Today is the Day for inexperience/unskilled Tele player

Just got the lineup for Sunday. Our band has pretty much been playing the same songs for years and years, but our bandleader has decided for us to start to doing some newer stuff, which is good.

This week’s new song is “Today is the Day” by Lincoln Brewster. I really like that song a lot. Our regular lead player will be out this week (he’s more of a jazz-style player) leaving me as the sole guitar. I’ve played it solo acoustic plenty of times, but not electric.

I’ve been a three-chord acoustic strummer for 25 years, but I just got a Tele a few months ago. I think I’ve got a grip on the chorus and the droning D thing on the verses; even the little lick in between verses. Listening to the recording there seems to be maybe three different guitar parts going. I’ll probably stick with the simplest part (the part that’s easiest for me to play).


The solo is going to be a problem. I can probably handle the walk up and the little walk back down (with A LOT of practice), but the weedley weedly weedly parts are beyond my skill level at the present. I’m thinking maybe I’ll just hold one long note and make a guitar face and no one will notice. Maybe we could work out an arrangement that cuts out the solo or does a simplified version of it.

Any of you guys do this song?

I know there are videos on youtube showing how to play it (Lincoln Brewster himself has one) but I guess just asking for you guys to wish me luck!

there's lots more folks here much more experienced than me who can give good advice, but i can say don't let yourself get stressed out over it - the more you do it, the easier it gets. there's always gotta be a 1st step. you should have seen me the 1st time i played in church - it would give you alot of encouragement, cause i'm sure you're better than i was.

That solo is way above my skill level as well. But, Lincoln Brewster is a well known guitar player for a reason, and nobody knows who I am for a reason...
I am in a band that plays that song a lot. I ended figuring out a completely different solo that goes over really good. I've heard other versions of that song without that solo (Jeremy Camp) and the song still works. I think it's more important to play what you can, play it well, and feel comfortable with what you are doing, than trying to accurately copy a professional guitar solo. If you can pull that solo off, great, but if you can't it will be noticed and sound bad.

Just do what YOU can do.

That solo is way above my skill level as well. But, Lincoln Brewster is a well known guitar player for a reason, and nobody knows who I am for a reason...
I am in a band that plays that song a lot. I ended figuring out a completely different solo that goes over really good. I've heard other versions of that song without that solo (Jeremy Camp) and the song still works. I think it's more important to play what you can, play it well, and feel comfortable with what you are doing, than trying to accurately copy a professional guitar solo. If you can pull that solo off, great, but if you can't it will be noticed and sound bad.

Just do what YOU can do.

I completely agree. Play within your skill level.

Many Lincoln Brewster solos are beyond my ability too. Some of them start slow and end fast. On those, I play the slow part and then either continue it or make up the rest. On the uber fast and complicated ones, I either skip them all together or make up my own. In general I don't play extended solos in church because I don't think that's what my fellow congregation members want to hear. I will do 2-4 measure leads if the song calls for it however.

I completely agree. Play within your skill level.

Many Lincoln Brewster solos are beyond my ability too. Some of them start slow and end fast. On those, I play the slow part and then either continue it or make up the rest. On the uber fast and complicated ones, I either skip them all together or make up my own.


+1
We played that song a few weeks ago and I had to wing it. Sometimes we don't get our material until a few days before service, and that week was one of them. I did the slow part and improvised the rest with licks that were within my abilities and style.

You can use the D Major scale or the D major Pentatonic.

I’ve been a three-chord acoustic strummer for 25 years, but I just got a Tele a few months ago. I think I’ve got a grip on the chorus and the droning D thing on the verses; even the little lick in between verses. Listening to the recording there seems to be maybe three different guitar parts going. I’ll probably stick with the simplest part (the part that’s easiest for me to play).

I think you are on the right track here. In worship most churches don't usually cover songs to the point of like a tribute band. It's the little signature licks, passing phrases, etc. that people recognize (if they are able to recognize anything at all). Most non-guitar players do not remember exactly how a solo part goes, at least not in the music we play. If there is a section for a solo in your arrangement, just play your own solo.

I know there are videos on youtube showing how to play it (Lincoln Brewster himself has one) but I guess just asking for you guys to wish me luck!

Well, here's better than "a good luck": Just do what you do and enjoy the experience :cool:

All good advice. Don't sweat it. I used to be afraid to try until I realized that if you have an ear for harmony then IF you happen to play a wrong note you can always quickly slide up or down to the right one. Most people wouldn't even notice and the others will think you were taking "artistic licence".

Good advice on playing at my level and not sweating it. I know two professional guitarists (both go to our church) and I'm pretty sure only one of them could do this solo note for note. The other one would wing it and come up with something different but probably just as good.

I think I'll just work up something in the Dmaj or Dmaj pentatonic that fits the song. Even that will be a challenge for me, but a reachable goal.

I suppose it was unrealistic to think I could go from playing like Chris Tomlin to playing like Lincoln Brewster in a couple of days.

have the band play another chorus rather than the solo chord progression which comes out of nowhere and frankly kindof halts the entire groove of the song if you ask me. it's much easier to solo over the chorus chords.

We play that song fairly often, and we do the Paul Baloche version, like this:

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Instead of the Oh-Oh-Oh-Oh vocals at the beginning, it has a really cool guitar riff.

