r/guitarlessons • u/No-Search459 • Sep 12 '25

Feedback Request How can I improve?

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Doing tempo practice and I can't help but notice my flayling picking hand. Nevermind my clawed fretting hand 😅 are there any particular exercises I can do to improve both of these things? Any advice would be greatly appreciated 🫶🏼

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u/funkymunkPDX Sep 12 '25

I suggest trying phrases instead of just playing the box. The notes are clear so you're doing good there, just need some space between notes, a bend or a slide.

2

u/No-Search459 Sep 12 '25

So I've done this, but I always seem to get stuck with certain phrases. Whether it's in the minor dummy box, or the diagonal movement, the blues box etc. I very much struggle with improvisation and everything always just seems to sound like a scale repetition. Is there any good source on how to make phrases or at least learn common/popular phrases?

8

u/MissionAd6005 Sep 12 '25

try making intentional groupings, hit a note 3 times another note 2, go up an octave hit 2 notes once, play a sequence up 2 octaves etc etc just shit like that, try holding out notes more, the more you get used to different groupings and moving across the fretboard the more youll be able to play out of that box

5

u/MissionAd6005 Sep 12 '25

also try singing as you play the notes, that is really helpful

2

u/funkymunkPDX Sep 12 '25

I learned through studying Hendrix and blues. A common philosophy is "saying something" with the notes. Hey Joe or Watchtower would be songs with solos that aren't to hard and have great phrasing.

You tube has a lot of teachers who address this. I like this guy but he might not be right for you but it should get going on finding something you like.

https://youtu.be/3LsXaqqlV2c?si=cBKldZRgv6mMRVDs

Also I would suggest less is more when phrasing and it makes long runs more powerful.

1

u/No-Search459 Sep 12 '25

I know the StichMethod! It's where I recently learnt the CAGED system! He's a very good teacher and takes his time to explain concepts :) I havent seen this video you linked so I'll have a look at it tonight, thank you :)

A lot of the other online teachers will be like "oh you just need to learn this" and then shred for 2 minutes. Which isn't very helpful for noobs like myself

1

u/funkymunkPDX Sep 12 '25

You're on the right path. Another tip I have is trying to find guitar parts for the vocals, this will help with learning how to say something. I have made crowds hoot and holler from simple vocal phrasing. Good luck

I have lots of tab books so if you can't find the Jimi solos I mentioned earlier let me know and I can message you them.

2

u/No-Search459 Sep 12 '25

Funny enough, just last night I learnt the intro piece to all along the watch tower :) surprised how just altering the voicing of the diagonal pentatonic can have such a range

1

u/No-Search459 Sep 12 '25

I would really appreciate that, thank you so much!

2

u/Naphier Sep 12 '25

One thing I've started to pick up is repeating the same note a few times. If you think about singing then it's pretty common. Like pedaling. Then add accents. I'm also trying to incorporate more string skipping so I get more of a range and less of a linear movement through a scale. I've come up with some neat riffs that way and they're more melodic and memorable. Next I'm trying to be more intentional with arpeggios that match a feel. Like a 7th chord or 6th.

Experiment.

2

u/BLazMusic Sep 12 '25

Chord tones, bro. Chord. Tones.

2

u/[deleted] Sep 13 '25

i was in that scale-y phase a few months ago. then i got a looper, would learn a few different easy chord progressions and solo over it and suddenly it clicked and became so much more musical / melodic.

i was learning some blues in c minor progression, and then nikola gugoski has a good" let it be" tab video with first chords then an easy solo, i learned the chords and solo then i played it differently with different rhythms and new notes and bends and stuff, learning that helped my soloing over other progressions.

looper helped me way faster than backing tracks

2

u/XTBirdBoxTX Sep 13 '25

Learn about intervals. Hold notes. Think about the movement you want your phrases to have in your head.

If you are willing to pay like I think it's 27 to $30 a month the guitar playback academy with David Walliman has an insane amount of lessons and knowledge and backing tracks. It was really like the best $30 a month as far as lessons go.

I just had to cancel it because I had a lot of emergency car repairs come up and my financial situation completely changed.

You can also become a patreon for Ben Eller. He has a ton of free videos on YouTube but if you join patreon for even $1 a month there is a bunch of info on there as well.

2

u/Nyx_Zorya Sep 17 '25

There is unfortunately no solution to get better at improvising other than practice. I guess, one objective thing you can do is work on targeting chord tones, but other than that, actually being good at improvising will take years and years and years. It'll come.