Scott Paul Johnson
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Community Challenge 88 | Play a Solo to this Jam Track
🕑 Added 2025-03-25 17:00:11 +0000 UTCWhere to Start • Lesson Archive • Recommended Lesson Plan • Book a Private Lesson
Hi Everyone,
I'm trying something a little different with this Community Challenge. I've attached two jam track files below - one is short (under a minute) and one is long (over 2 minutes). Pick whichever one you feel like and do one of two things:
1. Practice improvising a solo over the track and record an improvised solo once you get comfortable with the track.
2. As you're practicing, keep track of the lines you like and try to "write" a solo based on those lines. This wouldn't be improvised, but a collection of phrases and riffs that you memorized and organized
Essentially, I don't care if you choose to completely improvise your solo or memorize a series of riffs and melodies - the goal is to play a solo in a way that feels fun to you.
Watch my youtube video 5 Levels of Soloing and find a comfort zone for yourself. Level 1 or level 2 is completely acceptable for this challenge, but those of you who have been around for a while working on music theory might want to try level 3 or 4 soloing. If you want to try level 3 or 4, try to sit down and map out example phrases on paper based on my Melody Making series or my CAGED Soloing series. I also go over this kind of thing in the video above.
I wrote out the progression incorrectly in the original post of this video, it's actually in the key of A Minor, using a i v VI progression (Am Em F)
Have fun and post your solos to the Community Forum
Comments
Scott Paul Johnson
I'm using Logic Pro X to record all the parts.
Marc Cohen
Hi Scott - which app are you using to generate that track?
Scott Paul Johnson
OOPS! You got me - I was editing the video a few days later and misremembered. It's clearly an Am, Em, F progression. I'll fix the text above
Luke Urbine
Stupid question... you speak about the Am, Em, F progression. The description of the track is Am, G, F. Why the conflict in chord progression?
Scott Paul Johnson
Hmmm - I'll check on that - might need to reupload it
Lauren Wise
Awesome challenge! it seems like the vid cuts at about the point you start your "final" solo. Off to write another masterpiece!
Erin
I love that you are showing how to do it! I need to get a midi so I can play too. Im very beginner right now 😋
