Originally posted by N4Player
Although the lead progressions (patterns) will be the same in different keys - you should learn where on the fretboard you would start a lead in "E" vice "A" for example.

What is a lead progression pattern? Is it a rule that says only a certain pattern of notes will work with a certain key note? Where is the correct place on the fretboard to start a lead over "E"? I don't believe in anything like that. I believe you can start a solo over E on any note, or any place on the fretboard. Some are more common than others, but all are a particular sound. If that sound is what you want, then that's the note. You wouldn't need theory to tell you this, and shouldn't use it to tell you otherwise. Such rules make it seem like your limiting your musically ability by what your taught in theory. Not to confuse the beginner, but theory is only what it means. A Theory, that's it. It's just the knowledge of how things work, not how they have to and should work. So there is no correct place you should start a lead over any note, it's all in what you wanna hear.

To become the musician you wanna be, learn how to play what you wanna hear, that's it. To do this, learn songs without using tab or songbooks. Figure it out yourself, maybe in the beginning use tab and books to get you started. But you should always be trying to figure out stuff on your own, maybe some help here and there when your stuck. Internet tabs and songbooks are cheat sheets, you learn nothing other than to read tab. Hearing it, Knowing it on your instrument, Playing it. That's mastering your instrument. Along with reading music, learning techniques, and on and on.

Start with solo's and leads that are easy to figure out, then work your way up to harder stuff. It doesn't hurt to have a sampler, so you can slow down those blazing fast parts to figure them out too.