SPOILER ALERT: I’m going to give away a “secret” (though I hate to call it that) of improvising (soloing) today. If you still want to live in your little bubble and believe that all those cool notes just flow out of the ether and magically through the hands of your blues idols, you’ll want to skip this…On the other hand, if you’d like to know a little more about what improvisation is all about… read on.
According to the good old wikipedia:
Improvisation is the practice of acting, singing, talking and reacting, of making and creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one’s immediate environment and inner feelings
Okay… so maybe acting, singing, and talking don’t make much sense here, but reacting and creating in the moment are very applicable.
I prefer to define improvisation as “spontaneous composition.” You compose… but right now… on the spot, and then it’s gone (unless you record it.)
So how does this work? I mean, do you really make it all up right here and now?
The answer is, of course not. That’s like telling a 4 year old to get up and give a speech at a banquet – there’s no vocabulary to work with.
If you were to sit down and compose something, think about how you would do that. You’d have to know what key you were in, and that would give you a framework (a set of notes that you knew were okay to use.)
Additionally, you’d use what are called melodic devices – common elements of melody that are ingrained in us. We can’t even escape these patterns and devices if we want to.
Check out this video of Bobby McFerrin showing just how attached we are to our favorite pentatonic scale:
Now check out this video of Joe Bonamassa using the pentatonic scale… very well (over one of my favorite ZZ Top tunes 🙂 Pay particular attention to what he’s playing at about 2:28. It goes by fast, but you can get the idea that it’s a melodic pattern that is being repeated through the scale.
At that tempo and playing that fast, this is not something you come up with in the spur of the moment. And you shouldn’t expect to.
At some point Joe – and you – need to sit down and get those movements ingrained in your fingers. Then… and only then, will licks like that be available to you… even if they are at sane tempos.
So to that end, here’s a clip from my new Pentatonic Scales & Technique Mastery course where I demonstrate what I call “sequences of 3.” I hope you enjoy it and can see the use of it.
Downloads (right click to download):
30 replies to "Why Improvising… Isn’t"
Ah yes! The pieces slowly come together.
Bonamassa is not someone id want to emulate don t get me wrong he is great but not my style. now if you can spend just a couple minutes on Claptons performance of “Love Minus Zero – No Limit” from the 30th Anniversary Dylan concert Id be foaming at the mouth. in my opinion its his best performance ever and its amazing how he mixes the major and minor scales in the solo and they sound incredible. Id give anything to be able to play that solo….
Hi Griff,
That is all great.
I have visited my forum account very rarely and when I do it seems very complicated compared to the LinkedIn or Facebook settings or is it me?.
I have downloaded your Guide and to upload my photo seems extremely hard and followed the tinypic.com etc. Is that why hardly anyone has their picture? Even harder to send a message. So I login and then logout
Maybe I am confused but coming from an IT background selling complex Data Centre infrastructure gear worth millions, I would think I would be able to follow all the multiple instructions. But NO
Maybe someone could advise what they did first time around.
Help with the Forum
Michael -Sydney Australia
Hi Griff, Gee this is just what I needed thanks,its starting to make sense,at least a little,Len.
I have to say the Joe Bonamassa video is not something I would spend my time
trying to learn anything from as he might as well have played the Led Zeppelin songs he copied from. People probably like it because it’s a band, they’re playing music, and people are there for the fun, dance and drinks, but for overall ability with any uniqueness as to what he plays I am not impressed.
Hey Griff thanks for another informative lesson, btw do you or anyone else here know of a metronome that can accent/play beats in triplet, eighth, sixteenth beats etc…. one that has those features built in so it is easy to set and go. Any help with this is much appreciated.
Korg ma 1. Mine is a few years old so the model number may have changed.
Hey Griff,
Great lesson and preferred watching you in Example 23…In which lessons do you teach the Pentatonic Scales, I already know a few including this one but would like to have them handy so as to be able to identify Box 1 Chords.
I am practicing all the chords and licks and rythms, as an ex- semi Pro Drummer I have great timing I have a great business mind which is serving me well at my age at 60 something to memorise everything. Is it still possible to read the Tab Sheets directly from your Laptop while playing in a band or do you need the Sheet music with Tab sheets? I would welcome anyone’s tips on this one. I am not in a band yet ( that is with Lead Guitar) but just want to know how to prepare for it.
I am already inventing some really good sounds but as you said I need to record them otherwise they are gone in smoke. I just love these BGU lessons they just make playing the Blues Guitar a real enjoyable challenge worth achieving but only with you Griff by our sides.
Michael – Sydney Australia
Hi here would you mind leasing me know which web horde you’re utilizing? I’ve manipulative your blog in 3 poles apart internet browsers and I must utter this blog loads a lot earlier next on the whole. Container you recommend a clear net hosting provider on a levelheaded price? Thanks a lot, I value it!
Hey griff
joe plays a little black sab, deep pup, led zep, hendi, gee’s i can here heaps of stuff going on thier. And for a moment, i thought it was you on the drums.
luv your work griff
cant thank you enough for your help.
your insight has helped me heaps and its usually in the little throw away remarks that ring my bells and i can then put things together.
i have progresed from chords to little scsle runs inbetween to little riffs… lightning style i supose, but one thing thats still a little blurry is the theroy, you know i,ii iv kinda stuff.
