Yeah I get what you mean about the unhealthy part. :) Been there.

Looks like I still have plenty of time to work on my chops... - sigh - 
 

 
Actually, everything is on schedule. I was even expecting that it wouldn't be delivered this week when I decided to place the order.
 
I'm just being my impatient self again. It's part of the fun... :P

Isn't it ridiculous how it took all of yesterday and part of today to go in the OPPOSITE direction of where you live?

My new interface must have left Sweetwater on the same truck. It should be here tomorrow or the next day.
About the same time as you are ripping through that first riff, I'll be able to record my first track since August 22(the day my DAW PC blew up). It looks to be a good day for the both of us.

It's an Akai EIE Pro. It's gotten mixed reviews, so I hope it's a good call. But it has a built-in USB hub, which is great for me. I'm running on a laptop that only has 2 USB ports. I'll be able to connect all three controllers(keyboard, e-drums, and percussion pad) plus guitars and mics. Phantom power can be turned on for just two of the four inputs, so I can mix condenser and ribbon mics. I couldn't do that before.
I'm looking forward to it.
I've been playing along with Sonar via my mixer. Because of a Vista/laptop quirk, I can't use the existing audio input. It's been a little frustrating, but just workable enough to get by for a while.
Anyhow, Nathan called yesterday and said it had shipped, so I'm just waiting on the Fedex truck.
 

Rain ...
One thing I could never get though is how bragging about some obscure progressive rock bands would make anyone special.

I'm not bragging.
 
It's only that you think that because you heard ONE BAND, that the rest of the world is stupid and not able to play guitar or do anything worthwhile. YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THOSE FOLKS, ENOUGH to understand that, or what I said.
 
If you did, you would appreciate what I was saying, which was NOT to tell you to play what everyone else already knew, but something that might get folks going ... wow ... that's different ... but the only choice that will EVER stand up and make you the artist you can be is the one that comes from your heart, not the one that came from Black Sabbath or White Stupid, or Loud Grunt!
 
However, it IS your choice.
 
I don't dislike those things, but they are over heard and they are not the best. But you wouldn't never know, how good things can be when you are not willing or capable of hearing suggestions!
 
Maybe one day you can even find out where Jeff Beck learned some of his trix. Just put on "Eos" by Terje Rypdal and David Darling (skip the first cut!!!!!), and learn something, that you have no idea can be done with your instrument.
 
Criticism is not cool in my book, but CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is, but you are only defending your top ten ideas and knowledge, not challenging your ability!
 
Good luck! And look at the mirror. I'm not saying you are a bad guitarist or that you don't deserve the new one, or that you can't do what you want to do. But you can't criticize things that you don't know, and have never heard, and are automatically calling "bad", when you have no idea!
 
BTW, be it Germany, Japan, or Mongolia, it's still a Fender, or a Gibson, and what not, and those people are doing different things! Get a hold of that one!

Play funky music!

 
Play it all!
Play Country!
Play until your fingers go numb.
 

h

just to add my suggestions ;) play the whole Sabbath bloody Sabbath album then the whole live evil album then Mob Rules album. heaven and hell album too? I see they're already suggested. that will be a heavy afternoon!

redefines what can be done on a SG as a solo instrument
 
http://youtu.be/r7XGCC4FEAA?t=2m24s
 

Moshkiae
 
 
It's only that you think that because you heard ONE BAND, that the rest of the world is stupid and not able to play guitar or do anything worthwhile. YOU HAVE NOT HEARD THOSE FOLKS, ENOUGH to understand that, or what I said.
 

 
Mosh, do we know each other that well? How do you know that I've only heard one obscure prog band? Some of my very best friends were the biggest prog fans. I've been exposed to that music on a regular basis for years. I appreciate some of it, but I don't like it. 
 
I don't know by which authority you assume that it's because I don't get it. I have the "resources" to enjoy classical music even in some of it more modern incarnations, I have the resources to appreciate jazz in many of its forms including some stuff that's a bit out there. I can appreciate weird stuff - albums like delirium cordia by Fantomas.
 
I still don't like prog rock for the biggest part. 
 

Moshkiae
 
If you did, you would appreciate what I was saying, which was NOT to tell you to play what everyone else already knew, but something that might get folks going ... wow ... that's different ... but the only choice that will EVER stand up and make you the artist you can be is the one that comes from your heart, not the one that came from Black Sabbath or White Stupid, or Loud Grunt!
 

 
Again, how do you know Mosh? How can you for a second even believe that you have a chance to know? It's as if you were so caught up in your ways that you fail to even consider that maybe my post wasn't about an existential choice that would define my whole personality? This is fun talk. I'll play whatever the F comes up, you know? I'm talking about strumming a SG when I take it out of its box, to fellows on a forums, in a language that isn't mine. This isn't about spilling my guts on a table and trying to find the essence of my soul. Sheesh, man... New guitar. Fun. Excitement. Waiting the fedex truck.
 
