“Read biographies or watch movies of guitarists you appreciate” Some musicians out there have led incredible lives. The majority of them come from nothing and in the end, become legendary guitar gods. Look at Johnny Gash; he was a rural country boy that grew up almost penniless and turned into an amazing musician through inspiration and practice. There are so many interesting stories behind bands and musicians, Here's some that | find interestng (off the top of my head): The Beach Bays, Def Leppard, Metallica, Van Halen, The Beatles and Thin Lizzy. Do some research online and try to mirror yourself with these artists. It will give you a whole new thought process to playing their songs and guitar in general. "Steal" riffs and ideas from other guitarists | know it sounds bad but every great guitarist does it. Clapton stole the "crossroad blues" from Robert Johnson and the Beatles used some of Elvis! ideas and expanded upon them. Every musical generation steals ideas, riffs, chord arogressions from the generation before and when it comes to music... its ok. | find this to help guitar players progress a lot, especally if you reach a plateau. One of the biagest things that helped me expand as a guitarist is to learn all my favcrite solos by my favorite artists. Once | had learned them, | would play the same solo over different progressions in the same key and then play the same solos in differant keys all around the neck and in different scale positions. Once Idid this, | had "unlocked" all of the licks in the solo and I'm now able to use ther in whatever | play. Just Ike how in video games you unlock new characters, levels and secrets throughout the game... you do the same in music. From there you can constantly expand upon your lick directory. “Play in front of others, Guitar Motivation” This is one of the hardest parts about performing music. Playing in front of others is something that just takes time. Remember to relax and don't think about everyone watching you. .Just focus on you and the instrument. The more you play in front of others, the better you will get. Everyone's first fime playing in front of others can be pretty gut wrenching. Just remember that it gets easier every time and that youll get through it just fine. What you can also do is videotape yourself playing and then put it on the internet. Lots of people inc.uding myself put videos on Youlube.corn or other online video sites and its up to the viewers to judge. Some people will rip your playing apart ut most will applaud you for trying and really like il. The way | look atit... "Led Zeppelin