Lesson series

Learn To Improvise Your Solos

Learn to use everything you've learned on guitar over the years to interact with music in real time

Write your awesome label here.

Online guitar course · Improvisation

Learn To Improvise Your Solos

Learn to improvise guitar solos over real jams

Learn To Improvise Your Solos is an online guitar improvisation course taught by Steve Stine. It starts with what improvising is and isn't, then covers setup, tone, timing and learning songs. Next come phrasing tools like bends, vibrato and slides, and soloing tactics such as minimal notes, intervallic playing and double stops. It ends with key concepts for jamming and jams in major, minor, blues, metal and punk settings. The course has 50 video lessons in six modules with a 108-page PDF book and jam tracks, and is included in GuitarZoom Premium.

50video lessons

3+ hoursof step-by-step teaching

6 modulesin a clear order

Intermediate to advancedlevel

108-page PDF bookincluded

In Premiumwith 15 more core courses

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $87

Included in GuitarZoom Premium · course 16 of 16 in the path (Stage 4: Advanced Soloing and Improvising)

Free preview

What Learn To Improvise Your Solos is about

Steve breaks every skill into simple steps you can follow. In these videos, he explains what improvisation is and how to build phrases.

Free preview lesson: What is Improvisation · 9:09

Free preview lesson: Phrases · 5:24

Who it's for

Is Learn To Improvise Your Solos right for you?

Players who know scales but freeze when jamming. The course gives you simple tactics to start, like minimal notes and repeating an idea.
Guitarists who solo from memorized licks. You'll learn to build phrases in real time over a groove.
Players who want to jam in different styles. The last module covers major, minor, blues, metal and punk jams.

What you'll be able to do

Skills you'll walk away with

Explain what improvisation is and isn't
Prepare your guitar, tone and timing for playing with others
Play whole-step, half-step, reverse, unison and harmony bends
Use vibrato, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs and trills in phrases
Improvise with minimal notes, repetition and intervallic playing
Use double stops and move between vertical and horizontal playing
Manage groove, dynamics, tone and pacing while jamming
Improvise over major, minor, blues, metal and punk jams

What's inside

The course, module by module

Every module and every lesson, in the order you learn them.

Module 1

What improvisation is

What improvisation is and isn't, what it's about, and the basics of guitar maintenance and playing in tune.

4 lessons · 17 min

See all 4 lessons

What is Improvisation 9:09
Things that Improvisation is NOT 1:38
What is Improvisation About 2:32
The Basics - Guitar Maintenance & Playing in Tune 3:26

Module 2

Preparation

Guitar setup, guitar tone, timing and tightness, and learning songs.

4 lessons · 9 min

See all 4 lessons

The Guitar Setup 2:57
Guitar Tone 3:29
Timing & Tightness 1:05
Learning Songs 1:39

Module 3

Study elements: chords and phrasing techniques

Chordal shapes, a chord progression example, legato vs staccato, whole-step, half-step, reverse, blues, 3-fret, unison and harmony bends, vibrato, slides, hammer-ons, pull-offs, trills and meandering with phrasing.

14 lessons · 51 min

See all 14 lessons

Introduction 5:14
Chordal Shapes 2:24
Chord Progression Example 1:56
Legato vs Staccato 1:51
Whole Step Bending 8:37
Reverse Bending & Half Step Bending 3:27
Blues Bend 2:14
3 Fret Bend (1 1-2 Steps) 2:33
Unison Bend 1:23
Harmony Bends 1:14
Vibrato 6:49
Slides 4:12
Hammer-Ons, Pull-Offs & Trills 1:54
Meandering with Phrasing 7:18

Module 4

Basic soloing tactics

Minimal notes, adding a new position, repeating ideas on different strings, intervallic playing, slicing vs horizontal vs vertical playing, double stops and phrases.

