A new level of learning

[StratLover2]

So I have decided to expand my soloing vocab and pacing by figuring out the key of popular songs by ear then soloing in the key with an appropriate scale. I figure it will be good ear training, and with the different progressions, I will learn a variety of different phrases for my vocabulary. I am hoping that this will take me to the next level.

StratLover2

[12bar]

It will - no doubt. Playing to songs and fiddling out key and chords is a great way to train both ears and fingers. Then trying to improvise to it in real time and using the main musical theme rather then standard licks can make you sweat...

You already made great progress over the last couple of month.
Tone and technique is already on top, I'd suggest to work a bit on phrasing and timing, just leave out notes that are not so important...

[VikingBlues]

Excercising the ears in this way should help a lot. A well trained ear does wonders for note choice and phrasing.

[StratLover2]

I think that I have a general idea of how to improve it. I think that I should leave out the fller notes and give more of a breath , like a sax player would between note phrases and have nice short and smooth phrases. I think part of the trouble is that I am a bit hyperactive in playing and rush into it before I really get a chance to plan things out so that is why I have long run on phrases, to use a grammatical term. I will try and work on being even more melodic, and that will also help with my timing I think.

Not to bad for a part time college student!

StratLover2