[JessThrasher]

Every time I try to do a jazz solo, it ends up comming out with some cheesy metal-ish crap (with no distortion). Like I tend to tremolo pick the notes when I intend to alternate pick. WHen I"m not playing (usually when I can't fall asleep) an awesome jazz solo comes into my mind randomly, I pick the notes apart, but then its already past everyone's bedtime so I can't really go play it. I can't even get anything that sounds even decently like George Benson or any of the pro jazz solos.

[Brucehum]

I would only know how to improvise 'a bit' a blues solo, because I've been studying the basics of that. So probably, try to find information on Jazz and jazz improv solos. Learn the pertinent scales, usual rythms, etc.

I see you aim 'low'... George Benson!!!

[Andy S]

Originally Posted by JessThrasher

..........WHen I"m not playing (usually when I can't fall asleep) an awesome jazz solo comes into my mind randomly, I pick the notes apart, but then its already past everyone's bedtime so I can't really go play it. .

Stop and think for a second. What kind of improv is it that you hear at night? More melodic? more scale based? Have you tried just loosely following the melody of whatever song you're doing? Or, for a start, just sticking with the chord tones. Remember, you don't have to play a lot of notes to say something.
So maybe simnple is better.

[WernHalen]

JT, I find I am in a similar boat a lot of the time... I find that all my improvisations sound bluesy... even when I dont use the 3b and 7b chords... The rhythmic feel i get is bluesy.

Like Andy said, dont try to fit a 100 notes into a bar at first... that comes with time and effort. more so for jazz than for metal, seeing that Jazz has so many small rhythmic nuances. Start small, keep the phrases simple and grow them to a full solo when you have the smaller things under control.

Copy a couple of solos and measure what is different from what you are doing at the moment. Is it rhythmic or note choice etc.



Good luck,
Wern