David's Tip of the Day: Joining a Band - Part 8 (Solos?)

Now that you have the heads and hooks dialed in, and have chosen what theme you'll use for each song if one doesn't exist, the next step is to adress the solos. The best approach is to not work out the solos. The head and hook are essential to work out ahead of time, but the solos are best left to the inspiration of the moment. If you don't feel comfortable with improvising as of yet, then working out the first lick of each solo chorus works well, allowing your knowledge of chorus form phrasing to take over on the spot. This way you are improvising, but not leaving everything to chance. Working out the solos can be a great process, and can yeald great results, but remember that time is at a premium when you first join a band, so this will have to be a process over time. Always keep in mind though, the eventual goal is to improvise all your solos. So, when you get to the point when your solos are sounding as good as what you can come up with ahead of time, it's time to stop working out solos. Have a great weekend!