Scales to riffs.
Question:
Here’s my approach to turning a scale into a solo (or riff). You should be aware of 2 things: phrasing and the chord(s) that you are soloing over. Let’s use the 12 bar blues chord change in the key of A as an example. This is the chord change: A / / / A / / / A / / / A / / / D / / / D / / / A / / / A / / / E / / / D / / / A / / / E / / / repeat A phrase is when you play a bunch of notes in a row and then let it breath (or silence). Even 2 notes make a great phrase, you don’t have to use the whole scale all at once. I am also assuming that you know to play the A blues scale over this- I would recommend ending each phrase with the note of the chord that you are playing over. You could either get a friend to play or tape the chord change that you’re soloing over. If you don’t have those options, you’ll just have to use your imagination and pretent that you are soloing over a certain chord. That will get you started into changing a scale into something melodic, but it doesn’t stop there. Ron Lukiv http://web.cuug.ab.ca/~lukivr
Response:
Hi Ron& Joan Thanks for your reply, it’s a very good lesson for me to try, much appreciated. Moj. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Here’s my approach to turning a scale into a solo (or riff). > You should be aware of 2 things: > phrasing and the chord(s) that you are soloing over. > Let’s use the 12 bar blues chord change in the key of A as an example. > This is the chord change: > A / / / A / / / A / / / A / / / > D / / / D / / / A / / / A / / / > E / / / D / / / A / / / E / / / repeat > A phrase is when you play a bunch of notes in a row and then let it breath > (or silence). > Even 2 notes make a great phrase, you don’t have to use the whole scale all > at once. > I am also assuming that you know to play the A blues scale over this- > I would recommend ending each phrase with the note of the chord that you are > playing over. > You could either get a friend to play or tape the chord change that you’re > soloing over. > If you don’t have those options, you’ll just have to use your imagination > and pretent that you are soloing over a certain chord. > That will get you started into changing a scale into something melodic, but > it doesn’t stop there. > Ron Lukiv > http://web.cuug.ab.ca/~lukivr
Response:
Don’t forget to tell us how you do.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I do understand what you mean Lon, I once watched an interview with Eric > Clapton on TV, and he said: "its not what you play, it’s what you leave out > that is important", thanks for your reply, I’ll certainly give it a go . > Moj. > I like Matt’s suggestion but would take it a step further. Rather than > play > a few notes ply only two and the tricky part is that one of those notes is > the most important note you can play SILENCE! Y eah I’m being tricky but > I > hope you get the point about silence. > Anyway play virtually one note (or actually fret and string) You can bend > it, return it, shake it, Slide to it, slide away from it, but not move. > After at least 5 minutes of this then add one more note and only one. > Don’t > forget to pause sometimes. > I would start with the root as the one note. If you do this you will > start > to get a feel for improv. > > Hi > > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale > to > > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a > pentatonic > > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all > over > > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > > Thanks > > Moj.
