The Producer’s New Groove

I was in Nashville recording a record with a producer/engineer named Stephen Gause. It was one of the best months I’ve ever had in my life. When we weren’t recording on music row, we were out catching the Wooten brothers play, or Jonathan Brooke playing a free concert on the green.

One day, I was laying down my guitar tracks in the basement of Ben’s house, the session drummer of the project. As I’m recording, Stephen stops the track and says,“man, you are pushing the beat hard.” With much youth and arrogance I replied, “No, I’m not. I’m definitively playing on beat.”

He said,“Come into the control room.” So, I went in there and he showed me on Pro Tools the lines of the beat, then the sound waves that I just recorded. Sure enough, I was ahead every time. So, he then began to explain “pushing the beat” vs “playing on the beat” vs “playing just a tad behind.” I had no concept of this at the time, but he planted the seed.

I spent the next several years being cognitive of where I play on the beat. I now have much better control and I play with a lot more groove…all thanks to Stephen Gause.

There are so many dynamics that shape a musician such as: practice, playing, writing, etc. Perhaps the thing that was most critical to my personal development was my failures. I learned from and was motivated by failures more than anything I’ve ever done with music. So, I would like to share a few failures with you that made me a better musician. Hopefully, you too can learn a little something from my failures. Maybe you can embrace the failures that are certain to come in your musical journey and learn how to churn them into positive energy.

Getting Stomped by “Donna Lee”

If you have ever followed jazz, you are aware of Charlie Parker. You are also probably aware that his heads are very challenging melodies to play. I just started working on a tune called “Donna Lee.” It was the toughest head I learned up to that point in my playing. One night, I headed over to an open jazz jam here in Columbia, SC. I sat in to play and the band counted off the tune at a murderous tempo. I hung in there for the melody, as then it came time for the solo…and I got crazy lost. The bass player was annoyingly yelling out chord changes to me.

Finally, I stopped playing at what I thought was the end of the form, but quickly realized I wasn’t sure of anything. So, the bass player and drummer crushed their solos. Then, they looked at me to start the head again. Thank God the bass player clued me in on where to come in again. We finished the song, and I haven’t played with those players since…hopefully, they will let that one slide from their memories…HAHA. I threw myself into a fire and “Donna Lee” roasted me.

I learned a lot about my playing, however. I realized I didn’t know the form as well as I once thought. I needed to practice the tune at various tempos and I needed to understand the overall format of jazz improv. So, naturally I went home and shedded that tune like crazy. Had I not had my butt kicked, I never would have pushed myself so hard. So, throw yourself into the fire. It can inspire you to get better if you have the right attitude.

Check out Part 2: Comping…What’s That?

I remember when I first walked into the music store and saw my old guitar teacher working there. He asked if I wanted to teach guitar in his store and I was a bit shocked. I said, “Sure…Why not?” I had no idea it was the beginning of an amazing journey for me. At first, teaching was just a job for me, but it quickly became one of the best things that ever happened to me. The more I taught music, the more passionate I became about teaching. There are countless benefits to teaching music, but I’m going to only list three…because I have an affinity for threes.

1. The Reward
Honestly, there is nothing more rewarding than teaching. Watching students “get it” and smile is enough to fuel my tank for days. I also love the character development you see in a music student. Music has a way of bringing students out of their shell and sparking individuality. It becomes a unique experience for every guitar student I have. It’s amazing to watch students perform at our showcases and see their confidence grow right before everyone’s eyes. I have parents walk up to me all the time and tell me how much I have impacted their kids’ lives. Students call me 10-15 years later expressing their gratitude for our lessons. Many of my students have gone on to become professionals themselves, using the very tools they were equipped with in their music lessons. There is nothing that describes the reward of teaching, unless you have experienced it yourself.

2. The Student
Sometimes, I am not really sure who the real “student” is…them or me. I have learned more from teaching my students than I have doing anything. Simply going over various learning events in lessons, I have discovered new information on the fly. Sometimes, students will show me something they discovered that I didn’t even think about. Teaching music has stretched my repertoire, styles I teach, instruments I play, methods, approaches, and much more. The better my students are, the more I need to practice to stay ahead of them. If you are striving to be a better player, you’ll be blown away by how much teaching is learning.

3. The Job
The previous two points were certainly my favorite benefits from teaching; however, there is the obvious benefit that teaching is a great occupation. Teaching private music lessons is a steady job that can pay quite well. Being a musician sometimes can be tricky and one has to wear many hats. Teaching music can be a viable career option or simply a stepping stone towards another career option. It is a very flexible job with both scheduling and the amount of hours you care to work. One can easily foster other musical goals while teaching music. Also, you are in an environment working with other music professionals like yourself. This will cause you to challenge and support one another.

