I need help!

Ok, here's the deal. I've been playing for around 8 years, but I don't really know the first scale or anything about theory. I might be able to pic out a solo every now and then or make up a simple backing solo, but I have no idea obout what I'm playing. I don't know how it all fits together or how to make it fit together. I don't know of anybody around near to me that could give good guitar lessons, and I don't do so well at trying to understand stuff in books about it, but I'm tired of knowing that I've been playing for almost a decade and don't really know what I'm playing. I've never had lessons, but I can keep up and jam with just about anybody. My question is, what should I do? It's time for me to stop playing around and actually get to where I should and want to be, I jsut don't know how to go about it. Are there any good video's or very, very, very easy to understand books with alot of illustrations that would help me. I'm proud of how far I've come along with no extra help, but it's time to go that extra step. I've realized there's no way I'm going to do it on my own. Any help or advice orinspiring personal experiences will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

I'd say get some lessons

There are good vids out there...
Eric Johnson has a couple that are pretty good

Books: The Praxis System by Howard Roberts is great

Or, a good course would be the old faithful Mel Bay Modern Guitar Method in one big volume

The old Micky Baker books were good

A book that is read by nearly everybody is the Guitar Handbook by Denyer...

I'd suggest the material at my site but it isn't for those with holes in their theory or technique...check it out later

http://kronosonic.com

Thanks Ego. I'll try to get my hands on some of that material. I would love to take lessons from someone, but there's really no one around close enough to me. I'm not worried about trying to learn everything. I just want to be comfortable enough to do improvasation stuff when jamming with other people, or if I have some kind of solo in my head for one of my songs, I would like to actually be able to apply what I hear in my head. Thanks again.

Lessons can be a really great turbo charge, I took some a while back and they helped me no end.

Most guitar shops offer lessons of some sort or another or will know of someone teaching in the general vicinity, may be worth a try. If you discover you hate them you can always bin them later on.

Best of luck dude!

i got a book called the "Complete Guitarist" by Richard Chapman it will tell u everything your looking for, it uses music theory directly on the guitar.

If youve been playing for 8 years then youl know more than prolly realise. The songs n solos you know are based on scales so youl probably recognise certain patterns on the fret board. I dont mean to sound rude but how did you go for 8 years without looking up scales or that?

the first 5 years were strictly acoustic and rythm based. Iv'e been playing the electric for that past 4, and have still been rythm based, because that's just what I like playing. when jamming with others I've always been the guy who makes the lead player sound good (if that makes sence), and just here recently I've been messing around with recording and have regreted not ever haveing lessons or anybody to help me learn the things I should have started with. Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissatisfied with my playing at all, I just know that I could be better if I just had a little help getting past this slump I've been in. I appreciate all ya'lls help. Thanks

Hmm. I'm kind of in a similar state myself. My development has become frustratingly unbalanced. I can shred like a total nut but my ear playing is poor, I don't even know all the notes on the fretboard and only able to read really simple music, I don't know my scales in as many positions as I should. It's really awful 'cause I need to go back to basics but I have had too much pride. That's one reason I'm learning to play other handedly, so I can practice basic stuff without getting pissed off and know that it will also eventually improve my tapping.
I have a two very good books on classical guitar by Frederick Noad (Solo guitar, two books), they've got tons of pieces in them and teach you to read music over the whole fretboard. It just remains to be seen if I can play some of that stuff without finger nails because finger nails cramp my rock guitar playing.
Any advice is welcome.