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In jazz, a soloist often takes over after another soloist at the end of the previous chorus, rather than wait until the first measure of their own chorus. Essentially this is a pickup bar (or several bars). If everybody else stopped playing, that would be called a solo break. However, is there a proper term for this other, non-soloed "solo break"?

How do I notate in a score if I want the soloist to improvise something catchy as a lead-in to their solo? (I know this possibility is implied by default, everybody knows this and it's probably bad taste to even mention this but in written music you have to be explicit.) Bars with slashes and "ad lib." underneath?

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    I wouldn't even care. What you asking about is mostly part of the arrangement side, which is also up to the performer(s). Besides, what's "catchy"? Even playing absolutely nothing can be quite "catchy" in some situations: remember that rests can be important as much as (if not more than) played notes. If you're writing an arrangement for a specific ensemble, then you may consider the exact opposite: don't tell the soloist what to do, but tell everybody else to leave the soloist their space by using stops/rests/obbligatos in other parts. The soloist will then instinctively know what to do.
    – musicamante
    Commented Dec 15, 2024 at 2:56
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    I have not found taking over a solo at the end of another soloist’s chorus to be a typical occurrence at all in my experience. It is actually considered bad form in most cases because it prevents the first soloist from ending their solo where they choose. The exception is if there is a solo break built into the final chorus of the previous solo.
    – John Belzaguy
    Commented Dec 16, 2024 at 19:36

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Don't think I've ever heard it called anything but just a 'pickup'. Write 'solo' or 'solo pickup' at the appropriate point.

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There's no standard practice for this. Just write "begin solo" at the spot where you want the first or next soloist to cut in.

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It will depend an awful lot on how the previous solo finishes, and how the pick up begins. Both are obviously unwritten, and will be different every time.

Generally, with good players, they won't want to play over each other (bad etiquette), but players who know each other's playing, and are good together, will blend one into another naturally.

If you really must, only use the final bar of the previous solo, and write 'anacrucis pick up' so that they both know what's expected. That way, they will work as a team and not rain on each other's parade.

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  • Thanks for the suggestion! I've heard the word 'anacrusis' in poetry, is it common in music? Have you seen it written that way?
    – Ivan
    Commented Dec 17, 2024 at 15:16
  • Not written this way, but musos would (should?) understand the term.
    – Tim
    Commented Dec 17, 2024 at 15:31
  • ‘Anacrusis’ is a standard term in classical music too.  (Wiktionary gives both prosody- and music-related meanings.)
    – gidds
    Commented Dec 19, 2024 at 14:46

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