jwood662 Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Just been thinking of ways I can add a bit more variety to the end of songs when everyone does their own thing. You know the score, epic drum rolls/bass runs/singer standing there looking lost... Normally I run up and down 3 octaves of the end note without much in the way of prior though, usually major/minor pentatonic. However, this can sound a bit samey after a few songs, anyone got any fresh ideas for how to mix it up a bit? Adding modes or different scales in there maybe? Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 If everyone is doing their own thing over the final chord,it is often best for the bass to hold the root rather than joining in with the widdling-maybe adding the fifth and octave, or dropping to a lower octave (this can be very effective if you're playing a 5 string). If you must play runs at the end of a song,it depends on what the chord is,as to what you,theoretically,can play. There are lots of options,both scale and arpeggio based,but it's tough to say "play a Dorian mode" if you're playing over a major 7 chord. If you know about chord tones and scales you can play whatever fits....if you don't know them,maybe it's time to study. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 Yes. Less is more. If jazz players do this, it is usually a train wreck. Listen to some recordings and see how others do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwood662 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Well I wasn't saying Id use modes exclusively over the incorrect chord nor do i want to play as many notes as humanly possible. The question was more 'does anyone have any modal phrases that sound good mixed in with a pentatonic run over a normal minor/major chord'. Just trying to make things a bit more musically interesting, add a bit of tension here and there. I know this is going to be a case of experiemnting with different ideas but I was being lazy and throwing it out there first of all! Actually now that I restate the question, it did come across as unclear. .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bilbo Posted March 14, 2012 Share Posted March 14, 2012 My only advice would be to listen to what everyone else is doing and react to that ideas rather than rely on stock phrases of your own. When jazz musicians create endings for tunes, they often call upon cliches such as the old 'Count Basie' ending etc. But it works best when the ensemble spontaneously creates some organic but logical phrase or hook and, by shared experience, knowledge and a little bit of trust, moulds this into a resolution. I have seen this done beautifully 1,000 times and it always leaves me with a real sense of satisfaction. To prepare, you just need to make sure you are ready to listen to what others are doing and to react creatively to what they present. If you can hear the rhythm of phrases, you won't go far wrong. If you can add harmony and melody to your responses, you will be home and dry forever! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwood662 Posted March 14, 2012 Author Share Posted March 14, 2012 Thanks, sounds like I should practice this last point, any good exercises you recommend? I remember someone recommending watching tv and trying to convey the emotion on screen to sharpen up this skill, never tried it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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