9-1 · Where to Go from Here

Congratulations on reaching the end of Fret Science: Improv 101!

If you’ve practiced the methods described in this course, you’ve developed a rare and valuable skill set among guitar players. Not only can you play the major and minor pentatonic and blues scales across the entire fretboard, but you can also call up the major scale modes on demand, wherever your fingers happen to be. And you’ve learned how to target chord tones when improvising over a wide range of chord progressions. All of these skills are connected by the rectangle and stack framework, which makes it easy to switch scales and note-targeting strategies on the fly.

So, where do you go from here?

First, I recommend reviewing the course again, starting from the beginning. With the big picture now firmly in mind, you’ll notice new details that didn’t quite click the first time, and you’ll know which areas require more practice to solidify your already strong foundation.

Second, I encourage you to study solos that you love through the lens you’ve developed here. Whenever a phrase catches your ear or moves you, ask yourself which chord was under the phrase, which notes were emphasized, how they relate to the chord, and which pieces of scale or arpeggio connected them together. Then, practice adapting that seed idea into new contexts, such as different keys and styles. This is how you’ll develop your own vocabulary—your own voice on the instrument.

And please, don’t fall into the trap of chasing more and more scales. You already know the scales that make up 99% of the great solos you hear. The harmonic minor scale certainly has its place, but you can go very, very far by just using pentatonic scales, perhaps with a sprinkling of the modes.

Great improvisation is more about phrasing than it is about scales or note choices.

Thanks for trusting me to be part of your musical journey. I hope to see you again soon.

Best wishes, —Keith