Easiest way of solo: build on the song’s existing melody.
Use different ways to elaborate on a melody.
play around with the melody’s rhythm.
Why do you want to vary the original rhythm?
and not the pitches?
–when you take liberty with the rhythm, you play the melody either looser or straighter.
— you can make it swing, or make it funky or make it jump and pop
— you do all this without changing the basic melodic shape; leave the pitches alone so that the listener still recognizes the melody even as you are varying the rhythmic components
–make something different out of something familiar
Varying the rhythm:
–let you put your personal stamp on the melody
–it is a stylistic thing
–you can speed up or slow down the melody, hold it back for dramatic effect or rush it forward to increase the excitement level
–it’s your solo so the melody is entirely in your hands
–use rhythmic variation to make the melody yours.
6 different ways to vary the rhythm of a melody:
1. simplify it
2. syncopate it
3. employ back phrasing and front phrasing
4. add notes
5. create entirely new rhythmic patterns
Key: to do all these things while still letting the original melody shine through.