[AmericanHoser]

Almost every guitar solo isn't just pulled out of the air. It's based of a scale right? Well I was wondering, how do you match the music to the earlier vocal verse (that is what most solos do correct?), and what scales would work best for what tempo/mood.

[allthumbs]

Some people, like Kirk, use chords as a base for soloing rather than scales. A strong solo has a strong melody line IMO Most of the great tunes that stand the test of time are based on this. When you hum, your usually humming a melody not a scale.
If you choose to go the scale route, be prepared for a huge learning curve. There is no simple scale that fits all situations though many players are fond of the pentatonic scales. Remember that if a tune has a chord that is outside the key, a simple scale will no longer work. If a tune has 3 or 4 outside chords that are not part of the key your playing in then you have to play a different scale for each outside chord.
There has been a lot written about scales here. Do a search. You will find some members that are quite fond of them. Also search for modes.

[AmericanHoser]

Well how would you 'find' the right notes in a song to match the vocals? Would you pick around looking for them, or would you have the vocalist write sheet music in which you could match on your fret board?

[allthumbs]

I am not sure why you would want to mirror the vocals note for note. It is a good place to take off from to play with the harmony line though. Very common in old time call and response blues. As I said, melody uses strong chord tones so the singer would be using notes that would be close to and around the notes you would find in the chord he or she is singing over at that moment.

[Kirk Lorange]

Hi AH ...

As allthumbs mentioned, I'm more of a 'follow the chords' kind of player, that is, using the notes of each chord as it comes and goes as the main notes for any solos. Chords, to my mind, give you a much quicker and more concise access to the 'good' notes and that's because the chords themselves have already selected from the mother scale those good notes. That takes a different mind set that thinking scales. You take the piece of music one chord a time rather than seeing it as under the influence of one scale.

The key of the piece is the main dictator of scales, though, if you'd rather think along those lines, which is what most players do, it seems. So if the tune is in the key of C, simply look to the C major scale as being the batch of eligible notes; if it's C minor, look to the C minor scale. Pentatonic scales, being 5 note scales instead of 7, have sifted a couple of notes out, making it a bit easier to zero in on those strong notes, but the danger with them is that you get locked into muscle memory runs that cease to be real solos and just become scales ... at least that what happened to me when I tried them out years ago. Melody was always my goal when soloing, and I find melody in the chords.

The key, which dictates the scale, also dictates the chords which are built on the scale, so either way you arrive back at the same batch of notes ... it's just that following the chords is more direct, and also automatically takes care of any 'outside of the key' chords that may be included in the composition ... and that's more often than not.

So, bottom line, determine the key the piece is in and look to the scale associated with that key. Modes come into it too, but I won't even broach that subject here, except to say that if you're following the chords, you never need to think about modes ... with just a little bit of knowledge about the chord functions within the key, they're taken care of.

That's my take on it anyway, after 46 years of poking around fretboards.

The topic of following chords is the subject of my book PlaneTalk, by the way.

[AmericanHoser]

Wow, well now I want to purchase your book. Imma gonna go check it out now, thanks for the informative posts. I have kinda noticed recently, that many of the greatest riffs I know are based off chords. Well thanks, you've changed my outlook on riff concieving.

[Kirk Lorange]

Originally Posted by AmericanHoser

I have kinda noticed recently, that many of the greatest riffs I know are based off chords.

They only became the greatest riffs because they're based on the chords!

[8LU3]

if you want good scale solos, look up arch enemy. they shred scales throughout solos but they are so fast i cant play them, gahh!