Individual guitar playing style development

[Gelato]

One piece of experience I will pass on - don't try flamenco on a steel string (accoustic or electric)especially when pissed - you wake up with no fingernails!

Or not being quite sure if Jimi Hendrix did that trick where he played with his teeth or his tongue, and thinking you would try using your tongue, on a guitar with new strings....

Yes, I was that stupid once

[MaloS]

dont try playing when u r feeling very vigorous at all on steel strings....(flamenco turns out terrible for my nails on my nylon strings ... creator gave me thin nails...)

[Tsuken]

Well it probably began with what I was listening to: Hendrix, ZZ Top (lurrrrve Billy Gibbons ), and Santana mainly. Then I got a teacher who was a jazz guitarist, so that made its way into the mix. That all percolated every day for a few hours as I would just pick up the guitar and play. Sometimes over a record (yes: vinyl ), sometimes over the backing tracks my teacher had given me, sometimes just noodling.

Then I met a guy who was hugely into Queen. We started jamming a lot and I also got hugely into Queen - and particularly Brian May. Then came Satriani et al.

I guess the most consistent factor is that I just play as often as I can - often without reference to anything but what's in my head.

However, I think what you said Dr Rog, about what you play in different sorts of bands is important. I've been in bands where i played just little bits - and worked-out solos - to fit in with the songs, and one where I was definitely the main guitarist, and we had great big long extended fusion-y lead breaks. Plus if I wantedd to play something I just did That's probably been a big part of how my playing developed too.