If you haven’t taught music before, give it a shot. It could be the occupation that will catapult you to becoming solely a professional musician. It certainly will cause you to grow and learn, and the reward that you receive will be lifelong. Good Luck!

As a kid we dream of being famous musicians. I wanted to be a rock star when I was 12. Metallica’s Kirk Hammett was my hero! Slowly my dreams have changed and altered over the years, but I feel like I am achieving my dreams, and still never quit dreaming. I have seen many of my friends “make it” and achieve there goals too. So what are some of the common denominators to “making it” in music?

1. Define What “Making It” is to You
Becoming a rock star, or famous, is most people’s thoughts when they are young; however, what you first need to decide is what would make you content, and then, build your way up from there. I personally feel like that “making it” for me was becoming a professional guitar player, not having to work a different job. A different person’s thought of “making it” may be to tour the country with a band. Another person may want to play in a symphony. Whatever it is for you, figure it out and run towards it. Remember, your dreams will slightly change over time. If you are working towards them properly, the reality of what you can achieve will increase in size as well. The way that will happen is through goals.

2. Set Goals
The people who control the most success in the world are those who set goals. The biggest trap musicians fall into is forgetting the business side of music. You need to sit down and make a game plan with clear goals at each step along the way. First, write down your big dream goal. Then, work backwards from that dream with goals and mini-goals set out on a timeline. Have goals set daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. From time to time, you will have to adjust your goals, but at least you will have a plan.

3. Be Cool
All of my friends who have achieved their goals are cool people. They know how to get along with people, and treat people well. This goes a long way when you are trying to make connections and further your career. Ask yourself what kind of person you would want to associate with and hire. Then, work towards those character traits. Personality can’t get you there alone, but it can certainly speed up the process.

4. Be Professional
This goes back to the business side of music. Always be on time, and always be prepared! My friend and former teacher at Freeway, Jesse Isley, was the best example of this. He would always show up on time and ready. It affected his reputation in a major way. Everyone in town wanted to hire him. Conversely, if you get a reputation of being a slacker and unreliable, no one will hire you. By the way, Jesse just recently played The David Letterman Show; I’d say he is doing alright.

5. Study Your Craft
Be the best at you can be! This is where private music instruction is a huge factor. We have lots of blogs about the importance of taking lessons, practice, finding your teacher, etc. Go check them out. You need to take lessons, and get proficient at your instrument. I feel like one could take lessons forever, and there is always more to learn about music. The better you are at your instrument, the more people will notice and want to be associated with you. This is often where musicians put a lot of energy. Just remember, this isn’t the only factor when working towards your music dreams.

6. Good Gear
You can be the best musician in the world, and still have terrible tone. We dedicated a whole blog on tone. That’s how important is. Make sure and check it out! If you have put in countless hours to make yourself the player you want to be, why wouldn’t you put the same amount of energy into how you sound. Granted some musical equipment can be expensive, but I think we can agree that it is a wise investment.

7. Get in the Line of Fire
I know some really great musicians who want to “make it,” but all they do is play in their living room. Unless you are a YouTube star, this probably won’t get you very far. Get into the scene, be seen, and meet people! Networking is key in any occupation, especially music. If the scene you are in isn’t a good fit for you, move to a scene that is. Nowadays, you can almost do it anywhere with social media, YouTube, internet radio, etc. If you are just sitting by, and not being proactive to make some connection with people, chances are you will not make it very far.

Define your goals, and work towards them. If you are personable, proficient with your instrument, have great tone, and professionalism, everyone will want to hire you…but they won’t know you exist unless you put yourself out there. “Making it” isn’t easy, but you can achieve your goals if you work hard. Good luck on your music journey!

A student signs up for guitar lessons. They initially are fired up, they fizz out, and quit. How many times have you heard this story? I have witnessed it over the years, and we all have done this, or know someone who has. So the question remains: How do you maintain your enthusiasm for Music Lessons?

Practice
Let’s face it…showing up to your lesson unprepared is a drag. You feel let down, it’s frustrating for the teacher, and you have to go over the same material again, making no progress. Simply getting into the routine of practice goes a long way towards maintaining your interest. You and others will see the improvement in your playing. This growth will inspire you to practice more. The more you put in, the more you will get out.

