Fretsmith, I'm glad you brought up the whole concept of looking for that "magic pill". There really is no substitute for putting in quality practice time; specifically, repetition!! Whether it's one lick over and over, or the whole solo over and over, what you will find is that, over time, all of that repetition translates into your fingers and hand muscles becoming much more relaxed and fluid, and receptive to more difficult material. Not only will you be much better at performing the solo itself, but you will have improved your overall ability significantly, so it can be applied to all other songs or licks.
As I eluded to earlier, eventually you will have played something so much that your fingers will just start to get you there without as much effort, and then you can focus on the tiny (but significant) performance details: vibrato, bending, how you picked it, timing, phrasing -- all of the little details that add up to the "soul" or "feeling" you're going for.
In most players, this usually doesn't happen overnight. It is a ton of practice that gets them there!
And Rich, as you've mentioned, the key is to not let it deter you --- continue to play because you ENJOY it ... and embrace all of the unique personality that YOU bring to your playing! So what if at the next gig you play the Hard To Handle solo different than the record, just go for it and have fun. If you can do that, but still be mindful of areas that you can work towards improving, then it is a bonus!
Mike
Keep rockin!
Mike Olekshy
GT Guitar Coach
