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Other times I practice melodic patterns, triads, arpeggios, licks, everything that will
spice up my improvisation skills. You can never stop growing. There is always more to
learn and explore.
Improvising is one of the most fun and fulfilling aspects of guitar playing, but also
something that requires a lot of hard work and dedication. It’s the next step in
becoming a better guitar player.
Here are 10 basic essentials that will help you become a better improviser.
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1 – Pentatonics / blues
Learn to play the pentatonic/blues scale all over the neck in all five shapes. It will take
some time to learn this thoroughly, but if you practice regularly it will really pay off.
The pentatonic / blues scale is the corner stone of all soloing in blues, pop, country,
rock and metal. Learn not only the scale, but also how to use it for improvisation. See
below.
2 – Major Scale
Next to the pentatonic scale, the major scale is the most important scale to learn.
Learn to play the major scale all over the neck in every position starting from the root
note. Again this takes time, but learn thoroughly. It is worth the effort.
Once you can play the scale in all positions, connect the different shapes/positions
with each other. For example: Play one part of the scale in the first position, continue
the scale in the second position and then go on to the third position. Experiment and
try different combinations.
The most exciting and challenging part is learning how to improvise with the scales.
That is what you are heading for.
3- Melodic patterns
Melodic patterns or sequences will help you not to sound like you are playing scales
all the time. It will expand your possibilities and create more freedom in your playing.
They are really useful when improvising. Learn to play the scales in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths,
6ths, 3 in a line, 4 in a line, etc.
Example:
Major scale = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
C major scale = C D E F G A B C D E F G A B C
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4 – Random notes
Practice playing random notes through the scale. For example:
Major scale = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
This will help you to learn the scale thoroughly, it will make you more flexible and
again give you more freedom when improvising.
5 – Triads
Triads are used to open up your playing and get away from playing diatonic and
pentatonic scale runs. Triads are 3 note chords. You can play a triad starting from the
first/root note (the root position triad), from the second note (the 1st inversion) and
from the 3rd note (2nd inversion). There are 4 different types of triads : major, minor,
augmented and diminished. A major triad is formed by the 1st, 3rd and 5th note of the
major scale.
Example:
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Learn all the triads you can play through a major scale. For example:
C major scale: Cmajor triad, Dmin triad, Emin triad, Fmajor triad, Gmajor triad, Amin
triad and Bdim triad. You can use all these triads improvising through a Cmajor scale,
A minor scale or A minor pentatonic.
6 – Arppegios
Learn arpeggios and incorporate them in your playing. Arpeggios are like triads, they
are used to open up your playing and create more color and variety to your
improvisation. A triad is actually an arpeggio if it is played note by note, ascending or
descending. While a triad contains only three notes, an arpeggio can be expanded with
a b7, maj7, a 9th, 11th, etc which gives you endless possibilities.
7 – Licks
A lick is a short series of notes that creates a cool melodic line which can be used in
your improvisation. Increase your lick vocabulary. Learning new licks is an ongoing
process that will keep your improvisation sound fresh and help you grow becoming a
better player.
8 – Modes
Learn to play all the 7 modes of the major scale to expand your improvising skills even
more. The 7 modes are:
– Ionian = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
– Dorian = 1 2 b3 4 5 6 b7 8
– Phrygian = 1 b2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
– Lydian = 1 2 3 #4 5 6 7 8
– Mixolydian = 1 2 3 4 5 6 b7 8
– Aeolian = 1 2 b3 4 5 b6 b7 8
– Locrian = 1 b2 b3 4 b5 b6 b7 8
9 – Solos
Transcribe and learn solos from the greatest guitar players to be inspired. Steal, copy
their licks and make your own out of them. Study how they phrase and use rhythm in
their soloing. Learn solos in different styles and genres; Blues, rock, country, metal,
pop, etc. There is much to be learned from different guitar players.
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10 – Improvise
The best way to learn how to improvise is actually do it.
Put on your favorite songs or use a backing track and start improvising over the chord
progressions. Play licks. melodic patterns, triads, arpeggios, every thing you learned,
then combine, improvise, phrase, experiment, make mistakes, try again, put your soul
into it and let your fingers lead the way.
