[Cheesehead]

Originally Posted by Jakedog

It depends on what you want to do in the long run IMO.

If you want to be in bands, and gig and make money, branch out. If I had only ever stuck with one thing, I'd have missed out on a lot of work over the years. If it were me, and at one time it was, I would focus on playing lots of styles convincingly, rather than one perfectly. It makes you much more employable. On the other hand, if you just want to stay a hobbyist, and play for your own enjoyment, then yo umight derive a great deal of satisfaction from going through the list artist by artist, over a period of many years, and learning every note and nuance they ever played. An in depth study like that can be very rewarding as well.

Personally, I can relate to the ADD reference. I have never been able to stick to anything for very long except my own stuff. I have been in country bands, metal bands, rock bands, blues bands, a reggae band, you name it. I have even found that I can have tons of fun playing music I don't even like. Playing it, and listening to it for entertainment, are two vastly different things. That's how I first started playing country. Now I love it to death.

I am by no means a master of any one style at all. but through years of gigging and recording all of these different styles, I have developed a working knowledge of just about every genre except for classical and jazz, and that augmenting my original writing and recording keeps me from having to have a day job.

Nice thoughtful post...

Originally Posted by kingnimrod

I've found experimenting with different styles of backing tracks has made me a stronger player.

Originally Posted by trag-o-caster

Also, when I was young, sitting in my room practicing the guitar, I would spin the tuner dial on the radio and make myself play along with whatever it landed on.

These are both great ideas which I need to do more of. I love shuffling Muddy or Albert or whoever on my iPod and playing along.

Originally Posted by TG

How about becoming the guy who plays like you?

An excellent argument to keep playing different styles of blues. Sometimes I'll be noodling and different licks I've learned from different players will just start to flow together, not consciously just sticking licks together but flowing with the music. Or I'll start playing Albert King licks, but on slide. Slowly I think my voice is emerging...