Last time you'll recall that we broke the ice on the rather large subject of improvising. I spent some time offering my opinion regarding the importance of the skill itself, focusing on the best genre for a vehicle, and associating the accumulation of "language" (i.e. blues & jazz licks) as a key element in your evolution as a competent soloist. In Part Two we'll continue our conversation, getting down to more specifics along the way.

Life Without Scales? I Don't Think So

Despite my general disdain for the fact that so many players and teachers overemphasize scale practice, I'd be the last person on earth to suggest that you skip the notion of including them in your improvising arsenal. But let's spend a few moments defining the most important scales to know, and why.

While it's well, good, and downright commendable to learn as many scales and modes as possible, the knowledge of just a couple of forms can take you a long way. At the very least, concentrate on commanding the major scale and the blues scale (or minor pentatonic) in all playing positions. To this end, work exclusively in one key (I traditionally begin with the key of C), and work your way up the fingerboard from first position through twelfth. Generally speaking, I'd avoid the use of open strings in the process. This way you can easily move any form that you learn to another key, and that's exactly what you should do on a routine basis once the initial key becomes old news. It'll only take a couple of minutes a day to retain this knowledge, and for that matter only a few minutes more should you decide to incorporate more scales (and variations) into your practice routine. Small price to pay for the solid benefits to be gained. Now as to what those benefits are and why scale study is useful?

Let's clear the air on one misnomer. The knowledge and mastery of scales is quite simply not the "be and end all" of your language vocabulary. In the past I've routinely made the comment that a scale is nothing better than any other lick, and not even a very exciting one at that. However, if you absorb all positions of the major scale, and then take the time to filter any melodies or licks through the "eyes" of those positions, you can become a terrific guitar/bass soloist with a thorough grasp of the fingerboard. Definitely worth the price of admission.

Dry & Wet Improvisation

Without a doubt, one of the biggest (and often frustrating) challenges to the aspiring improviser is being able to apply what you've practiced spontaneously in a live situation. You can labor for long periods of time learning countless scales, licks, and progressions, yet still have a difficult time recalling them on the fly. I've faced more than my share of adversity in this area, so I understandably have some tips to share with you.

First of all, no matter what method you employ, you still must know the language and the chord progression that you're trying to apply it to. At this point you're ready to address the idea of "dry" vs "wet" improvising, something that I've spoken of before but bears repeating.

"Dry" improvisation is soloing without accompaniment of any kind. By yourself, with no timebase to adhere to, and just your instrument in hand. As a guitarist, you can comp the chords to the progression, periodically stopping to try out this or that lick, then resuming the rhythm role in the progression. As a bassist, you can play the bass line (or walk) to the chord progression, then stop and do the same thing (nothing new, incidentally, for a bass solo). The big advantage with the use of dry improvisation is that you can really take the time to work what you've practiced into your playing, in a way that slowly becomes suggestive to your "automatic pilot" in the real world.

"Wet" improvisation, on the other hand, is soloing with accompaniment, but not necessarily live accompaniment. Common alternatives to live situations are taped progressions, MIDI accompaniment (PC-based or stand alone), or even playing along with a favorite track on one of your CDs. The adversity here is, of course, that you do have a timebase. So consequently it's tougher to be mental and work ideas out when the next chord change or song section is rearing its head. I'd highly recommend that you balance your approach and employ both dry and wet improvisation in your studies.

Onward & Upward

In Part Three of "The Art of Improvising" we'll talk about model solos, transcribing & recording, and more. Stay tuned...