It’s not always possible to improvise completely off the cuff. What separates a beginner from a more experienced improviser is their number of ‘phrases’. Phrases are a combination of notes with a definite beginning and end, and they are the guitarist’s secret weapon. If you build up an arsenal of phrases you’ll be able to call on them at any time to liven up your improvising and fill in the gaps.

Now that we’ve looked at preparing to jam, let's take a look at how to build on our knowledge and apply the principals to other styles of music.

For this example we’ll use the song Paranoid by Black Sabbath. In this song the rhythm guitar plays the same riff over and over again, making it easier to keep track of where we are and focus on the lead part. This is useful when jamming with a friend as you can both agree to improvise over 8 bars each in a "Call and Response" style.