7 lessons · 44 min

See all 7 lessons

Minimal Notes 8:51
Adding a New Position 6:42
Repetition of Idea on Different Strings 6:08
Intervallic Playing 6:13
Slicing vs Horizontal Playing vs Vertical Playing 5:28
Double Stops 4:46
Phrases 5:24

Module 5

Key concepts for improvisation

Preparing to jam, free vs connected groove, dynamic ceiling, tone and pacing, improvising over a jam track, putting it together, licks and patterns, and a chord study.

8 lessons · 52 min

See all 8 lessons

Preparing to Jam 9:29
Free vs Connected Groove 5:24
Dynamic Ceiling 3:21
Tone and Pacing 4:01
Basic Improvising Over Jam Track 1 9:50
Putting Everything Together 8:50
Licks and Patterns 6:42
Chord Study 4:02

Module 6

Real-world soloing

Major and minor key elements with A major and E minor jams, metal and a metal jam, minor blues with an A minor Dorian blues jam, the theory of rock and roll, A blues and A major blues jams, a G punk jam and final thoughts.

13 lessons · 48 min

See all 13 lessons

Major Key Elements 7:05
A Major Jam 4:59
Minor Key Elements 1:56
Em Jam 3:18
Metal 1:51
Metal Jam 4:37
Minor Blues 2:45
Am Dorian NM Blues Jam 4:26
The Theory of Rock & Roll 1:45
A Blues Jam 8:07
A Major Blues H2H Jam 0:44
G Punk Jam 3:27
Final Thoughts 2:37

START FREE 14-DAY TRIAL BUY THIS COURSE · $87

How it works

Learn at your own pace

Clear video lessons

Every move is shown up close. Pause, rewind and repeat each lesson as often as you need.

Practice materials

Includes 108-page PDF book, Jam tracks. Use them to practice what you learn in each lesson.

Part of a clear path

This is course 16 of 16 in the Premium path, so you always know what to learn next.

Your instructor

Steve Stine

GuitarZoom Master Instructor

Steve has taught guitar for more than 30 years and has helped millions of players in over 100 countries. He has a Music Education degree from Minnesota State University Moorhead and taught guitar at North Dakota State University. He's known for breaking hard things into simple steps you can follow. Read Steve's full story

Student reviews

What students say about Steve's teaching

Excellent · 4.8 out of 5 on TrustpilotRead our reviews

"Steve does it in a nice, concise way, not too fast, not too slow."
David T.United States

"The content and the video quality are both extremely awesome."
Daryll O.India

"I find that I'm playing faster and with great confidence."
Paul C.Canada

"I love the way that Steve explained things and shows how to become better."
Hans-Joachim G.Germany

"It made a difference, it was worth the money. Thank you."
Kevin W.United States

"This is absolutely one of the best classes I've ever taken."
Steve D.United States

Read 100+ more student reviews

FAQ

Learn To Improvise Your Solos questions

What do I need to know before taking this course?

You should know some scales and basic lead techniques. The course reviews bends, vibrato and slides, then focuses on using them while you improvise.

Which styles does it cover?

The real-world soloing module has jams in major and minor keys, blues, metal and punk.

Will I learn licks?

The focus is on improvising, not memorizing licks. There is one lesson on licks and patterns within the key concepts module.

Does it include jam tracks?

Yes. Several lessons have you improvise over jam tracks, including A major, E minor, metal, blues and punk jams.

How long is the course?

There are 50 video lessons, about 3 hours and 40 minutes in total, in six modules.

How do I get Learn To Improvise Your Solos?

Learn To Improvise Your Solos is one of the 16 core courses in GuitarZoom Premium. Premium costs $39 a month or $299 a year and starts with a 14-day free trial. You can also buy Learn To Improvise Your Solos on its own for a one-time $87.

What else is included in GuitarZoom Premium?

Premium gives you Steve Stine's 16 core courses in a clear, step-by-step path, from your first chords to improvising your own solos, plus a Jam Tracks library. You get every course from day one.

Can I cancel GuitarZoom Premium?

Yes. You can cancel any time. If you cancel before your 14-day trial ends, you won't be charged.

Can I watch on my phone or tablet?

Yes. You can watch on any computer, tablet or phone with an internet connection, as often as you like.

Next in the Premium path