For beginners and/or those who are stuck I would like to offer some insight into the nature of guitar playing.  Lets do a kind of history of your involvement with music.  

1. You heardit for the first time.  Some people remember when they first heard it or not.  For some people it can be a very important moment in their lives.

2.  You were hit by music for the first time.  Just like the first time you hear music, the act of being hit by the music is also a memorable event for many people.  This is a turning point for many people.  Many people eventually...

3.  Own a guitar.  You got a guitar because you have been hit by music.  You want to make music.  You want to help to be part of that creation.  Music does many things for people.  When you take the step towards creating music it is best to begin to start to understand what draws you to the music.  

I first heard music when I was young.  I remember digging the Beach Boys and Bob Seger when  I was maybe 8 years old.  When I was 9 I started playing drums.  When I was 13-17 I played drums in bands.  When I was 18 I got a guitar because I wanted to be on the other side of the drums and write some songs.  I was drawn to improvisational music and jazz/fusion stuff like Mahavishnu Orchestra.  I finished a two year school and decided to head to music school.  I now have an understanding of my own type of ideal sound and I work at it.  I also love helping others to find their musical path.  

 I am talking about all of this stuff because I want every beginner and every musician stuck in that musical rut to realize why they started playing music to begin with.  The point is that there is a specific reason for you to play through the rough times.  That reason is that at some  point you are going to reach that level of pure enjoyment playing music.  Some of you may get to play in other countries and ride buses around the states.  Some of you will be sitting in front of a camp fire with some friends playing some songs.  I have done both.  They are both great.  

 Some facts:

 1.  Learning makes it easier to learn.  Always try to keep learning more music.  Learn new chords, rhythms, and licks.  Never stop with those 3.  Learn it until it becomes a habit.  Then learn something new.  Never stop.  The harder stuff eventually becomes very easy to learn.

 2.  All playing is equally good.  Everybody knows that Steve Vai can rip it up.  He is a great guitar player because he effectively accomplishes his sound.  I think the same exact thought about Jack Johnson.  He effectively captures his sound.  He is a great guitar player.  Sit down and try and learn how to play the song "Posters" by Jack Johnson.  Some good solid playing.  These are two very accomplished guitarists that seem worlds apart.  They both picked a sound and both developed it.  What if Steve Vai had written the music for Curious George and Jack Johnson had played lead with Frank Zappa?

 At the end of the day when you are done with your practice please take the time to get lost in whatever it is you play.  The reason you practice is to help turn practice material into habit.  The reason you take the time to get lost in playing is because this is exactly what brought you to the guitar in the first place.

The lessons become your habits and what you play when you get lost in playing is your habits.  With this point of view you can start to see why it is important for you to understand what draws you to music.  Maybe you want to nail some sick Guthrie Govan lick or you want to create this new incredible sound.  The first step would be to recognize it.  Then 2nd step would be to act on it.  The 3rd would be to realize it.

 Practice.

Have fun.

Get lost in playing.

Have fun.

Jeremy Laursen