Gav from Australia.
Thanks Griff! This will make a great warm-up sequence while practicing scales.
Pretty basic but a nice reminder to keep the fundamentals close by and forever finger friendly.
simple stuff that is very elementry . basic principal elements that i was taught in private school. we got a new principal when i was in 6th grade. she taught us to sing and she had wrote a song and taught us how it was done . unfortantally most of that knowledge i have lost ,but,the first video brought some of that back . I like Joe he is a very talented person like his crossroads with Clapton. learned of joe about 3 years ago was lent a cd for some time . i actually self taught Myself some of his work as well. i like the Jimmy page stuff that he kinda blended into that song he did . INTERESTING AS ALWAYS AND THANKS FOR THE INFO . I have seen a simular video where you play down 3 notes start at the second note down and continue down .
This is great, I can see the usefulness of this.
Griff thank you for all the helpful advice and videos.I look forward to always pick up new angles of playing guitar.And just because i play proffessinally doe’sn’t mean i dont benefit from your knowledge.Thank you
Thanks for that! You always make it look so easy! Love the pentatonic scale demonstration! I had to share that one with all my facebook musical friends.
This is really cool, now I get it!!!! I want more!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have said it before, and if this is not obvious as hell, some people are great mechanics, great engineers, great cooks, great at whatever, but because you are accomplished at some skill, does not guarantee or warrant or even have a slim chance you can TEACH IT. Teaching involves too much sacrifice for most.
Not knocking what anyone does or spends their time doing, or demands compensation for their time, doing whatever, but very few can or will teach.
Why it is not economically even steven. You just cannot teach and get the value, our society, and as mentioned, above, society is huge in all we do.
A true teacher will take the time from their time to figure out how to get a particular skill across to each student and each student learns at a different pace, and methodology.
The ability to communicate, the ability to get the idea across, the heart to and endurance it takes to teach is special, you must give of your time for the reward of teaching and knowing you are doing more than a rate per hour to teach.
Just how it is, sure you can teach and some can gain some knowledge or skill and it can be in a defined rate and time, but in the heart of a true teacher is something different than most, I am not saying a teacher who sets up a practice and teaches for x an hour doesn’t provide knowledge, to a student. But a true teacher sees the ability, the desire, and fills those voids, and the clock has nothing to do with it.
Then there are very skilled people who have hearts bigger than the sun, but could not teach that skill in the next 100 years.
Mr. Hamlin is a teacher in the pure sense of teaching, when did you take a guitar lesson with part it from a symposium on science? That was the first time I ever had a guitar lesson with clips from a science study. That made all the sense in the world.
Thank you and great appreciation for the work you do, it must be a blessing, to do something you love, but to make it true teaching, not the same ole thing you can get from many internet sites or local guitar music teachers.
It is appreciated, and it is also amazing, entertaining and way deeper than most teachers of any stripe.
Much appreciated without a doubt one of the best in several categories, playing, entertaining and above all teaching.
Griff,
The Bobby McFerrin video is just enlightening. Thanks.
Thanks Griff for the great lesson and keeping us rolling along
learned this melodic sequencing form you 2 years ago…it is so fun to break in to one of these when i am “improvising”…and it really does sound cool over a jam track, even if i’m playin’ it…i also use the up 6 note and back 2 note sequence….great lesson grif..
thanks
Can’t wait to receive my PS&TM course! It’s on it’s way! Thanks Griff!
Great blog love every part of it. The first video was exceptionally cool!! Thanks again Griff keep pushin us.
Everything you show improves my playing ability and helps me to stick at it! Thanks Griff
PLAYING GUITAR LONG TIME,BUT NOT REALLY PROGRESSING
UNTIL BGU. GREAT STUFF. KEEP IT COMING
I’ve been playing guitar for 43 years now. All has been self taught and considered by some really good. Really wish I had had someone like you to give me instructions along the way. 4 A’s to the Teacher
cool stuff!!!!!
another neat item that I can practice on when I have some limited time…later.
cowboy
Thanks Griff…. this is a great addition to your other courses, I have BGU, SWS and this one… I had learned my PS before taking your courses, but you have helped me break out of the boring da da da and into improvising or noodling.
I am now working on speed and this course takes me there.
Thanks again…
beaux
Griff, I travel all over the world. My wife bought me a Martin Traveling guitar two years ago, so I could practice anywhere. (doesnt replace my stat, but helps).
Until I purchased your course, I would flounder from website to website trying to teach myself.
Now between your course and your emails, it is like having a guitar instructor/mentor traveling with me. Maybe someday I will get good enough to play for my friends…grin. Now I play because it is a great diverson from the everyday stress and keeps me sane.
May sound funny, but if I don’t play for a day or so due to business I start hearing my guitar calling me?
Michael
P.S. That traveling guitar is currently in South Africa, was in the scandanavian countries three months ago and will be in Mongolia in two months. It has been all over the middle east including Bagdad, Kabul, Erbil, Riyadh, Islambad etc. Many other countries as well, so as you can see it is truly a traveling guitar. So your mentorship goes all over the world…lol.