Jazz assignment
I will be Analysing three different solos, each being a different genre. I will look at how the soloist harmonically approaches their solos individually. The first song I’m going to analyse is “so what” by Miles Davis, where Miles Davis performs a trumpet solo. I looked at Miles Davis’ solo in between bars 1-32 and harmonically analysed mainly bars 1-16.
In the song, it starts in the key of C major and is played for 16 bars. Then the song has a key change, the key changes to a Db major. But the solo goes through a change of two chords. The first chord is D minor-7 which is in the key of C. The 2nd half of the solo uses a Eb minor-7 chord which is in the key of Db major. In the 1st bar the solo starts on a low D. But the bar before started on a D but a octave higher than the start of the solo. The first bar just has a three beat note and a rest note, also on the second bar another rest not is at the start to carry on the rest. I think he just uses one note in this bar to tell/introduce everyone to the start of his solo. On the second bar after the rest the solo from a D up a perfect 5th to an A and then down to a G for a one and a half beat note. Then moves back to the A I think this was used to build up to gradually get up to the A at the end of the bar, ready to go back to the low D at the start of the 3rd bar. I think this solo consists and is based around the D, many of the bars in the solo either start or end with D note. The solo is in a D Dorian scale creating a Dorian sound throughout the solo. Also the 4th and 5th bar are very similar. They use the same notes in the bar but half beat rest and the first quaver have been replaced with just a crochet in bar five. Both bar four and five have a staccato ending the bar. Adding a snap to the tone of the bar at the end of it. The 6th bar I think is different to most the bars in the first half of the solo, this is because it doesn’t begin or end in a starts on a b7 of D which is a C. In the bar is switches between the b7 ( C ) and the major 6th ( B ) playing each note twice. It moves down to an A, the A also is the starting note of the 7th bar. I think bar goes back into the pattern the rest of the following bars followed, either ending on a D or starting on a D. Also bars 8-9 only use the high D notes and at the end of the 9th bar it has a 3 beat rest which carries on for another 1 beat rest in the next bar. I think this is used to make the listeners think the solo is over, but then it all kicks in 1 beat into the 10th bar. The 10th bar also uses a crochet with staccato used on them to build up the solo. Then after the 10th bar ends on a D crochet, bar 11 starts on a perfect 5th below the D. I think this is the other bar that doesn’t follow the pattern, this is because is doesn’t end in a D either. The Bar goes from a perfect 5th to a perfect 4th ( G ) and then to three b3’s ( F ). It has a rest at the end and the 12th bar is empty, this is to rest and to make listeners think he is ending the solo there. But then again the solo kicks in quickly after one and a half beats of rest notes in the 13th bar. I think bar 13 is another bar that doesn’t follow the pattern, but the notes are going up to then reach the D note at the start of the next bar. On bar 15 the bar ends on two D quavers and a rest. Again, similar to the 12th bar, bar 16 is empty to build up for the whole new section of the solo which includes a key change. It changes to Eb-7 which is in the key of Db major-7. This key change goes on for 8 bars of the solo. Looking at this section of the solo you can tell it’s a lot more technical and most of the notes are quavers with a few crochets in the piece as well. Also a lot of flat notes are used. The consists of Eb, F, Gb, Ab, Bb, C and Db. There was a big pause before going into the technical section and key change to build up more effect for when the technical solo takes place. This key is used between bars 17-24. After those 8 bars the key of the song changes back to the previous key and chord D minor-7 in the key of C. I think this part is used as an outro of the solo in this section. This is because nearly all the 8 bars of the final D-7 part has rest notes in. This makes short sections/bursts of solos taking place. The only full bar which doesn’t have rests in is bar 30 (6th bar in the final key change). Throughout the whole solo, the notes used are ranged with chord and colour tones. Where as chord tones are notes in the chord that are used to solo over, colour tones are notes outside the chord but still in the key to solo with. A scale to use over the over the first chord could be D minor pentatonic scale. Or you could use a C major over D. But for the second chord used you could uses a Db major scale which makes a Dorian type sound while soloing. But another scale you could use is the Eb minor pentatonic scale.
