Ways to stop yourself from doing what you always do

A list of things to do to mess yourself up and stop playing what you already play. Additions welcome.

·      Play the melody with embellishments.

·      Improvise within in 1 Octave (or less.)

·      Retune your instrument randomly.

·      Play only on 1 string (or 2.)

·      Play 1 Note/2 Note/3 Notes.

·      Rhythmic motifs (play same motif every time, call and response, rhythmic displacement.)

·      Play 1 semitone out on all chords (above or below.)

·      Play only in 1 interval (diatonic or chromatic.)

·      Play the wrong song over the changes (either melody or changes, or both.)

·      Anticipate or delay every change by a bar.

·      Play purely diatonically.

·      Duncan Lamont scales (see Streetfighter’s Guide to Improvisation.)

·      Play out of time over pulse.

·      Play rubato over pulse.

·      Miles Davis stuff.

o   Play the guitar like you don’t know how to play the guitar.’

o   Play the second (or third) thing that comes into your head.

o   End it before its finished.