Something that may sound simple yet (for me) it is not:
Playing the same note on the same fret with different finger-over and over-fluently.

Some interesting replies, and a fun read. There were definitely some issues that I had earlier on that I was pretty frustrated with... I feel that I now have a series of strategies in place that are dealing with them pretty effectively. (Of course, I am nobody, just an enthusiast)

Anyways, my main issues (towards a longterm goal of being able to self-accompany) were as follows...

1) How long it takes to learn a piece of music... (I have radically reduced my timeframes)
2) Playing "separate" things "simultaneously" with both hands and
3) A definite practice methodology that fosters continuous and rapid growth

i want to hear an entire piece from you.....not just 60 secs...
just saying.
peace and luv
kev

Yeah, i'll keep my mouth shut until I can post a completed piece...

Come on Scott, speed up a bit, thats only 28 songs in 12 weeks.
World Record holder I'd say!

Time independence! Everything is a distraction it seems. Deep in my heart, I know I want to play this thing well. But as I have discussed in "all around mentoring" time with SA, you wouldn't know it by how easily life can get in the way of my actually picking the Stick up. My goal was to make "office hours" for myself(aprox. 1 to 2 hrs per day) when the kids went back to school and I was off to a great start for a week or so. Now it appears I have fallen off the wagon and need to get back on, ASAP! before the wagon starts going up that next hill.

On the subjects of repeated and legato notes...I highly recommend giving Greg's method of fingering and hand/forearm movement an extended attempt. Not just a once-over and decide it isn't working for you. I don't have an example of my own playing (right now) to post as a supplemental argument for this, but I assure you(c'mon, you can trust me) it makes a great difference.

Mike

PS. Congrats on the impressive list, Scott.

How do you eat an elephant? ...one bite at a time. For me, a large part of the problem is that I want to "understand" what I am doing musically. It's never been enough for me to be told "do this". I just get bored. And eventually quit because I'm not "good enough" "fast enough".

With the Chapman stick, it stimulates me to understand the theory / structure behind the music. Even when I'm not making progress in terms of making music, I am making progress in my understanding of music, which keeps me going.

So, I guess for me the hardest thing is "drinking from the fire-hydrant" without getting washed away..