Samantha Fish shares best soloing advice

When Samantha Fish reflected on her approach to guitar solos, she admits to being overly enthusiastic, packing her solos with every trick she knew. This excessive demonstration of blues guitar playing often overshadowed the music itself. Fish’s eagerness to showcase her skills meant veering away from the essence of the songs during performances and recordings. This inclination is common among budding musicians trying to assert themselves and prove their abilities.

Fish’s turning point came during the production of her 2015 album, Wild Heart, where Luther Dickinson intervened with blunt feedback. Dickinson’s advice was straightforward – there was a melody within the song that needed to be captured and expanded upon rather than indulging in flashy solos. He emphasized that finding and building around the song’s hook, creating a counterhook, and developing the solo from there was crucial. Dickinson’s intervention was pivotal for Fish, prompting her to realign her perspective on guitar solos and their role within a song.

Guitar solos are a crucial aspect of electric guitar performance, demanding precision and musicality. A well-executed solo can be career-defining, as seen with Eddie Van Halen’s groundbreaking “Eruption.” Van Halen’s technical prowess not only showcased his skills but also revolutionized the perception of the guitar as an instrument. Conversely, poorly executed solos can appear self-indulgent or become the subject of ridicule. For Fish, the challenge lay in balancing her technical proficiency with musicality to enhance the song rather than overpower it.

In her formative years as a blues guitarist, Fish was eager to impress, often overloading her solos with intricate licks and improvisations. Drawing from her experiences in jam sessions, where improvisation was key, she found herself drifting away from the original essence of the music. Dickinson’s advice served as a wake-up call, urging her to focus on capturing the core melody of the song and crafting a solo that complemented it. This shift in perspective allowed Fish to create solos that resonated with the audience and enhanced the overall musical experience.

To Fish, the key takeaway was to revisit the initial hook of the song and seamlessly integrate it into the solo, creating a cohesive narrative that resonated with the listeners. This approach, rooted in melody and structure, not only elevated her solos but also earned her the audience’s applause and appreciation. By aligning her technical prowess with the musicality of the songs, Samantha Fish transformed her guitar solos from overindulgent displays to soulful expressions that captured the essence of the music.