Re: Bassoon Uber Alles

[Paolo Valladolid <pvallado@waynesworld.ucsd.edu>]

> >But the end result is the same.  The solo ends up set in stone, to be
> >recited in an identical manner with each new performance of the music
> >whether it be a pop song or a classical piece.  With a few exceptions 
> >(there are always exceptions) the solo does not change.  This 
>contradicts
> >your earlier assertion that the pop solo always changes.
> 
> In my experience, the converse is true.  Except for things such as the 
> first solo in Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb", solos (and I suppose that 
> I'm speaking of guitar solos at this point, since I haven't been able to 
> recall a significant number of keyboard solos in pop/rock) are winged 
> each time.  Maybe they start the same, or there's an ending lick that it 
> moves towards, but usually not.  One of the things that I, and the 
> guitarists that I've run into look forward to in a solo is the chance to 
> make something new on the spot.  

This is probably more true pop music from the 70s or earlier.  More recent
pop solos that I have heard live are reproductions of the recorded 
versions.
You might recall a recent complaint by Eric Clapton that not enough players
today in rock are willing to solo in a truly off-the-cuff manner.

> >> Think about the amazing amount of attention that guitarists pay to 
> >> solos--why is that?  In pop music, a solo may only occupy 10% of a 
>song.  
> >> 90% of the time a guitarist is playing rhythm--why so much energy 
>spent 
> >> on considering solos?  
> >
> >Is this truly unique to guitar players?  How about sax players, 
>keyboardists,
> >and other soloing musicians.
> > 
> Pop (non-jazz) keyboard players, on the other hand...I don't know.  I 
>was 
> hoping that some keyboard players (those who view keyboards as their 
> primary instrument) would speak up regarding this.  Kim, as always, is 
> quick to defend non-guitar music from the Six String Klan, but I think 
> even he is more of a guitarist than a keyboard player.  

I too hope a keyboardist will speak up because none of the keyboard players
I have met were particularly interested in soloing in a pop context.
Maybe in a jazz context but of course we're not talking about jazz here.
Bass players I've met tended to be more impressed by a good bass groove
than ripping bass solos.

My guess is that because guitar is the featured instrument in rock and
pop (sorry, I can hardly tell the difference), the guitarist is 
expected to solo more than the keyboardist.

> Someone, I believe it was Kim, said that he enjoyed the more ego-free 
> attitude in dance/electronic music, and while I'm opposed to excessive 
> ego in any field, I've never been entirely convinced of the stance of  
> synth humility.  The whole "all solos are masturbatory, boring and 
> needless" is as groundless as "all dance music is boring, repititive and 
> needless".  I'd prefer that guitarists have less self-importance, and 
> keyboard players have more, to reach a happy mean.  Although, as far as 
>I 
> can tell, the Age of Shred has been gone for some years now, and the 
> guitarist who wishes to flount his technical ability needs to go to the 
> independent labels that cater to metal.
> 
> Please, keyboard players, speak up.

Might I suggest the keyboardists in electronica _do_ solo, but not in the
way you'd expect to hear them?


Paolo Valladolid
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