Shaping A Jazz Solo

Ways of Shaping a Solo
[originally intended in context of ongoing lessons/classes]

Once a composition has been analyzed, and the harmonies arpeggiated and practiced, we can begin to look at shaping a solo from some traditional and less-traditional views.

1. An understated, lyrical approach. Play long tones, spread over more than one bar whenever possible. “Miles-like” in nature, this approach can create alluring “stillness” effects. It’s challenging to look over the changes and find the notes that will work. As always, 3rds and 7ths will enhance the essence of each chord and upper extentions will bring color. Work to find surprising notes, including “dissonant appoggiaturas” that resolve when you’re ready.

2. Motivic development. Leaving much space in the 1st chorus, begin with one strong motivic phrase. Use only it or mostly it, varying a bit as you go. 16 bars later, it may be time to move on to another motif as contrast. See how long you can stretch 1 or 2 motivic ideas and their variations. This tends to create a “thoughtful,” intelligent feeling. But humor, intensity and many other moods can be created. Another approach can be to free-associate for a brief while until you “happen upon” a motif you really like; then begin the above process. (Sometimes it’s hard to immediately find a motif you like.)

3. Rhythmic focus. Just “work the groove.” Keeping mostly within the harmonies, give less attention to actual motives or linear thinking, and mostly have fun with the time. Interplay with the rhythm section helps this, and often surprises the drummer who’s usually the first one to notice just what you’re doing. The idea is to add and subtract intensity with gradually evolving figures and feels. Eventually it’s possible to galvanize the whole rhythm section and create a huge, burning excitement together.

4. Scales--pro & con. This is the most popular approach to building jazz solos today. Often players immediately go to a book or set of rules they’ve learned for assigning scales to chords. It can be a very effective way to get harmonic accuracy and a flowing linear flavor. (Numbers 1-3 can all be combined with scalar thinking, and indeed all can be mixed with each other.) But sometimes scalar thinking can backfire and lead to solos that sound like “a bunch of scales.”

A highly creative approach to scales is to create your own, with surprising chromatic alterations, or emphasized pitches you’ve determined to be more important based on the tune or the composer’s style. Also, scales with fewer or more than 7 notes can create wonderful variety. To superimpose refreshing scalar invention over a traditional, tonal standard can be a sophisticated polytonal statement. But to simply use a convenient scale in place of a 13th chord, truly misses the point, in my opinion.

5. Thinking in a long line. This is the best device for building tension, suspense and powerful dynamic builds. Again it can combine with all the above approaches. The idea is to always be thinking of where you’d like to be going, several choruses ahead. One approach would be to start soft, leaving much space. Gradually build in busyness, volume and rhythmic groove over 3-5 choruses until a wild, ecstatic peak is reached. Of course this can be done in reverse, or created with a series of hills and valleys of 2 choruses each, etc. There’s no one rule; it’s about having a general scheme in mind from the beginning and sticking mostly to it as you go.