Starting to find your voice

Starting to Find Your Voice in the Blues

Hi, it's Marcus Bonfanti here, and thanks for tuning into this lesson. This is called Starting to Find Your Voice in the Blues. Basically, we've been leading up to the question: How do you sound like you?

Building on Techniques

We've talked through a lot of techniques already, and I hope you've been building on them and finding your own unique interpretations. There will be plenty more to expand on from this session. I don't want to baffle you with too much science; I want you to have fun playing live, performing for audiences, and discovering what works for you through experimentation. That's the essence of this journey!

The Focus of Today's Lesson

Today, we'll focus on:

• Finding your own voice
• Building a solo
• Approaching the concept of soloing

All of this ties together with the techniques we've discussed previously.

The 12-Bar Solo

Let's go to the key of A, as we started in A, so let's finish in A. You might be given a 12-bar solo, right?

Slow Blues Example

• We'll focus on one feel for this lesson: let's do it as a slow blues so you can really hear the different ways we can approach it.

You can approach a 12-bar solo in many ways. There's no right or wrong method:

• Some people like to start a solo quietly and build it up into a frenzy.
• Others might come in strong right from the beginning.

Different guitarists utilize these techniques to achieve various effects. We'll talk about the approach and how to use some of the licks we've previously discussed.

Note: We'll play this in G, as that's where we did most of the soloing.

The Creative Process

I'll play a little solo, focusing less on theory and more on what I'm trying to achieve with my playing. Here we go:

1, 2, 3... (plays a solo)

There were a few techniques in there without too much theory, just playing certain notes. This ties back to what we covered in Soloing Parts One and Two.

Emphasizing the Guitar's Range

Remember, one of the beautiful aspects of the guitar is that a single note, like E, is available in multiple places on the neck. This opens new possibilities for your solos!

For example, with:

• The lick we used previously, consisting of:
  • Fifth to the sixth to the first

Different positions create different sounds:

• Higher tones on the unwound strings can be quite sharp.
• Playing in the middle of the neck tends to produce a more mellow sound.

Conveying Emotion

Consider what you're trying to convey with your solo:

• Are you aiming for beauty?
• Are you seeking a fiery or angrier feel?

The tension you create is just as important.

The Minor Third to Major Third Shift

An important aspect of blues soloing is the shift from:

• Minor third to major third

This creates tension and release, key elements in building your solos. You can also employ slightly tenser notes, which add depth to your playing, like this G chord:

(Plays the G chord)

Breaking Out of Up and Down Patterns

To add interest to your solos, aim to break away from the typical up-and-down movement.

Techniques for Lateral Playing

Let's explore techniques that allow you to play more linearly across the neck, resulting in flowing solos:

• Learn small things in small chunks and then apply them in real scenarios.
• Emphasize lateral movement as you play.

For instance, with bends, you can make a simple scale sound more musical:

• (Demonstrates bends)

Applying Chord Approaches

Recall the early lessons where we talked about:

• Approaching chords from the note below and the note above.
• Utilizing chord slides.

These techniques enhance your lead lines.

Final Solo Over Quicker Blues

Let's play a little solo over a slightly quicker blues. Pay attention to the lateral movements:

1, 2, 1, 2... (plays solo)

I'll play the scale again to solidify your understanding. Remember, it's all about finding your own voice in the blues. Interpret the music in a way that feels right to you!

Last Notes

Here's that blues scale once more, including the extension. Keep practicing this to help with lateral playing.

• These little shifts up the neck provide you with more options and create interesting compositions.

As we proceed through this course, we'll delve deeper, but it all flows back to this foundational sound. Just remember to embrace the lateral approach, step outside the box, and you've taken a significant step towards your unique voice in this genre. Happy playing!