[b]hey kris, i've been playing guitar for a while now but I dont know what to start off with. I want to play fast but don't want to sound like crap when playing, i want to learn how to make good solos like you, and want to actually stick to a lesson to practice instead of getting intimidated when i see the difficulty. what should i do

Well if I could go back to when I was in your situation (I have actually been exactly there) - here is what I would do.

Keep it simple -

* spend a portion of your practicing time finding new easy lessons, which you can play, and try to learn some new [easy] stuff. Also - just have a good time and jam around with what you have learned (doesn't matter if you think it sounds "beginner:ish" - anything will start to sound cool if you play around with it long enough)

* Use a portion of your time to practice a speed exercise with a metronome.

If you stick to this routine as regularly as you can (and with as many hours as possible - still "just" one hour per day will certainly do the trick if you keep it regular) you will be able to tackle more difficult lessons without being intimidated!

kris do you have any or know any speed excercises i could use?

Yes! We have tons of them - search for speed, picking,sweeping or tapping (etc. ) Choose one which you like the sound of and which doesn't seem too tricky!

I think it's best if you find one yourself which you like - as this will be one step further to create your own unique voice!

I remember having read (and experienced) with playing slow to play faster. You may not always need to push your boundaries constantly to obtain a certain speed. Often practicing at a comfortable speed, then leaving the exercises for a day or two and your brain will have a much better grip on what you're actually playing, and automatically your hands will react to that, I suppose. Making it easier to archieve higher speeds.

I geuss that is in some way pushing your boundaries of speed anyway.