so a couple weeks ago i came to you guys about my alt. picking and got some great advice and resources, since then my alt. picking has gotten on par with the rest of my playing (thanks so much guys ) but there is still one HUGE area im lacking in thats preventing me from getting any "real" practice (jamming)
you see, when i dont have a tempo track behind me i can play good stuff, ive played for many people and they always say "you're so good why aren't you in a band blah blah blah" and then it hit me, ive been avoiding jam sessions because i lose direction once i have to think about tempo and melody at the same time. Whenever i have a rhythm track behind me i have to think too hard to count the beats that i lose any real melodic creativity and just end up playing simple stuff- while this would impress most people in a jam session, im not playing at my full potential and i cant stand that. If i do focus on creating melodic lines i can't change my phrasing at all- for instance i can play some interesting 32nd notes lines, but if i want to change over to say a 16th note triplet lead i wont be able to, id have to stop for a bar to count, then go again.
i've been practicing to a metronome every time i pick up a guitar since you guys told me to a couple weeks ago, mostly to get my alt. picking better. but i still can't switch up my phrasing at all-
so i guess what i'm asking for is some help with improvisation and keeping tempo, or just anything you'd think would help me in a jam situation.
ALSO: im thinking about re0subscribing to a guitar magazine, i had guitar player but i let my subscription run out, which guitar magazine would you guys recommend?