Learning a Musical Language

Practice, practice, practice...for hours, days, weeks, months, etc. That's great for getting technical facility on the guitar (or whatever instrument one plays). But what about the particular musical genre/style? It's like learning to speak another language, absorbing the different voices and regional differences that comprise that music style. Then there's the aspect of "hearing" the music in a deeper way that allows the musician to converse with others in that style.

That's the level I'm seeking to attain, one where I can "feel" the spirit and become one with the music as I'm playing it. I watch other musicians who have that spirit and, to me, they seem to "own" the moment while they're playing; they're not just playing a bunch of licks strung together, hit-or-miss, but they're raising the music to a higher level by feeling the spirit of it. So it's not so much a matter of technical skill as it is a dedication to the soul of the music