Can you learn to improvise or do you teach yourself?

[Special-K]

I like to listen/watch my favorite solos and then try to reproduce my fav parts from them...Dimebag(RIP) ,Alexi Laiho, Roope Latvala , Steve Vai (he is the king!)...and of course Santana
he has the best feeling for melodies of all those I wrote
down...

I got so much better on guitar doing this and also from learning some
scales and sweeps (Mattias Eklundh thank you!)...

Scales and stuff give you more a feeling where you are when you playing
some improvised solo or something...
Practice makes Alexi (Laiho) (perfect)

[Harry Krisna]

I disagree with the knocks to tab,ANYTHING that improves your musicals vocabulary,be it tab,Mel Bay books,scales,ect.will in the long run improve your ear,and "give you more to say.."little riffs and phrases you learn from tab,you'll hear in other songs,keys,..expanding you'r knowlage base. If it works foor you,it ain't wrong.

[atomic charvel guy]

it doesn't matter if you're talented or not. everyone sucks on the guitar in the beginning and you just have to work and work at it or everybody else would do it. It's hard ,but you work hard enough you'll be great at improvising.

[Shawn Lutz]

Yes, it can be learned. The bottom line is you HAVE to just do it. Thats ho wyou improve...you improvise over any progression you can, whether it be yours or a backing track.

I think what happens is folks get too carried way learning cover songs...they become great paint by number guitarists yet if you ask them to improvise or create on the spot and they are shit outta luck because they dont know how to.

I remember getting a Fostex x15 or whatever it waswhen they first came out back in the 80's. I thought when I got it I'd be recording cover songs but what I did and got more enjoyment was recording my own progressions and wailing away over them.

The more you do it the more easily it becomes. Theory as far as scales and modes helps, at least it gives you a map so to speak...then its up to you to decide if you wanna burn the map all the way or use it bits and pieces of it.

All and all if guitar players or musicians are not improvising then they are not going about it the right way in my opinion...my first jam experience I ever had we were not clicking on covers...we just created a jam on the spot to get tie juices flowing...later when I di cver songs I used to just improvise the solos until I learned them...if I couldnt improvise freely then I dont want to play guitar...

[Newc]

Improvising is easy as long as you have a basic knowledge of scales and the keys they work in (and by that I mean the notes you're playing are in key, though some people still claim that hitting the wrong note is "legal" and referred to as playnig "out").

Best way to learn how to improvise is to practice Pentatonics over standard Blues progressions. ZZTop have made a career out of it.

[N1CK]

Sure you can learn to improvise.

Sometimes when I would practice (picking technique, exercises, NOT jamming) I would finish by leaving the tv on and figuring out jingles in commercials. You only really get 30-60 seconds to get the key and any riff or melody, which were bound to be simple. I'd learn the TV commercials, then improvise over them the next time I heard them on the TV or radio. It forced me to be spontanious and write riffs as I didn't want to just shred or sweep in 30 seconds bursts. (ok, that was a lie. )

Also, I used to run my 4-track endlessly and review what I had played, searching for riffs or licks that I liked. I often used to find variations on things I'd practiced. Not note for note but just familiarities. I'd get a riff, work it out, lay down drums and jam over those backgrounds for weeks at a time.

[Soap]

Its very much like sex.
Whether your sex is either with a experienced or nonexperienced partner isn't necessairly the most important thing starting out.
Over a period of time, the more you do it the better you get at it.
Eventually, you aquire the needful skills to be a confident lover/partner.
Learning to improvise isn't any different.
Its not something you'll aquire overnight or your first few attempts.

[skorb]

The thing about learning covers is that it gives you a vocabulary. Hear something you like? Figure it out and then mutate it to your own ends. It's great to learn covers IMHO because it pulls you out of your comfort zone and makes you explore avenues or techniques that you may have not developed on your own.

I really enjoy doing improv solos live - especially if I'm in the 'zone' where it seems like you are just a conduit and the music is coming out of you. I know that sounds all new age and stuff, but it's the truth - sometimes when I play it's like I'm watching it happen. Really fun.

Bottom line whether you do covers or blaze your own trail is to PLAY. Play with records. Play on your own. Jam with buddies, get in a band. Just play as much as you can and things will come together.

Pete

+ a million

couldn't have said it better.

if you play enough, with people and along with records, eventually the light will come on and then you'll find yourself improvising.

[JC_Denton]

Yes some people are talented , but i dont think you must be talented to become a good improviser . IMO you just need to be a normal guy ,an intenresting character + practice . Some world class guitarists get pissed off when someone says something like ohh you are so talented, they feel like it takes something away from them , cause they know how much they practiced( and how difficult it was to reach the level they are) and and how much time they dedicated to their instrument .

But i really think you must be interesting human to become good musician Most of the bad players i know (bad players who practice alot but are still bad) are idiots , most boring guys , retareded fucks And the good ones even if they are not my type or i dont like them are at least interesting characters.



My answer to the question.


Sure you can learn to improvise , and if you are a normal guy you can learn it until you are a great improviser it took me 4 years to get going.



Just my 0.000002 cents

[atomic charvel guy]

Its very much like sex.
Whether your sex is either with a experienced or nonexperienced partner isn't necessairly the most important thing starting out.
Over a period of time, the more you do it the better you get at it.
Eventually, you aquire the needful skills to be a confident lover/partner.
Learning to improvise isn't any different.
Its not something you'll aquire overnight or your first few attempts.

I'd say this applies until the release of viagra-lol

[sl2lover]

I was born with my albilty..no lessons, no theory and I never learn cover songs..I dedicated my entire musical life creating my own chops ..on bass and guitar..

I can learn shit if I wanted to and have while in a VH tribute or playing session shit for my side project..but that is not where my heart is..not at all

I have my favorite players..they inspire me big time..but I take what I want from them and put my spin on in..in my original stuff.

I don't see a point learning what was already created by someone esle note for note..at the end of the day all you did was copy something..even be it a good one..and that's cool to see in a cover band..I don't do that. Other than my old VH trib..but that wasn't any real "work" for me..not at all.

I'd much rather invest that time in creating my own music..and I do that well...Because that's ALL I do.

Bill Z Bub

I live by this code for the most part as well!! 95% of what I play is my own shit! Fuck lessons too! Lessons are for the lazy! Too me guitar isn't a science, its an art! Probably why I can't solo for shit! Lol! Though when I do get players block just like everyone does, I'll learn a cover I've always wanted to learn! Most importantly keep it pure!!

[omwdc]

if you can make up interesting melodies in your mind then you can improvise, the rest is just teaching your fingers to transfer the thought to the instrument

[Rage]

Its very much like sex.
Whether your sex is either with a experienced or nonexperienced partner isn't necessairly the most important thing starting out.
Over a period of time, the more you do it the better you get at it.
Eventually, you aquire the needful skills to be a confident lover/partner.
Learning to improvise isn't any different.
Its not something you'll aquire overnight or your first few attempts.

... anyone got tissues?... true though. It's all art man