Need some guitar playing advice...

[htismaqe]

I've been playing for almost 30 years now and have never really developed any "chops". Some of it is a lack of ambition...well, most of it is a lack of ambition...and some of it is just a natural lack of manual dexterity (I think).

I'm kind of stuck in a rut and I want to learn how to really play lead guitar - I'm not talking about Yngwie Malmsteen/Marty Friedman/Joe Satriani shit, but I would like to learn to play lead well enough that I could play some Dio songs or whatever.

So for somebody with my background and 3 decades worth of bad habits, what's the quickest way to do it? Private lessons? Books? Youtube?

[Over-Head]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Thanks for that. I haven't had good luck with DVD/video stuff. Hard for me to follow.

I thought that too. I originally bought the series back in 82', six months later I was lead in a band that won 3 back to back battle of the bands.

A pinched nerve, (and the fact I always loved percussion) ended my guitar playing for the next 21years.

Once I regained control of my pinky and ring finger, I started playing around with my Les Paul again. I ordered this the 2nd time ....within 3 months, I was shredding again.

Try it. You wont be disappointed. especially where you can already play, you can order the "advanced" dvd's, and custom tune your "lessons"..

[Over-Head]

Originally Posted by Lzen

Holy crap! I had a couple of those when I first started out playing guitar. I didn't realize that was still around these days.

Yeah, Doug is still going strong!! Surprised me too a few years back.

[MahiMike]

Originally Posted by Lzen

On a related note, I can't tell you how many times someone asked me to give someone lessons. Family and friends always seemed to think that just because I was a guitar player in a gigging band that I must be able to teach it, as well.

Besides the fact that because I was in a gigging band and also had a young family I really didn't have the time to give lessons, there was no way I was capable of teaching very much beyond just basic stuff. Perhaps if I had taken formal lessons with an instructor, I might have been capable of giving lessons properly myself someday.

I can concur with this. I've tried to take lessons from 2 different friends that play in bands. They would show me something slow once, then get into it themselves and just start whalin'. I even tried to tape them while they played. Didn't help.

I've gone thru dozens of online teachers. There are some good ones on youtube. The one I found easiest to understand is a guy named 'Guitar Sage'. But he likes to play accoustic.