I can only play the blues

[JohnnyG]

OK here's the problem. im quite happy with my soloing now, i used to suck but i can now reel off some pretty good licks and solos and i can put them in which ever key i feel like etc

the problem is that everytime i do a lick or solo it just sounds like another blues based rock lick. notthattheres a problem with it but i dont always want to play that. id quite like to learn how to solo in a few other musical styles (speed metal sweep picking and shredding aside lol)

i realise that the major reason for this is that all my solos are based on the pentatonic scale shapes so maybe if somebody could recomend a set of scales that can be used in the same way thatd be useful

many thanks people, now im gonna go play another blues riff, maybe it'll sound different lol

Johnny G

[Ki swordsman]

check out some of the modes in the beginners scales tutorial thread

a little further down there's a link to exotic modes too

[JohnnyG]

good point, forgot about that thread lol.cheers for reminding me

[Ki swordsman]

different techniques can open up your playing too because they often force different phrasings onto you...

for instance, i'd reccomend string skipping, legato, tapping...type stuff to get out of a blues rut

[wylde1919]

Judging from the tone of your original post I think you are missing the mark all together. Taking a solo ( or a ride or whatever you may want to call it) is like speaking. I think learning new licks is like learning new words to use. What I;m getting at is I can teach you what the word Palendrome means, and even how to use it correctly in a sentence. That doesn't mean that when you use the word, what you say will be interesting. You can solo fantastically using the Pentatonic scale peppering it with whatever "licks and "riffs" you already now. Try instead to think in terms of how to use the tools you have to make your solo's sound better, try making a melody with the notes you choose instead of just running scales. I hope that doesn;t come of as sounding like a pile of crap, but I often wind up back in that place where I feel like I'm just playing notes, and changing my way of thinking usually helps alot more than learning a new lick. Hope this helps, if not then my fingers are all tired out for nothing!

[Gorecki]

I use to teach the diatonic scale with five fret shapes first while covering the entire fretboard. Penatonic type playing first makes it harder for people learn a full scale wise motion. But if they learn the full scales first, they can use blues scales while knowing they can throw a 3rd, a 6th, or a 7th in once in a while suddenly making 'bend a string' boring blue solos, somewhat jazzy and more melodic with little effort.

The results is covering the normal scale but also half of the mode above. Ie. G maj will cover most of A dorian. After working with a fingering shape this large for a while you can go up and down the fretboard quite quickly and it makes a lot more notes available in the same area.

Then move on to modal playing and exotic scales.

[Mike Doyle]

I would simply expose myself to new music, and learn some of the basic styles of some guitarists. It works alot better than taking lessons, or practicing new scales because you simply ENJOY playing these styles, without realizing its pratice. Keep in mind, I don't know more thant 15 or so songs front to back, but I use other players styles to create my own unique blend. I haven't been in a playing rut for the last 3 years...every day is more enjoyable than the next. I'd recommend checking out these bands, and their respective guitarists (or other instruments...nothing better than learning Coltrane solos on guitar)

Metal:

Opeth (Mikael Akerfelt)

Nevermore (Jeff Loomis)

In Flames (Jesper Stromblad)

Megadeth (Mustaine/Pitrelli/Friedman)

Progressive:

Pain of Salvation (Daniel Gildenlow)

Dream Theater (John Petrucci)

King Crimson (Robert Fripp/Adrian Belew)

Yes (Steve Howe)

Dixie Dregs (Steve Morse)

Jazz:

Allan Holdsworth

Alex Skolnik

Pat Metheny

John Scofield

Shredders:

Shawn Lane

Frank Gambale

Greg Howe

Neil Zaza

Steve Vai

Neo-Classical:

Symphony X (Michael Romeo)

Yngwie Malmsteen

Kirk Impellitteri

Vinnie Moore

Even if you can't stand this music...appreciate it for the guitar, and learn some of their soloing ideas, chordal ideas and how they put together riffs. I honestly just open myself to as MANY styles as possible, and never get stuck in a blues or classic rock rut so many players seem to be in.

Good luck, and if you want some of this music, PM me!