Hi,

This is my first post here. Hope this is the right place.

I came here looking for some advice. I've been playing the guitar for a few years now, on and off. I learned how to read tabs (can't read sheet music) and I can learn most songs I want to that way.

I'd like to improve, however, but I'm not sure where to start. I can't afford private lessons, and when I had them as a teenager I was basically only taught how to read tabs.

Any advice on what I should look for to improve my skills and be able to do things like improvise? Is it important to know how to read music properly?

Thank you in advance!

Yes, it's important to learn to read music. When I couldn't afford to take weekly lessons, I asked my teachers if I could switch to every-other-week. The teachers agreed, and it worked out well.

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Find a way to attend music lesson, even if you have to work part time just to afford it.

If you can afford to own a guitar, you can afford a lesson.

Try to visit any nearby guitar teaching class.

Hi.. you can try learning lessons from online classes if you can't afford private class.

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Nobody is really answering the question. You have two options. Option one is to learn some scales (start with the pentatonic) and play them in keys that match whatever chords are going on in a backing track (There's a lot of them on youtube.) This will give you a basic understanding of composing riffs on the fly while making sure the notes you play sound good with the music, but it gives your soloing a more formulaic sound.

Option two is to wing it. This option takes longer to sound good and requires more attention and practice from the musician, but improvising over a backing beat without relying on structured scales will ultimately make you more familiar with your instrument and ensure that your sound is completely your own.

Either way, if you're looking to learn soloing, you should practice some scale forms. Even if you choose not to use them, the muscle memory of playing scales will help you jump to a complimentary note instead of freezing when you're not sure what to play next.