I'll jump in here and at least say what I meant by guide tones. Reed
doesn't think that a guide tones approach is useful, and has some good
arguments for it. Anyhow, guide tones typically refer to the 3rd and 7th
of a chord. They tell you if it's minor or major, and whether or not
it's a dominant type chord or a major7 type chord. I had gotten a
suggestion off of Emily Remler's video that one way to begin soloing is
to try to hit a guide tone of each chord on beat one of each measure. In
the intervening space, she suggested using blue scale phrases, or even
just to experiment with anything, but using the guide tones to stay on
the changes. She suggested it as a learning tool.
Reed's criticism of that approach included the observation that a
statistical analysis of thousands of great solos may yield a description
of frequently used solo devices, but that does not necessarily translate
into a prescription for creating solos. The point, I think is well
taken.
I still find in the "Freddie Green" comping mode on guitar that playing
guide tones works reasonably well.
-- /\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ Lawson G. Stone Professor of Old Testament Asbury Theological Seminary !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sign in Sandia National Lab's Physics Department: "Do not look directly into laser beam with remaining eye."