Improvising with backtracks

[Tim67]

I am going thru the lessons in Ultimate Guitar Grid Mastery and after each of the Major scale patterns are introduced, there is the suggestion to play with a backtrack and improvise.  I will try scale pattern against the backtrack and then try to pick random notes from the scale pattern.  Sometimes it sounds good but other times it sounds like trash (family forum right!?).  I almost always end up playing the same 5-6 notes (Usually on the D and G strings) that sound like they belong in a random pattern but that is as far I can seem to take it.  How far away should I "stray" from those 5-6 notes that sound good? Do you have any examples you can provide that might help me take this further?

[Fred Soukup]

I have found that after playing the backing tracks a few times and starting with the low E. I usually incorporate most of the scale in them. However, sometimes, you can just use 5 or 6 notes and jam away speeding up the frequency of the notes or just trying them on the half beats. Also, do not be reluctant to hit the same notes as the backing track to start you off that could take you in a whole different direction. The idea is just to find what sounds good and have fun.

Fred  🎸