3 ms·

Hi Derek, I looked up your post when it first came out in 2009 and along with a bunch of other things, it pushed me to learn how to play guitar. Fast forward to

Hi Derek, I looked up your post when it first came out in 2009 and along with a bunch of other things, it pushed me to learn how to play guitar. Fast forward to 3+ years later, I'm now trying to move from simply drilling the different scale/modal patterns to really knowing how to improvise and solo. Was wondering what's your take on this? I've always been a very systematic person but I don't think drilling patterns are helping me very much. Let me know what you think.

sivers 15y ago
Take the advice of Benny from http://www.fluentin3months.com/ http://www.fluentin3months.com/ Click around and read some of his stuff there. Apply his language advice to playing. One of his main points is to just throw yourself into conversation in a strange country. Even if you only know 3 words and aren't prepared. Be scared. Mess up. Be embarrassed, but keep going. You can't just stay in the shed. You have to get out and play with others, be scared, mess up, get embarrassed, and keep going.
- noname123 15y ago
  Thanks for the advice. I'll go to the guitar meetup in my area and try to solo during the jam sessions. Also, it's always very intriguing to see how people are learning my first language (Mandarin).
tricky 15y ago
Here's a random guy on the internet's take... Start simply by limiting yourself to 4 notes. Wail, hammer-on, pull-off, and bend them until you can make them talk. Add extra notes out of the scale after you get better... For ex., under a minor chord pick the IV-V-VII-I notes (For Amin that's D-E-G-A, play that A an octave above root.) Just sit there and play those 4 notes with bends, pull offs, slide ups and mix up the rhythm until it gets some soul. Whatever you do, don't be systematic. beer helps... and record yourself so you can review for what works and what doesn't.

3 ms·

Hi Derek, I looked up your post when it first came out in 2009 and along with a bunch of other things, it pushed me to learn how to play guitar. Fast forward to

by noname123 15y ago

sivers 15y ago
Take the advice of Benny from http://www.fluentin3months.com/ http://www.fluentin3months.com/ Click around and read some of his stuff there. Apply his language advice to playing. One of his main points is to just throw yourself into conversation in a strange country. Even if you only know 3 words and aren't prepared. Be scared. Mess up. Be embarrassed, but keep going. You can't just stay in the shed. You have to get out and play with others, be scared, mess up, get embarrassed, and keep going.
- noname123 15y ago
  Thanks for the advice. I'll go to the guitar meetup in my area and try to solo during the jam sessions. Also, it's always very intriguing to see how people are learning my first language (Mandarin).
tricky 15y ago
Here's a random guy on the internet's take... Start simply by limiting yourself to 4 notes. Wail, hammer-on, pull-off, and bend them until you can make them talk. Add extra notes out of the scale after you get better... For ex., under a minor chord pick the IV-V-VII-I notes (For Amin that's D-E-G-A, play that A an octave above root.) Just sit there and play those 4 notes with bends, pull offs, slide ups and mix up the rhythm until it gets some soul. Whatever you do, don't be systematic. beer helps... and record yourself so you can review for what works and what doesn't.