read this man-

Okay, I'm going to throw my two cents (trust me, after all the money I've spent on gear over the years..that's about all I have left!) in. I'm hoping not to repeat anyone, but to be honest with you, when it got to Murder 101 and the Coke Vs Pepsi debate, I kindof scrolled through.

Okay, first off, everyone here has given some good advice. Learn the rhythm!! Like someone said, there's Yngwie wanna be's who can shred and shred, but ask them to grab and acoustic and strum something easy, and they're lost. I would recommend also, change your keys alot. Don't learn everything in A...cuz guess what? You'll be doing everything in A and if you ever have to change keys, even though its the same patterns, just two steps up or two steps down, they seem foreign to you. I don't know all their songs, but I'm willing to bet that Keith Richards plays everything in Gmaj. The few songs I have played of the Stones, they were in that key and he always sounds the same. Don't get me wrong, the dude's been making a living of this since before I was a gleam in my dad's eye...but I don't think Keith is an exciting player.

Okay, I'll stop that one before another debate erupts. Learn your jazz chords too. There are alot of songs who use them and you probably don't know it. Learn the fretboard (I'll admit, I slacked at this one too). Be able to pick a fret on a string and know instantly what that note is. In addition to that, when you're learning your scales, learn what notes make up a scale so as to tie in your fretboard knowledge. This way, no matter what key you're in and no matter if you're shaky on the patterns...you'll know what notes comprise that scale while you're improvising.

Lastly, as far as developing your style..well that comes in time. I'll try to explain it, but it's really something that just "happens". We're all influenced by different people. I'm a bit more old school, so mine are Clapton, Rhoads, Page, Sambora and Brian Setzer, to just name a few. I don't sound like Randy Rhoads, I don't sound like Jimmy Page and I sure as hell don't sound like Eric Clapton....but you can hear them all in the way I play. Those people influence you because they connect to you in some way. Whether they're melodic, fast, bluesy or whatever. They've got a sound you like. As you play, and more so as you improvise, you'll find yourself instinctively playing things that kindof mimic your influences. Meaning (and I hope I'm not losing you, because I'm starting to lose myself): You're playing on the fly, literally, so to keep your focus and keep it sounding good, you might throw in a Page lick here, a Satch lick there, a typical Rhoads rhythm..etc.. See where I'm going? Individually they're each their own...combined they're YOU and your style.

wasn't "brown sugar" in Bmaj?

i totally see where your coming from. but Jerry Garcia is my main influence, but it seems to me in my 'time of noodling' i should and do seem influenced by jazz greats i havent even heard of . like im a natural ( no no no not like a genius) like its my un-artificial language with no slurs that have developed, you know? but if i really think, then i can sound a little like jerry, but on the fly i sound like a blues great ( well not TOO great, but not bad at least).

i will learn things in G and F and E and all the keys, i just really want to get things 'down' in A, so it becomes that much more easier in G and in F and etc.


there is this thing that flows in me, once i start playing...usually from saturday until thursday are my best playing dates ( getting in 5 hours a day average) and on friday i get in 3 or 4 at the most usually, because im 'burnt out', literally physically and emotionally from the week.
im the only kid at my school who never
has home work, so i have plenty of gutar time!

I think everyone learns they A minor Pentatonic and the A Ionian scales first, so that's not a problem, but be aware of the other keys/scales. I don't know half of them by heart honestly, but I did find it's easy to stick to one key because it's familiar to you.

I wish I had five hours a day to practice! I actually wished I hadn't pissed away the time when I did have five hours a day to practice. But the bills need to get paid, so I'm lucky to get two hours a day when I'm not jamming with the band (then I get five hours!). Keep it up while you can. Now as far as the Garcia influence. If he's your main influence then that's cool, but you've got to have other influences. You'll pick up pieces of everyone you listen to reguarly over the years.

Oh and to Educated...you're right, it is in B...but you've got to admit, they've got a lot of songs in G.

yeah they do alot of stuff in one key (you right)... I was just questioning whether i knew what i thought i did... The dandy warhols ripped it off, which is a shame...