I started playing guitar when I was 12 on my own (with a chord book and tabs, I really wanted to learn pearl jam) and took a month or two of guitar lessons when I was 16. One of the things the guitar teach thought me was the "blues scale" and how to use it to improvise.
So basically, what I have been doing with the "blues scale" since then (14 years ago now) is pick patterns from this scale when I'm playing a solo or lick over a backing track. Obviously I play alot of the same patterns using the blues scale to get a specific sound or sequence of notes. I can actually hear the stuff I'm going to play in my head before I actually play it...
So since I recently became a member of this great site I can learn lots of other scales and how to apply them in the same manner as I have been doing with the blues scale? Or am I missing what you are saying?
Once again, thanks for the answer and the great site!