Saxophone Forum


by tmgaus51
(16 posts)
17 years ago

extended solos

I've recently started playing in a smaller group and have had to take fairly extended solos. Since I'm used to playing in more of a big-band setting, I've grown accustomed to playing over only one or two choruses of the chord progression. So now, when I'm asked to play over something like 8 choruses, I usually come up with new ideas at every new chorus, because I instinctively resolve melodic lines at the termination of each chorus. Does anyone have any suggestions for stretching out my ideas over extended solos, without stretching them to the limit? Thank You, Dave

Reply To Post [Report Abuse]

Report Abuse

Replies

  1. by swingstreet
    (315 posts)

    17 years ago

    Re: extended solos

    I've never experienced having to play 8 choruses of anything, unless I really had the ideas flowing. Generally, the point of any good extended solo is to play what comes to mind, then once you've said what you have to say, get out. Part of the problem so many soloists have is playing too much and too long, and usually they had run out of ideas after a few choruses and then just keep repeating the same old ideas. What I find worse are soloists with loads of harmonic knowledge, and then every solo is a demonstration of that knowledge, but lacking in feeling and melodic conception and invention. The only player I know these days who can play very long solos without repeating himself is Sonny Fortune. The only thing I can say is that you play as much as you can as long as ideas are flowing and are fresh. Once you have nothing more to say, get out, whether it was 2 choruses or 20.

    Reply To Post


    1. by Stiles B
      (101 posts)

      17 years ago

      Re: extended solos

      My experience is that in blues or rock groups, the band likes to hear the sax player " do his/her thing" so they let you ride for a long time. I sort of figured out that in order not to completely bore myself with repeated lines and ideas, I would have to really think about building my ideas. This meant to start it simple both rhymically and melodically and develop my train of thought. Not just, please excuse the term, blow my w*d right out of the gate. In that setting, though, it always behooves the soloist to keep it simple as the dancers get confused if they can't count to four. When I was in college, the horn players loved to have cutting contests on things like rhythm changes for a zillion bars to see to what extent their peers had done their transcribing and memorizing of other people's solos, but that was mostly a chest puffing, antler rattling, excercise and not very creative. It did build your vocabulary, though.

      Reply To Post


  2. by jamterry
    (573 posts)

    17 years ago

    Re: extended solos

    I wouldn't subect myself to long boring solos. That reminds me of Lynard Skynard Free Bird and Jerry Garcia playing the same riffs over and over. Get into a band where you don't have to do that stuff. There is no way to stretch it out without boring people, unless they are drunk . I think two passes should be maximum unless the crowd is really into it. Do you mean eight passes or that you play a solo on only the hooks or choruses? I would get get out of that and find something new. Best of luck to you :) Terry

    Reply To Post Yahoo! AIM ICQ