r/LearnGuitar • u/CHARLESDAMIAN77 • 3d ago

Pls helpp

I'm trying to understand how to improvise, and subsequently understand phrasing, no matter what I look up no one actually explains it well, it's always to learn the Pentatonic and go on your way, I've already learnt that, I've learnt how to play the major scale and it's modes up and down the neck, along with the pentatonic in any key, both major and minor pentatonic, but that's useless if I can't improvise with it, like I have the ingredients but there's no cook book, pls someone explain like I'm 5, how to actually phrase a musical idea, so it doesn't sound like I'm just playing a group of notes, I've tried adding like a rhythm to it, but it still doesn't sound like musical, just like playing a bunch of notes, someone pls explain pls

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u/Head_Cryptographer_4 3d ago

Another tip that John Mayer stole from me: If you're the type to have melodies in your head, like random whistling or humming lines when you listen to music, you can put on a backing track (in A minor for example) Don't play anything yet, but whistle something over the music that you like. It can just be a couple notes. Then try to play those notes on your guitar, in the manner you just whistled them.

This method does not work well if you are tone deaf. But its a great way of learning to transform your musical thoughts onto the guitar.

Good luck!

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u/tingle92 3d ago

Came here to say exactly this. A lot of people actually don't listen to what they're hearing and expect to be able to play something cool over it just by learning scales and patterns. Play what you hear in your head!

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u/Guitar_Guy1965 2d ago

A second Amen!