Question 1

What happens in Lester Mitchell’s “Lester Mitchell is live!” stream?

Accepted Answer

I’m basically hanging out between lessons, warming up, and jamming over different backing tracks. It’s not a cover stream—I’m improvising and talking shop with you guys. We hit modes (like Lydian), jazz/fusion vibes, gear questions, and a bunch of real talk.

Question 2

Does Lester Mitchell take song requests on livestreams?

Accepted Answer

Not really. I stopped doing straight-up requests because it turns into a mess and people get mad when you can’t hit everything. If you give me a style or a backing track vibe, I’ll usually jam on that, but I’m not sitting here memorizing songs on demand.

Question 3

How much music theory do you need to start improvising on guitar?

Accepted Answer

You can start improvising with very little, but theory helps a lot if you want to sound intentional. I use chord tones constantly—landing on 3rds and 7ths is huge, especially for jazz/fusion. I’ve studied major modes, harmonic/melodic minor modes, substitutions, secondary dominants, modal interchange… all that stuff feeds improv and composition.

Question 4

What gear was Lester Mitchell using in this livestream?

Accepted Answer

I was playing an AIO S2 model guitar and running a NUX MG101. I go direct into my Scarlett interface instead of blasting a big amp in a tiny apartment. The guitar came set up really well out of the box—low action, playable, and the stock pickups do the job.

Question 5

Why does Lester Mitchell criticize some Lydian backing tracks?

Accepted Answer

Because a lot of them don’t commit to the mode. If the harmony shifts around too much, it stops feeling modal and the “Lydian” color gets weak. I want that strong Lydian sound, not something that kind of drifts into other vibes.

Question 6

What pick does Lester Mitchell use?

Accepted Answer

A 2mm pick. I like the feel and control, especially when I’m doing faster runs or digging into certain lines. It just works for me.

Question 7

What does Lester Mitchell think about “pickslanting” and over-analyzing picking technique?

Accepted Answer

It can be useful, but people overthink it and it becomes a problem. I’ve had students get so deep into the analysis that they’re literally afraid to pick. Your hands need to learn the motion so your brain can shut up and just play.

Question 8

What makes a good guitarist vs a poor guitarist, according to Lester Mitchell?

Accepted Answer

A good player can handle different styles and at least read rhythm (count eighths, triplets, sixteenths). You should know notes on the neck well enough to function, your pentatonic and major scale positions, and how to build chords. If I say “2-5-6-1,” you should know what that means and be able to move.

Lester Mitchell is live!

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