Creating An Original Instrumental On Guitar

When I first set out to create a guitar instrumental, I really wasn't quite sure about how to go about this. I've always been fascinated with Jeff Beck and I would always wonder how he came up with his music. Well, I think that its very hard to get inside someones head, so to speak, to figure out the way that they do in fact create an instrumental on the guitar.

I believe that this is something that happens naturally as I sit with my guitar, and begin to play what is within me. And the most awesome thing about an instrumental is that each person who listens to it comes to develop they're own interpretation as to what the piece is about and how it can relate to something in they're own life.

When I set out to record another song, with vocals, I had the basic 12 Bar blues structure in mind with a particular feel to it that I was very fond of. I started to write the lyrics and they were very simple ones. The funny thing about this is that the song lyrics were about having a relationship with my guitar.

As I started to ad in a bridge and then onto a section that was to become the chorus, I found that something wasn't quite right. I really liked the chord progression that led in to the chorus, but I couldn't fit any actual lyrics into that particular section. So, I had this song that was going to be cool, but I just couldn't come up with a suitable chorus.

I then began to play some lead lines over the basic chords that were the verses, and I loved what I was able to come up with. It fit really well and the song was coming together nicely. That's when at this point in the song that I decided to drop the lyrics and make it an instrumental. It just seemed to flow in that direction. So its kinda funny how this whole instrumental thing came together.

So now I'm at the place where the chorus has now become the specific lead section of this song. Again I just listened to what I have recorded so far, and started to develop the solo section as I felt that it related to the verse sections and the bridge section of the song. I was really kind of surprised that it was working out so well.

What I have learned at this point about creating an original instrumental on the guitar, is that I start with a basic melody or arrangement for the verses, and then I just continue to build on that with what comes from my heart.

Now of course, the most important thing that I can continue to do, is listen to other instrumentals that have been recorded by other great guitarists. By doing this I can start to increase my own feel for what is right with a new arrangement and the other sections of the song, as I build it. But I also must continue to learn new chord progressions and lead lines, so as to get better at writing an instrumental song on guitar. I think also that it really comes down to how I can translate what I'm feeling inside, my emotions or mood, onto the fretboard, thus making an awesome song.