Any ideas on breaking away from the box?

Eujean · 2015-08-05T16:03:54+00:00

I've been playing guitar for about 2 or so years now.. I struggle improvising because every time I try, I basically fall back into the minor pentatonic boxes. I know all 5 shapes, and understand how they work, but I can't seem to find something that works ☹ For example, I would start with something, then almost after about 6 or so notes run out of ideas where to go next. Then I find myself just jumping back and forth between the same 2 strings playing the same notes. This frustrates me, because I know the notes of the scale, and how they link up, but don't know how to phrase or use them to make it sound like something that doesn't just sound like ascending or descending a scale. Any ideas on how or what I should practice more?

V8

Eujean wrote Do you look at a mirror while playing and scream at the top of your lungs: "THIS IS THE FLAT 3RD" just after playing the note.

It's been known to happen... ???

For me that's ear training - damn useful, especially for improv/jams but -in the long run- I just want to be more vocal in my lead playing and ultimately play what I sing. The guitarists who I enjoy are vocal players (Jimi, SRV, BB king) & a lot of jazz (bass & guitar) players are all about the melody line - and as Singe & Norio posted there are techniques to playing with the concept.

I've been figuring out a friend's vocal melodies the last few weeks - good all round practice (especially patience). There was some therory involved too - was the melody minor pentatonic, major scale...etc. Though was I found most interesting was the phrasing...

singemonkey wrote There's no particular *need* to rush all over the fretboard. The trick is learning to play the notes that you want to play, rather than letting your fingers decide for you.

And I can't put it better than this ^^^. Too often I found my fingers moving when the melody didn't!

And it all begun with nursery rhymes...I figured out a handful of major scale ones (the hard way, singing then playing) and built on that. Row, row, row your boat...

Hendrik

I'm sure most guitarists experience this 'problem' when first playing the pentatonics and other scales. I say problem in inverted commas because it isn't really a problem unless you make it one, as some of the other guys have said you can learn to express yourself in that box or out.

When I had this issue I tried to forget about all scales, theory and advice I'd ever received and just play to enjoy the guitar again, to feel the notes and not think them. I like to put a false note in every now and again to add some expression and uniqueness.

This is obviously something that every guitarist will address in his/her own way, forget about all the rules, bend them break them and make your own.

Eujean

I've been making some slight progress on this..

I really really found that ChordBot app Norio suggested helps quite a bit..
I did also try voicing my leads, but I always end up trying something way to complicated, and go back to just noodling.

What my practice schedule has turned into, is basically still starting at the first G minor pentatonic shape, then just start moving through the positions, but focusing on not really hitting adjacent notes, and real emphasis on phrasing.

Another thing a friend suggested to me, and this somewhat blew my mind again, not sure how to use this properly, but in no rush either. He said, try playing the E major scale starting at 7th fret on A string, then jump between the scale and the open E string. First time I thought, what's the big deal, sound just like a standard major scale. He said, then move the shape so that the second note falls on the E of the 7th fret. Play the scale again, and hit that open E in between the scale. Suddenly, it sounds completely different, but still in the key of E apparently. Then he briefly mentioned the "modes", which I have heard of before, but never knew they change the overall sound so much.. It does make sense though, how the sound changes measured (Intervals) from the root note.

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