Jazz Soloing Strategies

I will attempt on this page to deliver my take on Soloing Strategies.
One thing to remember -- Be Flexble!!!

Let's begin by reviewing what should be covered thus far.

Building Blocks

Jazz Chords
Scales & Modes
Arpeggios

Topics for coverage in future pages:

Connecting Concepts

Lines
Phrases

Every individual is unique, so the mix will vary, but generally you might(and I would) want to first gain a foothold on the Buliding blocks(Chords, Scales, Modes, and Arpeggios).

I would learn and get the positions, fingerings, sounds in my head as much as possible through deliberate practice. This is a left-brain activity, but don't force it. No rigidity required, but be methodical.

Some relaxation, along with repitition, is required in order for the right-brain to engage and accept what's coming in. We also want the Right-Brain to feed it back out in Creative and Interesting ways.

Next, after some grounding with the building blocks, feed in some Lines and Phrases. Pick some Bebop Heads and some popular melodies - things that really grab you. Understand how to play those over the chords that define their tonal centers. If possible, translate to a few other keys.

Many Jazz Educators will say you should translate and be able to play a few key tunes in all 12 keys.

Allow yourself to develop in stages. I really envy those expert players who've progressed to the point that they can make it lo so easy. One day, hopefully, I'll get closer to that level.

If you're a beginner, realise that every great player started somewhere. So practice.

I guess I would rank myself somewhere between beginner and intermediate since many things don't take as long to figure out now as some time ago. And, other stuff just surprises me that it found its way into my chording or my solos.

Pick 8 - 12 standard tunes and learn them well enough to play the chordal accompaniment and be able to solo over 2 complete choruses.
If you have patient jamming buddies to trade Comping and Soloing roles with - Great!

Otherwise, use whatever tools you like to simulate gigging situations.

I personally use 2 tools: PG Music's Band-In-A-Box and the Korg Pandora PX4D for practice accompaniment when it's just me by myself with no gigging partners. And, its not half bad, either, when you can apply as many "Rinse and Repeat" cycles as necessary to clean up your mistakes ... all the while keeping that Right-Brain engaged.

Remember. These are Soloing Strategies, not Soloing Rules and not Soloing Laws. So, Be Flexible!

Once that Right-Brain(and subconscious) has it( ie. the melody, groove, pattern, etc.), that's where the worlds of Jazz-Alchemy and Jazz-Guitar-Alchemy start to opening up. You will start seeing and hearing and experiencing patterns and 2-5-1's and harmonies. It's like your entire being becomes one giant tuning fork that vibrates in harmony with the music.

Ok. I need to rest here ... Getting a little deeper than I planned for my discussion on Soloing Strategy.

But, it's all GOOD !!! Play with these ideas. Modify them and add your own. Have some fun!!!

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