I'm 17 and have been playing for about 6 years. During that time I've become a pretty damn good rhythm player and not a bad lead player.What I will ask is, Does learning all the scales and theory bits take the fun out of playing guitar?
I read a post saying someone wanted to be as good as his hero practicsing many hours a day to be the best.I respect his ambition but to me I don't wish to delve too deeply into theory.A few years ago if you asked me what a scale was I'd probably have said it was a piece of measuring apparatus.Now, I couldn't give you an exact meaning of a scale.All I know is that it is a pattern of notes you play on a certain fret that corresponds to a key.That's how I'd liked to keep it to be honest.

What does the community think?
Thanks for reading.
Luke.

I play as much scales as I can stand to - sometimes I spend hrs just practicing scales. As long as you enjoy them then I guess you can't do too much. BUT try to do other stuff also of course so you're a well rounded player.
I guess you can't really play too much scales - as long as that's not all that you do.
-Daniel

yo strat- that would be me you read about, im pretty sure.
my topic got pretty big ( i think it reached 50 replies or so)- it was about the level of dedication it takes to become a great guitar player. now, theory is VERY important. you dont have to get too deep in it, but if you want to be a great lead player, you need to know the theory. Especially if you want to improvise. Im 14, picked up the guitar 11 months ago, almost. Now, i practice excessively, and i'd say im probably about as good as kids that started when they were 10 and are my age ( there are none aty my school though ). Practice is the most important thing, and you need it. I dont care what some ****er says on here, but you NEED practice. you need to know theory, scales, chord theory, all that. i cant believe you didnt go through that already, but its never too late.

im sorry if i sound harsh, i dont mean it if it sounds like that- one reason i dont use email...people think im bitchin at em if im really just discussing a topic (because they cant hear me)...

i think its much more fun learning all the scales, but then again i dont realy no coz i havn't sampled the other side if u no what i meen. its loads of fun when u are jamming with a punk/metal band and they say "ok the chord behind the solo is A5". they r expecting some pentatonic licks or whateva and you play the hungerian minor scale (what do you meen you dont no it?!?). FUN FUN FUN!!!!

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Tandem Felix

yeah- i always thought how funny that'd be.

I've learnt all the damn scales there is to know, and I've finally understood after all those years that what get across in 90 percent of the case in a gig, is the minor pentatonic.
Don't get me wrong, depending on the style you play, you might use other scales, but get over it, most rock, blues, pop, can be played only knowing the first box of the pentatonic...
I'm not saying "don't learn them" but I think that improving you phrasing and tone is way more important than the oddity or rarity of the scale you use.

I was (a loooong time ago)jamming with the Dire Straits tune "brothers in arms". Now my mom was never a big fan of electric guitar, (she thinks that the last real guitar player was Django REINDHART...) but she actually likes Mark KNOPFLER's mellower tunes. She came in my room, and I told her "can you hear those notes he's using" and she answered "he's got the same ones as you do!!" well, it kind of made me think for some time, and I understood it's not really WHAT you play, but HOW you play it...

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http://www.lalimace.net

As an advanced player of 16 years I agree with Incident-I would like to add that practicing scales gives you a much better understanding of music in relation to chords. So if you ever get lost playing an origanal piece or a cover, You can improve till your brain cramp relaxes!!
Secondly, It gives your hands and fingers strenghth and flexibility and ENDURANCE when playing live.