My road to becoming an “actual” musician takes years of hard work and lots of learning but it’ll pay off. I’m still trying to learn. I know a lot of musicians dream is to become a master improviser but you can sit there and read all kinds of instructional stuff all you want to. That won’t help you become a great improviser. To become a great improviser, all it takes is having a good ear. There’s no other way around it, sadly. The trick to becoming a great improviser is memorizing the sound of each note in your head. Memorizing the pitch and the feeling of the note. How do you think all of these great virtuoso’s (like Hendrix, Duane Allman, Clapton, SRV, Satriani, etc.) came out to be??? They became great improvisers ’cause all they did was try to copy licks off of their favorite records. Most of them practiced by playing by ear most of the time.

For my lead guitar playing, I’m not gonna become all technical like Yngwie Malmsteen or Al Di Meola.

All I’m gonna is do learn all the music theory basics and learn all the basic scales.

In other words, all I need are:

– Good music theory knowledge

– Memorizing the notes on the entire guitar fretboard (important!)

– Learn the basic scales: All you need is the minor/major pentatonic scales, the minor blues pentatonic scales, and you need to learn the 7 modes.

– Learn arpeggios

– Having good phrasing (meaning sounding musical, you want your lead playing to sound like it’s singing a song)

That’s pretty much it! You don’t need to learn all the technical stuff and you don’t need to memorize like 20 scales.

I’m just trying my best to become a “real” musician so I can be taken a little more seriously.

Thanks to the Ipad… this tool is helping me with all the music apps that are on there. I have a few apps that teaches you music theory and ear training apps too. I also have a few guitar instructional e-books on the Ipad as well. Today, I just picked up, “Fretboard Theory” by Desi Serna from Ibooks. Just started it today and it’s a cool book so far.

I’m trying my best to become a more advanced musician and that has always been my goal for years.

Whenever I think I’m ready and think I’m good enough, I’ll start playing in bands and start jamming with other musicians. I can right now if I wanted to but I’m taking my slow time and trying not to get too ahead of myself.

A lot of people think they can rush into playing in bands when they are not a good enough guitar player yet. Not with me, though. I just don’t wanna rush it. It is why I don’t have too much band experience ’cause I felt I wasn’t good enough to be playing in one. So I decided to practice, learn more and take the instrument more seriously so I can hopefully rock out in a band.

I’m a good enough rhythm player. I understand timing and rhythm pretty good now. I’m trying to get better at lead guitar. In youtube videos you clearly heard me try to do a few solos… so I’m learning and trying.

A lot of musicians neglect music theory but it’s very important to learn. If you’re gonna play in a band especially on a professional level and not know any music theory, then you’re in trouble. You gotta know your shit, you know what I mean?

For years people have accused me of being a hobbyist/amateur kind of musician. When you get people calling you that, you have to step up and improve. Prove them wrong that you can play professionally and that’s what I’m doing. It’s time to show people that I can be something “musically”. I’ll show ’em.

Kev