Originally Posted by: haghj500You ever learn a joke or a saying one day only to forget parts the next day. I think it is normal no matter what you are trying to do.

From reading your posts, while you have played for a long time, not too much of that time has been spent just working on solos, so your fingers have learned to jog, not to run yet. When the movements and new patterns become more automatic, your brain will spend less time/resources making them do what you want. Not watching your fingers as you move them, may help you advance faster than you currently are. I always connect more and play better when my eyes are closed, playing chords or lead. The strings and frets don't move, get to know your instrument.

I think there is "muscle memory" and "brain trust" in the muscles to do the right thing, before it all works in harmony. For me playing with my eyes shut works on both at the same time.

When I finger pick my mind hears what it wants and my right hand just makes it happen. I can watch it and think of another sound and it just does it. Of course that's not true for a new patterns.

Good analogy with the joke.

Yes, I've been playing a long time. During that time I played many of the same songs over and over again. I would also learn snippets and riffs. I never did focus on learning entire songs, both rhythm and lead. That's the difference I think...especially for lead. I can run playing rhythm, but jogging on lead. At least my jogging pace is increasing :-).