Whenever possible, play or practice with some form of audible beat, whether it be a metronome, drum machine, keyboard, etc.. I used a little cheap casio keyboard when I started out, and it helped me with my timing and phrasing tremendously. I've always suggested this to others starting out, and they've all said it helped them become better players. In my experience, I've known many guitarist who sounded awesome while playing by themselves, but totally fell apart when trying to jam with others or to a steady beat. They had never developed a strong sense of rhythm, which is the foundation of music. And without a strong foundation......you just can't build a strong creation. :cool: