Phrasing & Solos, how do you like 'em?

TokyoP0P

Do you have a favourite lead guitarist?

What about his phrasing do you enjoy?

I received this bit of advice today about my own phrasing. He/she may even be a member here, I don't know.
"So a series of soulful licks won't have a metal lick slapped in the middle and they won't be played like a Disney musical. Phrasing a huge part of what makes the legends sound...well.. Legendary."

I agree with this bit about the legends but otherwise my own thinking doesn't line up with that. The idea of not fusing phrasing and genre styles is, to me at least, like closing off all the winding scenic routes, leaving you with only the highway along with everyone else.

Or am I being stubborn?

I do however understand that for a lot of people, maybe even most, someone like B.B. King or Slash are the absolute kings of phrasing. I love both but I wouldn't want to imitate them or follow any kind of formula, no matter their legendary status.

In any case I've taken the criticism to heart and will be more mindful of how I structure a solo. I do often find myself treating it like one long jam improv session with no obvious ending.

Whats you favourite solo and/or lick of all time?

Squonk

I have no idea about soloing or phrasing , it kind of just comes out of my head and my fingers! Below average improv I guess.

1.David Gilmour

2. Everything he does, the gaps, bends, the drama

3. Comfortably Numb - most probably not the most technical or best solo's but the version he does on Pulse touches my inner soul

funkadelic

I learned phrasing from listening to Gary Moore and George Benson. Two very different guitarists but both adapt at slowing down a lick, running into a soulful bend, then let rip with a fast run.

Lesson learned when I was a speed freak. A respected local muso approached ,me and said. You can play, but you'll sound more interesting if you improve your phrasing. Since than I approach soloing as telling a story...sometimes you can't put all elements into a single song...but if you're going to play more than one song you'd better sound interesting...and that means being in charge of your phrasing, amd varying it during the set.

studmissile

Rick Vito''s solo's for like a rock (hands down)!

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Eddy Shavers ability to ride notes always fascinates me... actually eddys playing in general!

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or Stephen Brutons solos!

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always loved this solo on fearless heart, simple but brilliant

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V8

TokyoP0P wrote: In any case I've taken the criticism to heart and will be more mindful of how I structure a solo. I do often find myself treating it like one long jam improv session with no obvious ending.

Whats you favourite solo and/or lick of all time?

A while ago evolucian did a tutorial thread on structuring solo's : http://www.guitarforum.co.za/guitar-lessons/the-gentle-art-of-ripping-someone's-face-off/.

I tried (and failed spectacularly) but as a direct consequence, song writing improved asI approached the solo as a planned part of the song instead of a 2min indulgence slapped on top. Now, I was thinking (one example) "I want 16 bars of solo, from here to here. Match the feel of the underlying tune, start slow, end slower with some pyrotechnics in the middle".

How does this relate to phrasing? Now the solo had a place in the song and a purpose, meant the phrasing of what I was playing had a direction too. I'd loop the part and throw ideas in, keeping the idea of the solo in my mind (E.g. slow-pyro-slower) and see what popped out.

Eric Schenkman - Two princes (Spin Doctors) . Blues pop rock perfection 8)

strataxe

Squonk wrote: I have no idea about soloing or phrasing , it kind of just comes out of my head and my fingers! Below average improv I guess.

1.David Gilmour

2. Everything he does, the gaps, bends, the drama

3. Comfortably Numb - most probably not the most technical or best solo's but the version he does on Pulse touches my inner soul

When I read the first part, Gilmour came to mind first. Gotta agree. My favorite solo though, On the turning away, Delicate Sound of thunder. Thats when you get gooseflesh