Playing notes along a single string?

The first step is to just play sequential notes of one string starting at the nut or open string and going all the way up the 12th fret and back again.

Once you are comfortable doing that, try skipping a note or just going back and forth between two or three notes. This warms your fingers up and gets you familiar with the whole step half step patterns in the scales.

You could even do this simple exercise while one of the jam tracks is playing and you will immediately get a feel for how the notes fit into the key of the song.

Once you have developed a little finger dexterity, you can start to play any note combination that comes into your mind by simply playing notes identified on the map along any string, or within a specific pattern box. Take a quick look at this video clip to see what I mean.

This example should give you a good idea of how easy it is, at whatever your level, to start experimenting with notes and use the backing tracks to inspire melodies in your head. By seeing the note positions and patterns its a heck of a lot easy to really memorize guitar scales.

And while you are at it, download the free guitar tabliture for this guitar solo. It will help you learn to play this simple scale pattern and give you a feel for how much fun it is too learn scales and begin to improvise. Have fun!