Response:
Moj, I’ve had good luck with a book called "Blues Guitar" by Peter Vogl. It is geared towards beginners and the approach it takes is to teach you riffs based on scales. This sounds like it might work for you as well. You can read more about it here: http://www.cvls.com/AcousticGuitar.html#BLB I like the fact that you are taught the riffs in small pieces. You practice each piece by itself until you have mastered it. Then, you start to string the pieces together to make the entire solo. When you are ready, you can try playing along with the CD that comes with the book. The CD tracks are available in two speeds. A slower one for practicing and a faster one (with other backing instruments) so you feel like you are playing with a band. -W – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – > Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
Response:
Thanks Will, Much appreciated. Moj.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Moj, > I’ve had good luck with a book called "Blues Guitar" by Peter Vogl. It > is geared towards beginners and the approach it takes is to teach you > riffs based on scales. This sounds like it might work for you as > well. You can read more about it here: > http://www.cvls.com/AcousticGuitar.html#BLB I like the fact that you > are taught the riffs in small pieces. You practice each piece by > itself until you have mastered it. Then, you start to string the > pieces together to make the entire solo. When you are ready, you can > try playing along with the CD that comes with the book. The CD tracks > are available in two speeds. A slower one for practicing and a faster > one (with other backing instruments) so you feel like you are playing > with a band. > -W
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
Response:
I like Matt’s suggestion but would take it a step further. Rather than play a few notes ply only two and the tricky part is that one of those notes is the most important note you can play SILENCE! Y eah I’m being tricky but I hope you get the point about silence. Anyway play virtually one note (or actually fret and string) You can bend it, return it, shake it, Slide to it, slide away from it, but not move. After at least 5 minutes of this then add one more note and only one. Don’t forget to pause sometimes. I would start with the root as the one note. If you do this you will start to get a feel for improv.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
Response:
I do understand what you mean Lon, I once watched an interview with Eric Clapton on TV, and he said: "its not what you play, it’s what you leave out that is important", thanks for your reply, I’ll certainly give it a go . Moj.
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> I like Matt’s suggestion but would take it a step further. Rather than play > a few notes ply only two and the tricky part is that one of those notes is > the most important note you can play SILENCE! Y eah I’m being tricky but I > hope you get the point about silence. > Anyway play virtually one note (or actually fret and string) You can bend > it, return it, shake it, Slide to it, slide away from it, but not move. > After at least 5 minutes of this then add one more note and only one. Don’t > forget to pause sometimes. > I would start with the root as the one note. If you do this you will start > to get a feel for improv. > Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a > pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all > over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
Response:
Thanks guys for your advice, much appreciated. Moj. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hello MM. You must begin to transcribe solos by cats like BB King. > Albert King… > BB King Live at Cook County Jail is a classic. Learn one complete solo > to a song. > Observe how he plays a 4 or 5 note riff than answers it back with > another. That’s called ‘call and response’. Which is as old as the > Blues, maybe older. Phrasing,phrasing,phrasing. In Blues and Jazz. In > Blues it’s not about the volume of notes that one is putting out but the > ’soulfulness’ of the playing. The feel, the phrasing. Good luck. PS What > Blues masters are you listening to? You can absorb a lot by listening to > the ‘old guys’. BB, Albert, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson. Take care, > Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj. > — > Jazz Guitarist/Educator > http://www.rickdelsavio.com
Response:
Hi I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? Thanks Moj.
Response:
Improvisation does not mean randomly jumping from note to note. Try to stay within a small number of notes at first (like three). Make a melody from those two or three. Then move on to four. Etc. Understanding how to make key short phrases will eventually lead you to make the longer ones by stringing them together. Thanks, Matt > Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
– "And we laugh like soft, mad children Smug in the wooly cotton brains of infancy" – Jim Morrison
Response:
Hello MM. You must begin to transcribe solos by cats like BB King. Albert King… BB King Live at Cook County Jail is a classic. Learn one complete solo to a song. Observe how he plays a 4 or 5 note riff than answers it back with another. That’s called ‘call and response’. Which is as old as the Blues, maybe older. Phrasing,phrasing,phrasing. In Blues and Jazz. In Blues it’s not about the volume of notes that one is putting out but the ’soulfulness’ of the playing. The feel, the phrasing. Good luck. PS What Blues masters are you listening to? You can absorb a lot by listening to the ‘old guys’. BB, Albert, John Lee Hooker, Robert Johnson. Take care, > Hi > I have a problem, when I try to improvise over some of the blues backing > tapes I have, I just sound as though I am running up and down the scale to > the backing tape, ok I’m in the correct key, and I’m playing in a pentatonic > scale, so why doesn’t sound like a bluesy riff? > I watch great players like Clapton etc, and they seem to jump about all over > the fret board, what I am doing wrong ? > Thanks > Moj.
– Jazz Guitarist/Educator http://www.rickdelsavio.com
Response:
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