Author Description

Timeless Solos is a play on words. The solos in this volume contain no time signatures or bar lines. I did this because I wanted the solos to be very expressive in interpretation yet free-form in structure. The companion recording presents my interpretation of these works. You may interpret them differently and that is fine! All solos are in notation and tablature. When writing these solos I first envisioned the form as an extended cadenza. However, from my earlier trumpet playing days I recalled that, especially in the 19th century, a cadenza was a momentary break in a solo which gave the performer a chance to dazzle the audience with his or her virtuosity. These solos are not about that. Rather, they are a vehicle to give the guitarist an opportunity to move the listener with the performer's expressive ability. I also thought of these solos in the form of a chant. However, most chants are monophonic in form and these solos in various parts present a fairly lush harmonic structure. While the solos were written for a 7 string guitar, they may be played successfully on a 6 string guitar. Alternate notes for those found on the 7th string are shown in the tablature part. Also, the solo, Peace, is written in Dropped D tuning and makes little use of the 7th string pedal tones. The solos are contemplative in nature and provide ample opportunity for individual expression and interpretation. I hope you enjoy playing and performing these works.