The second solo I chose to analyse was “November rain” by Guns N’ Roses. Slash is the guitarist performing the solo and created it. I chose this Rock ballad song because it is different to the jazz solo and this solo is iconic toward how the song sounds. There are 3 solos in the song, but im only going to look at the first two. The song/solo is in the key of C. The bass and guitars are tuned down a half step down for this song. The solo is diatonic and mainly consists of using notes from the C major scale. This scale includes the notes C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. The solo uses chord tone soloing, this is because Slash while soloing is hitting the passing chords during his solo’s in the song. The chords over the song cycle around 3 chords during the two solo’s. The chords are F, D and C, I think these 3 chords in the background, are to give the solo all the attention. This is so people will recognise the solo and listen. The solo starts on a F chord, the first note in the solo is an A. The A note is a 3rd in the F chord. But as the chord changes to a D the A becomes a perfect 5th of D. Also when the chord changes to a C, Slash hits the 3rd of C, ( E ). Things like this are noticeable over the first solo. Also used in the solo, Slash played 4th and then moves the 4th only to move back to the root note. On the second solo Slash uses a G major scales going up, building up to play on the next chord ( E ) when he hits the E note. He uses around the same structure as the first solo while using chord tones to play a memorable solo. The tone of both the solo sounds powerful and stands out a lot from the rest of the band playing. This is to get the listeners to be focused on the solo. This is why the solos are memorable. The notes a played in the solo have notes that are played for a long time to give the powerful effect at the start of some chords. But then there are fast parts in-between the long lasting notes playing. I think the mixture of both makes the solo sound powerful and technical that flows nicely with the chords playing behind it. I think this is different to the Miles Davis solo because Miles Davis’ solo used a lot of colour tones and a lot of rests through the piece. It also changed key where-as “November rain” stayed in one key.
The Third song I chose to analyse was “fade to black” by Metallica. Kirk Hammett is the lead guitarist for Metallica. I chose this thrash metal song because it is different to how some thrash metal songs start off and the solo right at the beginning of he piece is a great memorable solo to a great song. I am going to analyse the solo that starts the song, this solo builds up the song from the start. Kirk’s guitar is doing the solo, while James plays the same constant guitar in the background of the solo. But The bass and drums play a beat every 4 bars of the solo to create the atmosphere. The key of the intro/solo is B minor but it ends the intro with an A minor. Then the song goes into the key of A minor. Kirk plays throughout the solo in B minor Aeolian. I think this gives an eerie/mystical melodic effect on the start of the song aimed specifically on the solo of the guitar. I think at the end of the solo, Kirk uses the A minor scale going up. I think this is played over a G# in the background, which makes it sound odd but it works. The sound of the guitar during the solo sounds distorted and I think sounds like a crunch type tone to the guitar with slight crackle. The solo starts and long played notes are used with quick usage of the scale. The alone guitar sound then plays some quick licks with some long held notes for atmospheric effect. The solo is very memorable to the listeners accompanied with the rhythm guitar in the background of the intro. Compared to the other analysed songs I think there are some similarities. This is because both “Fade to Black” and “So what” have key changes. But the Metallica song’s key is only different in the intro (B minor) and the rest of the song is a different key (A minor). This song also is quite similar to “November rain”. This is because for most of it, the solos play diatonically to the piece playing in the background. They also both use long held notes to create atmosphere in the song. But both songs have their solos in different places. Metallica have placed the solo at the start to build up for the whole song and the vocals. Where-as Guns N’ Roses have placed two solos in the middle of the song and one right at the end. But Metallica have also used a solo right at the end of the song to. Another thing different I think is all three songs use different types of scales in their solos. “So what” uses Dorian, “November rain” uses just major scales and “Fade to Black” uses Aeolian.