please help me do an impro on a youtube vid :(

[ilovemysr505]

please! i was asked to do a "jam" with some guys over this song and maye they might ask me to solo over it too! please! what scales/modes should i use?

 

[pukeorama]

The jam is in the key of C major. The bass line is D F C so thats riding off the Dorian mode which is the second degree of the C major scale. Without going too deep into music theory. The notes in the scale are D E F G A B C D. If you compare the Dorian mode to the C major scale in a parallel method you will have the 3rd flatted and the 7th flatted. In the situation of a solo you can create a lick using those 7 notes in any octave and just jam on it.

Make a little theme then come back to it everyone once in a while. Make sure you know how many bars the solo will be or if you will need to cue the rest of the band at the end or when you have finished. If all else fails make sure you are in the pocket with drums if you cant get anything going. I would listen to what Paul Gilbert and George Lynch are doing as far as solo themes are concerned its a good start. However; you are rocking the bass so I would maybe listen to what Miles Davis did on "So What" from Kind of Blue. Its a modal solo which means the backing band jams on a single note for a while. Build a couple licks find some in between notes make it rythmic and play off the drums have some pauses to make the money notes ring and you got your self a solo son.

Hope that helps with your solo/jam. Have too and if all else fails stage antics can trump a solo. If you have any questions about the music theory part of it please message me I will be more than happy to help you out if you need.

 

[Step]

one thing I'll have to say about this is: don't solo if you don't want to

a solo is something that should flow out of you and come naturally, so if you don't like soloing, just don't do it!
I'm in a jazz band and I never ever take solos, I don't like soloing, certainly not without accompanying musicians.

BUT, if you don't want to solo, look carefully at the advice written above and as said, make up a small musical motif that you can repeat. Also, don't overdo it, but don't be afraid to fail either!

to recap: don't solo if you don't want to, but if you do go for it!