Keeping your place during a solo

[Jim Nazium]

Hey Todd,

Happy holidays! Here's something I'm having trouble with: when I practice soloing using band-in-a-box or a play-along recording, I can hear the piano play the chord changes pretty clearly, and am able to keep my place. But when I play in a jam session and it's my turn to solo, everyone lays out (or just plays very minimally) so there's nothing for me to listen to. I can play a walking solo, or play one phrase in each measure, but that sounds kind of lame. When I try to play across the bar line and be more melodic, it sounds better (I think) but I always lose my place in the form and I don't know where to come back in.

Any tips on how to keep the form?

[7flat5]

Believe me, I can't do this in a way anybody would want to listen to, but I can guess that the answer lies in practicing soloing to changes alone...

I've found starting with a variation of the melody is a good start, too, then substituting improvised phrases alternating with phrases of the melody, then going all improv.

[deckard]

It's Todd's forum, but hope he doesn't mind me bringing up what Gary Willis has to say about this sort of thing...

Basically, Gary says if the other players think it's ok for them to drop out when you the bassist are soloing, make it clear to them you will have no problem laying out while THEY solo...

See how they like THEM apples.



Just because you are soloing is no reason for everyone else to drop out.

What usually works for me at a jam session is to politely ask the guitarist or pianist up front if they would please comp behind you when you are soloing - a good, confident, generous player won't object - it's what they ought to be doing anyway... and it's good comping practice for them, so everybody wins.

It's a jam, right? So if they give you attitude or whine or they just don't do it, drop out the next time they solo.



JMHO

p.s. - my *other* suggestion: know the melody well enough to keep that going along in your head while you solo - this gives you a "reference". It's hard at first, but does get easier the more you work at it.

[bassandbeyond]

Originally Posted by deckard

know the melody well enough to keep that going along in your head while you solo - this gives you a "reference". It's hard at first, but does get easier the more you work at it.

+1

This is really the key, I think. Interestingly, I've found that I retain songs in my memory much longer if I have a strong familiarity with the melody.

[deckard]

Originally Posted by bassandbeyond

I've found that I retain songs in my memory much longer if I have a strong familiarity with the melody.

Definitely true!

Going with that a bit farther (further?),

as Todd himself has said many times before, actually knowing & being able to play the melody helps tremendously with soloing on a particular song... as well as allowing one to quote said melody when soloing on other songs.



p.s. - nice website, bassandbyond!

[bassandbeyond]

Thanks! One more thought about keeping your place while soloing. Although it can be frustrating when everybody else lays out during a bass solo, you really should be able to keep the form all by yourself. It's dangerous if you're depending on them to keep you on course. Good luck and happy holidays!

[deckard]

Couldn't agree more.

Ideally, one should be able to keep the form by one's self - that's definitely a "soloing goal"!!

[Todd Johnson]

Originally Posted by Jim Nazium

Hey Todd,

Happy holidays! Here's something I'm having trouble with: when I practice soloing using band-in-a-box or a play-along recording, I can hear the piano play the chord changes pretty clearly, and am able to keep my place. But when I play in a jam session and it's my turn to solo, everyone lays out (or just plays very minimally) so there's nothing for me to listen to. I can play a walking solo, or play one phrase in each measure, but that sounds kind of lame. When I try to play across the bar line and be more melodic, it sounds better (I think) but I always lose my place in the form and I don't know where to come back in.

Any tips on how to keep the form?

Memorize the changes and the melody....get to where you can play the tune with just a click on 2 & 4 all by yourself.....when you can do that you should be good to go!!

Fair enough??

Merry Christmas!!