Over the years, I have met many guitar students who could not actually play anything, even though they had taken lessons, perhaps for years.

If they were asked to play something, the best they could do would be offer you some isolated "pieces" of songs or solos they had worked on.

They are missing certain pieces of knowledge about the Art & Science of practicing that would enable them to get past a hurdle that stops the progress of many guitar students: how to actually finish something you are learning, and bring it up to what is called "performance level", which is another way of saying "I can get through this without it falling apart so badly I can't keep it going", or "I play it all the way through well enough to not cause me major embarrassment, or the listener major discomfort, or pain".

There are musicians who are more than comfortable remaining anonymous. You know, happy to hide behind their guitars or keyboards and be sidemen to the stars of today or tomorrow. Then there are those that have grandiose aspirations of stardom, adoration and limelight. And then there are those who have a driving desire and need to say something original artistically, to express themselves and to communicate that expression to an audience, be it a small niche market or wider demographic.

Those falling into the first category can make a living, albeit fairly modest as a general rule. Those falling into the second category often live in a little bit of a dream world and, depending on their tenacity and 'smart' skills, usually end up disappointed because the focus is set on the destination rather than the journey. The third category usually reap the rewards of the second category gaining all the success and limelight, but as a result of focusing on their art rather than the shallow and flighty end of the musician's world. These are usually the most fascinating people too, because they generally have a little mystery about them and because they actually possess what most entertainers really want; sincere and dedicated talent! ...

Do you sometimes find it difficult to stay focused and motivated to practice or play music? Most musicians I know (including myself) have had at least one significant period in their lives when they have experienced musical burn out - a general feeling of being uninspired, unmotivated, bored, or just plain lazy! I'm not necessarily talking about people who have lost interest in music, I'm referring to those who love it, but have struggled to maintain focus at some point during their lives. Let me illustrate 2 examples, an intermediate level player and a professional musician... Here is an excerpt of an email I received from an intermediate level player:...