Improving my guitar playing

[SAU3R]

I feel like I’m not making any progress guitar playing wise. And with that I don’t mean technical progress, but creative progress, if that makes any sense

When I pick up a guitar and improvise over a chord progression, I feel like I use the same licks, the same pentatonic scale over and over again. I started listening to Mateus Asato again recently and tried to get inspired by the way he plays, but still, when I play, I always catch myself playing the same things as always.

Does anybody here have any advice for me? Has anybody been in the same situation and knows how to get out of it, cause it’s really frustrating at times.

Thanks in advance!

[EvanG]

Most guitarists, even the great ones, have certain licks that they play a lot while improvising, and that is what makes them them. The only advice I can give is the obvious one; learn as many as possible and play them with subtle variations, so that you're not limited to the same two or three licks all the time. You can learn signature licks from guitarists you admire but also come up with ones on your own and practise them a lot, so that they become second nature and you have them ready while improvising. I used to rely too much on the same few licks too, and I still use them a lot because I like them, but I have learned a lot of different ones in order to play with more variation and so that I don't become too predictable during an improvisation.

But I'm always still learning, whenever I learn something and there's a cool lick in it, I will try to remember it and have it ready next time I'm improvising. Some guitarists are really good at coming up with beautiful melodies or great licks on the spot, but everyone is different. I suppose experience helps. I used to play in a band that was without a singer for the longest time, so we spent most rehearsals having long jam sessions and that helped me become more comfortable and better at improvisation. Now that's what I mainly do when my current band plays a cover and there is a solo in it.

Edited March 26, 2021 by EvanG

[Mendez]

Learn a Mateus Asato song note for note. It might take long (which is normal for classical guitarists learning classical pieces) to completely master, but if you learn it note for note youll be able to use his habits on your own playing

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by Mendez

[moreblack]

Underrated notion, but have a look at the guitar setup and if anything needs to be adjusted to help you play easier.

[lame ass security]

3 hours ago, moreblack said:

Underrated notion, but have a look at the guitar setup and if anything needs to be adjusted to help you play easier.

Totally, and also take time to mess around with effects. If nothing more  than to break up the drudgery and you'll open up some possibilities and new sounds. I mean, someone like the Edge has made a career out of doing that.