I like this version better--I do the intro riff that Ben Gowell (Paul's electric player) does, but I also add a couple of licks from the Lincoln Brewster version. For the solo, I used to try to copy Ben's solo exactly, which worked out well, but since we've played the song so many times, it evolved into my own solo which I feel very comfortable with, and it fits the song really well. My point is--feel free to make the song your own. :grin:

I transcribed the solo and all other parts by hand from Brewster's video. PM me if you want it. FYI - its not hard but does take some practice to nail consistently.

Lots of youtube instructions.....Lincoln's isn't great, but you can see what he's doing here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tSVpHhW9u9Q&feature=related

I'll say that in almost any Lincoln Brewster song that I do, I write my own solo hinting at what Lincoln did. You don't want to be stretching above your ability during a service. It does nobody any good. I'll also say that I'm not a fan of that particular solo. It sounds too "put together from random pieces" to me. I would definately write my own. I do like the first part of the solo, but would go off with something else and then do somewhat of an echo of the start to give the feel of the original solo. That's my take.

wow, what a great sounding stratocaster!

I think that if this becomes a trend (where you guys do more Lincoln Brewster stuff and you have the privilege of playing), you may be best served by building your hammer-on/pull off techniques (especially with fingers 3 &4). Also, learn the different modes of the pentatonic scale as this is where a lot of Brewster's quick licks are derived from.

Regarding this Sunday, it may be best to improvise and add something different or just kindly suggest that the solo be skipped. I've always felt that while Lincoln Brewster is an awesome worship leader, he does add a ton of solos IMHO... bordering on excessive at times... a bit Nigel Tufnel-esq if you get what I mean.

Get it as close as possible,or do your own solo................it's for worship,not a performance.:wink:

Get it as close as possible,or do your own solo................it's for worship,not a performance.:wink:

This ^^^

We actually played it this past Sunday. Our normal lead guitarist is a stickler and likes to get as close to the original as possible. I'm not at that skill level yet either. I usually try to get close but throw in my own tasteful stuff as well. Just have fun and worship with your guitar, don't worry about the audience, they probably wouldn't notice if you nailed the solo exactly like Lincoln. Hopefully they're worshipping too! :grin:

Ya, just echo what everyone else said. I just do my own solos on something like that. I get in more trouble trying to cop someone else's stuff exactly then just doing my own thing. Especially someone like LB who is a very agile player - which I am not.

And also +1 on the Paul Baloche version - we do it that way too. I like the riffs in that one and the solo is pretty easy.

Ya, just echo what everyone else said. I just do my own solos on something like that. I get in more trouble trying to cop someone else's stuff exactly then just doing my own thing.

+1 to that. I actually try to veer off course whenever possible, so short of riffs that are part of the melody, I'm just going where my hands take me. I doubt that most people in the congregation would either notice or think it was a bad thing if they did, I showed up to play (as in, I want to play, and not just play someone else's parts all the time).

To the OP, try to walk the line between what sounds good to your ear and what you're able to pull off, you'll be much happier about it at the end of the service. And don't be afraid to make mistakes, I clam something at least once every Sunday (and nobody seems to mind).

Well, I've taken everyone's advice. Well, not everyone's...but I did come up with a plan.

I have worked out two solos--one is playing the melody over the chorus chords like someone suggested, and the other is a slower, simpler (way simpler) solo that "fits" during the solo break. I'll try them both out at practice tonight and see how it goes.

That's what I did with this song. I got the rest of the band to play the chorus and I figured out a solo over the chorus. I had no chance of figuring out Lincoln Brewsters solo over whatever it was his band was doing. mrslush50 is right when he says playing with the chorus makes the solo a lot easier. For me at least. It seems to 'fall into place'.

That's what I did with this song. I got the rest of the band to play the chorus and I figured out a solo over the chorus. I had no chance of figuring out Lincoln Brewsters solo over whatever it was his band was doing. mrslush50 is right when he says playing with the chorus makes the solo a lot easier. For me at least. It seems to 'fall into place'.

We met for practice tonight, and that is just what we did. It turned out pretty good.

We played it yesterday in church. It actually turned out pretty well. I had all the rythm parts down (close enough) but I was really nervous about the solo, especially since I never take a solo. I just played the melody of the chorus instead of all of Lincoln Brewster's acrobatics, which are impossible for me anyway. I hit the solo perfectly, but the rest of the band goofed the chords (they were supposed to repeat the chorus) so they just stopped altogether.

It really turned into a "solo" since I was the only one playing (besides the drummer). Anyway, not too bad. We're going to do it again this week and it should go much smoother.

Thanks for all the advice.

Congrats buddy! That's unnerving I know but its the best thing for you. If you've played this long without soloing its because you've not had to. I became a lead player because I joined a band that needed a lead player. I thought I couldn't do it but after a few weeks my wife and friends we're amazed at how I'd progressed so much. Don't run from soloing. Look for your next opportunity and practice it until your sick of it. In the end its definitely worth it.

We played it yesterday in church. It actually turned out pretty well. I had all the rythm parts down (close enough) but I was really nervous about the solo, especially since I never take a solo. I just played the melody of the chorus instead of all of Lincoln Brewster's acrobatics, which are impossible for me anyway. I hit the solo perfectly, but the rest of the band goofed the chords (they were supposed to repeat the chorus) so they just stopped altogether.

It really turned into a "solo" since I was the only one playing (besides the drummer). Anyway, not too bad. We're going to do it again this week and it should go much smoother.

Thanks for all the advice.

I think it's awesome that even though the band overall had a brain fart, you didn't freeze up. That takes some mental discipline, so good job.

Sweet man glad it turned out good. That Paul Baloche style is sick, I'm gonna try it out!