Scales, Solos and String Bends

I've been having an absolute blast this week with my latest homework from my guitar tutor. I've been learning the E Major scale which I've pretty much got now I just need to repeat it a few hundred times to pick up my speed. Plus my left thumb is in the wrong place on the back of the neck. Its not supposed to be poking over the top the whole time. I've obviously developed this habit since day one and now I need to break it before it sets in stone and hinders my technique as I develop.

Last week's lesson was about playing any notes in the E scale as I see fit to a backing track. I didn't know I was being recorded! I thought it sounded quite bad, but when we listened back to it I was rather impressed with myself. Considering I had no prior warning what was about to happen and I was having to improvise the whole bit I came home rather pleased.

This week my homework has been to develop the improv further and come up with a solo for this backing track. My tutor gave me some tips and he also said there was a particular hammer-on technique and string bend he wanted me to get into the solo somewhere!

I tell you - I've never had so much fun playing the guitar! I never thought I'd be able to make up tunes/melodies or solos because I'm not musical minded. But this is so simple! You're given a set of notes in a scale and any of them are fair game in any order. It just flows and if it sounds good I work with it, if it doesn't I learn and move on.

Who'd have thought 6 months ago I'd be able to make up some tunes!?