The "Secret" to Better Improvising on Guitar (there isn't really a Secret)

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/ johnnathancordy get my backing tracks here
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only if you wanted, you could buy me a coffee!

[@georgeshepherd3381]

Thank you; recovering from stroke. Finding this inspirational!

[@nathansavage541]

Excellent. Nice window into your mind. This is what I’ve always wanted to know about more famous players but never been able to coax out of them.

[@devanjackson509]

Something that’s starting to help me on either a single chord or multi-chord vamps is to START WITH A MAIN MELODY. Yes, start by writing an actual melody 1st. This accomplishes a couple of things. 1- It offers some thematic content and it creates a “center of gravity”… 2- It offers a reference point for improvising that can be recalled and reimagined during a solo.

[@jonalexander8935]

Awesome lesson J.. Sometimes we feel lost on your progressions because your so advanced but you emphasized home and laid the foundation, took the time.. Great work man!

[@cezarsantana]

Love your approach John! You get to be chill and inspired to play simple and make great music every time! Thanks for what you beautifully do 🙏

[@synthesis2384]

Thank you! Truly inspiring stuff man! Your format is awesome. Interesting jams followed by simple lessons and insights. New favorite channel!

[@TLMuse]

Excellent lesson! The idea of using a motif and then repeating it with some modification is a major focus of Larry Carlton's first instructional video, for the old Star Licks VHS series. He probably also covers this in one of his much newer TrueFire lessons. -Tom

[@TLMuse]

I found a brief excerpt from a more recent master class where Carlton talks about this a bit-theme (motif) and variations, mixed with licks: kzbin.info/www/bejne/n2iwloegf5KAaqM

[@guilhermemazorra1746]

Great video and playing man, by far my Favorite YT channel right now! you should Release a Full course man... I would By it! Much Love

[@DavidHare-vw8mq]

Thanks!

[@DavidHare-vw8mq]

Wonderful insights. Please do more of these!

[@uberjam-sam8512]

Super helpful. Patreon is such a great resource tool. Tyvm

[@karenmcspadden7240]

I would 100% buy an instrumental guitar album you did, a la some of Mark Lettieri's stuff.

[@willrayment9544]

I remember years ago I was having a lesson with my guitar teacher tim smith, suzi quatros guitarist.. amazing player. I asked how to make my solos sound more interesting by playing outside the box. His reply was.. why? The song is getting what it needs. That has always sat with me. This seems to be a recurring theme when I have heard other seasoned guitarists talk about what you want to play and what sounds best for the audience.

[@norbertutz7545]

many many thanks for your inspirational input awesome !

[@mabblers]

Great tunes in this lesson.

[@joemiller9856]

Awesome sauce John!

[@handyc77]

Great topic, Cordy. Your method of madness is fantastic. And this exercise everyday is huge. I do a similar template based improv practice in Logic. But anyone can do this with a looper and recording the chord progression for those who don't have an elaborate setup.

[@jaytee6960]

bloody great sound. I absolutely love the Fender single coil clean sound esp on the neck pickup.

[@digitalninjatools5670]

liking this format a lot :)

[@wolfgangcordsen3430]

This video among all you have made to date is by far the most instructive and interesting of all, for those who, like me, always want to learn more about the instrument. You really should have an instructional video on True Fire or make a course on how to improvise! You're Number One, mate!

[@ssiowi]

17 Going Under; fantastic song from the underappreciated Sam Fender. Your lead run and voicings belong in the original. Well done J.

[@MattGx_]

One thing that helped me get better at improv back in the day was Steve Vai's Naked Tracks box set. Its all his albums without the leads and with expanded sections to improv over. Came with liner notes with suggestions for modes to use and what he was thinking while recording. Was a pretty cool

[@thomasbuck6250]

Hey John, these "comment-clips" are very helpful! It's like a concept of save-videos.

[@dustsculpture]

E major is my favourite too :D

[@dejct]

Thanks for covering this John, im at the point there i really need help with my chord work and things, trying to move on from just remembering shapes etc, my theory knowledge is basically 0 at this point unfortunately and I dont really know where to start. Cheers

[@chrisdaviesguitar]

Jimi Hendrix always advocated watching saxophone players to learn improvisation.

[@jonalexander8935]

Bob Weir built a career with Jerry playing sax lines..

[@TLMuse]

Jam Tracks Central (JTC Guitar) has a cool lesson by Luca Mantovanelli called "20 Sax Inspired Funky Licks." For each lick, a sax player improvises a lick, and then Luca translates it to guitar. There are some very tasty licks in the lesson. -Tom

[@forester057]

That blows

[@garthoverman]

Listening to them would be even better.

[@timelwell7002]

Dare I say that this particular chord progression is rather more simple that 'Giant Steps' (John Coltrane) or 'Confirmation' (Charlie Parker) - let alone 'The Black Page' by Frank Zappa. Whereas on this tune you can use the same scale throughout, soloing over a be-bop tune demands that the scale changes every time the tonal centre changes - which can be frequently. Moreover, for chords such as minor 7th b5 chords, and 13th #11 chords, as well as 7th #9 chords, the appropriate Jazz Altered scale needds to be employed. And on diminished chords, the diminished scale needs to be used.

[@johnnathancordy]

Definitely, but those tunes aren't tunes that I'd be improvising like this on ha!

[@synthesis2384]

John you are a phenom. Your tone, technique, touch, and theory are impressive. I’m sure you could tear it up on some old-school jazz tracks if you wanted. But, 99% of your audience myself included don’t tune in or hire you to play jazz. We’re here for the pop rock inspired tunes, your outstanding improvisation, and your sincere delivery. Keep it up! The world has enough jazz and metal shredders, and they already know all there is to know. 🥱

[@allbuzzedup1]

Have you listened to Rick Beato's appreciation of Guthrie Govan-"Why this guy is Rock's scariest guitarist" recently? Also Tobias Hoffman...

[@CiuciumisLuci]

Can you check the new GGD Studio Cabs Contenders plugin irs??? And what s your opinion about them

[@emdblues]

This is an amazing lesson but I'd like to see similar playing over some basic, simpler chords, or playing melodicly over 145 blues or for example Thrill is gone

[@robertlacroix2568]

What software or DAW are using to build your tunes. Drums, keys, bass etc.

[@kane6529]

This might sound strange but this lesson very much reminded me of Brad Paisly style playing

[@frankieconcepcion7860]

For me it’s just to feel the music and get into a zone with the rhythm section

[@NedJeffery]

I don't get to hang around a lot of professional musicians, so I'm not down with the lingo. But you did something interesting at 6:00 that confused me. It's in A minor. But you referred to the chord numbers (IV I V IV) from the point of view of the relative major. Is that normal?

[@kudshirt6061]

Sounds a bit like Seventeen Going Under by Sam Fender

[@Abdul-Amburadul]

Stop truefire ads

[@guilhermemazorra1746]

No man he needs that, He is taking his time to teach people for free, go support his channel instead of coming here and cry about a 10 seconds add...

[@Abdul-Amburadul]

@@guilhermemazorra1746 Are you crying? Stop it toddler😎

[@nicholasaragon4126]

I put on one of those KZbin live streams like Lo-Fi beats for studying. The songs last a minute or so before they change, then I try to identify the key and roll with the song as quickly as possible. Also I find taking breaks helps with creativity. If I practice scales or solid music theory too much, I become too shreddy, mechanical, technical and I lose touch with feel, and interesting arrangements on-the fly. Better to go into it a bit rusty and inspired. I find that the "mistakes" are where original ideas are born.