Hey Shawn, gee, no one took a shot at this yet? I'll give you my two cents worth.
-first off, if your instructor doesn't have some sort of structure or agenda, well, lets just say that isn't a good thing. A good instructor should act as mentor, and help you focus not just on your playing skills but on where you want to go with guitar. It sounds like while you guys get along fine, he's not helping you get to where you want to be with your playing, and therefore may not be a good investment of your time & money.
-you have to take control of your learning process.. where do YOU want to go, and why? Some people just want to be able to shred so they can create the next "throw-down" YouTube video, others want to be able to play in a band so they can play live gigs, and there's lots of people that just want to be able to play at home for fun. It sounds like you have specific ambitions with your guitar playing , but they may not yet be well defined. To be able to chart the best course, you need to first know your destination. Otherwise its just practice without purpose.
-you *might* be focusing too much on lead guitar. Remember, lead guitar playing is just a small part of the picture... sure its slick, sexy, cool, hip or whatever to be able to zip off a lighting solo, but remember, that's just a small part of the whole picture. Make sure you're learning chords and rhythmic riffs, not just lead lines & scales.
-I'm guessing again, but I'd say from your post a big part of your problem is synthesis. Learning scales and riffs is great, but that is not the end of the process. You need to take the theoretical knowledge and apply it in a context that makes sense to you. We can look at a hammer all day long, talk about grip, how to hit the nail properly, all the types of nails we can use.. oh wait, and different hammers, and now how to use the claw... hey, ain't nothing going to teach you how to use that hammer better than framing a house with it. Its the same with guitar playing... you need to take that knowledge and apply it in a real world sense, creating your own solos, playing along with backing tracks, or creating your own music from scratch. The point is, there comes a time where you need to put the theory away and reach inside and get creative, using your knowledge as a tool, not a rule book, in creating your own music. And you need to do this every day. This process is very important in getting the information you are learning to sink and for your playing to become more intuitive rather than a very conscious and deliberate act.
-you might want to switch things up a bit. Like they say, if you want a different result, then you need to do something different. It just sounds like you need an environment that will push and define your playing more. A friend of mine had this phrase in latin that translated roughly to "through pressure, comes direction". Maybe its time to start or join a band, or start writing & recording your own songs.. want some real fun? Take some hard earned dollars, and book studio time for next month... not a super fancy studio, but something that is a proper facility, not just a computer or DAW in a bedroom. If you don't have a clue of what you would record, who cares? Book the time anyways and make it non-refundable.... you'll come up with something, I promise!
Anyways, getting into a rut is normal, but the way to break out is to make a change. Also, while they are hard to find, good music programs can be really beneficial too... its a great way to meet other like-minded musicians and people that will give you that extra push.
Good luck!
Cal
