Improvisation doesn't have to be daunting - it's about applying concepts we already know and we can keep it as simple as want... sometimes for the better actually!

Over a 12-bar blues in A, I'll show you how to create musical lead lines by starting from octave points rather than the lowest note, adding slides, incorporating pauses, and following the chord changes by moving to D minor pentatonic and E minor pentatonic at the appropriate moments.

Main Learning Points:

• 12-bar blues progression in A

• Following chord changes: A (5th fret), D (10th fret), E (12th fret) positions

• Starting from octave points rather than lowest note for improved musical phrasing

• Adding slides between notes to make phrases more expressive

• Incorporating pauses and jumps to create melodic interest (what singers do)

• Using loop pedals to practice improvisation and develop internal rhythm (and have fun!)

For this Blues Shuffle jam track, try focussing on maintaining the movement of the fingers in these chords and really get used to the feeling of it - it should become second nature.

It's repetitive so we can easily lose time or forget where we are, so it's about building the right momentum and internalising this 12 Bar Blues Form. When we achieve that, we can jam with other players or importantly know the cues when we're improvising!

Enjoy improvising here... just go for it and have fun!