Originally Posted by: ScottMoneyI think it's bad advice not to learn hard solos. A lot of quality ground can be made simply by "single-mindedly pursuing one solo" as Leedogg said. Once you can play it in a mediocre way, you can figure out the subtleties that really make that piec unique and that will help you tremendously

I agree, but in order to be that way you have to have two things that many people are missing: 1. awareness 2. honesty within oneself

If you are not completely objective and critical of what you hear when you play yourself back you will never really learn the little nuances of what makes a piece great....no matter how long you practice it. You have to be utterly honest with yourself and mature enough not to get discouraged from that. And seek other players' honest opinions. A fake compliment might work to satisfy one's ego but that's all it's good for, which, in the end....gets you nowhere.