Mastering the Art of Guitar Soloing: Happy’s Guide on Expressive Playing

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Have you ever found yourself caught in a repetitive loop while playing the guitar? Struggling to expand your soloing vocabulary or losing the excitement midway through your performance? In this guide, we’ll explore practical solutions to these common challenges faced by guitarists.

Music is a language and is a conversational form. Whenever you are having a conversation, it is a mix of words and no words & so is guitar playing, here are some approaches that’ll help you speak with your guitar.

“Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.”

Victor Hugo

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Embrace the Silence

Consider your guitar as a conversation partner. Just like spoken language, soloing is a nuanced dialogue, requiring a delicate balance between playing guitar notes and strategically leaving rests. These rests aren’t just pauses; they are crucial moments, creating a rhythmic dialogue between you and your guitar.

The Power of Rests

Leaving rests is an art form that goes beyond captivating your audience; it keeps your guitar ideas flowing seamlessly. Picture it as a vital element in the art of expression, where each pause is as crucial as the played guitar notes, fostering a dynamic and engaging conversation with your instrument.

The concept of incorporating rests was something I understood theoretically, but it wasn’t until I began playing the saxophone that I truly appreciate its beauty. When your breath runs out, leaving a rest becomes not just a necessity but a musical art form. It’s in these moments of silence that something magical happens:

• Captivating the listener: By strategically incorporating rests, you can ensure the audience’s undivided attention (hopefully with a touch of humor!).
• Uninterrupted flow of ideas: Rests serve as punctuation marks in music, allowing your ideas to breathe and flow naturally.
• Conversing with your instrument: Each rest becomes a pause for dialogue between you and your instrument, creating a dynamic and expressive musical conversation.

In essence, leaving rests isn’t just about catching your breath—it’s about infusing your music with intention, rhythm, and emotion.

Building a Guitar Vocabulary

Break free from stagnant guitar ideas by taking a melody, playing it, and deliberately leaving a rest. Then, skillfully reprise the melody with a variation like guitar swells, bends, slides, etc, breathing new life into your guitar expression. This approach not only enriches your playing but also develops a diverse guitar vocabulary.

Influential Guitar Players to Study

For boundless inspiration, delve into the works of renowned artists which have helped me broaden my musical vocabulary:

Guitar players:

• John Mayer: Renowned for blending blues, rock, and soul into a distinctive guitar style.
• Larry Carlton: A master of smooth jazz guitar and prolific session work.
• Robben Ford: An influential blues guitarist with a diverse musical palette.
• Jeff Beck: A groundbreaking figure in rock, known for his experimental approach to the guitar.

Piano players:

• Herbie Hancock: Iconic jazz pianist and composer, celebrated for his innovative style and contributions to the genre.
• Aaron Parks: Contemporary jazz pianist known for his inventive improvisations and lyrical compositions.
• Yianni: Versatile and dynamic pianist blending jazz, classical, and contemporary influences into captivating performances.
• Oscar Peterson: Legendary jazz pianist revered for his virtuosic technique, unparalleled improvisational skills, and profound musical influence.

Horns players:

• Eric Marienthal: Renowned contemporary saxophonist known for his melodic improvisations and versatile style.
• John Coltrane: Jazz saxophone icon whose innovative playing and spiritual compositions revolutionized the genre.
• Charlie Parker: Legendary alto saxophonist and bebop pioneer celebrated for his virtuosity and groundbreaking improvisations.
• Miles Davis: Iconic trumpeter and bandleader whose innovative approach to jazz continues to inspire generations of musicians.

Analogies in Guitar Communication:

I hear so many talented guitarists play so many great ideas but there isn’t a development in their ideas. Drawing parallels between guitar expression and language, much like conveying a need for water, opens the door to countless approaches to guitar phrases. Incorporate this principle into your playing, and witness the depth it brings to your guitar dialogue. For example, these are some ways I can ask for water:

• I need some water
• Can I get a glass of water?
• I’m thirsty; water would be great
• Could you please bring me water?

In conclusion, soloing on the guitar is a language in itself. Master it by understanding the art of rests, developing a diverse guitar vocabulary, and drawing inspiration from influential guitarists. Approach your guitar as you would a conversation, allowing it to speak, pause, and create a musical dialogue that deeply resonates with your audience.