Do you feel you often play the same melodic ideas based on the handful of scalepatterns you know? Okay for this article some ideas which may help you how to get out of that rut.

Before you even think about scales try this: Sing a note, just one note, now find this note on the neck of your guitar. Try now finding that same note in different place. You may find about 4 of them.

Now add more notes to that note you sang before. Turn these notes into a small melody.

Next step: Find that melody on your guitarneck and play it.

Once you have this melody, now find the same melody in different places on the fretboard, and heh presto, you can now play one melody in different place.

Try now adding more notes to this melody. Turn it something you could use for a solo.

While you were doing this, did you think of scales? Probably not. Do this as often as you can, then start looking at your scalepatterns again and you chordfingerings. Hopefully, at some point, something starts to click………..

For more ideas listen to Paul Gilbert’s ideas on this subject.

Have fun and see you soon again,
Eddie