and release and occasionally I will throw in a bit of shred or tapping or harmonics just to mix it up.

Ive been doing this deal the last couple of weeks and am having a blast.

In this situation, I know Im just there to compliment things, we have a couple of fantastic vocalist which makes it really fun.

We dont have a song list yet, I have tryed to recall all the songs we do when we play, but forget a bunch of them, and part of the fun for me has just been put on the spot and remembering things.

But on improve in general make sure you compliment what the other guys are doing, dont play too loud. Its really funny cause thru the years I would say I was one of those extremely loud obnoxious guitarist, but these days more times than not the people I play with have to tell me to turn up.

Theres a younger guy that hangs around that is a pretty damn good guitarist in my opinion, but hes not humble, he is cocky about his abilitys, and when he doesnt know a song he tends to walk all over everyone else. He was suprised that some guys I met at an open mic, wanted me to play with them instead of him. I just said man you have to be a team player and stop showboating, I think sometimes the things you dont play are just as important as the things you play.

An example was this jazzy thing these guys do, which is slightly outside of my comfort zone so I just keys in on 4 notes that harmonically fit and I play them in three different octaves and emphasized a theme to it. Last night this dude who is a monster jazz player was there and afterwards he was very complimentary on what I did on the song, in fact said we should play some together. That was a trip cause this guys can play more chords than anyone Ive ever seen, and I just did this little 4 note thing that blew him away. The guy that plays keys told me after he walked away that he had never seen this guy say anything nice or ask someone to play with him before, so I took that as a huge compliment that I was doing something right.

I know Im rambling, but Im kinda stoked at all the playing Im doing all of the sudden, and just enjoying playing and hopefully improving my abilitys.

It may not be dynamic enough for all situations, but...
Try scat singing.
Practice singing a couple notes, then match it on your instrument.
Try it the other way around too - play a few notes, then try to sing them.
Work up to longer and longer chunks.

Breaks you out of patterns, helps your ear, and potentially helps your singing.

Similarly, "say things".

Santana talked about phrases like, saying 'muh-Ther FUH-ker' to the audience, through the guitar.

There's also interplay, ala Led Zeppelin, where Pagey would mimick Plants vocal phrases. Which I think is what jw has probably done a lot of.

It may not be dynamic enough for all situations, but...
Try scat singing.
Practice singing a couple notes, then match it on your instrument.
Try it the other way around too - play a few notes, then try to sing them.
Work up to longer and longer chunks.

Breaks you out of patterns, helps your ear, and potentially helps your singing.

the other good thing about singing along w your soloing and riffing is that it promotes adding space or "breath". unlike vocalists or wind instruments...it's too easy for gtrsts/vibists/keyboardists/etc to play endlessly w/o pausing to take a breath!

Oh yeah Zip, the cool thing in this latest deal is there are two really good singers who harmonize and then the other two guys sing some also, so I have this wall of voice to counter with the guitar.

Most situations Ive been in, Im the only guitar player, so I really never got the chance to play with melodys and little phrases before, so this is a real cool deal, plus its a no pressure gig.

I do think of singing when I play solos, have some stops( taking a breath) that sort of thing, endless wanking just gets old to me.

Hell take Eddies Eruption solo, it has breaks in there, like someone is talking to you.

Different situations require different approaches as well. Sometimes you want to craft a solo that tells a great story, and sometimes you just throw stuff at the wall to see what sticks. These guys start out bringing some fresh ideas to well-worn tunes and then in the second half it turns into a gunfight.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EW25Fpo1btw

JW

That was an excellent post - the sort of thing that makes us think.

For those of us who are long past 'learning to play guitar' the journey becomes 'learning to play music.'

It's pretty damn exciting.

cheers
Talbot

JW

That was an excellent post - the sort of thing that makes us think.

For those of us who are long past 'learning to play guitar' the journey becomes 'learning to play music.'

It's pretty damn exciting.

cheers
Talbot

And doing both simultaneously is one tough row to hoe . . .

George

If it was easy you wouldn't tough it with a ten foot pole!

Git 'er done Johnny Reb...

Talbot

I have never once in my life thought "Switch to Phrygian!" but I have played with no mind since 1975.





This is what spontaneous improvisation looks like in Beaumont TX, where I grew up. Took this around New Years eve, the guy on the left is the local hero since the 70s, Scott McGill. We jam pretty much every time we see each other since 1977. The guy on the right is Zack Gonzales, plays with Tracy Laurence, or Byrd. (I get them mixed up) who got up to jam on a few.

They do this every Fri/Sat at Mexican restaurant, if anyone wants to go visit.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_ryaJ6r ... e=youtu.be







.

I have had the privilege of playing with Shawn and the guy can shred. We ended our last session with a drag on maybe three chords for maybe ten minutes and he just kept coming up with something new every few passes. Reinventing the same chords over and over again. One of those times playing, where I wish it would never end.

I have never “jammed” before being in the group I’m in now. It seems to serve as an awesome way to come up with new material. Sometimes you just come across something good and going back, if you can capture what was just played, the start of a new tune. Normally playing alone with the intention of coming up with something new, seems very sterile and in my case rather regimented. But if it feels good and works good with the entire group, it just can’t get much more organic than that. I’m really lucky to be playing with the folks that I am now. Downright intimidating talent.

Obviously there is a huge difference between stuff that’s been structured and well rehearsed and those times when it’s just off the cuff. While flying blind, I think it’s better to wait a bit and sense the direction, before trying to add to the momentum. I tend to single note it for a few, trying to get the gist of the melody that’s developing. Once I have made enough experiments then I can settle down to chords.

There’s a big difference between minor and major chords, never mind the washing out of sevenths and ninths. So I find it better to make small excursions outside the developing groove, (one finger, than two, then triad, etc) before committing to full chords. Although keys have that luxury, it’s not much a rock groove without the guitar and an occasional drop off of keys, isn’t all that critical. The only conscious thought I usually have, is to be careful as to not add anything noticeably ugly to the developing groove. I think a lot more about what not to play, while maintaining what’s happening pretty naturally.

lol Who's this Phrygian guy?

That's Phil Phrygian - teaches scales and modes at the Pythagoras Institute in Los Angeles.

Talbot