Doodling on Your Guitar

Many years ago, in pre-Revolutionary War days, the song "Yankee Doodle" became popular.  I looked up the origin of the word "doodle."  Wikipedia says, The term Doodle first appeared in the early seventeenth century, and is thought to be derived from the Low German dudel, meaning “playing music badly” or Dödel, meaning "fool" or "simpleton". 

Wow!  So you're wanting me to "act the fool" by playing my guitar without any idea of what I'm doing.  Well-- NO-- not exactly.  But sometimes we get in a rut by having to learn everything "by the book" and not leaning to or experimenting with our own creative abilities.   There's a bit of freedom experienced when you can fool around on your guitar and not really be worried or concerned about messing up.

Guitarist Eric Johnson said, “My best songs come from making a lot of mistakes and playing a lot of garbage.”

Here's a few examples of accomplished guitar players "doodling" around on their acoustic guitars.  This is pretty impressive for improvisation, that is, "on the fly" playing.  The first is more of a demo, the last two are more instructional, and involve graphics.  All of these are interesting for me, but may be a bit beyond a basic beginner level.  But if you've thought about learning to solo or improv on your guitar, this might be a good place to jump in-- even if it's a bit over your head, you can tread water until you're more comfortable with it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yVM4rQPCxx4  --  a blues improv lesson

  If you've delved into watching and listening already, before you watch the other two videos, skip down and read the rest of this article.   I don't want you to get too overwhelmed by experts trying to show you "how-to" improv--- it's really something that you learn mostly from your own mistakes and effort.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJtZgkCu1DA   --  a 27 minute video on basic Improvisation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIZGmQ3btl4    --  a lesson on improvising on a major chord

   I saw one of the above instructors get 'down-to-the-basics' at one point when he described just playing two or three-note "riffs" by just going back and forth between two or three notes.  Repeating notes is not a no-no in improv playing.  Of course, if you played the same solitary note over and over, it would be like a drone, but if you pick two or three notes, and just form a bit of a groove by just going back-n-forth between them, eventually it will help you to develop a sense of rhythm and method to your doodling.

  Another method which is a little more involved is just taking a chord, and breaking it down into its components, which is really made up of a scale.  Take a basic C chord, which is made up of the following notes-- C-E-G-C-E.   By playing these five notes, one at a time, you form a simple melodic "solo"-- it's really called an arpeggio, or arpeggiated chord.

   Now, if you're able to conceptualize this in your mind-- break down each string, and take it from it's highest note-- the note within the chord, and take it down to the open string.  You will not play each and every note, but find the right notes that fit within the scale.  I would rather you work this out on your own, but I will begin by helping you out on a string or two.

   Okay we start with C-E-G-C-E.  These are the notes of the "C" chord.  The first C is on the fifth string, (3rd fret) the E is on the 4th string (2nd fret), G is open 3rd string, the next C is on the 2nd string, 1st fret, and finally-- we have the last note, E, is the open 1st string.

   Now start with playing the low C (on 5th string).  Go up to the next string.  Play the E (2nd fret).  Now open it up by lifting your finger and play the 4th string open (D).  Now experiment by going back and forth.  C--E--D--E--C--D--E.   Fun, huh?  now add the next note, which is an open string (3rd-G).  Play these notes-- C--E--D--G--D--C--D--E.   It forms some sort of a groove or melody.  Experiment.  Go above the original chord note to a higher fret and then back down.   Then take it through the rest of the chord.   Experiment.  There is no real "right" way to play this.  You just find the notes that sound good and learn to play them, and then when you have a basic order, then you mix them up and try different arrangements, using bottom-to-top,  top-to-bottom, and intervals.  This just means that sometimes you start a series of notes from the lowest and go to the highest, sometimes you switch and go high-to-low, and then other times you jump notes, or create an interval, kinda like hopping up or down stairsteps instead of walking them up or down one at a time.

   Okay-- there's a start in the process of doodling on your guitar.  After you begin to grasp doodling on individual notes, you can begin to doodle on chords too.   Experiment in finding new ways to play chords, or finding brand new chords.   Then try playing chords and adding melody notes to the chords.