Sorry if this has been done before, the search bar is kinda causing problems, don't know whats wrong. I was just wondering, how do you write a solo that will be in key with a song? I've got a few compositions (songs) of my own, but i feel like they need a few solos to spice them up. How do you know what key a song is in? And how would you go about composing a solo?

Sorry, but the only aspect of guitar that i'm 'guitarded' in is theory. The only scales i know are pentatonic and harmonic minor, but all i do is play them in their 'box' shapes. Anytime i improv, i just mess around within that 1 box. Gets pretty repetitive after a while. Don't get how i can connect different 'boxes' across the fretboard. I can sweep, tap and all that stuff but i just don't know how to utilise theory to create a solo. Haven't had a lesson in my life, don't think i'll be able to attend any also for the time being, busy with uni. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks a lot.

wow... if you can sweep, tap etc. then soloing shouldn't be a problem so long as you know what notes you're playing...

you can probably wikipedia or google some scales etc and match them to the notes on the fretboard, then you'll know which notes are "in key" and which aren't... course you could just play whatever you want and if anyone gives you grief, just tell them that they're too n00b to understand your music...

damn funny but it's actually true.

solo is an improvisation of scales plus creativity and add in some talents and skills. it's like programming. if you're a master in PHP, it does not mean you can actually create good looking web page.

you seems to have talents,skills and scale knowledge. but do you have the creativity?

also what seems creative to you, may not be undestandable to others. . so all this jibberish means that the quoted statement is true.

This post has been edited by zeroglyph: Aug 29 2007, 03:29 PM

Haha, ok, i think i get what you're trying to say. Yeah, i gotta go get my creative juices flowing a little, then maybe i can come up with something. Maybe i'll just go google some articles on keys and such. Thanks guys.

For me,I just simply mess around with my guitar until I find something that sounds cool.Took a lotta time for me to do that though,so I'd recommend to learn some theory.

Learning a few licks won't do harm too.......
Most great guitarist has lots of licks under their sleeve when it comes to improv spots. Listen to Slash, Zakk, SRV, Angus Young..... and you'll get ideas for some great licks.

Yeah, and since you've already got sweeping/tapping under your belt, you can just fool around with those...

Like if you're playing in the key of Em, just throw in a few E min sweeps here and there... or tap out the E min arpeggio (E G B)... heck, if you know both the major and minor sweep patterns, you're pretty much set already...

My RM0.24...

Ok, thanks for all the help guys, i'm getting a few ideas already for the solos already. Cheers.

You could start with the major and minor pentatonics, arpeggios and then move on to major scale and its modes.

Or you could call it a jazz-inspired death metal but notsofusion solo.

why bother? he can just call it prog... hehe... jk!

my old trick ...improvise your solo by using different technique !

bend.. and slow stuff --> get more aggressive and starts legato-ing! --> alternate picking --->sweeps picking ---> end with a bend

HELL YEA !


anyway...

just wanna let you know ...

1. there is nothing wrong playing inside the box
2.there is nothing wrong playing inside the box
3.there is nothing wrong playing inside the box

this idea of "playing inside the box" ..is more of a...

"you are a noob , you play in the box" " i am pro , i play all around the fretboard" mentality ...

which isn't true...i can name you countless of songs .. guitar Gods played "inside the box" ..from For the love of God , tender surrender ,wonderful slippery thing , greg howe's / shawn lane's...etc..

in the end..we forget about the purpose of playing guitar... we just wanna have fun and we wanna hear something nice

in fact , so far i found the pentatonic box the NICEST area to play solo..the feeling of the pulls and vibrato is just right on !

This post has been edited by gapnap: Aug 29 2007, 07:28 PM

wei... deep mou...

err... what are "pulls"?

ah..sorry..noobie like me..forgot the formal term..

pulls = bends la...hahaha..okok i go edit

i only know pentatonics, what i did was just connect the 'dots' or notes from one box to another one, run them from the 1st pattern till the last, from the top strings till the last...it may not sound very dynamic, but at least i know what i'm doing

and oh yeah, i also cheat by tapping the penta notes, when i run out of things to play...

the ending of the solo for Everytime I Die by Children of Bodom has a very nice pent box run (stolen from zakk wylde iirc)
still trying to nail that part for months now..

i know.... nothing....
T_T

Pentatonics are always a great scale if you're playing Rock, Metal or Blues..... it just FITS.....

Which is why I rely TOO much on it already........

my theory knowledge is horrible.. dont even know the notes on the fretboard yet haha

one of the best advice for playing good improv solo is from bb king himself. search guitar mags for interviews with him.

oh ya, train your ears too. that has really helped me alot especially when improvising on slower solos where melodies are very important.

take a look at asura. first jam session he didnt really play much. the next jam session he was kicking trio of terror's asses already. you should ask him how he improved so fast.

Ohhh speaking of good advice on soloing, here's a great one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CKhSzbhn_oo

Even though he only touches on the fundamentals, these are points that a lot of us tend to forget when we solo. Watch it til the end, especially the end! Freaking hilarious!

This post has been edited by led_zep_freak: Aug 29 2007, 09:17 PM