Hi all. I consider myself on the line between beginner and intermediate in the skill department. I know all my basic open and barre chords but where I have hit the wall is phrasing my leads. I can play the blues and minor pentatonic scales in any key and know quite a few licks. My technique and tone are also good but I haven't been able to make the guitar "talk". I also listen to many styles of blues and attempt to decipher the masters but my playing is all over the place. Any advice on how to break down this wall would be so much appreciated.

Sometimes it is best to take a break from it for awhile and come back to it fresh.

What about private lessons; have you considered that ? Do you play with others or just at home alone ? I have found that when I am playing with others regularly my playing always progresses.
Try learning some licks of a different style than you normally play; I have just recently started learning some country type licks and " chickin' pickin' " and are incorparating those into my playing.

Take a couple of days off then, instead of banging your head against the Blues wall, move sideways and try some Jazz, or some Classic Rock.

_________________
Chet Feathers

Authorized TonePros Dealer
Authorized WD Music Products Dealer
F/A Official Southpaw Compliance Certification Tester http://faamps.com/

http://www.facebook.com/cafeathers


I didn't Lose my mind, I traded it for this guitar.

I agree that lessons would be a positive move. I don't know where I'd be if it weren't for my teacher opening new doors for me and keeping me progressing forward.

_________________
'10 American Deluxe HSS Sunset Metallic
'10 JA-90 Thinline Telecaster
'15 Music Man JP-15 Blueberry Burst
'07 Les Paul Standard Faded LCPG #82
'14 Carvin ST300
'12 Carvin CS424S
'66 Guild Starfire IV w/Bigsby
'14 Warmouth Partscaster Daphne Blue

All the above is good advice. I would also suggest trying out either Guitar Tricks, or Jam Play, 2 online guitar learning sites. They seem to be the best 2. They're only $130 & $140 per year respectively.

what i would do is google guitar licks,
you might hear a few things you may like to learn.
also for beginners, work on your bending, and smooth vibrato of single notes.
it seems to be the most lacking in newer players.
also i like to try and find new chords that sound cool.
and move the chord around on the neck, and see how it sounds in different positions,
that is something i'm always doing to find new sounds, and makes learning new songs easier.
and it doesn't matter what type of music you like, listen to all types to expand your mind.

_________________
1986 Kramer Baretta
1989 Samick "The Samick" Les Paul
2007 Fender Strat MIM Deluxe / 1985 MIJ neck
1990 Epiphone Strat
Marshall JCM 2000 DLS 50 watt / Marshall 1960a 4x12

https://soundcloud.com/jim-slimjim-cassi

Phrasing is the hardest task when playing guitar.
Try using passing tones, or chord tones. Trying to improve
my phrasing myself.
I use major and minor pentatonic or Dorian mode(that's a whole
other ball of wax)
Read about the modes(confusing) but helps.
I don't fully understand but getting there. It's based off of
the major scale, and how each mode relates to it

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

It happens from time to time. I actually had sort of the same thing happen, I had been a blues player so long that it was difficult to remove that "sound". I was always bending and using duble stops in the same locations. here is one thing I did that helped me allot.

pick only 2 or 3 notes from a scale in the key of a backing track. then play only those notes trying to make it sound as varied as possible. using several genera of backing tracks helps tremendously. this way instead of mimicking what you hear or see, you develop your own bend speed and vibrato style and such. worth a shot, its very challenging trying to make 2 notes work as a solo

_________________

I agree sometimes less is more.

_________________
1986 Kramer Baretta
1989 Samick "The Samick" Les Paul
2007 Fender Strat MIM Deluxe / 1985 MIJ neck
1990 Epiphone Strat
Marshall JCM 2000 DLS 50 watt / Marshall 1960a 4x12

https://soundcloud.com/jim-slimjim-cassi

I agree vibrato is something I'm working on also

_________________
"Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the present."

oogway, kungfu panda 2008

These books (below) have play along CD's, just go over the licks over and over again...

keep in mind good rhythm playing is a needed skill also... And make sure to develop your own style... I get so sick and tired of people saying you HAVE to study all of the classic well know players... I don't agree... you need to develop good technique and knowledge... Then your own style will develop automatically...

These books will help get good ideas and develop good technique.. Be sure to play each song/lick to Exactness... Use them to develop good technique NOT your signature style...

here is a rhythm book...
http://www.amazon.com/Blues-Rhythm-Guitar-Master-Class/dp/0793571286/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1334951192&sr=8-1#_
lead books...

http://www.amazon.com/Killer-Licks-Chops-Blues-Guitar/dp/B0070MTF0C/ref=sr_1_6?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334951408&sr=1-6

http://www.amazon.com/Blues-You-Can-Use-BLUES/dp/B0029PVCS8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1334951449&sr=1-1

_________________
In Reference to Blues Legend RL Burnside:
After a heart attack in 2001, Burnside's doctor advised him to stop drinking; Burnside did, but he reported that change left him unable to play.

Two things:

1. Focus. Don't try to play all the licks, all the ideas at once. Pick one you like, and learn it. Learn it in every key, maybe even starting from different strings. Own that lick. Be able to play it without thinking. Move on to the next one.

2. Build. After you have 4 or 5 phrases down cold under your fingers. Now you can start to play with combing phrases. Does one phrase set up another one well? Maybe one phrase played after another creates momentum.

It can seem tedious, but making this a standard workflow for developing your own ideas can expand your vocabulary and fluency in soloing faster and faster. If you put in the initial time up front, the dividends are huge. It frees you to play openly, without "thought" or calculation. Skies the limit.

What kind of blues are we talking here? The thing that really helped move my playing forward was Anthony Stauffer's StevieSnacks lessons - SRV style blues, he's one of the best teachers I've ever seen. Has a lot of free videos and some paid premium lessons (reasonably priced to boot). Another thing which probably helps even more was looking up tabs for my favorite songs and learning them start to finish. It helps you learn phrasing by imitating master guitarists. You learn where licks fall into place in relation to one another and overall because your favorite guitarists know what they're doing, and on top of that you learn their style. You can't go wrong learning songs end to end.

Good luck!

_________________
[08 MIM Standard Arctic White] > [Danelectro Fish n Chips EQ > Radial Texas Bones OD > Tonerider British Distortion > Electroharmonix Russian Big Muff Pi > Vox V847 Wah] > FM65R

X3. Forget completely about licks and focus on melody and trying to make a statement with fewer notes. Try using some more space in your solos too. Pick a note or two that sound cool, play a couple notes, then take a few breaths and think about where you're going to go next. Maybe repeat the same phrase, but alter one of the notes a little. You'll get it. Don't get discouraged; taking a little break and playing with different people are both great ways to break out of a rut sometimes.

Good example of the less-is-more approach that comes to mind just because I've been listening to this album nonstop lately (you really owe it to yourself to check it out), is the opening to "Rock My Plimsoul" from the Jeff Beck "Truth" album. Instead of coming in, guns blazing, playing the million and one notes you know damn well he could play, check out how he waits, waits, and then comes in with very few well-placed notes, but makes love to every single one. That's great playing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7IOza9RexQ