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guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sat Aug 13, 2011 10:44 pm
by sylnau
Anybody have a good book or video?
I'm doing everything by ear at the moment... but I want to learn some technics.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 10:59 am
by snipelfritz
Run scales.
Listen to music.
Listen to more music.
Listen to more music.
Dick around for hours on end.
Listen to more music.
Keep dicking around and listening to music.
-Thank you for participating in snipelfritz's improv seminar that will be $800.
but really, like they say, "The best way to learn to play jazz, is to listen to jazz." Just substitute jazz for whatever genre you want to play, unless it's metal. If that's the case, then you're lame and should just go memorize some Metallica solos or some waste of time like that.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:52 pm
by jrmy
snipelfritz wrote:... unless it's metal. If that's the case, then you're lame and should just go memorize some Metallica solos or some waste of time like that.
Thanks again for the completely uncalled for bashing of an entire genre. It always makes people feel really warm and fuzzy towards you. Especially when you realize there are plenty of self-proclaimed metalheads in good standing on ILF who contribute totally valid posts to the forum and don't go around bashing other people's musical tastes.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:19 pm
by snipelfritz
Preeeeeoooww! I'm just joshin'.
That's the problem with writing. It's too easy to assume it's angry. Obviously, he isn't concerned with metal as far as improv goes. Unless he's interested in pioneer free metal. In which case, I commend such creativity.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 2:48 pm
by jrmy
Damnit! There you go bein' all reasonable and nice, when I was getting ready to be all grumpy and angrified. You have my apologies, sir.
As for improv, I'd recommend recording yrself, playing over that, and trying to force yourself into doing stuff that you think will sound wrong. You can stumble into some interesting new things that way.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:21 pm
by kbit
jrmy wrote:As for improv, I'd recommend recording yrself, playing over that, and trying to force yourself into doing stuff that you think will sound wrong. You can stumble into some interesting new things that way.
Good tip. I did this before and came out with a very middle eastern sounding melody, it was killer.
Should do it more often.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:46 pm
by sylnau
Thanks guys...
I'm listening to a lots of different musical genre, I don't like to classified things.
Playing by ear is fun, but I want to learn what I'm doing... like the key I'm playing a song... or some scales to improvise with friends (or my self with a looper), etc...
In no genre in particular.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 3:49 pm
by D.o.S.
I believe the key to improv is to not have any idea what you're going to play before you play it.
I'm talking blindfolded and deaf on an instrument in an open tuning you've never used before.
Otherwise it's cheating.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Sun Aug 14, 2011 11:15 pm
by kbit
Learning theory to improv will probably make things sound more cohesive, but you may get stuck in a grid of what notes you are supposed to play and not venture out of them, which is where most of the interesting stuff is (relatively speaking, of course).
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:22 pm
by hudpucker
What level of player are you?
Beginner? Intermediate? Advanced? Pro-level?
The answer's the same for all of the above: learn more theory.
This message is brought to you by Captain Obvious.

Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 4:53 pm
by jfrey
Get a looper. Throw down a progression, then improv over it. Do this over and over again, and do it differently every time. Make sure you don't get stuck in patterns. Try hitting a random "wrong" note and then figuring out different ways of making it sound "right".
Also, learn theory.
For learning theory (and other things):
http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/ ... uitar.htmlhttp://www.ultimate-guitar.com/lessons/ ... nning.htmlhttp://www.ultimate-guitar.com/columns/ ... art_i.htmlhttp://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p ... A2123C71CD
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 7:12 pm
by sylnau
Thanks...
Theory, that what I wanted.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Mon Aug 15, 2011 9:31 pm
by Derelict78
I had a bass teacher that would tell me to listen to the Weather channel and play along with the music. It helped me out immensely.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 2:07 am
by D.o.S.
Derelict78 wrote:I had a bass teacher that would tell me to listen to the Weather channel and play along with the music. It helped me out immensely.
You heard wrong.

.
.
.
I'll get my coat.
Re: guitar improvisation technics
Posted: Tue Aug 16, 2011 6:53 am
by sylnau