OD Sessions: Playing the changes vs. NOT playing the changes???

This solo is a good example of something I've been talking about in my videos: Everything is chords. It's so much more interesting to me to get inside of the chord changes and create a melody rather than simply using a scale and landing on "good" notes. But here, in this solo, I use both techniques. The request for this solo was for it to "soar". That was the word the producer used. To me, that means there is a dynamic build, and it moves toward a higher register as it builds to its peak.
There are so many "rules" out there. At the end of the day, I hope we can all get to the place where we're hearing ideas in our head and getting them out on the fretboard. Enjoy!
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[@crackerdan8010]

I don't even play guitar, but I love watching masters of their craft. Whether it be bricklayers, footballers, woodworkers, or guitarists. And this guy seems to know what he's doing!

[@goswo]

What a great view on life. Respect!!

[@createlovehappy]

Had a great LP with Fraylin p-90's kinda like a gold top 50's style but it was a red finish so you could see the wood through it. Sounded amazing through my 1966 super reverb. Had to sell my whole studio off when I got cancer, but i am winning the battle and still here. I hope to get an electric guitar and a Princeton Reverb someday and teach my kids guitar and music. for now I stay inspired by watching your videos, and Uncle Larry and Guthrie. Thanks for what you share. I like your down to earth style, and appreciate all the detail you go into like the Deluxe Reverb tips, and the Nashville chart video. great stuff. gratitude is my attitude.

[@trevorclarey3336]

Nice sound , good playing keep them coming.

[@StuPop5150]

"It looks like it sounds better" This could be the new PRS slogan.

[@rogerhunkapillar7171]

Some absolutely beautiful phrasing. Thank you for sharing your process.

[@JustinOstrander]

Thank you!

[@g_and_kikos_studio]

My R4 is interesting too. It's a 94 and back then they were actually just called historics.. And the first ones recorded were made in 96. I bought it in 95. And serial begins with 4. I've been doing a lot of research after seeing a tom murphy interview

[@Incacal71]

Hey Justin, these mini lessons within your videos are GOLD! I hope you keep doing this. Thank you! I'll be rewinding this many times ;)

[@JustinOstrander]

Thanks a ton, man!

[@johnplaystheguitar123]

Hope you made your family aware of the pun you missed. "it's a JO mug, and I'm having a cuppa JO, get it! Get it!!!" "🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄"

[@jeffunderwood6235]

Great video brother. I love p90s. Fun fact. Gibson only makes 1 p90. I had a custom shop les Paul and contacted thier customer shop with that question and was told you get the same p90 in all Gibsons and yes even custom shop

[@maxpeck4154]

I think Wildwood did a run of "ultralight" Les Pauls (it could've been another model/brand entirely) I'd be interested to try one because a guitar that weighs more than 8 lbs is NOT allowed in my house.

[@ElkEars]

I would want to know the lyrics to construct the solo, include the meaning of the lyrics in the solo.

[@RICO_SUAVE21]

Another great lesson and discussion! Thank you sir!! And as always simple the best guitar tones 👍🏾

[@liontone]

Was just talking with one of my students about this very topic. Interesting how players’ ratios of chordal/scalar/chromatic approaches really become their voices. Great video!

[@loveguitars]

Hey Justin, Love your playing!🔥👍

[@stevenclemens8063]

I hear November rain , GNR Slash

[@TeleStrat335]

Great video. However I do prefer the C sharp on the A 7th chord.

[@JP-gt8qr]

Justin is definitely one of the very tops in session world, he is just so musical.

[@ShaneMcCrae]

Hell yeah! It cannot get any cooler than that!

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

Kinda reminds me of gnr - please dont cry tonight

[@MaPa60]

The guitar is a wilderness, we try to find our way through.. loved the arpeggio move at the beginning!

[@bazilbrushrocks]

"more intensity", "make it soar". A'ight.....

[@corvinbrown9074]

I’ve always wondered what plugins you use for post processing?

[@JustinOstrander]

I don’t, because I’m not mixing. I send tracks pretty raw. Any fx are usually printed to the track. I try not to commit mix engineers to things that may interfere with their job.

[@gardendwellerTX]

November Rain

[@jeremyversusjazz]

Killin jo! 🙏thnx for sharing your wisdom brother. I have a murphy lab r54 gt i bought used and it was local so great price no ship no tax-yay-anyhow i put that mc bridge on mine as well. Now it intonates at well as any prs.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

When I think of a "soaring" guitar solo I would say the sort of prototypical one that would come to mind for me would be Zakk Wylde's solo on No More Tears. Starts basically totally in the box and uses double stops to great effect. Then does that ascending arpeggio pulloff lick all the way up to ending in the highest register and resolving to the root and winds up being a mix of SRV, Randy Rhodes, and BB King all at once. Does that make sense to anyone else when they think of "soaring" or is it just me? LOL!