Plug In
Find an outlet for your music. One of the things I love about Freeway Music is the performance opportunities that we offer. We have showcases, recitals, camps, rock band classes, and community outreach opportunities. These public performances give students specific goals to prepare for. Play for a school talent show, your church, with a group of friends, etc. Get plugged into your local music scene. Watch people play, join a songwriter’s guild, sit in at open mics, etc. If you aren’t plugged in and playing somewhere, it will be very hard to maintain interest.

Friends
A lot of who you become is directly related to those you associate with. One of the people that spurred me on as a kid was my friend Eric. He would come over and we would play guitar all night together. It was so great for my growth as a young musician. I have constantly challenged myself by putting myself in situations where I played with musicians that were better than me. These situations pushed me and inspired me to be a better guitar player. I have surrounded myself with people that have the same passion that I have for music…including my guitar teacher.

Find the Right Teacher
Finding the right instructor is key. An instructor should be passionate about teaching, inspiring students, presenting opportunities for students, the local music scene, and the community. Music instructors should be qualified, professional, and enthusiastic. It’s very important that you take the time to find a great instructor that fits you. A teacher can make or break a student’s learning experience. If your music teacher is not actively studying, or plugging in, you may want to consider a different teacher.

Learn Tunes
Metallica was the reason I started playing guitar…not a m7(b5). It’s different for everyone, but we all have music that inspires us. I once asked my good friend Jerry Sims for the best advice to grow as a player and he answered, “Learn a tune that you like each day.” It makes sense. If you wanted to lose weight, you should exercise. So, it makes sense that learning tunes is a great way to maintain your interest in an instrument. I have also learned over the years that each song presents a new challenge, forcing you to stretch in ways that you wouldn’t stretch ordinarily.

Be Realistic
My friend Sue is an amazing singer/songwriter. I was feeling uninspired once, and I asked her what I should do. She gave me a harsh reality check. Sometimes you are trucking along and you hit a wall. Then, you pick yourself up and go again. She said that the passion never leaves and you will always go again. Even if you are doing everything possible to stay inspired, you will go through ups and downs. You will continue upward, though. Just make sure that you have realistic expectations, and don’t let a downswing keep you heading down!

If you aren’t maintaining that fire for studying music and continuing your pursuit of musical growth, look within. Are you practicing? Are you plugged into something that will make you grow? Have you surrounded yourself with people that will support, challenge, and inspire you? Have you gotten away from the spark that got you inspired in the first place? Be real with yourself, answer these questions, and weather the natural ups and downs. Then, you will have a much smoother musical journey. Good Luck!

We briefly touched on this benefit of music in a previous post 5 Benefits of Music Lessons and we will delve into that a little more here.

In doing some research on this subject, I found out something really cool.

Drum roll please….

Music is INSANELY good for your brain. (No pun intended.)

But seriously, the fact that something so fun/creative is as good for you as school is? WHAT? Not that it negates the need for a good education, but I was really happy to know that I’ve been doing my brain a huge favor by choosing to have music be such a vital part of my life.

Let’s start with some basic science…for those of you who like evidence to back things up. If you don’t care to hear the science, feel free to skip to the next paragraph for some incredible stats on the effects of music on the brain (we all love some good stats). 10 different parts of our brain process music, and I will spare the names as they are complicated. The point is, music stimulates our brain in multiple areas, the majority even, not just one small part.
A simple explanation would be this, about half of those areas of the brain have to do with the effects of LISTENING to music. Music can help shape our emotions, identify feelings, help predict our personalities, and even help us be better drivers (when not too loud, of course). The other half has to do with what PLAYING music does to our brain, which is the main focus of this post.

Playing, teaching, learning/listening to music does the following:
Improves motor and reasoning skills, i.e. better performance on tests, school work, analysis of visual information, etc.

Increases visual attention.

Makes exercise more efficient/even more frequent.

Fights Dyslexia

Increases lifelong memory skills

…I could go on, but it seems that scientists who have dedicated their lives to these studies say it a tad bit better than I do. P.S. Read them all if you can, b/c we obviously picked the coolest ones. 😀

“Adults who receive formal music instruction as children have more robust brainstem
responses to sound than peers who never participate in music lessons and that the
magnitude of the response correlates with how recently training ceased. These results
suggest that neural changes accompanying musical training during childhood are
retained in adulthood.”
— Skoe, E. & Kraus, N. (2012). A Little Goes a Long Way: How the Adult Brain Is
Shaped by Musical Training in Childhood, Journal of Neuroscience, 32 (34)
11510. DOI: 10.1523/JNEUROSCI.1949-12.2012

