Alright so I think I'm at the level of a pretty decent guitarist, but I want to take it to the next level, I want to learn how to do solos, hammer ons, tapping, all that fun lead stuff, but I don't really know how to start to learn that stuff, how would you guys recommend picking this stuff up and learning it?

youtube bro... youtube!

I suck, but I believe you want to start learning scales. Fun as that is

I have never learned scales or anything. I taught myself. But, how I taught myself is just playing songs that have diverse solos in them. If you need to learn the technique then I'm sure you can get on youtube and learn it on there. (It's better then paying some Schmo outrageous amounts of money). Want to learn to Tap? find a song you like that has an epic tapping part. then find a tab and do it over, and over, and over, and over again. Then experiment. Want to Sweep? repeat last step. You can do this for just about every style of playing. I now that Yngwie Malmsteen has an S-Ton of videos for different techniques.

scales are everything. just memorize them on the fret board and your good to go.

But it will also enable you to create and compose better rhythm guitar, not just "leads". Cause you'll be able to play real chords anywhere on the fret board.. and not just power chords, if you have your scales learned.

this is just me i guess. But I hated learning scales. I felt like if I learned all those that I would be bound to them and unable to explore new things. It took me awhile to get out of that way of thinking. And to discover different sounds and techniques. But thats just my opinion. I never really followed scales. I mean, they are good for knowledge, But I didn't want to base my entire learning and guitar experiance on them. My thing is, teach yourself, and keep, keep, keep on practicing. Practicing is the key, you might not see it now, but later on it will show.

Ethereal Messenger wrote:

this is just me i guess. But I hated learning scales. I felt like if I learned all those that I would be bound to them and unable to explore new things. It took me awhile to get out of that way of thinking. And to discover different sounds and techniques. But that's just my opinion. I never really followed scales. I mean, they are good for knowledge, But I didn't want to base my entire learning and guitar experiance on them. My thing is, teach yourself, and keep, keep, keep on practicing. Practicing is the key, you might not see it now, but later on it will show.

For me it was wierd.. because I started out playing classical piano from 11 year old.. and I could play Chopin and Mozart.. whatever.. and did some recitals and reached the point where people were like " you are now a pianist". but it wasn't until I started guitar at around 14 or 15 yers of age that I ever learned scales. After learning them.. even my piano skills went way up.. especially in the ares of composing.

You can get good without learning scales.. but you will still be limiting yourself without knowledge of them. Majorly. And you don't have to obey the rules of scales once you have learned them.. they still will improve the skills you already have though, exponentially. You can only go so far without scales... eventually you will start making your own scales.. they are a needed thing..