Listening tips for non-shred guitar soloing

[woody]

Hi there,
lately I've been re-discovering Norah Jones's "Come away with me" record and the sparse but brilliant guitar playing, on it.
I really dig the solo playing by Adam levy and Kevin Breit.
I want to work on my soloing, and I really dig their sense of space and composition.
What other records and players should I check out?
What are your favorites?

 

[DrewJD82]

I know I never shut up about Gilmour, but it's hard to go wrong borrowing from his simplicity. Milk the shit out of those root notes. If the chord progression lands on a D chord, hang around the 15th fret of the B string, bend the shit out of it, vibrato it, see if you can form a melody just by hanging on that one fret while bending up and down. Really, milk the shit out of all the notes in the chords in the rhythm, not just the root. You'll stay in key and it'll force you to find the melodies over those changes.

 

[Achilles]

I know I never shut up about Gilmour, but it's hard to go wrong borrowing from his simplicity.

I'm so glad that a long time ago I spent the time to really learn a couple of his solos spot on. It's not so much his economy as what he wrings out of the few notes he plays. Comfortably Numb is always the go to pick for Gilmour but this has always been his #1 for me.

 

[DrewJD82]

I'm so glad that a long time ago I spent the time to really learn a couple of his solos spot on. It's not so much his economy as what he wrings out of the few notes he plays. Comfortably Numb is always the go to pick for Gilmour but this has always been his #1 for me.

I've said it before, but when I started actually learning some of that stuff note for note last year, the part that tripped me up the most was thinking he was moving across/up/down the neck when he was actually just milking the shit out of 3-4 notes in one position, all the timing, feel, pauses, etc, THAT'S the money.

 

[Achilles]

I've said it before, but when I started actually learning some of that stuff note for note last year, the part that tripped me up the most was thinking he was moving across/up/down the neck when he was actually just milking the shit out of 3-4 notes in one position, all the timing, feel, pauses, etc, THAT'S the money.

Ever hear how he came up with such PERFECT phrasing for the classic extended solos like Numb?

 

[DrewJD82]

Ever hear how he came up with such PERFECT phrasing for the classic extended solos like Numb?

If Gilmour has said it in an interview, I've read it. Most likely more than 5x. I'm assuming you're referencing the several improvised takes and how they blended them by dropping/raising the faders according to the section of the solo they wanted in the song?

That's how I did this solo, I think I improvised it 3x and just snagged a couple parts from each (5:29)

 

[KHAAAAAAANNNNNNN!!!!!!!!]

Comfortably Numb is always the go to pick for Gilmour but this has always been his #1 for me.

Favorite song I've ever played (along with Red Barchetta)

 

[Achilles]

I'm assuming you're referencing the several improvised takes and how they blended them by dropping/raising the faders according to the section of the solo they wanted in the song?

That and then sometimes he'd just 'learn' the solo of the contained best bits for better flow and continuity - think that's how Numb was done.

Cool solo and song!

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Hi there,
lately I've been re-discovering Norah Jones's "Come away with me" record and the sparse but brilliant guitar playing, on it.
I really dig the solo playing by Adam levy and Kevin Breit.
I want to work on my soloing, and I really dig their sense of space and composition.
What other records and players should I check out?
What are your favorites?

Mavis Staples from mid-2000s onward. The guitarist with her touring band, Rick Holstrom has some pretty decent solo albums



Just about anything produced by John Leventhal

Loads of Mark Knopfler's solo stuff

Loads of Lucinda Williams stuff

 

[Sleezy E]

I still remember after learning the complete comfortably numb solo, going to the weekly jam sesh and throwing out, "Hey wouldn't it be fun to try this song?"

A couple measure into the first solo and my bass player is staring at me...

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Buddy and Julie Miller (and loads of other stuff produced by Buddy Miller) -- probably start with Breakdown on 20th Ave. South (the whole album, really).

Edie Brickell's solo album Volcano is definitely in the Norah Jones mold with not a lot of solos, but some "lead-like" guitar work.

 

[Achilles]

Hi there,
lately I've been re-discovering Norah Jones's "Come away with me" record and the sparse but brilliant guitar playing, on it.
I really dig the solo playing by Adam levy and Kevin Breit.
I want to work on my soloing, and I really dig their sense of space and composition.
What other records and players should I check out?
What are your favorites?

Ty Tabor comes up with some absolute gems.
This one up real loud will give you goosebumps.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Also -- Adam Levy has some Truefire vids that are worth checking out.

(And not gonna lie, I'm having trouble seeing the line between the "Come Away with Me" album and melodic prog rock solos of Gilmour and Tabor).

 

[Achilles]

I want to work on my soloing, and I really dig their sense of space and composition.
What other records and players should I check out?
What are your favorites?

I'm having trouble seeing the line between the "Come Away with Me" album and melodic prog rock solos of Gilmour and Tabor).

There is none.
It's the space and composition part that's applicable along with asking for personal favorites.

 

[Boudoir Guitar]

Hi there,
lately I've been re-discovering Norah Jones's "Come away with me" record and the sparse but brilliant guitar playing, on it.
I really dig the solo playing by Adam levy and Kevin Breit.
I want to work on my soloing, and I really dig their sense of space and composition.
What other records and players should I check out?
What are your favorites?

Shawn Colvin's Fat City album is filled with all sorts of great lead guitar work, some of which is slide/lap steel, but translatable. That was the OG album that got me into this stuff - I caught the tour for that album at an amazing theatre and the guitarist she had on the tour (don't know who) totally changed my focus. A lot.

 

[jay mitchell]

 

[woody]

Thanks guys and gals for chiming in!
There's a lot to listen to!
I have to admit that Gilmour does not really move me. There's a few artists that I really tried hard to get into (cause they are so great, ya know). Gilmour is one. James Taylor is another one.
Nope.
Not for me.

 

[woody]

Here are some things that I remembered that I like:

Silje Nergaard with Hallgrim Bratberg and Håvar Bendiksen on guitar:


Marc Ribot y los Cubanos Postizos:


Bill Frisell is an obvious name:


To be continued.
Still looking for new discoveries

 

[woody]

Shawn Colvin's Fat City album is filled with all sorts of great lead guitar work, some of which is slide/lap steel, but translatable. That was the OG album that got me into this stuff - I caught the tour for that album at an amazing theatre and the guitarist she had on the tour (don't know who) totally changed my focus. A lot.

I'm getting into slide lately. It's such a textural thing.
Right now I'm on the fence about putting a Duesenberg Multibender on a guitar, though I'm not yet sure, whether it's gonna be a Strat or Telly.
This could really open up slide guitar for me, as it could allow for better chordal playing... I'm a bit intimidated, though.

 

[unix-guy]

Check out Ariel Posen's albums Headway and How Long. That guy is so good at playing, writing and singing.

I really like the guitars on Come Away With Me. The whole vibe a great!

The Natalie Merchant album Tigerlily has some great stuff, too.