David's Tip of the Day: Improvising - Textures

Focus Notes and Texture go hand-in-hand. As each chorus passes, you're keeping track of what you've played. You're not trying to remember every lick, it's more of a simple scorecard of what focus notes and the textures you've used.

For example...

Let's say you've played three choruses so far. Chorus 1 focused on the 1 draw and you used single notes. Chorus 2 focused on the 2 draw and you threw in some dips, slaps and pulls. Chorus 3 you focused on the 3 draw, mostly emphasizing the bluesy sound of the 3' and didn't use any new textures.

So far your solo is moving up one hole at a time (this is the most effective soloing theme) so it makes sense to continue this theme by starting the next chorus on the 4 draw, but it's time to present a new texture... I think a shake makes sense (4/5). The next chorus let's use the 5 draw focus note and present it with a flutter tongue. The next chorus use the 6+ focus note in octaves. The last chorus some high end work for a bit makes sense and work the standard range a bit more with whatever feels right at that time. Finish by returning to your first chorus idea so that you give the song a sense of completion.

That's it... it's as simple as saying, "what focus notes and textures have I not used yet," choose and away you go.