[CREAMY WILLIAMS]

Some really good posts here.

I really like the way you talk about guitar Henry - respect.

I am self taught, but have a reasonable understanding of scales and theory. As I am crap at maths the theory part was a nightmare for me, but I am glad I have developed an understanding of it.
I will never be a be-bop player, but being able to hear and understand the changes opens up a whole load of possibilities.

That's the thing - hearing it. It is all very well knowing theory, but if you can not turn it into music then you are just playing patterns.

One thing - spend just as much effort developing your sound, practicing your vibrato, string bending and dynamics as anything else. Getting these little, subtle things right is really hard work and takes loads of time. How many players have a really great, instantly recognisable vibrato like BB King, Paul Kossoff or Albert Collins? Not as many as there are speed merchants IMO.

Try singing along with your improvising - you don't have to do it through the mic - it really helps me construct solos in a more melodic way and curbs my instincts to play fast.

Another trick I use is to convince myself that the difficult part i am about to play is easy. Think confident thoughts and relax.
If you are not relaxed, you tend to transfer the stiffness from your body into the instrument and you can really hear it.

For me though, having the right mentality is way more important than technique, theory and sound.

I have been to some highly respected Jazz jam-sessions where great technicians are practicing patterns during other players solos and seem interested only in competing and showing how fast and clever they are.

A limited player with the right mentality is 100 times more useful than a technician on an ego trip, particularly outside the post-bop idiom.