Developing Creative Lines on Guitar

By Tom Hess

Are you tired of playing the same old guitar riffs?
Are you stuck not knowing how to create new lines?
This guitar practice circuit will develop your musical creativity!

(Do these steps one after the other without stopping.)
Step 1: Select any lead guitar lick, scale sequence or arpeggio pattern to practice.

Step 2: Play the lick 4 times in its original form to get it into your ears (without a metronome).

Step 3: Create 4 phrasing variations from the original lick. For example:

• Change the rhythm of the notes.

• Articulate the notes using hammer ons and pull offs vs. picked notes (or vice versa)

• Apply slides, bends and vibrato to some of the notes.
  

Step 4: Create 4 new guitar licks using the rhythm of the original lick. Change all the pitches, but keep the rhythm the same.

Step 5: Use rubato. Suddenly speed up or slow down the lick, intentionally not playing in time.

Step 6: Change the first 3-4 notes of the lick and keep the rest of it the same. Create 4 variations.

Step 7: Change the middle 3-4 notes of the lick and keep the rest of it the same. Create 4 variations.

Step 8: Change the last 3-4 notes of the lick, while keeping the rest of it the same. Create 4 variations.

Repeat steps 2-8 with new variations (from the same lick) for 10-15 minutes. After 15 minutes, start over with another guitar lick.