I'm also looking forward to some of your comments and revelations. I'll share one of my recent revelations - just for those interested. Everybody's background in music is different, but for me - I've been crippled by not learning songs by watching a talented teacher, and NOT writing anything down (IMHO) - For years I've been overattached to tabs and written music, and because of this, I never learned the neck properly in terms of fluency with the many chords and inversions needed to play my favorite musical styles. In particular - I took a lesson from a renowned local guitar player, and explained that I enjoyed Les Paul and Chet Atkins style music - he proceeded to play a GREAT version of "Avalon" - knocked me out - without any apparent prep for the lesson. Granted this may be in his reportoire - but I've noticed when I learn a song from tabs and/or music - it doesn't become 'part of me' - and fades much faster. When you learn a song by watching a person play it, it is entirely a different experience - and substantially MORE time is spent with your fingers on the neck very close to the desired sound of the outcome, rather than "Translating the notation - music or tab" - into the correct places on the neck. Just my 2 cents, given my particular weaknesses and musical development. I'm sure my advice might apply to SOME small set of my PG Peers out there.

PS - and yes, that is a testament to my lack of reading fluency also, but how many people that did not grow up on an instrument that REQUIRED fluent reading (such as guitar) can fluently read chords and chord inversion quickly enough in songs with some of the complexity of chords and tempo as Chet Atkins - or other jazz players that use lots of chord melodies ? It's hard enough to read single notes fluently on the guitar in all keys - but chord voicings are even harder, especially if position is not provided.

Last edited by Joe V; 12/07/14 03:50 AM.