“Young Children who take music lessons show different brain development and
improved memory over the course of a year, compared to children who do not receive
musical training. Musically trained children performed better in a memory test that is
correlated with general intelligence skills such as literacy, verbal memory, visiospatial
processing, mathematics, and IQ.”
— Dr. Laurel Trainor, Prof. of Psychology, Neuroscience, and Behavior at
McMaster University, 2006
Stanford University research has found

“Stanford University research has found for the first time that musical training improves
how the brain processes the spoken word, a finding that researchers say could lead to
improving the reading ability of children who have dyslexia and other reading
problems… ‘Especially for children … who aren’t good at rapid auditory processing and
are high-risk for becoming poor readers, they may especially benefit from musical
training.’”
— From “Playing music can be good for your brain,” SF Chronicle, November 17,
2005 (article on recent Stanford research study linking music and language)

“Learning and performing music actually exercise the brain – not merely by developing
specific music skills, but also by strengthening the synapses between brain cells…What
is important is not how well a student plays but rather the simultaneous engagement of
senses, muscles, and intellect. Brain scans taken during musical performances show
that virtually the entire cerebral cortex is active while musicians are playing. Can you
think of better exercise for the mind/brain? In short, making music actively engages the
brain synapses, and there is good reason to believe that it increases the brain’s capacity
by increasing the strengths of connections among neurons.”
— From “The Music in Our Minds,” Educational Leadership, Vol. 56, #3; Norman
M. Weinberger

Nearly 100% of past winners in the prestigious Siemens Westinghouse Competition in
Math, Science, and Technology (for high School students) play one or more musical
instruments. This led the Siemens Foundation to host a recital at Carnegie Hall in 2004,
featuring some of these young people. After which a panel of experts debated the
nature of the apparent science/music link.
— The Midland Chemist (American Chemical Society) Vol. 42, No.1, Feb. 2005

Dr. James Catterall of UCLA has analyzed the school records of 25,000 students as
they moved from grade 8 to grade 10. He found that students who studied music and
the arts had higher grades, scored better on standardized tests, had better attendance
records and were more active in community affairs than other students. He also found
that students from poorer families who studied the arts improved overall school
performance more rapidly than all other students.
— From Catterall, UCLA, Fall 1997

Though it’s crucial to invest in math, science and engineering, as the president outlined
in his recent State of the Union address, there are other fields that hold more
promise…Prefer a more artistic career? Our economy is poised to create new forms of
entertainment, from rock ‘n’ roll and hip-hop to film and video games. Indeed, over the
next 10 years, jobs in art, music, culture and entertainment will grow twice as many as
jobs in engineering will.
— From “A search for jobs in some of the wrong places,” USA Today, February
12, 2006; Richard Florida

The moral of the story is this, if you enjoy music, play it, listen to it, whatever. No matter how well you do, no matter how advanced you are, the sheer activity that it produces in the brain will make you smarter, improve your self confidence, and increase your memory among other great things. And that you won’t be the one that forgets anyone’s birthday, anniversary, etc.

Go get em’ you musical genius, you.

Freeway music quickly has become Columbia’s premier music lesson studio. Here are a few reasons why:

1. Instructors
There is no doubt that the best music instructors reside at Freeway Music. All of our instructors are well educated and very experienced. Many studios have teachers that have credentials, but Freeway’s teacher are some of the most well-respected players in Columbia. They are also the busiest. Freeway’s instructors are constantly playing gigs and getting called. Players that are busy are good. The fact that they are so involved in the music scene creates better opportunities for our students, which leads into the next point.

2. Opportunities
Freeway Music is intertwined with the local music scene and community helping to create more opportunities for its students than any other music school in Columbia. Students get to perform at local concerts, festivals, venues, schools, and more. Freeway offers recitals, showcases, clinics, camps, RockBand class, Pre-School music, and even an all-star band. The richest opportunities to play and grow lie at Freeway Music!

3. Community Outreach
One of the best opportunities that students enjoy at Freeway is giving back! That’s a core principle of Freeway Music. Students have opportunities to play and volunteer for various organizations such as the Children’s Hospital, senior living facilities, schools, charities, and much more!

4. Philosophy
At Freeway our philosophy has always been to meet students where they are and give the freedom to organically grow in the direction that makes them excited about music. We also believe in mentorship. Our instructors want to invest in our students and encourage them with academics, sports, and other activities as well. We all have a passion for helping our students to become well rounded individuals.

