I think that changing your style is a natural thing that happens if you're really getting into the music that you're exposing yourself to. Listen to everything, and when you find something you like, listen to more of it. Music is kind of like food in that way. I don't like eating the same kind of food all the time, I like different styles of food depending on my mood, etc.
I find that I can pickup new things all the time from various things that I listen to. When I was younger I listening to classic rock sorts of things as a teenager, and tried to copy as much as I could from stuff I'd heard on the radio, etc. I used to listen to alot of the bands with really great guitar playing (Lynyrd Skynyrd, Johnny Winter, Rick Derringer, ...)
But then there were several players who I stared to hear on records that were more Jazz/Blues influenced (Larry Carlton, Robben Ford, etc) , so I started listening to more of that thing and tried to learn from that. THis prompted me to find a Jazz guitar teacher and spend several years going down that path. I started listening to a lot of George Benson, Pat Metheny and guys like that.
In recent years I've started to listen to more country, bluegrass, and rock-a-billy styles and I'm finding myself trying to absorb more of those sounds into my style.
Overall your playing style is kind of like a stew, with ingredients from everything that you've learned or listened to over the years. Everyone's stew is a little different, depending on who you listened to and absorbed over the years.
The best thing that you can do is find those styles that you gravitate to, and go with them, even if they are leading you down a new path. This is what will make you enjoy music more and ultimately make you a more unique player.
--Jim
Electrics: Hamer Newport, Fender Clapton Strat, Ibanez AF86, Line6 Variax 700 Acoustic Guitars: Taylor 514CE, Martin J40-M Dobro: Regal "Black Lightning Dobro" Mandolin: Morgan Monroe Mandolin Amps: Egnater Rebel 30, Vox AD120VTX, Roland Cube 60 http://www.soundclick.com/bands/page...?bandid=301718
Overall your playing style is kind of like a stew, with ingredients from everything that you've learned or listened to over the years. Everyone's stew is a little different, depending on who you listened to and absorbed over the years.
--Jim
Hmm, I might like to think of mine as a chili, or even a gumbo!
"I will play for gumbo! . . ."
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
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Originally Posted by jpfeifer