Originally Posted by: WillardJI've been playing guitar for well over thirty years and can't seem to get it.
I'll watch players, follow what they are doing, and can't seem to replicate
the tones, phrasing, feel that good players have. I'm not going to live for ever and at this rate I'll never get it. When I play out, people tell me I sound like Clapton but I know it's not my riffs, just my voice, so how can I FAST t :cool: rack to making my guitar produce the sounds in my head? I practice, practice, practice, but I'm still frustrated. Is this normal? Am I my own worst critic? Is it like golf? (Always learning and perfecting?) Any serious tips to fast track to a real command of tone, fret board visualization, mastering modes, scales, riffs, etc would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. I'm not whinning, just love to play but I'm not rockin yet! Please help if ya can.

Well it is not always easy to reproduce someones tone and style. Thats their style, and you will always have your style. As far as recreating sounds in your head this is where theory comes into play. If you dont know any learn it. Start with learning the notes on the fretboard, then to intervals, then to scales and modes. get these under you belt and will be ON YOUR WAY to being able to put these ideas on the fretboard.