Originally Posted by: polanskyI happen to have the same problem only the other way around, as a former drummer I tend to get into some percusive frases, changing time and a lot of muting strings to get just chug chug sound and play with that....but.... my problems is getting the other part (technique) going, getting a scale or progression sounding harmonical is my brick wall.

Still, having the sense of timing and using it as frasing sometimes (for me) is not enough... I wanna get something musical going on, not just the rythm frases.

I think in your case the problem isn't really about syncopation versus playing it straight. It's more just an issue of broadening your musical vocabulary. Just learn more scales, chord progressions, practice playing whatever it is you hear in your head--not just the rhythms.

Once you gain a lot of fretboard knowledge, you'll find that things will just automatically start sounding more musical.