Regardless of what you play, the biggest thing is keeping the feel going. – Wes Montgomery
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Related Posts:
1. Pentatonic Scale Shape Exercises Around The Fretboard
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Comments
junil says
July 5, 2010 at 6:33 pm
i like ur tutorials very much. it’s been of great help. i’m learning to play the guitar(acoustic so
far) very passionately on my own for the last year and a half. i’ve saved this page for future
referrals. thanks for this very helpful article!
Hi Junil,
Klaus Crow
pewehh says
July 8, 2010 at 9:01 pm
Good advices! I’d like to add: try to imitate the melody of the singer (if present) with all it’s little
detunes and phrasing. That will make your improvisation much more vivid and unique and will
improve your ability to play emotional lines!
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Hi Pewehh,
I once heard a story about bass player Jaco Pastorius. He tried to play along the vocal melody of
every song he heard on the radio or TV for hours and hours.
Klaus Crow
Jim says
July 20, 2010 at 2:56 pm
Hi Klaus
I’m sorry but I am no longer able to hold my guitar where it should be held. (I’ve lost the key to
the case) and besides it took me over 50 years to learn the intro to Johnny B Goode. What
ngers do you play pentatonics with? I’ve been trying for so long now but my children always
tell me to take off my gloves rst, but it’s so cold out here at the bottom of my garden where
every one tells me where to go and practice. I play all the right notes but in the wrong order.
Your numbering seems a bit confusing. I tried loading it up in my Jam man but then I forgot to
tread on it. I think that you don’t need to practice scales as such you need to remember where
to put your ngers. That is after you’ve taken off your boxing gloves.
Well, I must practice again or my teacher (Andres) will smack me. He can’t Segovia much
nowadays.
You asked for comments so I thought I’d join in, but I can’t think of anything sensible to say after
you’ve said it all!!!
Thanks for your Guitar Habits
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Hi Jim,
Maybe you would like to check out my post “The 5 Pentatonic Scale Shapes You Must Know”.
http://bit.ly/cjmPQJ
Here you can see how and where to put your ngers on the strings.
I hope your family will be a little more considerate in the future concerning your guitar
ambitions.
Aum says
July 30, 2010 at 9:57 am
Hi Klaus,
I stumbled upon your link at the most crucial part of my life where I need to make a pact with
myself that i practice everyday for at least 2 hours. And these essentials is just what i wished for
to get me started. I do jam with my bands at least 2wice a week,but i feel that practicing as a
group is not the same as practicing alone. I am trying to convince the rest of the band to get into
the individual practice routine they don’t listen. How do professional bands do it?
Thanks again,
Aum (India)
Hi Aim,
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Klaus Crow
Kevin says
August 11, 2010 at 3:13 am
Hey, I love the article, it’s a great tutorial. I think it would help to explain that the pentatonic
scale is the same as the major scale except it leaves out two notes. So when people are trying to
learn the major scale, they won’t feel like they’re trying to learn a whole new series of notes and
can instead relate to the pentatonic scale to understand where the other notes lie on the
fretboard. Also, I think you should mention that modes are simply playing the major scale (i.e.
same spacing of notes) except you start and end on a note other than the root. I know these
things are somewhat basic, but if people don’t know them then it can make learning how to play
seem a lot more dif cult. Just thought I’d put in my two cents.
Hi Kevin,
Klaus
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I truly wanted to write down a brief note so as to say thanks to you for the splendid
ways you are giving out on this site. My extended internet look up has nally been rewarded
with professional details to write about with my family members. I would admit that most of us
site visitors are undoubtedly endowed to dwell in a superb network with very many wonderful
people with insightful tips. I feel somewhat grateful to have come across your web site and look
forward to really more thrilling minutes reading here. Thanks once more for everything.
ben says
May 29, 2011 at 3:12 am
http://www.akaname.net
enjoy… or not :/
In school I recieved 6 in song. (Music). Nobody recieved any worse. So I gave it up.
When about 30 yars old I built a 4 string “guitar” with strings of plastic line.. Then I dared buy a
*real* guitar with steelstrings and later my still favorite guitar with nylonstrings.
All acustical.
I *have* played guitar more or less classical style. I really liked to pick russian tunes, old and new
in ngerstyle. However the russian music often asks for less thin sounds than you can get from
a semiclassic ” guitar.
On a visit to a russian speaking country I bought a simple but beautiful sounding Bayan which I
imagine seems to love the russian tunes. I have been training Bayan for about 6 years starting
at the age of 70. Not so terribly young isn’t it.