Don't you have a pulse and glands to go with that big brain of yours, my friend? The heart of a child? No? (May I suggest adopting a bunch of kittens - they'll renew your sense of amazement and keep you young at heart!) ;)
 
W/ no disrespect intended (even though there really isn't a nice way to put it) I sounded like you in my early 20s when I was all about literature and art and philosophy and so uptight and full of myself that I'd look down upon anyone who read Stephen King or such popular junk...
 
Try doing things just for fun once in a while, maybe...
 

Moshkiae
 
I don't dislike those things, but they are over heard and they are not the best. But you wouldn't never know, how good things can be when you are not willing or capable of hearing suggestions!
 

 
What's the best Mosh? Are you so caught up in your brain that you've forgotten your guts, your feet and your balls? An AC/DC riff can get me on a gut level. Furthermore, unless one is totally alienated, one'd realize that music is a form of communication - ever saw those guys hitting drums in Africa? That how music was born: with the purpose of speaking to the soul and to the body, putting people in trance. Celebrating. Praying. 
 
The key here is: communicating and sharing. It's others. Not a solitary pleasure.
 
Furthermore you want to know what: if I want to be intellectually stimulated, I'll pick Bach anytime before prog music. He also gets me on a gut level, unlike prog.
 

Moshkiae
Criticism is not cool in my book, but CONSTRUCTIVE criticism is, but you are only defending your top ten ideas and knowledge, not challenging your ability!
  

 
Mosh, if you're looking to challenge your abilities, I'd say log off and go practice. This is a discussion forum. Not a confession box, not a private chat w/ the greatest music teacher ever...
 
I'll tell you this which maybe can give you a bit of perpective and appreciate my perpective on these forums.
 
I've played music and studied it for most of my life. It is currently my main occupation to write and practice. I live with a woman I adore who happens to be a classically trained singer who's played the biggest halls in the world, worked with legendary producers and musicians and has her face plastered all over this city. Heck we even saw her in Sky Mall magazine on our last flight here.
 
The lady - and every great musician who's worked with her that I've talked to says similar things - the lady could wipe the floor w/ me and all my favorite musicians. Took me months to get the guts to finally let her listen to the stuff I'd written - because her talent is, well, intimidating. It's like showing your work to Charlie Parker or having Baudelaire examine your poems...
 
Wanna know what some of her favorite bands are? The White Stripes and AC/DC. She likes Lady Gaga too by the way. (I guess that authentic talents are confident enough to appreciate whatever it is they enjoy)
 
But the point is - if you think I need YOU or these forums to challenge me, you can sit back. Writing music for her is more than enough of a challenge.
 

Moshkiae
 
Good luck! And look at the mirror. I'm not saying you are a bad guitarist or that you don't deserve the new one, or that you can't do what you want to do. But you can't criticize things that you don't know, and have never heard, and are automatically calling "bad", when you have no idea!
 

 
You couldn't say that I'm a bad or a good guitarist - you never heard me play. I don't know why you even say that, if not to justify you giving me some precious advice and telling me that I have no idea. Sincerely Mosh, if I were looking to improve my chops, I'd simply hire a guitar teacher, not trying to improve reading the written advice from people I've never heard playing and who might as well never have touched a guitar.
 
That's probably one of the oddest, most unsolicited and out of nowhere bit of advice from someone who has absolutely NO idea where I come from, who I am, or what I do.
 
Makes sense that since some prog rock fans often define themselves by music they listen that they'd assume that someone who doesn't like their music is flawed...

Guys - all of you - thanks for the feedback and the cool suggestions - most of that stuff I'm at least vaguely familiar with, but I'll dig into it. For example, I've heard of Phil X several times recently, so he's one cat I wanted to check.
 
My wife and I are off for two days, meaning that the guitar will - in theory - be here right on time when I get back to making music Friday. There's a part of me that hope that Mr. FedEx guy will wait till after my training to ring the bell because I'd have a very hard time doing a 90 minutes workout with a brand new guitar waiting for me in the studio. :P

 
You really need to play A63
 
 

 
 
Better known as the Highway To Hull
 
 

SteveStrummerUK
 
You really need to play A63
 
 

 
 
Better known as the Highway To Hull
 
 

 
Nice!
 
I use to go to England a lot but haven't been in about 4 years. While I don't miss traveling I do miss some of the places I have been
 
 

LeadfootIt was a fun discussion. I enjoyed it. Have a good two days! :)

 
I thought it was too and ditto and so forth