An improvised solo is a spontaneous musical composition that tells a story. Just as in literature, musical stories build tension towards a point in which that tension is resolved. In this article I will present 6 techniques for creating and resolving dramatic tension.

Vary your dynamics throughout your solo. Start soft and build up to loud. In some situations you may have to play at a loud volume level just to be heard. In these cases you must rely on the other methods to build tension.

The notes you don’t play are often more important than the ones you do play. Miles Davis is the best example of using rests, or "playing space". Start your solo with a few short and related ideas. As you build your solo make your ideas longer and closer together.

As you play higher in your range, you bring more excitement to your solo. Start in the low to middle register and build up to your upper register towards the climax. You can use extreme changes in register to help build tension. Another technique is to play a really high note for a long time. (I would use this technique sparingly. Audiences love it, but your fellow musicians might not.)

Use repeated ideas or "motifs" to create continuity in your solo. This is an excellent way to build tension when it is followed by a resolution with a new idea. An extreme of this technique is to repeat one note on varying rhythms. (The song "One Note Samba" is a perfect example.)

Start your solo using consonant notes such as the 3^rds and 7^ths of the chords. As you build tension you can start using extended chord tones such as 9^ths, 11^ths, and 13^ths. Build even more tension by using altered chord tones, unusual modes, and exotic scales.

This technique goes along with using density. The use of double time is a very effective way to build tension. The resolution comes when you go back to the original feel. You can also use half time to draw out the solo as a means of building tension.

Just as in a conversation, you need to let the audience and other members of your group know that you are finishing your solo. After you have reached your high point you need to conclude your solo by using the reverse approach to which you used to build it.

These are not rules, only suggestions. Sometimes the best way to create tension is to do what is unexpected. Use contrast to your advantage. Take these ideas and mix them up to create a solo that has a cohesive flow and sense of direction. Use your imagination, tell a story, and have fun.