Larry
"Uncle Larry"
OK so the leader in my main band, the singer/guitarist..this guy is a musicians musician. He's been around the block with some big names, gold records blah blah. He really knows his music, drums included. He's like my musical Daddy lol. We were talking about drum solos a while back, and he hinted to me (by complimenting another drummer) that he was very impressed when drummer X took a solo, because he made his solo fit the song form. (translation: Larry when you solo, you need to step it up and make your solo fit into the song form)
OK so lately I've been getting a drum solo in James Brown's/Jaco's "The Chicken". It's like a test for me. Anyone who knows the song knows that there are definite unison band hits in the last bar of the 16 bar chord progression. Since my solo spans 2 full chord progressions, I need to do the band hits 2 times in my solo, at the right spots lol.
Usually, (not always) when my solo starts, we're already 4 bars into the 16 bar progression. That leaves 11 bars of solo and 1 bar of unison band hits. Then he usually gives me another go round which would be another 15 bars of soloing and 1 bar of band hits. I got the math.
Here's my dilemma... I have to make my solo a certain length to make the band hits...I can keep my place and do a solo that is basically mimicking the now imaginary melody...but it's weak.... like about 15% of what I'm capable of...I'm using all my brainpower to keep my place basically, echoing a silent melody. I heard playback. It sounds lame. I have much more horsepower to burn in my hands and feet but I can't tap into it because I'm using what brainpower I have to sing the melody. When I'm singing the melody, the part of my brain that invents my drum solo phrasing is grayed out, function not available lol. Yea I think it's safe to say I don't have form mastered yet lol.
When I try and solo...the phrases that I come up with...I just can't keep count and invent phrases on the spot. Oftentimes, since it's my solo and I am unrestricted, my phrasing will go over the barline. OK sure I can keep my place for maybe 5 bars but after that I am so wrapped up in squeezing out phrasing and execution that eventually makes sense that I just cannot keep the count and invent at the same time. Not for that long. Coming out of the solo to do the band hits...sometimes I guess and get it right, happy face, sometimes not, sad face.
So for now, I think my workaround is gonna have to be screw the count, do the best solo I can, keep the guitarist in the corner of my eye, and when I see him go for the hits, jump on them. That would be much easier for me, to snow him.
But I don't feel good about this. When I try to keep count and simultaneously invent solo phrasing in my practice room, I CAN'T DO IT!!! My brain hurts. I am trying though but not getting anywhere. Soloing for me is a monumental struggle in the first place, now I have to fit it in a box?
So, until I acquire the skills, do I do a much lesser solo and really keep my place and work on getting better at it like that or do I do a better solo and cheat?
But really, how does anyone do a long solo and keep their place. Sing the melody right? I can't do that and phrase how I want to. It takes all my brain power to phrase and execute.
Any tips?
OK so lately I've been getting a drum solo in James Brown's/Jaco's "The Chicken". It's like a test for me. Anyone who knows the song knows that there are definite unison band hits in the last bar of the 16 bar chord progression. Since my solo spans 2 full chord progressions, I need to do the band hits 2 times in my solo, at the right spots lol.
Usually, (not always) when my solo starts, we're already 4 bars into the 16 bar progression. That leaves 11 bars of solo and 1 bar of unison band hits. Then he usually gives me another go round which would be another 15 bars of soloing and 1 bar of band hits. I got the math.
Here's my dilemma... I have to make my solo a certain length to make the band hits...I can keep my place and do a solo that is basically mimicking the now imaginary melody...but it's weak.... like about 15% of what I'm capable of...I'm using all my brainpower to keep my place basically, echoing a silent melody. I heard playback. It sounds lame. I have much more horsepower to burn in my hands and feet but I can't tap into it because I'm using what brainpower I have to sing the melody. When I'm singing the melody, the part of my brain that invents my drum solo phrasing is grayed out, function not available lol. Yea I think it's safe to say I don't have form mastered yet lol.
When I try and solo...the phrases that I come up with...I just can't keep count and invent phrases on the spot. Oftentimes, since it's my solo and I am unrestricted, my phrasing will go over the barline. OK sure I can keep my place for maybe 5 bars but after that I am so wrapped up in squeezing out phrasing and execution that eventually makes sense that I just cannot keep the count and invent at the same time. Not for that long. Coming out of the solo to do the band hits...sometimes I guess and get it right, happy face, sometimes not, sad face.
So for now, I think my workaround is gonna have to be screw the count, do the best solo I can, keep the guitarist in the corner of my eye, and when I see him go for the hits, jump on them. That would be much easier for me, to snow him.
But I don't feel good about this. When I try to keep count and simultaneously invent solo phrasing in my practice room, I CAN'T DO IT!!! My brain hurts. I am trying though but not getting anywhere. Soloing for me is a monumental struggle in the first place, now I have to fit it in a box?
So, until I acquire the skills, do I do a much lesser solo and really keep my place and work on getting better at it like that or do I do a better solo and cheat?
But really, how does anyone do a long solo and keep their place. Sing the melody right? I can't do that and phrase how I want to. It takes all my brain power to phrase and execute.
Any tips?
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