The “See You Soon” Trick for More Mature Sounding Solos

Our move to Connecticut is just eight days away. We’re super excited for this next chapter but also sad to be saying goodbye to all of our Jersey friends.

That said, it’s not goodbye forever. We’re not cutting ties. It’s more of a “see you soon” type of situation. After all, we’re only moving about an hour away, so I’m confident we’ll be able to keep our friendships going with phone calls, FaceTimes, and occasional get-togethers.

Anyway, all this talk of staying connected brings to mind what I like to call the “see you soon” trick you can use when improvising.

Take a look at this solo over the first eight bars of Autumn Leaves:

Not bad, but phrase #1 (bars 1-4) is completely disconnected from phrase #2 (bars 5-8).

In other words, there’s no sense of “see you soon” as we move from phrase #1 to phrase #2. Instead, it’s like me moving to Connecticut and never talking to my Jersey friends ever again.

Not cool.

Let’s take another swing and use the “see you soon” trick as we move from phrase #1 to phrase #2.

The secret is to use the end of phrase #1 as inspiration for the beginning of phrase #2. You could also call this “dovetailing” or “piggybacking.”

Check it out:

See the repeated elements in measure five? It’s not exactly the same as the end of measure four, but the rhythm and shape of the line are clearly inspired by the end of phrase #1.

No need to overcomplicate this. Just start your next phrase by repeating the pitches and/or shape and/or rhythm of the end of the previous phrase.

I promise, your solos will sound so much more connected and mature once you internalize this principle.

And I can help you get to the point of doing all this "at will" and even automatically with my improvisation course, Making the Changes.

Enrollment closes tomorrow, so if you want to sign up, click here to secure your spot.

Here’s a little bit more about what you’ll learn:

Over the course of six weeks, you’ll get the entire system I personally use to improvise over any chord progression.

I call it the CMC system, which stands for Crane, Massage, Connectors – weird names for a serious approach to learning how to make you an outstanding improviser.

I’ll show you exactly what to do, how to do it, and why.

What to expect?

How to improvise pro-level solos by playing vertically AND horizontally. (You need to be able to do both or else your playing will always sound amateurish.)

How to eliminate self-doubt when it’s your turn to solo. (Imagine being excited to put yourself out there and actually feeling proud when you’re done playing.)

The 3 magic notes that can turn boring lines into sophisticated phrases. (You’re not going to find them in any scale syllabus.)

How to keep your place in the form. (Even if you’re the one who always gets lost when it’s time to solo.)

The truth about chords and scales. (The stuff you see everyone else doing is failing, but this new method is easier and actually makes you sound good!)

And so much more.

Making the Changes only opens for enrollment a handful of times per year, so don’t miss your chance to be a part of the first class of Spring 2021.

Alright alright, I’m not gonna rant about this any longer.

Bottom line: The course is great. Hundreds of past students have already taken their soloing skills to the next level and beyond using the six-week CMC system. And if for any reason you’re unsatisfied, there is a money-back guarantee.

Looking forward to seeing you in the class!

Click here to enroll in Making the Changes.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Happy Shedding,

Jeff