[@ryshpanmusic]

Keyboardist that always wanted to be a guitarist here. Love watching your videos and your insights into approaching sessions - I think it's applicable to any instrument. For solos that nail chord changes and are still melodic and moving, two classic saxophone moments on pop records come to mind: Michael Brecker on "Still Crazy After All These Years," and Phil Woods on "Just The Way You Are." I think guitar players could get a lot of useful vocabulary from those two solos. My 2 cents. Cheers!

[@MaxAndTheKorgs]

I tend to use my Telecaster MM to lay down basic tracks. Do I need more UMPF i have my beatiful D*Angelico Excell. For soloing it's the Goldtop. It's to expensive, it weighs far to much and it's noicy as hell. I really considered returning the thing but,,,,,, When everything is dialed in there's just nothing like it. As usual an informative and useful video

[@chappy2312]

I really liked the first “D-“ run with maybe the ending squeal of the second run. Hahaha…what do I know, thanks JO.

[@michaelmarino6904]

Great video, Justin. It sounds a little like Don't Cry by Guns and Roses. Quick question - I bout a Boss FRV-1 after hearing you talk about it on previous videos. How do you set it for a song like this?

[@jeffwelsh4154]

Thanks for taking the time and sharing your process and approach for soloing over chord changes and note selection, sounds great as usual Justin! I only wish this was available when I was a youngin! I learned by dropping the needle. My ear is really good but wish I had taken some lessons along the the way I'm 61 now but feel 16 Haha. I could have saved a lot of time! By learning from a great guitarist like yourself. For you young players listen and learn from PROS like JUSTIN OSTRANDER & TOM BUKOVAC these are the kats to learn from not just the guys who just sit in there room and shred away. There is room for both in your arsenal but for me honestly I get bored pretty fast listening to guys shred away and are technical masters I appreciate the skill it is a lot of hours to get to that level but how about writing a song or a solo that will be remembered for decades!

[@seanzinger]

As a fellow Dad I remember when my jokes used to be funny, but now I also just get eye rolls frequently. Louisville, CO?! 😂

[@stefanarvidsson5219]

Your content is sooo informative and inspiring. If you could add a Spotify link or similar in the description to the finalized songs when that’s possible it would be really fun to first follow your progress somewhere in the middle of the production and then hear the final result. Love your vids 🤩

[@1man1guitarletsgo]

Here's a question: do you start by looking at the chord sequence, and then compose the solo until you're satisfied that it's perfect? Or, do you lay down some improv in the hope of it being pretty good from the outset? I play in covers bands, and depending on the song, prefer improvised solos. Of course the next time I play that song, a bit of the last improv sticks, until in the end I'll have a solo that gets played the same way every time.

[@SimpleManGuitars1973]

Not only did Gilmour use a Goldtop for the Wall solo but I've also heard that he literally plugged straight into the board and got that tone. How in the world he could do that boggles my mind but it definitively proves the age old adage that tone is in the hands.

[@adamcherry434]

Great stuff again Jo I was starting to go playing every change crazy Love the notion Love the network between you and Unca Tom and your other Nashville u tubers Praise be to the Pickers who’ve done th3 work and share with others . Maybe you could tell a dad joke at the start of every vid I got plenty Let’s find the best of them too, They’re what chord tones are to chords what dad tones are to family 😎

[@jaycareaga9929]

Wildwood is in Colorado.

[@TomCPlus1]

Yes. You *can* hear that scale in my playing from a mile away. :) These are the videos that help me change that a little bit. Appreciate you. I'm working on my band to pick up as many of the Kip Fox songs as possible for our sets. Our singer has trepidations. 900 subscribers a year ago, to 48.5K to date. Sweet. Cheers JO.

[@joelmorgan7399]

I definitely hear the Gilmour influences. Great homage. I'd love to hear the same solo with a Strat like Gilmour.

[@TheFeelButton]

It does help. Cheers Justin!

[@johnk7147]

Good stuff Justin!!! Very helpful. I wish more studio guys would break shit down like this for us weekend warriors. 🙏🏻

[@dmc549]

D- for execution .... Freaking awesome solo Justin, loved it. .

[@telekaster19991]

Good stuff JO. I'm a hack guitar player at best, but sometimes the track tells you what it needs. I enjoy your channel.

