How many years ???

That brings us to the fact that your real level is what you can play in front of an audience. At home, you can play Yngwie's solos, but it's when you back up a singer, when you have a sax playing the solos, and a drummer that keeps on hitting weird rhythms that you can't hide.

I used to play BB king lines 3 or 4 years ago (while I practiced Paganini at home), but to be right on the money, to keep the groove going, and to find my spot in the band, that's what I could play. I've been able to sound a little like Mike STERN the last jams I have played. I'm not showing off my licks, like some other guys in the jams, but people who play with me enjoy the way that I interact with their playing and lines. Last time, some guy was amazed as I went into a walking bass line because the bass player kept doing solos instead of keeping the groove (dumbass) well, I had to find my spot, and the sound of the band was better with me doing that.
"Make musical sense"

Originally posted by ^Chacron^
...when I play infront of other people I freeze up...

When I was in high school,I used to recite poems.Lots of them.And I used to kick butt some too(I often got to national finals).And to get there,there was like four stages of competition.
But every time I was about to go on stage,I got butterflies.EVERY SINGLE TIME.But I accepted the bflies as part of the perfomance,and it didn't affect my perfomance.
Learn to accept that fear thing,and learn how to deal with it.That way you won't freeze up and stuff.

When I jam with a drummer, I never lead. I love to play around the rythmn and come up with weird beats. Most of the time, when I play metal with a drummer, I end up playing heavy palm-muting and staying around Em. I can jam with him for hours.

Most of drummers I played with enjoyed that, I left them the spotlight.

If I jam with a better lead guitar, I'll never play solo until he ask me. The songs end up being better that way.

Man! do I miss jamming......

Very true what you say....there are some musicians who always want to run the whole show. With people like Yngwie thats fine because his musicians are there to work around him, but if you're in a band you have to give as well as take. There are a few tracks on the hendrix woodstock album which I cant help but feel the drummer spoilt because he went off to do his own stuff when it would have been better to do a stedy beat behind Jimi's solo.

Showing off is fine in moderation but if you abuse it nobody will want to play with you.

Originally posted by Benoit
...Man! do I miss jamming...

Then jam!!!
Nothing has happened to stopm you,right?

Can't find a guitarist that is on the same track musically.

So jamming alone is not the same, even if it's still my primary source of song ideas.

I may find another player one day.

If one is in tune with the song speed will be natural.

Originally posted by Benoit

Can't find a guitarist that is on the same track musically...

...and on the same track about just about everything,life,people,politics,money...
I think there's more to forming a band,for instance,than just finding virtuosos in the various instruments involved.The chemistry counts,almost like it does for a love/sexual relationship.

I went through all that bs with player showcasing themselves and sucking larg. Zoom rythm tracks drum machine is my new friend, it is always there plays what I want it to, and because it has 300 different paterns of drum/bass from every style, it has taught be a great deal. Most people think it is a real drummer and bass backing me when they listen to my tapes, the technology is getting that good,...also the price is about 199 us for the middle modle. Still I like playing with real musicians but it is rare to find them, so I program two drum kits playing with a bass, create a song the way I like it and use these tracks for some gigs. AS for drum machines it is a great affordable unit and easy to use, this is my first one.

Originally posted by sadromanticghost
In how many years from the time you start playing guitar...manage to play guitar fluently and really speed?

Again it depends ... I've been playing for over 6 years and i still can't play some songs by Hendrix and Rand Rhoads. But this friend of mine named William ... he's aroun 14 and he practices around 6 hrs a day ad he started a year ago and he's way past my level. There isn't a song he can't play ... currently he's playing steve vais stuff while i'm playing Iron maiden / children of bodom / zeplin again(skool just finished).

It all depends on the time u put into playing. Some ppl catch things faster than others.
speed should be the least of your worries ... it'll come soon.
And if u want to get better faster rty some sites like
http://www.guitarworld.com - try the lessons sections
http://www.worldguitar.com - with audio aid
http://www.wholenote.com - excellent, theory with audio aid which can be slowed down.

These sites really help cause i used them since 1998 ... i went from simple hammer ons and powerchords to arrpegios and full length solos in no time.

give it a shot.