David's Tip of the Day: Stealing Solos - You've Earned It!

One of the purposes of my study songs is to give you "been there, done that moments" so that when you play to a particular groove, you have material to play. For example... you're about to do a solo in a slow blues, you could use any chorus from "Blues Creapin' Over Me, Version 1" (Accompaniment Study 3) "Blues Creapin' Over Me, Version 2" (Accompaniment Study 5), "My Blues" (Bending Study 3), "Blues for Paul deLay (Tongue Blocking Study 5), "Blues for Big Nate" (Jerry Portnoy Artist Study) or "Lonesome Bedroom Blues" (William Clarke Artist Study). If you've studied these songs thoroughly (to the point you can play with a jam track and you're making sure to apply your favorite licks into the Chorus Form Process), then these licks and choruses will come out intuitively (it will feel natural... you won't have to "think" about it... the licks just come out). If they're not coming out, then say to yourself, "this is a slow blues... what songs have I studied that are slow blues?... ah!... "My Blues,"... but I can't remember any of the choruses!... but wait, I can remember the first one!" and away you go.

P.S., it's okay to do this. ALL blues artists take solos and licks from the masters... it's part of the process and is a desirable trait to be able to play pieces of great solos.