Jeremy,
Let your path find you. You have to do all of the above. None of this comes easy. It requires a lot of work, but if you love the work then it’s worthwhile. CAGED, licks, riffs, repetition, memorization yes to all of it. I can’t remember much of anything unless I rehearse it and use it. That is normal. I appreciate that after three years of studying with Active Melody, I can play varying genres like Ragtime Blues, Rockabilly, Swing and Country. Whereas before, I was playing the intro to Sweet Home Alabama 400 times a week. I am also familiar enough with Brian’s library that if I need a lick or riff I know where to go amongst the 400 tunes to find it. I would discourage learning licks and theory for the sake of doing it in the hope it would make you a better player. Within each lesson, whether it be rockabilly, blues, R&B, ragtime blues, there is a lifetime of theory. Licks (which Brian teaches with each lesson) mean nothing unless they are presented in some context. Give yourself time, enjoy the journey and you will be a more accomplished and confident as a player. You will always have questions but you will also have more answers.

John H

Jeremy,

Brian is big on giving us lessons that contain the inner workings of music so we know why what we are learning to play works. If you have scales under your belt – especially Mj and Min Pentatoninc – go back to EP 273 and really work at knowing the basic chord shapes up the neck. Then you will “see” what scale these notes are in and you can start hitting triads and making up your own lead riffs as well as rhythm. Practice the things that challenge you the most. Muscle memory is about frquency of playing yout instrument, not how long you play it for. RE caged – Brian breaks the 5 down to 3 incidentaly which makes huge sense the more you know your fretboard. If you get EP 273 down go straight to EP 356 and learn why BB King sounded so special!! Seriously – you have some chops and stamina as well as talent and a good ear to make it this far. This crossroads happens to all of us. Try that out to see if it opens some inroads and let Brian know how you did.

John R

John speaks the truth. And I would also do this: knuckle down and learn all 5 positions of the pentatonic scale. Put on a 12 bar blues backing track (download one of Brian’s) and play the scales ascending all the way up the neck, and back down again. Then – with the backing track still playing – pick 4 sequential notes from any of the positions, and see if you can create some interesting licks using them. Brian has a lesson on this, but I can’t remember the number of it. I think he used the last 4 notes of the 2nd position minor pent, ie., on the 5th and 6th strings. The point is, just start noodling with a limited palette of notes. Voila! You are playing improv!

Lots of excellent advice above. The one thing I’d reiterate, and its the one thing I constantly remind myself of, and that is don’t be in a rush. All these lessons and Youtube drag you into diving into a whole range of topics and theory. Its much better to learn one small thing really well and be able to understand, apply and play it, rather than lots of things half baked. Whatever that is, is up to you. Maybe its the location of all the E chords as Brian mentioned in a recent lesson or a single lick in many positions, a particular piece of theory or any other part of the suggestions above. You can do a lot with a little.

“Could you more knowledgeable folk perhaps give an opinion as to which route you think is best to eventually being able to just (I nearly said “simply”..) diddle around on the fingerboard to create some whimsical, bluesy stuffs alone that would sound pleasing?”

try to participate in Monthly challenge with a ‘creation” of your own : this obliges in a limited timeslot to reuse what you have learned on lesson, you will feel quickly wondering where to go from a known lick to another chord or lick, thus walking around the freatboard. it will also force you to listen to what you want to play next (see Sunjam last post in April 2021 monthly challenge, it is a good example of ‘what will i do next’).
finally, as reminded often by Brian, rather than running the freatboard, phrasing in the most important : see ep219.

humble advices from beginner.

Brian’s Vlog 3 (youtube), has good advice on getting started with noodling. One way to start and involve all concepts straight away (noodling, riffs, scales and caged) is to pick a one scale i.e. Key A, choose 2 patterns, find several riffs within both patterns, use the chords A,D,E (1,4,5) in several positions on the neck for caged (see ep199) and include a railway line using double stops or chromatically going up/down one string to get to the next place. Start with a simple map. There’s a smorgasbord on offer but getting to know the ‘real estate’ on the guitar fretboard and what lives in the neighbourhood does takes time, but you can start to noodle with only a little and learn the concepts one bite at a time as you go. You will then find you own route. All the best.