Arpeggios can pay your rent [if you're a guitar player].
Why is it when some players take a solo, they sound like they're noodling? They might have great rhythm, solid licks, and great tone, but still something about their playing doesn't sound right. Conversely, certain players, even when playing the simplest ideas, seem to always play something that works.
Most of the time, You will find that the noodler is ignoring the chord changes, and the more tasteful player is 'honoring' those chords by employing arpeggios.
What is an arpeggio? An Arpeggio is a broken up chord. (For example, C, E, G, B or chord tones 1,3,5,7 in a major seventh arpeggio). Most guitar players start out by learning their pentatonic/ key center playing. They have a general ambivalence to the chords going by, and are basically jut ripping in their key, or their box position. This type of playing is a ton of fun, and often appropriate for styles like rock and blues. But in songs where the chord changes are really definitive, your solo should reflect those chords. In styles like country and jazz, it's imperative to land on chord tones even if the whole song is diatonic (in one key). Even in styles like rock and pop there are circumstances where you need to adapt and your old approach of playing in one key for the entire song will no longer work. Having an awareness of the chords you are playing over (and their corresponding arpeggios) will free your playing. In time, You will be able to 'honor' the chords, and also wail in your favorite box positions. Arpeggios also provide you with a safety net to navigate difficult changes where you may not always be sure what key center you are in. As long as you are playing a fundamental note of the chord you are playing over, your playing will 'work'. If you have reached a point in your playing where you notice that your solos seem to wander, and you are struggle to play over more difficult tunes, I would highly recommend learning your arpeggios in every position. You may need a good private instructor to show you. And most importantly you will need quality regular practice to get these arpeggios into your playing! Learn your arpeggios and soon your solos will have the willful abandon we all crave!