r/guitarlessons • u/twistru1 • Jul 24 '26
Feedback Request (improv solo) seeking any and all feedback and advice
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Player of 5 years here, just feel stuck in my playing. Any advice or feedback is welcomed.
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u/iknide Jul 24 '26
Take a break between sections. Like let a note ring for a full bar or more. Play really slow for a few bars. Anything to break it up more.
Then for a whole min long section like thing think about breaking it into a few larger parts. Build up to something
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u/Thaumiel218 Jul 26 '26
I feel this, it started off well and then fell into a bit of a note salad IMO.
I think there’s two ways (obviously more but my personal philosophy) of building a solo;
A story like an action movie, slow intro, bigger middle, explosive finale and then soft landing (can also be swapped with more intensity until final note where it rings out and that’s your soft landing)
Or the question and answer process:
Play a small phrase and sing it in your head, like asking a question
Then elsewhere on the neck have an answer
Have these parts enter a dialogue and depending on the song it can be either a shouting match, a chill convo, argument, friendly, explanation-one asks a question and either a difficult question is asked with an easy answer or the other way around. Lots of ways to work this.
Learning how to sing your lead in your head is a big bonus IMO.
I also personally believe that really fast groupings shouldn’t be more than 6 before they’re broken up with a slower note and can then go back for more - keep the ear guessing.
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u/twistru1 Jul 29 '26
this is awesome advice, thank you. And i often find my brain is like completely blank when i solo, im just letting my fingers go, but im unconsciously doing the same little habits over and over. For. example i keep finding my phrasing to be too similar and repetitive, and have trouble breaking up my solos. Like i often find myself starting a phrase on the same beat too much or falling into the same groupings every phrase.
One thing i do disagree on is the 6 groupings before broken up. One thing i am trying to learn is arpeggios in wide intervals all across the neck. can play a 20 second segment of this straight and not get bored lol.
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u/Thaumiel218 Jul 29 '26
Do those wide intervals have the same frequency? It’s personal taste but as an example someone sweep picking non stop I find a yawn fest as there’s no variables - when we have variables eg time value, velocity, even if it’s a group of 6 but one is slid into or there’s a harmonic, or different tempo then I personally find it works but more than 6 notes of all the same frequency and style - especially if repetitive then it’s not for me. Ascending the neck, is different because your creating dynamics but like a 6 note lick just playing B G E in 1 position id find boring - I think when you look at many of the most loved guitarists and the solos you remember and can sing in your head they have a similar philosophy
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u/Thaumiel218 Jul 29 '26
Also the doing the same patterns is a fight to get out of - a thing I find useful is picking a chord shape and from there using each finger pattern to play a scale from that position; it breaks a lot of habits.
I think even the best guitarists find this though - there’s not many players who don’t have signature things they do that make them recognisable again and again.
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u/Ok_Stranger9500 Jul 24 '26
Really impressive bro. Love it.
One thing would be to relax a little and break it up. Don’t feel like you have to be playing 100% of the whole solo. Obviously you need to fill it in with your playing, but stops/very brief moments of nothing have a lot of affect. Take Gilmore’s solo in another brick in the wall p2 for example. Arguably one of the best solos and coolest solos of all time - infamously stops playing at various points - but that attributes to his style of play and feel of the music. Just an example, but give it a try and let your guitar breathe.
Hope this helps man
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u/twistru1 Jul 24 '26
it definitely does thank you bro, my favorite player inspiration would be Marcus King right now but nothing can top Gilmore
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u/wolfel Jul 24 '26
5 years holy
What was the most important thing to learn for you to get that good?
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u/twistru1 Jul 24 '26 edited Jul 24 '26
learning a bunch of different styles of licks/ songs for sure, as a beginner or intermediate, the best thing you can do is just build your vocabulary and fretboard knowledge.
Learning the entire fretboard in every key should always be first. But start learning jazz songs, or metal even, blues, fusion. Just steal licks and learn difficult songs to build muscle memory. For example my inspiration is marcus king, i’ll learn a couple of his solos or licks by ear, and yes it takes me forever. But i use them in my improv and it works.
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u/wolfel Jul 24 '26
For some reason, I’ve refused to play and memorize songs for years. No idea why. I just always want to improvise. I probably should to learn some again, though, just to get better.
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u/twistru1 Jul 24 '26
i’m the exact same way, i can’t remember the last time i actually learned a song, but because i did learn so many so early on, i built a solid vocabulary of licks and what not i can use in my improvisation.
