Tips from the Pro
Solos
On solos:
Occasionally, people will ask where I get the
inspiration for some particular solo, fill or riff I've done ("Hey, man--
where'd you come up with that")?!? These ideas are seldom the result of
forethought or deliberation; that is to say, I don't normally approach a solo
with the intent of playing a certain set of notes in a certain place and time.
From an improvisational standpoint, the feel
of the tune (patterns that the other players may be laying down for the
framework of the tune) will have a major impact on where my head is at as I
approach my parts. I think the best path to creativity is inventing melodies
in your head on-the-fly and getting those hands to execute them in real time.
Using concepts of phrasing, tension and release and dynamics allows me to
build solos as musical statements, from beginning to climax and back to a
close. This keeps the tunes unique, fresh, interesting, and away from cliché.