These are just a few ways that Freeway is set apart. I could tout our multiple locations, professionalism, or our facilities, but what we are most concerned about at Freeway is offering a positive learning environment for our students! Sign up for lessons for the New Year today!

I often tell people my guitar teacher changed my life forever. I loved taking guitar lessons so much! I love teaching music lessons even more! There are more benefits to taking music lessons than I have space for. So, I am going to try and narrow it down…wish me luck!

1. Confidence
   I remember overhearing Luke in his voice lesson at Freeway one week. He sounded so amazing that I had to poke my head in and compliment him. He never sang in front of a crowd before, and was frightened to do so. It came time for him to perform at his first showcase, and he was so nervous that he was shaking. Luke couldn’t go through with it. So he bowed out. Then, this past Sunday we had a Christmas recital for our music students. It came time for Luke to perform again. He was so nervous. At first, he said he couldn’t do it. His voice teacher, parents, other teachers at Freeway and myself encouraged him to do it. Luke stood on stage and sang his heart out. There were tears all throughout the audience. He crushed it! I watched a student’s confidence grow right in front of my eyes. I have witnessed this time and time again. There is no doubt that music helps kids grow in confidence.

2. Creativity
   Music is such a great tool to spark creativity. Students can create melodies, lyrics, riffs, songs, and much more. There are so many elements of music that you can manipulate such as: time, meter, dynamics, tone, pitch, and even the instruments themselves. Music doesn’t stop at performance. There is writing, arrangement, production, promotion, etc. The creative possibilities in music are endless and available to all music students. I constantly challenge my students to take what they learn from their lessons, apply it, and create with it. This makes the lesson material stick better, and urges students to create their own signature within music. Michael Cammarata comes to mind. He is a guitar student of mine. He started playing guitar in his 50’s. He began writing, recorded an album, and released it recently to his church and friends. This is a great example of how any student can begin the creative process at anytime.

3. Accountability
   Music lessons are a weekly commitment. Students must come at the same time each week, and be prepared for the previous week’s lesson. I give my guitar students practice schedules detailing what they are to practice each week. Then, I have them check off the days they practiced. I even go a step further and make them sign the schedule as an extra level of accountability. Recitals and showcases force students to be accountable for a certain part they must have prepared. I don’t know any student who wants to stink it up in front of a crowd, or let their fellow students down by not being prepared for a group performance. That is a great Segway into the next benefit.

4. Teamwork
   Recently, our music students marched and performed in the Blythewood Christmas parade. The students that were performing on the float called each other and rehearsed together. Once at the parade, other students came early to help set up and carry equipment. While we were marching, students were carrying the banner, making sure the equipment was safe, clapping and singing, and handing out candy. The energy was so positive as students supported and encouraged one another. The various outreach opportunities, showcases, rock band classes, and all star bands give students the chance to learn how to work together. This is a skill that will translate into school, athletics, jobs, and more.

5. Mind
   There is a lot of research showing that musical training has various cognitive benefits. These quotes are from the Journal of Neuroscience
   “If you took piano lessons as a child but never continued with them in adulthood, they could still provide brain benefits later in life”
   “…And the positive effects seemed to be stronger the longer a person took music lessons as a child”
   “…people could stand to benefit from starting music lessons at a very young age”
   “…musical training before age 7 is linked with more white matter in the corpus callosum part of the brain, as well as better performance on visual sensorimotor synchronization tasks compared with people who started music training after age 7”

A study of 7,500 university students revealed that music majors scored the highest reading
scores among all majors including English, biology, chemistry and math
~ The Case for Music in the Schools, Phi Delta Kappa, 1994

I could list facts all day long. It is very apparent that music has incredible benefits to the brain. I believe the research speaks for itself.

If you are an adult trying to stretch your brain, or a parent considering signing up a child for lessons, I urge you to do it as soon as possible. Music lessons are a great way to make people more well-rounded. The benefits are endless. Start your music journey today!

If you’re in need of some stocking ideas this Holiday season, here are some fun little gadgets that your guitar player might enjoy.

1. Capo: This is a device that holds the strings at various frets, changing the key of the open strings and chords. It is used in a lot of songs. There are many types. The most popular is the Kyser Capo(link).

2. Strings: You can never have too many packs of strings! Make sure you get the right strings. If you are taking lessons, just ask your guitar teacher to be sure. I personally love Ernie Ball(link) electric strings and Elixir(link) acoustic strings.

