Guthrie Govan Discussion

[dhs911230]

Hi.

I have been wanting to improve my improvisation for a while now.
The method I use currently is called the CAGED method, I believe.

I figure out the key and then use scales. I picture the scales this way:
On the left of the major scale, there is the minor scale.
On the right, there is the dorian shaped scale, then phrygian, etc.

I can improvise pretty well for the first few mins. I have come up with my own licks and patterns. However, soon I found myself playing the same things over and over (like the shredding pattern wise)

I've memorized all the modes but I do not know how to apply them. How do I know when to use Dorian, Phrygian, and etc scales?

My technique is decent. I can play cliffs of dover, Guthrie Govan's Larry Carlton Jam, and tender surrender. But my improvisation seems to be elementary.

I have a few questions:

1) When to use what scales? If the chord progression was Ebmaj7, Cm7, Fm7, and Bb7, what scales would be appropriate?

2) Should I start learning licks to apply them to my improvisation?

3) I've been learning and memorizing jazz chords. How could they help my improvisation?

4) Any other tips on how to improve my improvisation?

[Scias]

Well this was posted ages ago, I can't believe no1 replied. I hope you check back and get this.

You seem to understand the modes fairly well. And this sequence is known as a I-vi-ii-V or 1,6,2,5 chord progression.

The simplest way to solo over it is to use the Eb Major scale over the whole sequence. Or the C minor pentatonic scale. Forgive me if you already know that.

To taste up your note choices, you could acknowledge the chords being played by adding hints of arpeggios to your solo (constantly playing arpeggios up and down doesn't result in a nice varied solo, but it's good practice so you can later apply them in short doses). Also try out grace notes from outside the scale. Some of these work better than others.

If you get this, let me know which exact jazz chords you've been learning. Depending on which ones you've learnt I could give you some very interesting applications of them.

If you could show me examples of your playing that would also help. Take care.

[bender83]

Late i know, but for some reason i hadn't notice this post.

From my experience i think that many of us do the same mistake.When we are playing we tend to concentrate on one technique (now i 'll play picking lines,now some legato,tapping.....). Thus we get caught in the same old stuff.Guthrie could play minor pentatonic all day long and never get boring just because he will use all those techniques in a very tasteful way.

Hope that help a little (if you understood my lame english )

[Scias]

Great advice. All techniques are only a way of changing our ideas into sounds. Taste is often what makes the difference between making a good sound and a bad sound