Inspiration

 I've played guitar for 25 years now. The first 10 were self taught and didn't yield  great  results. The next 3 I slowly started to become aware of my stagnated state and quickly grew bored of playing other peoples music. Once I was aware that I had hit a firm plateau in my abilities I became discouraged, frustrated and angry at myself. I almost gave up this lifelong passion more than a couple times. It wasn't until I began taking theory classes in 03 that I discovered there is so much more to guitar than meets the eyes. In fact the only reason why I had plateaued in the first place was because I was basing my playing ability and success on all the artists of the day. On their talents and abilities. I was cool if I could go to a family gathering and play Hank Sr just like Hank Sr. Or play Chuck Berry and sound like Chuck Berry!! Never understanding the importance of covering a Chuck Berry song in my own way. Too many young and aspiring musicians borrow way too heavily from their influences. Its ok to be inspired by an artist that gets a ton of radio play but not ok to carbon copy everything they do in hopes of capturing some of their success. If we ever expect to make the transition from mediocre guitar player who noodles in the bedroom, to a real musician who not only plays the guitar but can write songs, and understands intimately how the music feels and works than we have to break away from the mold and learn who we are as a musician . As everyone knows I worked for Guitar Center as their tech for a while, and I learned much about true musicianship while there. I got so tired of hearing Smoke on the Water, Enter Sandman, Crazy Train, Smokestack Lightning. Not because they were bad songs but because everyone who played them would play them JUST LIKE THE ALBUM. I asked a guy one day who could play many of these songs well "Hey man let me hear you're version of that song' his response was confusion and after thinking about it for 5 minutes he replied "No need to change what works". No need to change what works was the excuse I used for years to avoid change and the inevitable sting of making mistakes. Little did I realize that those were the signs of progress, something I should have been embracing and not running from. On the flip side of the coin I had a regular customer named Windall a young aspiring Jazz player. Windall NEVER played anything I ever recognized. This really struck my interest so I asked him one day "Windall why don't you ever play any of the top 100 like everyone else in hear?" His response was " Why should I worry about what someone else has done? Who cares what they've done I'm only worried about what I can do and offer to the music world. I'm not going to waste my time re-learning what someone else has already learned." The point is break out of the box. If your buddies make fun of you because you cant mimic a song on the radio then its time to find new friends!! Your guitar is a is your musical voice and the theory you learn is the alphabet. How well you will use this voice is up to you. Will you go around copying everyone else's "Catch Phrase" or will you make you're own. Stay humble guys and practice on