Hey there! I really enjoy Mayer's stuff too, and have attempted to learn a bit about his playing. Make sure you work on your rhythm chops, as John combines often combines rhythm styles and techniques with single note lead stuff, especially when he is in trio format. He uses and switches back and forth sometimes among major and minor scales, both full and pentatonic versions, and often plays the notes in a manner that is not always "in the box" as those scale patterns are often learned. So you will have to learn those scales and shapes, but also learn how to find those notes along the strings of the guitar, rather than in a box pattern. You will find lessons about the scales and pentatonic shapes etc., in the links Tig provided.
Also, just play along with some of your favorite songs of his, and figure out what is going on, and attempt to make the same sounds he is. That is great way to learn, and pretty dang fun too!
Steve Thompson
Sun Valley, Idaho
Guitars: Fender 60th Anniversary Std. Strat, Squier CVC Tele Hagstrom Viking Semi-hollow, Joshua beach guitar, Martin SPD-16TR Dreadnought
Amphs: Peavey Classic 30, '61 Fender Concert
Effects and such: Boss: DS-1, CE-5, NS-2 and RC20XL looper, Digitech Bad Monkey, Korg AX1G Multi-effects, Berhinger: TU100 tuner, PB100 Clean Boost, Line 6 Toneport UX2, Electro Harmonix Little Big Muff Pi, DuhVoodooMan's Rabid Rodent Rat Clone, Zonkin Yellow Screamer Mk. II, MXR Carbon Copy Delay
love is the answer, at least for most of the questions in my heart. . .
- j. johnson