I started in folk clubs as a teenager. My experience hitherto had been a youth Orchestra and a rock band or three. Both scenarios allow you to hide behind others a bit and not improve.

Just me and a guitar with no effects, no gimmicky distractions...   I reckon there's nothing better for raising your game than acoustic performance. A good peer group helps too.

That said, polite encouragement can lead to complacency. I'm not as good as some friends say I am. Yes, I get bookings to open for big names and I am not interested in the grind of either a band or regular bookings. But if I were, I know that technical skills do not follow the bookings line. I am on-stage yet looking around I know there are far more accomplished performers than me sat watching.

So I don't get hung up. I remain at the level I will never improve on after 35 years. By now, improvements aren't better skill but less mistakes!