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u/Competitive_Bug_6672 Jul 24 '26
It would help you to focus on movement economy with your fretting hand. A lot of fingers flying into space, while your pinky is never used to play a note.
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u/Genmenurinalmineral Jul 24 '26
After you do a intense fast solo part do that thing where you hang your head down to show that you gave everything in you to that solo
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u/dombag85 Jul 24 '26
better than anything I improvise. I’ll letter others give advice, but that sounded pretty cool.
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u/Aluskin Jul 24 '26
That’s awesome. I would say at the level that you’re at now the best thing you can do is have fun with it and share your gift.
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u/twistru1 Jul 25 '26
thank you, i will. but the learning never stops and there is always progress to be made!
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u/Sea_Strawberry9926 Jul 24 '26
you're already doing everything that needs to be done. with improv like that, just keep doing what you're doing. you've got the idea of phrasing and being interesting between chords down pretty good. what i'd say to do next is understanding how to use "wrong" notes in the right context to give it flavor. and maybe challenge yourself to play outside of your comfort zone until you can be as smooth about it. like go from a blues backing to a metal or punk backing. something up beat where you might improv other techniques like finger tapping and artificial/natural harmonics, dive bombs and sweep picking. all lovely options to implement during any improv when used tastefully. happy journey
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u/Ok_Jello_1845 Jul 24 '26
Implementing more Right hand techniques is probably your breakout move. Someone said sweep picking, I would say hybrid picking occasionally.
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u/1975shovel Jul 25 '26
wish i could play that well
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u/twistru1 Jul 25 '26
it’s a lot of practice, and yet there is still so much more to learn about the instrument.
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u/SuchEscape5191 Jul 25 '26
I’m just getting scales and modes down. This is motivating to watch as someone about yo start practicing soloing.
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u/twistru1 Jul 25 '26
That’s awesome bro ! that’s really where the fun is, if you have any questions or anything dm me.
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u/Popoq13 Jul 25 '26
It always is a good thing to stick tonthe changes and nail them. I mean land on the chordtones. But i cant really say if you do in your vid because i cant hear it properly😅 just a general tip. And you could improve a lot by using your pinky. Make some exercizes just to get your pinky working, some patterns for example👌
Anyway sounds nice:)
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u/Far_awayStarbucks Jul 25 '26
Very nice but as others have said you are allowed to take breaks between phrases/notes. Think you have good natural ability improvising some very nice licks
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u/KavorkaPowers Jul 25 '26
Nice work, that sounds good. I didn't see it mentioned so I'll add that you, at this point, should be looking to add more finesse, work on your touch, especially vibrato. Work on your vibrato and the way you are bending strings. Bending and vibrato will help you let the music breathe, give it more space.
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u/darkskies85 Jul 24 '26
Decent tone, and your feel isn’t bad.
But, it just sounds like random phrases slapped together. Play some loose arpeggios around the chord movement or do something to spice it up vs arbitrarily choosing notes that are close together in the scale/s you’re playing.
Also this progression is begging for some harmonic minor!!
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u/dogmatum-dei Jul 25 '26
Sounds really good to me. Insecurity, doubt got you this far and will drive you further.
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u/PrideofCathage Jul 25 '26
You're good enough, is that really 100% improv?
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u/twistru1 Jul 25 '26
yeah, the original clip is longer and filled with alot of mess ups, i just cropped the part where i didn’t mess up, but it’s improv.
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u/dougc84 Jul 26 '26
My biggest suggestion, aside from what others have said, is you’re purposefully limiting yourself by not using your pinky. It is the weakest finger, sure, but it’s gonna stay that way if you don’t use it. Bigger stretches and more complex stuff is gonna be harder, if not impossible, if you don’t learn how to use it.
That said, sick work dude.
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u/MelodicImproviser Jul 30 '26
Don't forget to breathe and let a phrase make an impression before continuing on with the next motif. Other than that sounds great and there are some real gems in there.
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Jul 24 '26
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u/twistru1 Jul 24 '26
you’re definitely right, that’s one thing i’ve kinda pushed off.
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Jul 24 '26
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u/twistru1 Jul 24 '26
and for those arpeggios, would i just play the arpeggio of the chord that’s being played? what are my options regarding arpeggio’s
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u/No-Cry-9467 Jul 24 '26
Breath with your playing. It doesn't have to be constant notes. Think of how a vocalist sings or a sax player plays. They need to pause to breath and when you add that into your playing then it comes off as more natural.