Something that may help is bending to a pitch for a bar or two while you think about what you are going to play next. I find that helps me with chord progessions and my playing.
This is some pretty good practical advice, I must add a preface to say that this is definitely a crutch that most players should try learn to move past, however. Definitely some good advice from mister @sautante and speaks to the thought processes that players who are on the path to becoming advanced guitar players should think about.
Great video man, I'd recommend for the future to put an actual backing track when you play. I think it would have worked well in this video. But thanks for the tips!
I think this is something I learned from playing bass. Space gives greater meaning to the presence of the instrument. The impact when you come back in is bigger because the audience is listening for it. From the more classical side of things. Rests are part of the music.
I'm just starting on trying to improvise. The biggest barrier to me is that I have no inner voice coming up with ideas. I've tried vocalizing the repetitious lick I've used to try to engage that voice, but it's a no-go. So, if improvisation depends on having that inner voice then guidance on how to develop that inner voice is needed.
This is a great point! If I were you I would think about my favourite guitar solos or even song melodies to start with. Can you hum them without the song playing? Have you listened enough to the music that it’s in your head? The more you do this the more you build your treasure trove of inspiration to pull from when improvising. Further to this point, when you’re listening to music try to hone in on the melody or solo and repeat the line back to yourself in your head. This will help you digest what is happening and you’ll start to build a vocabulary before you know it. Best of luck with it and I hope this helps!
@@mattfranceschini I was practicing some improv last night and I have a new approach that sounded new and different for me. I have to thank you for the inspiration and ideas that came from watching your arpeggio video. It took a few days of practicing but it kind of all clicked and came together last night. Combining arpeggios with the pentatonic scales in my improvisation. I feel like I made a jump in my guitar playing since watching your videos. Cheers ✌🏽
Good advice. The problem stems from the fact 99% of guitarists I hear today overplay - especially in blues. To many of them, it seems it's all about gratuitous soloing - even players with pretty good phrasing. For intermediates, it's better to listen to old-school guitarists who tended to play much less and often shorter solos. Pick a handful and learn them note-for-note. It helps focus on the less is more approach. Nobody truly improvises - it's all a mix of stuff you've learned to internalise. Even when you're singing it!
The line between overplaying and underplaying often I find is a personal subjective stance but I wholeheartedly agree about the act of transcription being a huge help to those learning to improvise. I also agree that we’re never truly improvising, we’re just spontaneously assembling things!
It seems like a ton of players that don't rely on their breath to produce sound through their instruments have this idea that a stream of 8th notes are a sign of fluency... the longer I play and the more I notice the correlation between lead playing and rhythmic awareness, the less and less I subscribe to that idea. If someone talks to you without pausing you'd probably hate it or feel like they were shouting you down, right? Ideally I don't think we're trying to holler at the listener, regardless of the genre (we might be shouting, but we're not dressing down the audience. Probably.)
It certainly is not! I do a full breakdown of the mods here ua-cam.com/video/EIZyPXJTy78/v-deo.html But the TLDR version is it's an HHH Strat pickguard (where the middle is a hot rail) where each of the pickups has a coil split switch, there's a mid boost switch (that I never use) and the red button allows me to play with a split neck and split bridge humbucker (mimicking a tele) and in second position it let's me have all three playing in series! It is a partscaster from a fender roasted neck, the body is a refinished Squier affinity that I’ve had since I was 11 and then the pickups themselves are all Wilkinson Alnico 5’s
Easy: arpeggios man. Arpeggios. Arpeggios and licks, pentatonics, triad pairs, melodic cells and enclosures. That gives a shiiiiiiiiitload of vocab
Spot on!
how do you play it ?
@@MissJennyGuitar Yes, that can work too. There are several million ways to skin a cat. I cant do that reliably tho, to each their own!
You have to learn rhythm first and improvise with it then put notes on it.
what a banger comment
Something that may help is bending to a pitch for a bar or two while you think about what you are going to play next. I find that helps me with chord progessions and my playing.
That’s certainly something that I could see working! I still think there is something to be said for some good old fashioned space as well!
This is some pretty good practical advice, I must add a preface to say that this is definitely a crutch that most players should try learn to move past, however. Definitely some good advice from mister @sautante and speaks to the thought processes that players who are on the path to becoming advanced guitar players should think about.
Loved you on Workaholics!
Hahaha I’ll take that as a compliment 😂
Great video man, I'd recommend for the future to put an actual backing track when you play. I think it would have worked well in this video. But thanks for the tips!
