Rutbuster 101
Idea #1: Each time you pick up your guitar, before you play a single lick, force yourself to play something you have never played before.
I try to do this, and it isn't really that hard. It's kind of akin to the old songwriting adage "don't edit when you write". Just let your fingers play something completely random, without regard to any scale, chord, arpeggio, or lick. If you do this, I gaurantee you will surprise yourself.
Idea #2: Play over chords. Too often us guys plug in all by our lonesome and just start whippin' out the pentatonic licks. They are easy, and they sound great when you're playing by yourself, but they are all gravy and no potatoes.
Do this instead: record some chords to play over. Not power chords - COLORFUL chords. Get a jazz progression book and copy some of them onto tape. Play along. Learn how cool it is to land on the 7 over a major 7 chord.
Idea #3: Yeah, I do it too: I see the fretboard as nothing more than a series of pentatonic boxes, and regardless of which box (key) I'm in, the actual lick patterns are the same.
Well, try this: translate your licks to another scale pattern. Take your favorite pentatonic lick - the one you always catch yourself playing - and learn it three frets up the fretboard in the major scale position.
For example: you're playing in A minor, with the root being the 5th fret on the low E string. Your pinky is landing on "C" (8th fret, low E string), the relative major. Slide your hand up so that your middle finger is on that fret, the classic "C" major scale position. Now re-learn that familiar lick, using the exact same notes, in the position.
It can be tricky. Many of the "hammer-ons" and "pull-off's" you rely on won't work. But trust me, you will be breaking some habits.
Idea #4: Learn a sax solo. Learn a clarinet lick. Study a trumpet line. All musicians fall into ruts because they are easy to finger or cliche on their given instrument. But what might be easy on a sax or clarinet might not be so easy on a guitar, and vise versa. Dust off your Kenny G CD and try not to gag. Or better yet, Miles or Charlie Byrd or Dizze or Benny Goodman.
ok............I'm done.
Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com