[@reubentrapp]

Thanks for explaining how u think of the music. Love these kind of vids

[@jojjen09]

Nice phrasing and Touch. Btw! Do you still have/use the Revv D20?

[@JustinOstrander]

Yep, I still use that amp a lot.

[@jojjen09]

@@JustinOstrander I recently bought one, sold my Custom Audio PT-100, that i loved so much, had it for ten years, so not an easy decision. But the age of me 🤣 combined with the weight of the amp, finally made me buying the the Revv, and i like it, the only thing i miss is a second channel, but with some good pedals i find it good enough for my needs. Cheers 👍

[@chrisbaillie497]

Really love this ! Would love more of the soloing over chord tones stuff !

[@kisschicken]

When is your course? You have such an interesting approach to soloing.

[@evanogden]

"It looks like it sounds better"

[@TonyThomas10000]

Your fingers make any guitar sound better!

[@Strumbum01]

Beautiful guitar, Justin! Is it heavy?

[@JustinOstrander]

It’s a little under 9 lbs. great weight for an LP

[@Strumbum01]

@@JustinOstrander I agree. I got an 02’ arctic white studio thats right at 9lbs. Sounds and plays great, just can’t gig 4 sets with it anymore.

[@edbernardmusic3599]

"It looks like it sounds better" HAHAHA awesome!

[@jimib3]

Love the way you cut through the bs about every part of the process

[@johndeem5666]

I immediately heard November Rain.

[@lukelarrea7605]

I see the biscuit in the background

[@mikedr1549]

This is some premium stuff right here!

[@ransbarger]

This is so helpful. Thank you.

[@charleswood2182]

What would you think of this approach instead? I'm keyed in on your comments about Gilmore. You know, I haven't heard him. But when you say slow. OK I just have to comment. Sorry! There is some presumption on my part. As to structure of the solo. And what I would want to hear on the release, well, I'm thinking of Alright Now by free. Low AND slow to begin with. And my terminology isn't right. But 1 3 5 and roots. Just sound it out in quarter notes. All that preceding emotion then handed to you and so just take a breath. Just basic and lyrical. so at 10:20, instead of going into bends, two strings together and held. Say a 1 and a 3 followed by 5 1 with 5 the low note. No bends. Then 10:25 when you go up. Yeah, that works there. Then the bend at 10:31. No bend. Play the note you bent to and then a 3rd or 5th, you know the low end of the bend? Why bend there? To soon. Then the song moves up again but that section is still too busy. Wouldn't you want to build to busy? Maybe one bend there as prelude to the crescendo. Did you say there was an extra measure? Hit the crescendo before that measure. Then, back to a variation of a repeat of the start of the solo. The thing is, I would have to play it the way I suggest, execution problems me. But still. When I listen here in Southwest New Mexico the the top country station we can tune in, well. Once I hear a few notes of the solo, well, I can almost sing the rest, and anticipate the embellishments. It's stale to me. I went to Los Lobos a few years ago and they were opening for Los Lonely Boys. I love Los Lobos. And to me LLB could have best stayed home. Execution on guitar for LLB was I guess near perfect. But it was a rehash of an earlier generation. So yeah I'm a bit of crank. But to me, the chord progression is real listenable even though it is complex, busy to make a point? Is the vocal all over the map? I doubt it. But I wonder would what it would sound like if instead of playing in it, you played around it. Seems like there is a lot of room in the frame for slower expression there while still making the tension work at the end of the solo. Again, my humblest apologies for my advocacy for what I want to hear on the radio!!?

[@DominicHudson79]

Best of luck with this one Justin

[@marcsullivan7987]

@@DominicHudson79haha I really appreciated this comment

[@BobbyCulpepper.srv3fender]

What level of pro tools is the minimum to do what you do remotely for studios

[@JustinOstrander]

No idea. I pay the subscription. Mine just renewed. Pro Tools Studio. Free updates as long as I keep forkin over $300+ every year.

[@justinpaquette224]

Great topic

[@SteveHatzman]

Hey Justin. I’m looking to buy some monitors for my little home “studio” build and was wondering what brand are your monitors. I’ve tried to figure it out watching your videos unsuccessfully. Thanks.

[@mritchea]

Look in the description, he has his monitors listed.

[@SteveHatzman]

@@mritchea I did not know that. Thanks.

[@SteveHatzman]

@@mritcheathe monitor right in front of him is not listed. I am curious what that is. Unless it’s some sort of limited run Yamaha.

[@LeeBautista]

They're a prototype build from builder Bobby Holland. Branded as Holl+Zerne that aren't on the market yet

[@Dang...]

FWIW IK Multimedia Micro Monitors are excellent.