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Guitar depression

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(@metallicaman)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 312
Topic starter  

Hi. I Seem to be finding myself playing the same blues scale and regular solos that I play every day day after day for years, Ive really tried to learn new stuff but its really hard playing things I dont know my fav solos are like Mr.crowley, Crazy Train. Ram it Down, and Eruption. Any other solo I either already know or it just doesnt interest me. Theres lots of solos by those Main 80's bands twisted sister, poison, motley crue, and Judas priest that I dont know how to play but every time i try one I just cant get it to sound like it at all in the first like 15 min of trying so i just quit. I know i should play harder but After 20 min and seeing NO proggression on a new solo or even song I just quit. I am starting to lose that EXCITE for guitar b/c Ive been playing it seems like the same stuff for 2 years. Please any input would be awesome. :( :(

Sing Me A Song Your a Singer, Do me a wrong, your a bringer of evil. - Dio


   
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(@voodoo_merman)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 368
 

If playing guitar gets you depressed, then stop playing. Simple.

The next time you pick up your guitar, try to enjoy the journey of learning and not just reaching the destination. If you dont enjoy practicing, then guitar will drive you nuts.

Try some other hobbies for awhile and then come back to your axe. This time, dont cry when you dont sound like Van Halen after 30 mins. Instead, just enjoy making progress and take it one day at a time. Trust me, it takes alot of time and persaverance to sound like a pro.

Sorry, if that was blunt. But, if you want to be a guitarist, this is the bitter pill you have to swallow.

At this time I would like to tell you that NO MATTER WHAT...IT IS WITH GOD. HE IS GRACIOUS AND MERCIFUL. HIS WAY IS IN LOVE, THROUGH WHICH WE ALL ARE. IT IS TRULY -- A LOVE SUPREME --. John Coltrane


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

If you're playing Eruption, Poison and Motley Crue shouldn't be a problem. You could try learning to read music...


   
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(@anonymous)
Illustrious Member
Joined: 17 years ago
Posts: 8184
 

You could try learning another instrument while you learn guitar. That might keep things interesting plus whatever you learn on one instrument could be applied to another, somehow.


   
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(@ghost)
Prominent Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 815
 

Don't get down about it MetallicaMan. I don't sound like Diamond Head, Iron Maiden, KISS or any of my favorite bands. Frustration comes with learning man. It does sound like you've progressed quit well, even though I haven't heard you.

Have you tried posting anything in "Hear Here" or writing some of your own songs?

"If I had a time machine, I'd go back and tell me to practise that bloody guitar!" -Vic Lewis

Everything is 42..... again.


   
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(@paul-donnelly)
Noble Member
Joined: 21 years ago
Posts: 1066
 

You should investigate more genres. There's all kinds of music out there which is easy to play but sounds nothing like what you've been playing.


   
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(@ghost-rider)
Reputable Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 267
 

You could try learning another instrument while you learn guitar. That might keep things interesting plus whatever you learn on one instrument could be applied to another, somehow.

This is a great idea. Alternating between instruments could give a needed break between practice sessions. Learning another instrument can be applied to learning guitar; more than likely, it'll improve your ability to read music, rather than tab.

Even if the other instrument is "simply" developing your ability to sing while playing guitar. That's enough to keep anyone occupied...

Ghost Rider

"Colour made the grass less green..." 3000 miles, Tracy Chapman


   
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(@bojack)
Trusted Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 33
 

Maybe learning more scales and listening to other types of music will help you get that new sound you've been looking for.


   
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(@johnin510)
Trusted Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 69
 

Her is an article that my teacher Tom Hess wrote about Musical Frustration.......check it out
http://tomhess.net/articles.php?article=5

Here is another article about what you want out of your guitar playing called Can you become a better guitar player??

http://tomhess.net/articles.php?article=13


   
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(@johnin510)
Trusted Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 69
 

I have been where you are at for many years....STUCK!!!! The articles I posted for you previously helped me get my head into my guitar playing again. I really recommend that you read those articles and some of the others that Tom wrote. You are going through the same thing I went through, reaching a plateau in your playing and it is not fun anymore. Once I realized my goals in guitar playing ( I want to become a guitar/music teacher and a performer and be a virtuoso), it gave me new fire to learn and realize that it will not happen over night. The most important thing that happened to me was having a teacher to help me reach my goals. Guidance is very important when you do not know how to apply yourself with guitar. Once you realize what you want to accomplish, then set a realistic goal and get someone with the knowledge to guide you in that direction. Trust me, I feeel your pain.....now that I have a teacher to guide me, I am having more fun than ever!!

PATIENCE!!!

Rock on brother!!!


   
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(@psychopathic_zillionaire)
Active Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 8
 

try this. put down the guitar for awhile. when tempted to play it just over come the temptation for at least 2 weeks. when you come back to the guitar you will be more realixed and more confadent and it will probably build to where you can be so comfortable you can learn new stuff easier.

Psychopathic Zillionaire


   
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(@simonhome-co-uk)
Prominent Member
Joined: 20 years ago
Posts: 677
 

Why not work on rythem? Crazy Train isnt hard to put together fully nor is Mr Crowley. Megadeth n Metallica are fun rythem stuff too


   
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(@kingpatzer)
Noble Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 2171
 

The hard reality is that most of the time you're going to spend on a guitar (or any instrument) is going to be seeing little or no progress.

EVH and all those other guys you mention didn't get their sound in 15 minutes and you won't either.

If you can't enjoy the process of learning, even when it's hard and long, then the guitar will just kill you. I'm not saying give up, but I am saying it sounds like the problem is your expectations for yourself.

Being a musician is a lot of hard work with very little actual reward beyond the personal enjoyment you can get out of doing something that's hard to do. But if you can't relish that, maybe the guitar isn't for you at this point in your life.

"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST


   
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(@martin-6)
Honorable Member
Joined: 19 years ago
Posts: 418
 

I say you should start a band or find a jam partner, and start writing your own songs. Don't play many covers. That way you will not only have to improvise and create your own solos, but you will have to write solos which fit a certain style of music or convey a certain feeling. Hopefully the input of the other person(s) will get you out of your comfort zone and make your playing more versatile.


   
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(@prndl)
Reputable Member
Joined: 18 years ago
Posts: 199
 

You haven't mentioned exactly what is difficult for you ...

Getting a good heavy metal distortion sound?
... this could be a gear issue

Learning and playing the solo
... it could be a technical challenge, after all these ARE hard songs

Getting bored after a while
... could be you need to find something that's challenging and interesting, instead of the same old songs
... it's easy to burn out a song after listening to it a bunch of times to learn it

To nail a solo quickly, I recommend using something to slow it down and loop, preferably with the same pitch.
There are computer programs that do this. In the old days we used a tape player with an adjustable DC power supply.

After all, you do want to learn things as fast as possible!!

1 watt of pure tube tone - the Living Room Amp!
http://www.naturdoctor.com/Chapters/Amps/LivingRoomAmp.html
Paper-in-oil caps rule!


   
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