# Solo Phrasing?



## Guest (Nov 28, 2018)

What I am asking about is the cadence or whatever it is called like iambic pentameter as an example. 

How to use different cadences or phrasing stanzas to vary the leads? To my my improvised leads are sort of the same. The notes and riffs etc. can be completely different, but the underlying pattern is sort of the same... Sometimes I will try to run a simple poem or even another some in my head as I am playing lead to give me other options.

I am having a hard time explaining this, so if someone thinks they know what I am asking and can explain my question better, please do.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

My improvised stuff is sorta the same too but I don’t know that I would look to a rhyme scheme like iambic pentameter to change it but if that works then it works. I just try to change the pattern in my leads by taking some impression that I get from the music and sometimes trying to play it between that for cadence. So it’s on but sometimes it’s on in between. So it’s kinda like I decide to change from the usual pattern but go where it takes me rather than a set idea or rhyme scheme.

I’m pretty sure that what I said above is in no way helpful whatsoever... lol


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2018)

Wardo said:


> My improvised stuff is sorta the same too but I don’t know that I would look to a rhyme scheme like iambic pentameter to change it but if that works then it works. I just try to change the pattern in my leads by taking some impression that I get from the music and sometimes trying to play it between that for cadence. So it’s on but sometimes it’s on in between. So it’s kinda like I decide to change from the usual pattern but go where it takes me rather than a set idea or rhyme scheme.
> 
> I’m pretty sure that what I said above is in no way helpful whatsoever... lol


Thank for the reply. There is a buddy of mine I used to do blues gigs with years ago. He would solo over a 12 or 16 bar blues progression, but his lead would be more than one full 16 bar round. At the turnaround he would be in the middle of his phrase. Sort of transcending the idea of obviously changing on the chord changes and he would not bringing it home on the 5 chord, or not at the first 5 chord.


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## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

Well I usually nail the turnaround - I’m not that eclectic ... lol


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## Guest (Nov 28, 2018)

Wardo said:


> Well I usually nail the turnaround - I’m not that eclectic ... lol


When he would do that, it was not strange or out of place, it sounded really good. I remember him sometimes having a long note hanging right over the turnaround. Another thing I have played around with is trying to NOT hit the 1 or the 5 etc when in that chord.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Place pauses where you wouldn't ordinarily have them. Basically force yourself to think outside the box and "force accidents" as it were.

There was a member of a different forum who's great at composition, and one thing he said helped was learning vocal melodies.


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## cdntac (Oct 11, 2017)

The best advice I've ever rec'd in regards to creating solos was to envision your notes/phrasing as if your guitar is a voice and is singing.


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## Kerry Brown (Mar 31, 2014)

I’m the first to admit I’m horrible at improvisation. I’ve taken lessons trying to improve. It didn’t help. But there is soloing and there is improvisation. At one of the improvisation courses an amazing instructor taught me this. Get the sheet music and learn the melody all over the neck. Work out a solo ahead of time utilizing the melody. While you’re playing your solo try to vary it but always fall back to the melody when you get lost.


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## Dorian2 (Jun 9, 2015)

Try to keep your beginning phrases to smaller amounts of notes and motifs. Or small known melodies like others have mentioned. Then try to expand on that. If you've played for some time, you probably have more under your finger tips than you realize. Exploit it for the situation you're in. Where are you with scales and positions?


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## Rozz (Aug 1, 2018)

Player99 said:


> What I am asking about is the cadence or whatever it is called like iambic pentameter as an example.
> 
> How to use different cadences or phrasing stanzas to vary the leads? To my my improvised leads are sort of the same. The notes and riffs etc. can be completely different, but the underlying pattern is sort of the same... Sometimes I will try to run a simple poem or even another some in my head as I am playing lead to give me other options.
> 
> I am having a hard time explaining this, so if someone thinks they know what I am asking and can explain my question better, please do.


Polyrhythms?

Not sure what style of music you play, but if you look at this vid it will give you ideas even if it isn't your genre. If you copy the easier ones they will probably begin to show up in your phrasing when your ear is ready to fit them in.

Hope this helps


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## Mark Barron (Mar 18, 2019)

Simultaneously playing _and_ singing an improvised solo is a great exercise to play musically rather than just relying on scale knowledge and muscle memory. As this can be difficult at first, I recommend people at least try _breathing_ with their solos as if they were singing. This will mean your phrasing on guitar will require breath at the same time as your singing would.


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