how do play if you haven't played in a little while?

i practice a minimum of 4 hours a day, i never get bored or tired of it, i just keep thinking
of the goals i set for myself, and i go after it with a vengance 8)

I'm the wrong person to ask because it seems the less I play the better I get. Sometimes I'll get busy or lazy and not play for a while and then I come back and I can play the stuff I couldn't do before. It blows my mind and makes me wonder what exactly is going on in my brain that causes this.

Take for example barre chords. I spent like a long, finger breaking month trying to learn them and it just was not happening. I was like "screw it" and just kinda lost interest and starting playing around with my keyboard again and didn't pick up my guitar for over a week. Finally I got my guitar out one night before bed and BAM, barre chords. All up and down the neck no buzzing and muted strings. I was just like "what the ....".

So the moral of my story is the less you practice the better you get!

Some good points. I have experienced this also. Sometimes, when I have taken a short break, I'll come back and be able to play things I had previously found difficult.

Probably two reasons:

What's called the "incubation period". This applies to both finding solutions to problems, and skill development. Sometimes a short break between the initial analysis of a problem, or the initial practice of a piece of music, will allow the mind or fingers to absorb the information; and you can come back refreshed and find the solution, or the ability to play better.

Relentless practice is often sloppy practice. You can't help but get tired and careless. You should always practice perfection. That said, if you are practicing too much, and too incorrectly, you cannot help but play too incorrectly. Sometimes, if you are tired, ill, stressed-out, or simply busy and rushed, you cannot expect yourself to play well (unless of course, you are a professional, and are expected to play well at all times). I have found myself coming back to a song after a short break, and playing really well. I believe it's because I was well-rested, staying-in-the-moment,and because I was really looking forward to my time with the guitar.

Happens to us all, I'm sure...

It doesn't make any difference to me - I play the same, whether I play everyday or take a month off - i.e. badly

I have no doubt that Greybeard is being too humble... 8)

Ghost

I play best and very creative in the morning. If I haven't played in a while because of travel I play really good, often better, when i pick it up again.

I will play more passionately and with a greater aggression towards learning something new. 8)

bish,

great avatar, suits you well, lol

seriously, what you give is what you get, there are going to be days you can't pick your nose, and there are days you will be the best nose picker
of all time, just ask me, i'll tell ya lol

Badly :wink: