Topic: solo bits
What do you do when there's meant to be a bit of music in the song between the verses and you don't have the chords. Often it just says solo. Do you just go straight on to the next bit or do you try and play something?
Re: solo bits
listen to the song ur playing, usualy the instrumental follows the same pattern as the song so u will probably hear the same chord sounds as in the verse, chorus etc
- cytania
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Re: solo bits
If you're playing on your own it's hard to do an actual solo, however in a lot of songs it's good to give the audience a brief break from singing. Mostly the verse is repeated, or just a portion of the verse, sometimes a variation on the chorus. A classic country gambit is to play the verse with nice choppy chords and plenty of swing attitude then bring the vocals back for the last line before going into the chorus.
'The sound of the city seems to disappear'
- Russell_Harding
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Re: solo bits
The patterns casuallegend is referring to are called progressions, most every song has a progression the word progress means to move or go, in music it means to follow a set of chord changes (progression of chords) they start and end and repeat from start.The part where you improvise is called a solo your improv has to follow the chord progression in the song usually its the chords in the verse but it can also be the chords in the bridge or chorus all solos have to stick to the tones within the chords usually but sometimes a half tone flat or sharp is acceptable if it is a passing tone a note within the chord or its relative minors the best forum on Chordie to understand chords and progressions,scales is the Theory forum where you can get expert advice on scales,chords and progressions 
"Growing old is not for sissies"
Re: solo bits
Right on Russ,
What I do alot is follow the same chord progression as the verses or chorus and then I will pick up the volume of my picking or strumming and put more emphasis on some hammerons and walkups or walkdowns, then do a bass walk back into the next verse.
Later, Wayne P
Re: solo bits
Thanks very much chordians for your replies, very helpful.
- alvee33
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Re: solo bits
Sometimes it depends on the setting. If it's just a campfire or party singalong folk just want to sing, so just banging straight on with the singing is fine.
Is anything really made up of zeros and ones??