Best tip for improvising I have encountered is to just forget everything and simply do your best to play in such a way that it conveys who you are and where you have been to any audience that might be listening.

That is what many of the jazz guys say, though they usually know what they are going to do instinctively. Mucho practice behind them etc.

I think the main charactaristic to look for when discerning the usefullness (good &/or BAD merits) of what and how one is practicing is that as you are practicing thingy "x", there should be a discernable waning that as you are practicing "x" senses that you are needing to pay less and less attention while playing thing "x", in order for you to continue to be doing it a manner that is consistent with what you wanted it to be like/sound like.

N.B, I did not say---> in a manner that is consistent with the "correct way" of playing thing x...My particular belief is that when talking about any aspect of one's music (maybe its the harmonic aspects of one's thoughts, maybe its one's timing, could be about any part of what one is doing during life that is of a musical nature) that to speak of it/ consider it/judge it...for that matter ANY OF IT with a dichotomy of "correct/incorrect" is not only unhelpful but is itself unhealthy...instead of "correct" or "incorrect". Instead, there is only "what you want to do" (or had wanted, if what you where wanting was in the past tense) and "what you actually are doing" (or had been doing, if what you are considering/judging has already transpired/come to fruition) .

all the practice and licks in the world is worth shit without an ear for music. f.e. can u make an improv at 80 bpm and make it good and interesting?

Learning to play a decent guitar solo !!!! was the hardest thing I've ever learned to do, in my life !!! Quack quack !

As a duck you should also remember the duckwalk! If the solo is smoking and the duckwalk is happening that's the ticket! Chuck Berry and Angus Young are the masters, though I think Angus really is the true champion of the style.

WOW !!!!! i would only need to play a 3 note solo then. and get the same smoke!!!! your on to something Mr Gurgle !!!! i might have to Newskool it !! im thinking moonwalked duckwalk !!! quack quack

Little cover of Santana's Black Magic Woman. Solo is improvised ;)

Awesome Cliff, I think you are sounding quite pleasurable to listen to!!! One thing that comes to my head as I listen to this as far as "what notes you are choosing to slide/gliss to" I guess this would apply to bends and ghost note h.o/p.o's aswell...I would encourage you aswell as all other guitar players when they are making deciscions as how they is gonna be arranging these ornamental parts of their playing...is to always make sure they do it according to "how they in a perfect world without any physical limitations" they would like it to sound...as opposed to applying them in such a way that happens to be the most comfortable for their left hand...Because even if you choose to apply them in a way that is less comfy for your unique left hand atm...it will morph itself accordingly to however you are gonna be doing these things in the long run...So with that in mind...Fanstastic work!

Thanks for listening, and thanks for the kind words and critique. I agree with you, of course, but what you suggest is a tall order, and one that I think is currently beyond me. It's interesting to hear so many great guitarists who do indeed seem to fall back on ornamentation that seems comfortable - and therefore a little repetitive - to them.

Nice improvising again! Santana gets some treatment and I like it. I was also startled because I thought that you had put just a picture on the video and when I glanced at the screen, while black magic woman was being sung I saw that screen move. Nice scare for a moment!