Concerning playing solos...

[Mayhem77]

I am wondering, considering so many of you learn solos by various artists, how do you play them and make them sound good? Do you have the track playing in the background or what? I myself have only ever learned scales when it comes to soloing, so I make up my own over a blues backing track CD (soon to be getting a Boss DR.Rythmn), find out what key its in and make up my own (albeit pretty crap and cliche) solos.

The reason why i'm asking this is that if i play a solo without the backing track, it doesnt seem to mean anything, it just sounds like the notes of a scale, whereas with a backing track it sounds like part of the song and each note is transformed with meaning. SO ANYWAY :) Do you guys play your solos with the track in the background or what? :)

[JiMi=GoD]

i dont really tend to play solos when im on my own, because ure right they usually sound pretty pants on their own, if im playing them its usually with my bnd backing me up, a backing track really adds to the solo, its almost as important to have a decent backing tracking as a decent solo! but if im on my own i tend to play along with the song or a backing track if it is my own song.

[flyin'_fingers]

If I'm gonna compose a solo for one of my band's song, I record the chord progression that's gonna go under the solo and i start building the solo up. If i dont have some 'work' and I'm just practicing, then I play with a drum machine or a metronome to get used to tempos and learn new licks. And yes, it sometimes does sounds like just a bunch of notes, but that's why you practice, to try and make sound musical i guess.

[Mr B]

I use a drum machine on a particular setting to set the mood.

[gggeoff]

try playing the trooper solo or master of puppets ... they sound way better with the background rhythm but they still sound cool without. crazy trains sounds alright as well