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My present teacher has recommended that I somehow should learn to play music without
depending on notesheets.
Although my instrument presently is mainly Bayan with some interspersed guitar and
harmonica I belive that playing by ear and improvising is mostly similiar whatever instrument
you play.
I shall certainly read what I found on your site and try to assimilate it.
Perhaps you would be interested to write something about how to connect the tune you hear
and alternatively the tune you hear in your head to performance on guitar or whatever.
Anyways I’ll read your texts and it seems as if there were valuable hints in them
Thanks
presentation says
July 19, 2011 at 10:56 am
This is great content. You’ve loaded this with useful, informative content that any reader can
understand. I enjoy reading articles that are so very well-written.
I appreciate well-written and informative content. This article shows the writer’s knowledge of
the subject matter as well as masterful writing skills. I enjoyed this article and will return for
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Nevi says
September 19, 2011 at 2:24 pm
Odchudzanie says
September 30, 2011 at 12:42 pm
When I originally commented I clicked the -Notify me when new comments are added-
checkbox and now each time a comment is added I get four emails with the same comment. Is
there any way you can remove me from that service? Thanks!
Hiya! Quick question that’s totally off topic. Do you know how to make your site mobile
friendly? My blog looks weird when browsing from my apple iphone. I’m trying to nd a theme
or plugin that might be able to correct this issue. If you have any suggestions, please share.
Thank you!
Hi Odchudzanie,
Each time you get a notifying email for new comments there’s an unsubsribe section at the
bottom of the email. Check or uncheck the box (depending on the question) and submit.
Best regards,
Klaus Crow
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Mehmet says
December 21, 2011 at 5:06 pm
Hey Klaus
Thank you for this great post. It is inspiring i can say. I really enjoyed reading it. Thanx
Hi! Would you mind if I share your blog with my myspace group? There’s a lot of people that I
think would really enjoy your content. Please let me know. Thank you
Hai Shaneka,
Be my guest.
Best regards,
Klaus
Lothar says
January 29, 2012 at 11:29 am
Hi Klaus, thank you for this great blog! It’s a veritable goldmine of information!
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Andres says
June 29, 2012 at 11:18 pm
Stefan says
July 27, 2012 at 5:43 am
Hey there, i dont get it with the modes, if you learn you majorscale in all positions u basically
know all the modes already
Pls I want to ask that which of the strings when improvising is the most appropriate to take
ones root note from,,is it the second or the third string because some lick are easier to copy
when you pick your root note from the third string and vice-versa…thanks
Sam says
January 24, 2013 at 8:03 pm
Chaliq says
February 1, 2013 at 2:41 am
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Very cool
pizza says
March 12, 2013 at 9:05 pm
Hi klaus, am just indebted to comment that you have said it all,coincise,precise and extremely
article right there!!!!!
There is a old Japansese Haiku that says, “Snail Snail. Climb Mt. Fuji. Slowly Slowly.
Thanks for your words on Tao and Zen and your words on the Fretboard. The information
which is on the Ten Essentials, is challenging. When you talk about melogics and triads it goes
beyond me and I don’t know how to use it. I think thta if there were further explanation on
these area it might help. I will read it a few more times to see if I can apply it.
I think you owulld appreciate it, at least from my point of view.
Keep up the good work. The fretboard entry is well worth doing. Perhaps I will prgress enought
to make use of the rest.
Patience is the key
sanidhya says
June 7, 2013 at 12:09 am
Hi!
Just 2 questions.
What should a daily 30 min warm up session for a guitar include?
Is it really a good idea to learn sweep picking when you’re done with the modes and scales?
Thanks.
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sinep says
June 18, 2013 at 2:00 pm
jair says
September 10, 2013 at 1:39 am
Yes. Everyone, that point about pentatonics, someone said it, a pentatonic scale with just 2
notes added becomes a major scale. So learn the pentatonics well, then add in that missing 4th
note and that missing 7th note and you have the major scale. They also said the other
fundamentally important thing, about modes, that the major scale and the mode scales are the
same scale, just start on any chosen note and nish an octave higher. So in C scale you might
choose to start on D and play DEFGABCD or start on F and play FGABCDEF. D to D is the 2nd
mode, F to F is the 4th mode. To really hear it working play the mode against it’s chord, so the
chords for the key of C are C, Dm, Em, F, G7, Am, Bm7 at5. So to hear that 2nd mode for
example play the Dm chord while playing the scale DEFGABCD. To hear the 4th mode for
example play the F chord and play the scale FGABCDEF. Same for any mode you choose, same
principle for any key you choose. Staying in the mode is a great way to explore improvisation.