Glad you dug the video and got something out of it! A backing track could’ve been great I agree
I think this is something I learned from playing bass. Space gives greater meaning to the presence of the instrument. The impact when you come back in is bigger because the audience is listening for it. From the more classical side of things. Rests are part of the music.
Yes!
Thanks, I love your down-to-earth, humble approach to teaching us to play better guitar...I hope I become better! haha
Glad to hear it resonated with you! Getting better at the guitar and music is a long game, best of luck on your journey!
@@mattfranceschini thanks so much!
I'm just starting on trying to improvise. The biggest barrier to me is that I have no inner voice coming up with ideas. I've tried vocalizing the repetitious lick I've used to try to engage that voice, but it's a no-go. So, if improvisation depends on having that inner voice then guidance on how to develop that inner voice is needed.
This is a great point! If I were you I would think about my favourite guitar solos or even song melodies to start with. Can you hum them without the song playing? Have you listened enough to the music that it’s in your head? The more you do this the more you build your treasure trove of inspiration to pull from when improvising. Further to this point, when you’re listening to music try to hone in on the melody or solo and repeat the line back to yourself in your head. This will help you digest what is happening and you’ll start to build a vocabulary before you know it.
Best of luck with it and I hope this helps!
I saw Herb Ellis live when I was a kid and he sang while he played.
Im jealous! But I certainly believe you that he sang and played, such a melodic player!
@@mattfranceschiniThat will help you to play lines that don’t exceed a human’s breath. Unlike wind instruments, guitarists can go on forever.
Thanks Matt, some great advice here!
Glad you found it useful! Thanks for watching!
Great explanation & ideas 👍👍
Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!
Great advice, thank you👍
So glad you enjoyed it, happy practicing!
Helpful instruction, thanks!
Really glad you dug it my friend! Happy playing!
Totally with you my man. Thank goodness I have the piano to make me feel better after I fail on the guitar 🤣✌🏽
Haha! Fair enough!
@@mattfranceschini I was practicing some improv last night and I have a new approach that sounded new and different for me. I have to thank you for the inspiration and ideas that came from watching your arpeggio video. It took a few days of practicing but it kind of all clicked and came together last night. Combining arpeggios with the pentatonic scales in my improvisation. I feel like I made a jump in my guitar playing since watching your videos. Cheers ✌🏽
Ah man, amazing to hear! So glad that you’re finding some joy and improvement from the material I’ve covered!
Great! Everything!👏👏👏
Glad you enjoyed, thanks for watching!
Yep, I admit it, I'm a "musical motor mouth" when it comes to improv. Thanks for this great lesson.
Thanks for watching and happy practicing!
Great vid 👏
Thanks for watching, so glad you enjoyed it!
my classical trained friend told me this exact thing, the best thing is to sing your way thru it.
It’s the best way I’ve found myself!
Good advice. The problem stems from the fact 99% of guitarists I hear today overplay - especially in blues. To many of them, it seems it's all about gratuitous soloing - even players with pretty good phrasing. For intermediates, it's better to listen to old-school guitarists who tended to play much less and often shorter solos. Pick a handful and learn them note-for-note. It helps focus on the less is more approach. Nobody truly improvises - it's all a mix of stuff you've learned to internalise. Even when you're singing it!
The line between overplaying and underplaying often I find is a personal subjective stance but I wholeheartedly agree about the act of transcription being a huge help to those learning to improvise. I also agree that we’re never truly improvising, we’re just spontaneously assembling things!
i really like your guitar man
Thanks!
so true😀😀
It seems like a ton of players that don't rely on their breath to produce sound through their instruments have this idea that a stream of 8th notes are a sign of fluency... the longer I play and the more I notice the correlation between lead playing and rhythmic awareness, the less and less I subscribe to that idea. If someone talks to you without pausing you'd probably hate it or feel like they were shouting you down, right? Ideally I don't think we're trying to holler at the listener, regardless of the genre (we might be shouting, but we're not dressing down the audience. Probably.)
Great analogy!
That is definitely not your fathers strat! Is that a Dimarzio in the middle w 2 PAFs? Partscaster?
It certainly is not! I do a full breakdown of the mods here ua-cam.com/video/EIZyPXJTy78/v-deo.html But the TLDR version is it's an HHH Strat pickguard (where the middle is a hot rail) where each of the pickups has a coil split switch, there's a mid boost switch (that I never use) and the red button allows me to play with a split neck and split bridge humbucker (mimicking a tele) and in second position it let's me have all three playing in series! It is a partscaster from a fender roasted neck, the body is a refinished Squier affinity that I’ve had since I was 11 and then the pickups themselves are all Wilkinson Alnico 5’s
honestly if you have these problems you're a beginner. the bar is too low these days.