[font=trebuchet ms]Take a tip from the jazzers - do your lessons and your homework, but when it come time to play, put all that away and just play. Knowledge of scales and modes is like learning vocabulary and the rules of grammar. It gives you the tools to allow you to express yourself well, but ya gotta have somethin' to [u]say[/u]!

So kick back, listen to the rhythm, sense the chord structure, let melodies suggest themselves to you, and then hit those strings and let everyone else hear what you're hearing in your head. It ain't the instrument you play; it's how you play it. Acoustic guitar, electric guitar, or a washtub with a broomstick and a piece of rope - whatever allows you to express what you're feeling is what works in that particular time and place.

It takes some self-assurance to let that happen, so it's important to seek out places and situations that will foster your creativity without getting into ego clashes. If you have some musical friends you can jam with, that's ideal. Sometimes I sign up for a lesson or two just to swap chops with someone I've never played with before. It's all good.[/font]