Feedback on some improv blues lead playing

Xcaliber

New member
I wasn't sure where to post this since it's not a mix, but rather I'd like some feedback on some guitar lead improv I did over a blues backing track. I hope this is the right place, if not let me know or mods feel free to move it to the right place.

There are some rough spots, I did a few takes and took what I liked. A few places I could have done better, but I'm happy with it overall. Just the blues scale being played in Am over the backing track.

Thanks.

https://clyp.it/woej4x0v
 
Here are some critiques upon first listening. First, some things that you do well (IMO):

1) Use of space: This was nice. You're creating one phrase, leaving some breathing room, and playing another. This helps the listener digest what you're playing and tells a better story.

2) Chord tones: I heard you play to the iv chord change nicely, so you're obviously aware of the harmony and are tailoring your phrases for each chord.

3) Tone: The tone overall was nice. I think it will be even sweeter with a more controlled vibrato (see below)

And then here are some weak areas IMO:

1) Vibrato: I think you need to spend some time really working on it. Right now, it sounds very nervous and uncontrolled. It sounds more like a nervous twitching than a controlled vibrato. IMHO, you should watch the masters of it (Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Clapton) and study the mechanics of what they're doing. They use different motions (Stevie and Hendrix are pretty close, but Clapton is a totally different motion). Really listen to it. Now .... if you really love the sound of your vibrato the way it is, then forget everything I just said! :)

2) Timing: You have a tendency to rush a good bit. This is, of course, extremely common. I know that this is a slow 12/8 blues and so some phrases will be played in a rubato fashion, but I'm talking about the phrases in which you are locking into the beat. The phrases at 0:14 and 1:13 are prime examples. The rhythms you're playing are clear, but they're just really rushed compared to the backing track. This is just something that takes vigilance. You need to record yourself practicing to a metronome or a backing track (played to a click) and then listen critically.

3) Motivic or Thematic Development: This can help ground the listener. Instead of just playing one phrase after another, it's nice to play a theme and develop it a bit before moving on to something else. In other words, you might play something like A - C - D - E, then A - C - D - D, then A - C - D - E again, and then A - C - D - E - G, and then move on to another idea. When you do this, it helps give the listener a sense of anticipation because they gain a bit of familiarity with what you're doing. You can't have a sense of anticipation if everything is unfamiliar. And it's hard to build and release tension if there's no anticipation. So get them used to an idea by playing around with it and varying it before launching into another idea.

Of course, there are always exceptions in music, and I'm sure you wouldn't have any problems finding exceptions to much of what I've said, so take it for what it's worth. Good luck!
 
Here are some critiques upon first listening. First, some things that you do well (IMO):

1) Use of space: This was nice. You're creating one phrase, leaving some breathing room, and playing another. This helps the listener digest what you're playing and tells a better story.

2) Chord tones: I heard you play to the iv chord change nicely, so you're obviously aware of the harmony and are tailoring your phrases for each chord.

3) Tone: The tone overall was nice. I think it will be even sweeter with a more controlled vibrato (see below)

And then here are some weak areas IMO:

1) Vibrato: I think you need to spend some time really working on it. Right now, it sounds very nervous and uncontrolled. It sounds more like a nervous twitching than a controlled vibrato. IMHO, you should watch the masters of it (Hendrix, Stevie Ray, Clapton) and study the mechanics of what they're doing. They use different motions (Stevie and Hendrix are pretty close, but Clapton is a totally different motion). Really listen to it. Now .... if you really love the sound of your vibrato the way it is, then forget everything I just said! :)

2) Timing: You have a tendency to rush a good bit. This is, of course, extremely common. I know that this is a slow 12/8 blues and so some phrases will be played in a rubato fashion, but I'm talking about the phrases in which you are locking into the beat. The phrases at 0:14 and 1:13 are prime examples. The rhythms you're playing are clear, but they're just really rushed compared to the backing track. This is just something that takes vigilance. You need to record yourself practicing to a metronome or a backing track (played to a click) and then listen critically.

3) Motivic or Thematic Development: This can help ground the listener. Instead of just playing one phrase after another, it's nice to play a theme and develop it a bit before moving on to something else. In other words, you might play something like A - C - D - E, then A - C - D - D, then A - C - D - E again, and then A - C - D - E - G, and then move on to another idea. When you do this, it helps give the listener a sense of anticipation because they gain a bit of familiarity with what you're doing. You can't have a sense of anticipation if everything is unfamiliar. And it's hard to build and release tension if there's no anticipation. So get them used to an idea by playing around with it and varying it before launching into another idea.

Of course, there are always exceptions in music, and I'm sure you wouldn't have any problems finding exceptions to much of what I've said, so take it for what it's worth. Good luck!


This is probably the best advice for playing I've seen - maybe ever - on the web. Blues lead, rock lead whatever.
The comments and recommendations go hand in hand, both are well described and accurate.
Just an addition - this playing "style" or what ever you would call call it is something you learn over time, but that time is all relative to what/who you study and how much practicing you do.
I picked up an SRV book/CD way way back and it was a big help to my playing. I think many (good :D ) books etc can be helpful to open your eyes to new things and to get new ideas...
 
Thanks for the feedback. I really appreciate the critque and advice. All of your constructive criticisms are things I've noticed myself and I'm working on, especially the timing. I used to Quantize everything in the DAW, but I'm working on improving my timing now instead. Also the repetition of the phrases or thematic development is something I noticed too. I was just using this track to practice and play over at one point and decided to record and play with it. Once it was "done" I thought I'd share for the heck of it to get some feedback. I wouldn't say I "wrote" the lead in the song, but I did perform it and overdub parts of it so it became more than just an improv.

Good advice to keep me improving.
 
To me it sounded like the same ol blues schit that's been done a million times. I'm not knocking it, I'm only suggesting trying to make it different and putting an original spin on it.

Might want to also try changing or working on adding some speed. It seems to be stuck in this same slow boring space and doesn't even explode into a climatic blues solo. So, it just gets boring after a while.

Just keep working on your chops and rethinking the licks a bit.
 
In addition to the suggestions made above, I would work on bending up to pitch. Nearly all of your bends are flat. Sometimes bending sharp or flat is what you want, but it should be an artistic choice, not a habit. When you bend a string, know in advance what note you are bending up to, then concentrate on hitting that pitch.

Beyond that, the tone was good. The phrasing was pretty good. I would work on making your lead a bit more lyrical. Imagine that you are singing the line, then do that on the guitar. Also, a blues lead should be going somewhere. Like all music, it's about creating tension and then resolving that tension. The more tension you build, the more powerful the release. A good example is David Gilmour's solo in the opening part of Shine On You Crazy Diamond. He spends the couple of minutes building anticipation for that payoff line (you know the one--daaaaaa daa, daaaaaa daa, daa, da da da). When it finally comes, the release is magic.
 
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