Comfort zone/default jam

[Blindboy]

When you first pick up a guitar, or when someone hands you a guitar and says "check this out", most of us have a "default" set of licks or a "comfort zone" space that we go to automatically to see how the guitar plays and how we are playing at that that moment. Mine is more of a "space" than a set of licks, but it usually revolves around an E blues kind of thing. It is never exactly the same (it is constitutionally impossible for me to play something the same way twice ), but it is usually along these lines here.
download/file.php?id=47
It is pretty late here, and I have had a couple of glasses of wine, so this is pretty much autopilot. That is kind of my point, however. How about y'all post up your "default/comfort zone" licks. It doesn't have to be a song (mine ain't) or even coherent, just the first thing that you play when you pick up any guitar. (Or in the case of bluesinbflat, the harp )

[VikingBlues]

Intersting topic BB. When I pick up a guitar to try it out I probably end up playing something along these lines [EDIT - file removed so this next bit's meaningless - and I've played this totally cold to try to recreate things more accurately, lots of warts and all.] Like you it'll never be the same twice running, but it will revolve around the same set of basic sounds.

After a bit of aimless noodling at the start theres usually some sort of run in E (by coincidence), sort of bluesy, with 7#9 chords (my favourite chord), then I usually branch into various chords, tones, open string chords etc.

Then I remember how bad I sound without other players or a backing track and I hand the guitar back. Or if I've picked up the guitar in a shop leave as quickly as possible.

EDIT : I lisened to that file of mine again and it stinks! It's no wonder I hate going to a guitar shop to try a guitar. But your post has served another purpose BB - I realise I need to get a proper routine going for that sort of event - thank you for opening my eyes to that. Oh Dear, oh dear. Sorry for anyone who had the misfortune to listen to it before it was confined to oblivion.

[Strummer07]

Bb ..what a nice "Guitar Shop Noodle" ..............now if I could knock out a tune like that, off the cuff........ I'd be well happy.

Your noodling level is close to my "aspiration level !!" .. so my guitar shop try out consist of more basic rifs and chords ..occasionally connected !! I alwsy try and find a sound proof booth !!

all good fun tho.......I'm a lifelong "work in progress"

[Blindboy]

VB... some cool licks in there. I am a big fan of 7#9 chords too. (I think so anyway. I don't actually know the names of all of the chord shapes I play. ) I wonder how many players default to the key of E? My brother goes to C and does random ragtime noodles.
"Guitar Shop Noodle"... I like that Strummer. When I was a kid, the ubiquitous "GSN" was always "Stairway to Heaven". Now I usually don't recognise what the kids are playing in the amp room. I wish the guitar shops around here had soundproof booths.
By the way, my wife loves your avatar. (I like it too)

[HalfBlindLefty]

Awesome noodle jam, bluesroom ready (more then !)

Mhh. I usually start off doing some quick chordy rakes to continue with some texas blues alike lcks in A.
Then I go to C and do some crying blues stuff.
After that some random bluesy chordsstuff in E.

If there is someone else playing something like dust in the wind/Stairway to heaven/hotel california/tears from heaven... I can't resist and pull an "HBL" on them... I still am able to play Dust in the wind right and twice the speed I only do teasers (I hate to hear those songs in a music shop and have to punish the perpatrator )

[VikingBlues]

VB... some cool licks in there. I am a big fan of 7#9 chords too. (I think so anyway. I don't actually know the names of all of the chord shapes I play. ) I wonder how many players default to the key of E?

Kind of you to say so about the licks, but at the same time as you posted the comment I was listening to what I recorded, reeling in horror, editing the post rapidly and getting rid of the evidence! Your "default licks" sound a good deal more professional and coherent.
I know what you mean about the chord names - I really like the 7#9 but every so often I have to look it up to remind me what it's called. I particularly like the E7#9 played up around frets 6 & 7:-

----0----
----8----
----7----
----6----
----7----
----0----

if memory serves - not at my guitar at the moment. Paul Kossoff was the first player I was aware of this chord with - one of my early guitar "heroes" - that vibrato - WOW!!!
I think the E key is good for noodling around as the odd open string played by accident won't get in the way.

[12bar]

The 7#9 chord is also known as Hendrix chord, the G7#9 was used in Purple Haze ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hendrix_chord ).
The E7#9 is well know from the Outside Women Blues ( http://12bar.de/solocream.php#OutsideWomanBlues ). I love it!

BTW - great noodling!