wiggedy

I like so many different styles of music....

Metal (most variations), Blues (SRV, ZZ Top), Southern Rock (Skynard, Allman Bro's Gov't Mule), Jazz, Rock (Led Zep, Pink Floyd), Fusion.... etc

So many it leads me to distraction.

How does one say? Thats it! No more! I am honing in on this one thing.. til I have mastered it.

bigfyt

don't

do you want to be a guitarist? or a rock guitarist. blues guitarist. metal guitarist.

just play them all not all at once, i find i go through stages alot a month im obsessed with playing a certain style.

why do you have to be 1 genre or follow 1 guitarist, emulate them all.

Johnnysd

Disclaimer: I'm a simple man with simple tastes and not that much experience playing the guitar.

With that out of the way:

That depends. How do you define mastering something? Learning all there is about one genre? If so, how do you know when you're done? What I'd suggest is take a few styles and set specific goals for them. Not directly guitar-related, but has some pretty decent points: http://www.fluentin3months.com/mini...ieving-fluency/

Find a few genres you really like, and apply the advice given in that blog, and you'll hopefully be able to "master" it.

WaltTheWerewolf

I prefere the Jack of All Trades style! Means I love to play all styles now of course I often find myself putting more love into Rock N Roll but I love playing 50s Rock, 70s Classic Rock, Some Southern, Some Blues, Acoustic Rock, Bluegrass, and in a very angry mood some Metal?

I try my best to take all those styles and take bits and pieces and cram them all into my own little style...For instance even when playing electric rock i find myself tossing in a Bluegrass fill sometimes, or rockabilly on an Acoustic...

Of course the Other part of the "Jack of All Trades" saying is "Master of NONE"!!!

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Livingtime

Usually there is only one or two styles where I have the most fun playing and I tend to gravitate around it. I don't listen to a lot of power metal but when I pick up my guitar I was always end up playing it.

Of course, don't forget you can fuse genres. Like metal and blues (AC/DC or Metallica) and jazz and rock.
Neoclassical is a fusion of metal and classical.

bburritt1

Totally know what you mean! And alot of what you listen to on a day to day basis will not necessaraly govern what you play what you will most likely will play. I listen to mainly Rock, Hard Rock, Old Blues, Electric Blues, Metal and Death Metal. Now what bands i listen to the most is Pantera, Down, Feared and Firewind. So lately my style of playing has been gravitating towards these styles of Metal.

Now i also love listening to ZZ Top, The Eagles, Allman Brothers and Lynyrd Skynyrd so I'll take a break from bringing demons from hell and bringing other demons from the south.....Blues Demons!

But everyone here is right on target. Try them all. You might like listening to Jazz but not playing jazz etc.. So let your musical judgement take you where it takes you.

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GonzoBeatz

That would imply he plays guitar with the aim of just progress. Whereas a lot of people including myself play only for enjoyment.

takachan

Maybe a great way to learn guitar is to learn it by era.
1960-2013

Malchius

Learn it, love it, play it. You learn from everything, don't let genres hold you back.

calnix

I'm all about jazz fusion and funk. So fun to play

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BigHeadClan

Continue playing a variety of music until you have your own style, if you think just think "Oh I want to play exactly like X guitarist" you are just limiting yourself. It takes a long time to finalize your style, but once it is done you will be unique to yourself, you won't be just another X guitarist.

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DreamGate

True what Walt up there said. Just be sure to be a Jack of all trades, Master of One.

aaroncaper

this.
when i play songs, i play anything and everything that i deem fun and enjoyfull to play.
when i improvise, i'll do pentatonic blues stuff, the odd sweep thrown in. a bit of bluesesque shred. its nice to be diverse

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lightdark

Play everything, yeah you might be able to sweep at a thousand beats per minute if you spend all your time in metal, but you won't be able to keep your phrasing without putting practice into that aspect either. I'm not going to say everything, cause, well quite frankly I don't play everything either. I stay away from jazz and usually blues, although, I do know that they could come up with some crazy cool stuff to play, but I just don't like to play that stuff. So just work on what you want, you'll end up with something gained. and yes, even heavy music has phrasing. I don't think that is something that is realized among guitarists. Think about it, would a blues guitarist find it hard to solo over heavier "shred" progressions and rhythms. some would, a majority could, but it wouldn't be nearly as good as a guitarist that plays that style, it's just what ever you want to play if you get what I'm saying.

Dayn

Don't be a guitarist. Be a musician with a guitar. With an understanding of music theory, you can easily discern the nuances in styles and play anything. Not just 'guitar music', either.

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wiggedy

Thanks, so many replies and a lot of good points made.

I know I said "Master" that's probably a bit strong, I would be happy enough if I could jam with good muso's without disgracing myself.

I started playing 30yrs ago, and didn't really get anywhere. Anyway I felt like my technique and theory needed work. So I have been working on that for the last 18 months or so.... I know I have only scratched the surface after 18 months.

Anyway I feel if I norrowed it down to a particular style, it might be a better use of my time.


You might be right...

Hail

music is music

stylizing it, polarizing it only serves to its detriment

play what sounds good. i've taken a lot of influence from tuvan throat singing lately. run with it

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wiggedy

I musn't be explaining this very well.

I have very limited time for Guitar, with 3 kids. I want to be more efficient with the time I have. I like all music, just don't have time to learn it all.

Livingtime

You should schedule and plan your practice then wiggedy, don't make things TOO specific though otherwise you'll get bored, unless you're one of those people who like perfectly laid out step-by-step plans.

Just have like 1:00-2:00 Song Learning, 2:00-2:30 Music theory, etc. This way you can make your time count.