I have been having difficulty building speed into my soloing. Soloing in general is something mysterious to me. Though I write a lot of music, I find myself more in foundational or supportive roles in musical group situations(innitially, because I am teaching the group my song, then...I am not sure, probably lack of confidence). I enjoy performing on the Stick as a solo instrument, holding down a groove or chord progression with one hand and playing melody(or soloing) with the other. I feel I have made great progress moving around the board, hand independence, and even improvising(it has taken a while to "know" the Stick well enough to improv.)

But...and like Nell Carter had, from the 80's sitcom "Give me a break", this is a big BUT!(sorry)...I can't seem to build up speed in my playing that sounds more than noodling or scale practice. Does anyone have any tips regarding this? Methods of practice? Drills?(on Stick they might be Hammer Drills) Excercises?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks, Mike

Mike,

Having read "Lee Vatip" a.k.a Steve Adelson's book and had some solos myself on other instruments, I think there are a couple things to keep in mind.

#1: Have your scale / mode / harmonic theory down pat in your hand so that it is at easy access to your brain quickly. If coming up with interesting solo parts is the problem, first learn other people's solos and learn to play them fast.

#2: Since this is a two hand operation, if one hand is keeping a pattern going underneath the solo, have that hand know its part without using much of your brain at all. You will need as much brain as you can spare for your actual solo.


Hope this helps.
Daniel

Agreed with Daniel. For my two cents' worth:
Speed is only a means to an end, and is in many case over-rated (or over-used/misused/abused).
I'd rather hear something melodic and tuneful. It was something I always tried to do when soloing on drums.
For example, I probably won't forget Allan Holdsworth's solo in "Endomorph" as long as I live. I know it note for note, and it kills me every time. But as much as I love his music and his playing, I don't have other solos of his memorized like that, because they don't hit me as deeply. I l love them, and they move me, and I get to some other places while listening to them, but the Endomorph solo...that's with me until the day I die.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFZON-TyPc4

The best way to get real speed is to build up your muscle memory for navigating keys.

You can do this very easily by teaching your hand the three 3-finger diatonic scales and their variants, like the harmonic minor scale. But don't just learn them as scales, learn them as interval patterns.

If you have my Basic Free Hands Technique DVD, the process for learning the intervals is laid out in the Melody Movement section.

Once your hand knows how to navigate the key, including the use of repeated notes and all the intervals you may encounter, then you can go where you want when you want, and the only limitation will be your creativity.

If you just learn a bunch of licks. That's all you'll have.

For more info on the DVD please see the following link:

http://www.greghoward.com/free_hands/dvd/

and for some speedy soloing, check out this vid at around 5:00

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bOAuoCCwSQs[/youtube]

and this one has quite a few sections:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MsmadmkOCDA[/youtube]

and this one too:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLMb8e7Qs-w[/youtube]

thanks, fellas. I will try some of these tips. I usually try to reserve speedier playing as a tension building mechanism.
@Greg--I do have your book and have implemented the 3 finger playing style to great success in my playing ability and moving around the board. I just cant do it very fast yet, and at the same time make it sound tasty or musical to my ear.

"Just keep swimming, Just keep swimming..." to quote Dori the fish.

Mike

Mike, how fast can you play repeated notes with your right hand? It's a good thing to focus on as it builds the hand-movement reflex into your basic technique. Practice fast 8th notes against 1/4 notes in the left hand. Don't forget to switch up which finger plays the downbeat in the right hand.

gotta tell you, greg,

no matter how many times i watch the big bang 4965 vid (..and it's been dozens) i am simply in awe.

bravo.

jimi

Thanks, Jimi,

It was a lucky moment to have Dan there filming. There's a long story behind that piece, which I'll be happy to tell you over a beer someday...

Greg, I can play repeated 1/8th notes with my right hand against 208 bpm 1/4 notes in my left. That is the highest notch on my metronome, but i can slide the wieght up almost the whole way and still play pretty cleanly using 1st, 2nd, and 3rd fingers playing the 1/8th notes. I guess that is pretty fast. I have never tried to practice scales or written melody lines at that speed. With the metronome in mind I have just tried repeated 1/16th notes. I can play those against 120 bpm 1/4 notes. That seems to be my limit. Repeated 1/32nds against 72 bpm quarter notes, though I need to really concentrate to keep them consistent. I dont think I could play a 1/64th note.(well, maybe one )

Looking at it that way, I am satisfied at the speed which I can play repeated notes. I think I will just need to practice songs I know at greater speed. In my musical philosophy, however, I try to improvise my solos each time, to go with how I am feeling(and add some risk or excitement), and not play a composed solo. That ideal I plan to keep. So...back to the woodshed!

I always try to tap my left foot while playing to get a time base(as you suggest). But I think I will also use a metronome while practicing for a time.

Thanks, Mike

Check out finger exercises in my Mel Bay book on pages 18-20. Also all scales and arpeggios toward back of book.
Steve Adelson