NEED ADVICE

I've been playing guitar for about 13 years. I've been told i play pretty well but i'm not satisfied with were i'm at. Can anyone give me some advice on what materials, books, dvd's etc.... I can get to improve my playing. I think its my technique that needs the most work. I play country style guitar in my band and i play a cross between flatpicking and hybrid but there in lies my problem. I want to get better a hybrid picking and soloing with it but can't seem to find any help. Maybe i just don't know were to look. I love the brad paisley plays i know he's one in a million but i would love to learn some of his or others like his playing style.thanks

Get a book called 'The Guitar Handbook'. Helped me no end!

I've been playing 10 years. I taught myself at first. Then took lessons in college. I wish I had put more effort into practicing but I was in college so most of my free time was spent getting drunk and chasing girls. Then I went back to teaching myself.

About a year ago I went through the same thought process you seem to be going through. I bought books and DVDs and searched the Internet for tips. I didn't progress much at all.

Then I decided to take lessons from a guy in a local band that I have always enjoyed listening to. From the first lesson I improved. There is nothing better than being able to talk to someone about what you are trying to achieve, and talk through your struggles.

I'm not sure about you financial situation. Maybe paying for lessons is out of the question. I just go sporadically when I can afford it. Sometimes several weeks in a row. Sometimes not for a month or two. But if you are at all like me, and it sounds like you might be, then taking lessons is the only thing that will get you where you want to be, IMHO.

i've been playing 10 years. I taught myself at first. Then took lessons in college. I wish i had put more effort into practicing but i was in college so most of my free time was spent getting drunk and chasing girls. Then i went back to teaching myself.

About a year ago i went through the same thought process you seem to be going through. I bought books and dvds and searched the internet for tips. I didn't progress much at all.

Then i decided to take lessons from a guy in a local band that i have always enjoyed listening to. From the first lesson i improved. There is nothing better than being able to talk to someone about what you are trying to achieve, and talk through your struggles.

I'm not sure about you financial situation. Maybe paying for lessons is out of the question. I just go sporadically when i can afford it. Sometimes several weeks in a row. Sometimes not for a month or two. But if you are at all like me, and it sounds like you might be, then taking lessons is the only thing that will get you where you want to be, imho.

i am currently taking lessons but from a guy rooted in rock.there doesn't seem to be anybody around where i live giving those type of lesson.

Is there a good college in the area. I'm pretty lucky; In Jacksonville there are a few universities with great music programs so even if you can't take lessons from a professor there are a lot of great guitar players around town.

I think Vinny does a good job teaching the hybrid stuff. He's targeting rock players looking to add country flair. Check it out:
http://power-twang.com/

I've been hybrid picking for so long I have trouble alternate picking now. There's always something to work on. That's what makes the guitar great.

There's always SKYPE. This allows you to book lessons with some really great instructors from any city.

I"m sure any thing you want to learn can be found on youtube although some are good and some not so good...Paisley...WOW ,your setting the bar quite high,I fell like I"m just starting when I watch him play! I think he's one of the best gtr players,and have seen him play all genres of music...jazz,country,etc...with all big wow factor,perfection.

Transcribe - slow down the music if you need to, but transcribe everything. The single best way (only way IMO) to learn a particular players style, and one of the best ways to learn.

Then take the licks you learned and make them your own - mess around with them, work out why they work at a particular point in a particular chord progression, then try that same technique yourself in a different context.

Record yourself - the best way to cut out poor technique and sloppy playing. If you've not done that before, I promise you you will be horrified by what you hear when you play stuff you "nearly" have! It sorts out timing, phrasing and a whole lot of other stuff.

And play new licks slowly, perfectly and endlessly. The difference between a pro and a good amateur is that an amateur practices until they get it right, a pro practices until they can't get it wrong.

You'll learn quicker and better spending 10 days learning one lick properly than you will spending a day to learn five licks to 90% of perfect.

what part of alabama are you in?

Have you checked out Doug Seven or Ken Carlson's stuff?

I'm surprise Doug Seven didn't come up sooner.

http://www.sizzlingguitarlicks.com/#

Im down in Mobile man if your close I actually teach lessons....you may be stepping a bit far with Paisley just yet, but he is an awesome guy to want to emulate.

First thing is first, Can you read music? If you can sweet, if you can't pick up Hal Leonard Guitar method. You can get the complete edition for like $20.00 off of eBay. Its very easy and well explained

http://www.amazon.com/Hal-Leonard-Guitar-Method-Complete/dp/B000RQ73GQ/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1346909192&sr=8-5&keywords=hal+leonard+guitar+method

If you can read music I suggest picking up the Mel Bay Guitar Method book. If nothing else it is good practice or to help keep you from getting rusty. Its a whole whopping $25 but its a big book. This book just assumes you know something about music. It does not describe things all that well.

http://www.amazon.com/Complete-Method-Modern-Guitar-Mb93396/dp/0871666650/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1346909312&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=mel+bay+guitar+method+complete

For technique its best to get an instructor, and one that is willing to tell you if your doing it wrong. I take a 30 minute lesson weekly and its a lot of fun, nice to get out of the house and get some feedback. Also, he is not scared to say "no that is too easy here play this" then usually my brain explodes all over the place shortly after. I have been playing since I was 14 and I learned more theory and technique wise with an instructor in the first month then I learned on my own in 15 years.

With that said though, make sure you do your research and find an instructor that is worth his fee and can teach. Retired music teachers in their 60's are great if you can find them. They know how to read music, they will know theory, they are not scared to get the yard stick out when you start to noodle, and most importantly you know they have nothing better to do then your lesson. The 18 year old down the street will not make it to half the lessons and the lessons he does make it to, he will want to show you the new Avenged Sevenfold solo he learned. Too many musician teachers out there that can shred on the guitar and then not be able to tell you what the root note was on the scale he or she just played.

What Lunchie said.