The lesson was fantastic. Gary's approach to soloing is enlightening. We spent most of the lesson on developing a solo over "Blue Bossa". To try and summarize, Gary believes that a good soloist can play whatever he imagines. Connecting your imagination directly to your hands is the goal. Many players are at a point where they can sing a better solo than they can play. In other words, they can imagine a better solo than they can play. This is mainly for two reasons; we don't know our fingerboards well enough and we don't allow enough time (or space) to listen to our own imaginations.
He had me start out with a two note idea, with instruction to start anywhere but the root (NO ROOTS!). He liked what I played, two notes on the and of one, and of two tied to three and four. He stopped me right away, and asked me what two notes I heard next, and had me sing them. "Okay, now play them". He emphasized the importance of developing an idea. "An undeveloped idea is a wasted idea." He often analogizes soloing to speaking. In order to make a point when speaking you have to use language properly and develop your point (or idea) in a way that holds the listener's interest. If you change the subject two or three times during the conversation, you're going to confuse instead of enlighten. You can use proper grammar, but if every sentence is on a different topic, your speech makes no sense. Likewise in soloing, you can play a succession of
correct notes over changes, but if the rhythm and note choices don't connect to an
idea, your solo will make no sense.
Gary says a solo is an idea expressed through shapes and rhythms. By "shapes" he's referring to the patterns your left hand outlines when you're playing. As you progress you remember how certain patterns or shapes sound. A D Dorian has a shape, a C Mixolidian has a shape, etc. Add rhythm to the shape, allow the space for your imagination to take over, and...voila.
) during the day...don't know if he has any time slots left open. Info can be found here 
Gary's one of my favortie bassists too. How was the clinic itself? I've yet to travel up to GGuitars, but I want to (I live down in New London county).
