Improv Help! Options

[Déjà vu]

I was watching your "Evening Blues" lesson, and you mentioned improv... I was just wondering if when you improv that the licks you play are completely "On-the-Spot", or if they are structured and familiar to you... Can you take any lick and play it perfectly in any scale, without worrying about missing a few notes along the way? How long can you usually improv before you feel a certain amount of repetitiveness (this is a problem I currently have). What do you think the best solution is to this problem is, and what do you think the most effective way to improve my improv is (practicing with backing tracks, learning new licks, etc.)

I currently know the C-Major scale all over the fretboard, but I only feel comfortable improving in certain places. I also have the same problem with the E-Minor Pentatonic scale...

I'm trying to get out of my old habits of playing the same boring pentatonic runs every time I try to improv, so I thought I'd ask you because I think you're style, tone, phrasing, and backing tracks are just the best!

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[Rain]

If I may intrude on your forum Marcus I think I have a decent answer for this question.

at least 80% of all "improv" is pre-practiced in some form or another. You either got your lick from a scale or a pattern or even just invented it all by yourself right before a show - but regardless of how you did it - you still learned it prior to the show. Now - that all said - there are always opportunities to "stumble" upon some great licks - but to find a lick is one thing - improving the /entire time/ is just never going to happen (realistically).

So - practice practice practice and add as many varied and unique licks to your repertoire as you can and get out there and impress the world with your string of familiar licks and scales.

I hope I did an adequate job Marcus - feel free to demolish what I just typed if you see fit!


EDIT: One thing to add... if you are constantly "improving with your pentatonic stuff a lot" prevent yourself from using those licks and use new licks that you have learned in their stead until THEY become as common-place and boring in your arsenal of licks... from there - keep adding more and more and you will have an amazing guitar vocabulary. Also, try making some longer "pentatonic" licks if the ones you play are boring to you - try to spice em up and give them new feeling if you like me enough.

You are at GuitarMasterClass.net

Don't miss today's free lick. Plus all our lessons are packed with free content!

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This post has been edited by Rain: Jan 23 2009, 12:57 AM