Do not underestimate the value of this, it is the best simple thing i have discovered. Try it with a
friend. The possibilities are limitless. I’d call it modal soloing on a modal chord, because that is
what it is. Hear the character of each mode, make in nite melodies of any chosen avour.
Shimmy says
September 11, 2013 at 3:34 am
karma says
September 13, 2013 at 11:56 am
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thanks man this is really very helpful. I’ve been going around simply playing the scales back and
forth and have heard about it helping in the formation of chords and improvising and stuffs bt
the articles that i’ve read dont actually teach you how to do so…..the examples are really
helpful!!! This has really helped me…..looking forward for some more tips so that i can make my
guitar playing experience even better!
Jair says
September 13, 2013 at 1:15 pm
When you play the modal scale against its chord, you’ll nd the sweetest note will be the root
note of the chord. Then every second note, will be sweet too. Example: play C chord, the
sweetest notes of the scale CDEFGABC (against the C chord) will be CEGB, [every second
note from the root note C]. Another example: play Dm chord, the sweetest notes of the scale
CDEFGABC (when played against the Dm chord) will be DFAC, [every second note from the
chord’s root note D]. Same, for Em chord the root note E is the sweetest, EGBD are all quite
sweet. Same for F chord, sweet with FACE. For G, sweet with GBDF. Am, sweet with ACEG.
The 7th chord is Bm7 at5 also called B half diminished, it is sweet with BDFA.
In fact the sweet notes in each instance ARE the chord, that is what a chord is (in a perfectly
harmonised musical world / while note substitutions might create ‘less perfectly’ harmonised
chords, such as sus2’s and sus4’s etc). So it is pretty obvious the notes of the scale, create all
the chords of the key, in their respective combinations. When improvising play any of the scale
notes, hear them against the chord to hear the mode, hear their sweet notes occuring at every
2nd note, know that the root note of your chosen chord is the core note of your mode and
therefore is the sweetest note in its mode.
Chords can be extended. Two note ‘chords’ become more like a true chord when they get an
additional note to become a triad. 4 note chords become maj7ths or minor 7ths, (add another
note, you are into the next octave), to get a fully eshed out 9th chord, same applies when
building 11th’s and at13th’s, etc, though it becomes practical to omit obvious notes wuch as
5ths (which somebody else will probably be playing anyway).
Matt says
February 25, 2014 at 6:13 am
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Great article, I’d like to add this link if I may: http://unlockthefretboard.weebly.com, it’s
a great book on guitar improvisation I’ve been working out of and de nitely goes well
with your master list! Cheers!
Matt says
July 22, 2014 at 5:25 am
Gina says
August 19, 2014 at 5:01 pm
This is such an amazing website. It has a lot of practical knowledge. I really need to change the
way I think. I have to realize that there are no good or bad practice sessions. Everything is a
learning experience!
Manjay says
October 4, 2014 at 8:21 am
Hey
Thanks for the good habits. I really appreciate it. It been almost 16 yrs I played guitar still there
so many thing to learn. Though I didn’t took classes for guitar these things really help me..
Really appreciate u man..
Matt says
January 8, 2015 at 3:38 am
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May I recommend learning the Major scale rst then the three forms of the minor scale, before
focusing on Pentatonic. The major and minor scales are by far the most used scales of the past
three hundred years and practicing them will lead to an understanding of keys. Fluency with
keys and understanding there relationships to each other will make you the most affective
musician in the room.
Also, knowing all three triad inversions and hearing the difference between each will add depth
and color to your playing.
Practice hymns. These will get you playing in the at keys that you may not be used to. Plus
people love hymns.
A great article and on the topic which requires most effort, work and understanding. Thanks for
sharing :)
Daz says
October 26, 2017 at 11:41 pm
Hi, This information is exactly what I’m looking for. I learned the pentatonic scale and can’t
seem to do anything with it.
Hi, great article. I’ve been playing solos for a while myself and I can tell this is some usefull stuff.
Still modes is something that I nd super confusing. I almost never pay attention to them and it
seems absolutely ok. Is it necessary to learn all the dif cult modes to get better at improv?
Thanks.
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