One thing that can improve your chances of being a professional musician is the ability to be versatile. The more styles of music you can play proficiently, the more you have to offer a band, and the more different types of bands you can work with. I've seen players just tear it up on a blues tune, then they'll play a country tune and be just as impressive, then excel on a rock tune, or a jazz tune, or a funk tune. These guys are players that know the value of being able to do well, no matter what style they are playing. This not only makes them more attractive to someone who may want to hire them, but it also makes it more fun for them to play, even when it's a style they're not particularly fond of. This month I'll offer some tips on how to work on being a versatile player.

Playing the stuff your not exceptionally fond of...

Don't like a certain style, but want to be good at it? Most people don't like all styles of music, but as a professional musician, you may find yourself having to play in a style you're not that crazy about. One way to help this process is to watch players that are not just good, but are great at it. If you can, go out and see these guitarists playing live. Something about seeing someone doing some great playing live, right in front of you, delivers a lot more impact and makes much more of an impression. Plus then you may get the opportunity to talk to them directly; get their input on playing.

Talk to other musicians and ask them for their opinion of who are some good players in the style your trying to pick up. Start listening to a lot of these players. Sift through them and start to pick up the ones you like the best. Maybe you can even find some who incorporate elements of a style you do like into the style you are pursuing. Figure out how they are doing that and use that to start incorporating what you already like to do into the new style you are learning. This can help you develop that style and your own sound at the same time.

Most of the really accomplished musicians I know can see value in all styles of music. For example, they might not love country music, but they can appreciate a country musician who plays, or performs exceptionally well. Use this respect of these players to recognize the value of the music they play, and as motivation for learning the style. You'll be surprised at how much you may actually enjoy it.