Not sure how many others are like me but I sometimes find that I become very stale in my guitar playing ... you know - no evidence of improvement, feels like you are in a rut, not enjoying practicing/ playing as much as you used to. Well maybe it's my age or something but nowadays I don't feel like I HAVE to play every day if I'm not getting a buzz out of it. I'm pretty lucky as I also play mandolin and right now the guitar is having a few days break while the mando gets a bashing. Past experience has told me that before a week is out I'll be getting twitchy and aching to pick up the old acoustic all over again. What's more (God willing) my playing will have a new enthusiasm to it.
But I'm curious - what other tactics do the rest of you use when the playing gets a bit rusty and the fires start to dim a little. Do you ride the storm and work through it, do you pick up another instrument or maybe listen to all those CDs you were meaning to get around to listening to? Or do you just remind yourself about who the hell that odd person who gets into bed with you each night really is?
What did the guitarist do when he was told to turn on his amp?
He caressed it softly and told it that he loved it.
Yes, we all go through that one quite regularly. Nobody learns in a straight line - you go a while feeling like you're getting nowhere and then you're oops all of a sudden better.
Best,
A :-)
"Be good at what you can do" - Fingerbanger"
I have always felt that it is better to do what is beautiful than what is 'right'" - Eliot Fisk
Wedding music and guitar lessons in Essex. Listen at: http://www.rollmopmusic.co.uk
Yes we all certainly get those periods of feeling like you are going nowhere with your playing.
For me, when this happens, the best thing to do is change styles i.e if I've been playing a lot of acoustic, I'll pick up the electric and play some good, hard rock or metal. If thats what I'm getting tired off, I'll go back to the acoustic and play some soft ballads, or write some new fingerstyle arrangements.
Learning new material is always good for a rut as well, as it challenges you to get back to actually learning instead of just doing what you already can.
Pete
ETD - Formerly "10141748 - Reincarnate"
If I feel like I'm in a rut, which does happen every now and then, I'll play through it. I'll shift my focus from electric to acoustic, or the other way round; change focus from strumming to picking, or vice versa; I'll practise some songs I've yet to record; I'll mess about with open tunings; I'll put the WM playlist on random and pick out basslines; I'll mess about with keyboards or blues harp. One way or another, I'll get through it. Plenty of variations there to keep me amused!
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
I don't think that it is important to just stay with playing the guitar when you are "against the wall". For those of you who are blessed to be able to play another instrument, you just switch off to something else. I think that the important thing is that at least you are making music and the change of scenery will reinspire you on the guitar.
I have an opportunity to learn how to play a mandolin and I'm looking forward to it!
When I die, I want to go peacefully in my sleep like my grandfather, not screaming......
like the passengers in his car.
I play guitar when I feel like it. For me, that happens to be most of the time, but if I'm not in the mood I just don't play. Don't force it, no good will come from that. My breaks are self occuring. Keep in mind I am a diseased individual and my idea of a day of not playing guitar is when I only pick one up and mess around for 15 or 20 minutes. That is = to not playing. :lol: When I'm into it, I might play for 3 or 4 hours.
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
plateaus, like the one you are feeling, are recurring. you will find many ways to get through it.
like others, I play other instruments, buy more gear, play and jam with CDs (nothing better than having Neil Young and Crazy Horse blasting along with you in the house).
inspiration comes in many forms.
a plateau is merely a marker of your progress. perhaps a stairway is a better metaphor.
...play and jam with CDs (nothing better than having Neil Young and Crazy Horse blasting along with you in the house).
Sounds good to me. My favourites for jamming along to are the Travelling Wilburys 1st album - very acoustic friendly! - any CCR greatest hits package and the Stones.
:D :D :D
Vic
"Sometimes the beauty of music can help us all find strength to deal with all the curves life can throw us." (D. Hodge.)
We all go through these things. My choice when "going stale" is to switch from flat pick to a finger style, perhaps going from electric to exclusively acoustic for a few days, or even a week at a time.
Right now, I'm trying a "two-finger" style [thumb and index only] as used by Doc Watson or in a different fashion, by Elizabeth "Libba" Cotten. It's a really interesting change of approach. 8)
"A child of five could understand this...send someone to fetch a child of five !"--Groucho Marx
