Tips for Learning to Improvise on the Guitar

In my journey to learn to improvise, which never really ends, I have run across many ideas and instructions on how to improvise. Some of the ideas and instructions have been useful, but most were either the same idea repeated slightly different or not useful at all. So, I have decided to compile some of the best tips I have run across and share them with you.

Tip #1: Learn Some Licks

Licks are short memorized phrases that range anywhere from one measure long to, at the longest, about eight measures long used by soloist during a solo. While playing licks may not feel like true improvising since you are playing a memorized phrase, having something that sounds good to always fall back on allows you not to have to worry about having nothing to play. Learning licks can also help you play in the style of the genre that you are improvising since it allows you to learn any techniques and note choice of the genre.

Here are a few examples of how you can use licks: you could use a lick at the beginning of your solo when you cannot think of anything to play to buy some time to think of a good sounding phrase to play. You could also use a flashy lick at the end of your solo to give your listeners something to remember or at the beginning to draw the listeners into your solo. You can use licks in many different ways, so always try to experiment with any new licks you learn.

The best place to find licks to learn from artists from a genre that you want to improvise in, so you can make sure the lick will fit the music stylistically. If you are already pretty good at improvising or after you learn some lick from your genre, you can also try learning some licks from some other genres. However, you have be a bit more careful about using licks from other genres since it can easily sound like you don't know how to play in the genre instead of giving your improvising a fusion sound.

Tip #2: Learn Some Pattern

Similar to licks, patterns are memorized phrases, but they are normally no longer than a few notes long and have no defined rhythm. You decide the rhythm of the notes as you play the pattern in your solo.

Patterns are used as building blocks for larger phrases in your solo. You can connect multiple patterns to form long phrases, use a pattern to extend an idea you think of during a solo, or use a pattern to connect two separate ideas into a flowing phrase.

To find patterns to learn, you can take very short segments from licks you already know, take some arbitrary pattern such as going up or down a scale in 3rds, 4ths, 5ths, an arpeggio, or a combination of two arbitrary patterns such as alternating going up a scale in 3rds and 4ths. Since patterns are so short and do not have defined rhythms, you do not normally have worry about matching the pattern with the genre you are improvising in. Mainly, you want to avoid making your pattern too long because you would have to treat them more like a lick it they are too long.

Tip #3: Rely on Your Ears

When I say rely on your ear, I do not mean playing by ear; instead, I mean judging for yourself whether or not your improvising sounds good. If you like the sound of the music you are playing, you should continue to play it even if your knowledge of music theory offers no reason for the notes you are playing. When you are playing, you should always judge for yourself whether it sounds good.

Tip #4: Practice, Practice, and Practice

All the reading about improvising will never help you if you don't actually pick up your guitar and play some. While you do not have to play fast to make your improvising sound good, you do need some basic technique skill on the guitar. Also, by practicing a lot, you can get use to how some licks and patterns sound as a part of your playing. So, you should try to practice as much as possible.

While these tips will not make you a master at improvising, these tips should help you get a good start with improvising. The most important tips to remember from these four are to practice and to remember that if it sounds good it probably is good. Keep practicing, learn some new licks and patterns, and always listen to what you are playing.