Thought for the day...

If you're practicing and practicing and practicing and just think you're not making the progress you think you should, are you playing with other musicians as a part of a band or a regular jam session?

One of the best things you can do to improve your chops, ear, creativity, rhythm, etc is to play music with other musicians. You get a ton of knowledge on your playing from just one jam session. You really see where you are strong and where you are weak. Plus, you can pick up some cool ideas from other players too (I like to call this part "Research" not "stealing licks" )

If you can make this a part of your regular routine (practice and play), you'll go much further than with only practice.

If you do not know any other musicians, you have to get out of the house and go meet some. Best places are music stores (start jamming with other players while you try out a new instrument) and at clubs seeing live music (talk to the band between sets, watch for the patrons who stare at the guitar players hands the whole gig - yep, he's a guitar player - probably thinking he could do it better LOL)

Bottom line is music is much more fun when you make it with others rather than running a C major scale 50 times in your practice room. Plus, like a big fat musical vitamin, it helps you in so many ways.