Uh_Me

So I have been playing guitar for about 3 years now, but I think I have kinda hit a mountain. I say mountain because I'm slowly trudging along, but I used to improve in leaps and bounds and its slowed down a lot. I'm practicing just as much as I used to... I don't know.

This is a recording I made to kinda illustrate where I'm at now, but I would some pointers to kinda make it better. The guitar is all me, I used a backing track with just bass, vocals, and drums. Thanks in advance.

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P A N

what is your practice regimen?

scleaves

Not improving as much may be a good thing. It may show you're starting to reach your peak. But um... I would try some good books on the subject, for experienced guitarists, if there are any.

Uh_Me

If this is my peak, I'm thoughrally pissed with myself xD. And my practice regimen includes a warm up with a couple of my favorite songs. Then I run through a set that I play live. Then I put a drum beat on and fiddle about until I find something interesting. Some kind of cool harmonic or whatever.

Psychedub Dude

Try learning some covers that are styles that you generally don't play and or have some techniques you've never messed with. There is always room for improvement on any instrument, dont just settle on what you know and just try to keep thinking outside the box trying new things and expand your musical horizons

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SATCHMO

This is really the best advice you can follow as the definition of a rut in playing an instrument, especially guitar, is relying on muscle memory, playing styles, and musical cliches that your mind and hands have taken on throughout the learning process and now naturally gravitate toward.

I'd also add, when you noodle around, try playing in keys that you don't usually play in, especially ones you don't like to play in. I know that I automatically gravitate toward A major/minor, and I had to consciously break myself of that to progress. Try giving B flat or F a run for it's money for a session or two and see if it doesn't take you places. You can also go in the opposite direction and see how many complex variations you can come up with on songs that you currently play. Change the key, play the progression as an arpeggio instead of just strumming out the chord pattern, or vice-versa. Make your guitar solos more rhythmic, play single string melodies instead of chordal patterns, change the rhythm, et al. All of those will force you to be more conscious of what you're playing while you're playing it. If all else fails, learn to play an instrument that's entirely new to you, which can have a tremendously positive and creative effect when you return to the guitar.

Joxer

Try to mimic vocal lines through guitar solo-ing.

It trains your ear while also forcing you out of the stock standard riffs and licks we all rely upon.

Hurricane7

You may think that you've hit a wall but you will improve with time. As everyone above has said, finding new styles and ways to play helps thing along greatly.
Also, improving your dexterity and finger strength will vastly improve your playing.

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Kimberly Grier

Hi there,
Well every guitarist should know that the optimal neck profile for most guitars and basses is not dead flat. Strings vibrate in an elliptical shape, thus most guitars and basses benefit from a neck that has a very slight amount of relief, which will match the elliptical shape of the strings' vibrations. Read the relief of your instrument by fretting an outside string at the first and twelfth frets simultaneously.

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MasterGarrus

I know it may not make a lot of sense, but try not playing for a while. It seems to work for some people and not work for others - worked for me though. If you play every single day without a break, I think eventually your body and mind kinda get over it. I find if I struggle to play to the best of my abilities or don't find myself improving at all, I just lay down the guitar for a week or so and keep myself busy with something else until I get a strong urge to play again.

Like I said though... this may or may not work for you, but if you're running out of other options, give it a shot. Who knows