3. Picks: You can never have too many picks either! I think they are secretly mounting an offensive to take over the world as they disappear daily. Again, make sure you are grabbing the right picks here. If a guitar student is a beginner, it is best to get a variety of guitar picks. That way, the student can experiment and see which one he/she likes. I like harder picks for attacking and lead playing, and softer ones for rhythm work. Be forewarned…your laundry will begin collecting picks.

4. Clip on Tuner: I think these are great for tuning in any situation. My favorite clip on tuner is a Snark(link). They are affordable and easy to use. Simply clip it on the end of your guitar and the Snark will pick up the vibrations for you to tune. I love the fact that they are LED, which means it lasts for a long time before you have to replace the battery.

5. String Winder: I love my string winder and use it constantly to restring my guitar. Some of them come with clippers on the back, so you can clip the strings once you are done restringing your guitar.

6. Polish/Cloth: These are small items that are easy to store in the ole stocking. I believe their use is self-explanatory.

7. I-Tunes Card: All kids love these for all reasons! In terms of music lessons, students can use them for songs they want to learn, or apps they want to buy. (insert shameless plug) Check out my blog on “useful apps for music students”. (link)

8. Pick Punch: This may be a bit of a “stretch” as it is a little large for a stocking, but I guess it depends on your stocking size. Stop throwing away your old gift cards and use them to punch out picks. I use this in guitar lessons all the time. This may solve your lack of pick problem.

9. Strap/Strap Locks: Most performances with the guitar will be standing. A strap is essential, and there are many styles to choose from.

10. Pick Holder: These specially designed packages come in three different forms for your pick-storing preferences. They can attach to your mic stand (as seen with John Mayer and the like), attach to your guitar, or as a pouch on your keychain.

In How to Solo Part 1 we covered the basics. Then, we learned three approaches to soloing in How to Solo Part 2. Finally, I explained the principle of telling a story in How to Solo Part 3. The first part of telling a story is the “rising action.” As promised, in this part we will talk about ways to accomplish that principle. Here are 5 ways to build up your solo:

Pitch

The highest note you play in a chord is called the “lead tone.” It stands out to the ear more than any other note. The same applies when taking a lead. When you start in a lower register and move up, your solo will seem to grow. I encourage my guitar students to put on some backing music or jam with friends, and practice starting on lower notes and climbing to higher ones.

Volume

Obviously, the louder you are, the more attention you will draw. Practice increasing the range of volume you have on your instrument. Start with the softest possible sounds you can make, then get even softer. Build your way up to the loudest possible sounds you can make…and then get louder. There are so many ways to accomplish this task. Since I am a teacher, I’ll explain it like I do to my guitar students. Playing with your fingers (as opposed to the pick) is softer, for instance. Having your volume knob down and then cranking it up is a useful tool many guitarists don’t take advantage of. The pickup you use, adding distortion, and adding effects…they all can create more volume for you.

Voices

This is a piggy back to volume and applies mainly to those who can play more than one note. Two or more people singing at the same time is more powerful and dynamic than one. Although, I once saw a sax player record his lines and then harmonize it live. Try taking a solo with single notes and then add voices to it to make it grow. One of my biggest complaints to my students is that they often view the guitar as one block as opposed to 6 different singers that can be combined in any way. This different view of the guitar can be a very useful tool when trying to raise the dynamic of a solo.

Repetition

There is power in simple repetition. Repetition is simply a powerful thing. See what I did there? Haha! When somebody says something and they say it again and again, it tends to become more noticeable. Simply play a phrase and repeat it as many times as you feel. You’ll be amazed at how it will affect you and the audience. Anytime I’ve ever taken a guitar solo and repeated a phrase, the audience starts getting into it. The phrase is often easy, and I feel like I am cheating in a way…like I know something they don’t…haha!

Space

This is my favorite and one of the most important aspects of successfully growing a solo. Space is an often overlooked principle of music. The power of silence and patience is a virtue that all musicians need. As referenced in the last part, you cannot come out running. Practice playing a note or notes, and then wait as long as you possibly can to play the next note…and then wait a second longer. You’ll find yourself creating lines you normally wouldn’t make. You’ll also find yourself in control. You will drive the solo as opposed to the solo driving you. Then, as you organically begin placing more notes, the solo will climb in a very natural way.

What are you waiting for? Put on some backing music, or jam with your friends ASAP! Practice the principles of pitch, volume, voices, repetition, and space separately. Then, fuse them together to for a more complex formula to make your solo grow dynamically. Your playing will certainly benefit and you will get the crowd’s attention. Best of luck and happy soloing!