Improvising a solo over many different styles of music shares a number of common themes and approaches, however, there are some basic concepts that, for me, are especially important for pop music.
These are my guidelines to ensure you match the energy and the musical narrative of a track instead of following strict rules that restrict how you approach your solos. Being able to match the intensity of a song and playing what the song needs rather than what you want to give is the artform. Doing this consistently will make a big difference to your success as a musician as well as your enjoyment of playing and performing.
At college I studied jazz improvisation and was particularly drawn to saxophonists like Paul Desmond, Stanley Turrentine and Wayne Shorter for their unique approaches to singable, melodic lines. Despite the huge difference in musical style to what I predominately play now, the lessons I learnt from studying those jazz saxophonists and their improvisational approaches ensured that coherent melodies and clean lines are paramount for me when taking a solo.
In a pop solo you’re often dealing with a much louder backing compared to small format jazz and, even with a microphone, it’s so important to play clear melodies that will soar above the rest of the band. Patterns and licks are also very important, and necessary for matching intensity at the right time, but they need to be well placed and played with full confidence otherwise they can just get lost in the mix and sound a bit underwhelming.
When I was younger many of the educators and students around me placed a great deal of importance on the relationships between scales and chords and how functional harmony was the key to the gates of paradise. It goes without saying that knowing which notes to play against which chords is extremely important when crafting an engaging solo that is easy on the ears.
However, I wish that more emphasis had been placed on feel and time. So many of my drummer friends have spent hours working on their time and feel and yet I don’t think this was ever mentioned to me as a saxophone learner. I don’t think it’s too pretentious to say that you really can play any note against any chord and how you approach and exit that note is really the key. But you should also consider whether it was played with amazing feel and time. That for me is the difference, a great pop player can match the rhythm section’s groove and lock in with the band in the same way the drummer, bassist or guitarist does. If you can play a long line of crotchets or quavers on the same note, and have the audience really energised and excited because of how well you’ve placed them, then you’re definitely accessing another level of professionalism as a soloist and performer!
The final key element I would mention, and this applies to improvising as well as overall performance skills, is to be consistent across multiple gigs and/or sessions. There are some amazing musicians out there that on the right night are absolutely on fire and capable of performances that completely blow you away with their technical facility, but on the wrong night can be distracted and make big errors that bring down the overall quality of a gig. These musicians can be a risk to an artist or MD’s reputation, meaning that consistent and reliable musicians will always be at the top of the list. So, my advise is to prepare as much as humanly possible and prioritise clear and coherent musical solos to consistently deliver your best as a live or studio musician. Good luck!
Great advice from a great player.
I’ve been on the same stage as him and he is awesome when he solos but also so tight in the ensemble.
I’ve pointed one of my students to this blog as the message is so concise and clear.
Thank you, Justin.