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Thread: Solo Woes...

  1. #1

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    Default Solo Woes...

    Never done one in a gig. I'm very left-brain driven, so I don't have the creative side that most on here have. Give me sheet music and a metronome, and I'm your man. Tell me to create one..ugh.

    My new band has a really nice size gig coming up, that will be our 'launch' into playing out. So, we all (and by we all, I mean the other three in the band) decided that the lead singer would introduce each band member in the middle of a song. And when your turn comes, we each are to play a short solo. Great. Can't wait.

    The song is a shuffle at about 120 bpm. Any help, suggestions, or happy thoughts are greatly appreciated. I'm thinking like a 2-4 bar solo.

    Maybe I'm over thinking this (which is very typical). Would it work to just 'daisy-chain' some song-appropriate fills together?

    Tex

  2. #2

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    Start with some fills you're comfortable with. From there, keep it musical first and foremost. Don't worry about fancy in the beginning. The audience doesn't know the difference. Just hit some toms and cymbals and look like you're having fun. They'll eat it up!

  3. #3

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    Quote Originally Posted by drummer View Post
    Start with some fills you're comfortable with. From there, keep it musical first and foremost. Don't worry about fancy in the beginning. The audience doesn't know the difference. Just hit some toms and cymbals and look like you're having fun. They'll eat it up!
    That's the ticket!

  4. #4

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    Default Re: Solo Woes...

    Don't feel bad, I don't do solos either. In fact, I avoid them like the plague. But if its just a few bars after an introduction, then just connecting a few fills together that are appropriate for that song should work great. In fact, if you keep it short, simple and keeping with the song style, it will be more tasteful, IMO. Even just a simple snare fill with a roll at the end and a cymbal crash would work. One thing I don't like is long drum solos in songs that turn into different tempos and rhythms and dont fit the song. If a lead guitar player did that, they'd be out of the band...so why do drummers get away with it,LOL?
    -Brian

    "Too many crappy used drum stuff to list"

    Play the SONG......not the DRUMS!!!

    "I think that feeling is a lot more important than technique. It's all very well doing a triple paradiddle - but who's going to know you've done it? If you play technically you sound like everybody else. It's being original that counts." ~ John Bonham

  5. #5

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    "so why do drummers get away with"

    Drummers know what they are doing.

  6. #6

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    If all else fails, break into the wipe out beat. It'll blow them away!

    all the best...

  7. #7

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    Thanks everyone.

  8. #8

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    Default Re: Solo Woes...

    Yeah, when in front of crowds, loud and fast will always win out over everything. G-d be praised if you twirl a stick too.
    "The chances of being attacked and killed by a terrorist are less than the chances of being attacked and killed by your own heart"
    Carrying the message to Garcia. Today and everyday.
    Temple Beth Snare Buzz-Head Rabbi

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