Stuck in a rut...

There are a few days here and there where I just can't get my fingers working. Nothing I can do, no matter how long I practice works. But, I keep trying and push through it. Some days, it starts to work, others I end that practice session frustrated. It is definitely not a joy each and every time for me - most times, yes... but not every time... some days it is a struggle and I want to throw the damn thing on the floor.

But, the key thing is to push through it and keep trying. The next day, or maybe even the next is usually better. Try some different songs... or a different style of playing (strumming, picking, fingerpicking, chord practice, scales, etc, etc).

Everyone has bad days, the question is whether you can keep going.

If it turns out to be consistently happening, then maybe playing guitar is not right for you. Only you can decide that.

If it turns out I'm not supposed to be a guitarist after seven years playing...well, that'd be a turn up. :)

I'll try a few different things, see whether I can get it back. :)

a true test is to sell your guitar. if you don't miss it then you done.

That's a tough one I'm not quite ready to throw the towel in but I have been thinking over my situation recently. Part of my frustration is that I'm not where I want to be in terms of skill level for whatever reason not sure if it's lack of good practice habits or I've reached my potential as a player.

But I do play and or practice pretty much every day still but I really beleive I shold be tearing up solo's by now and I'm not whether they are memorized ones or improv. I'm kinda of comparing myself to a kid (well he's probably 28ish) I played with and he's been playing about the same length of time and this kid could play..really made me wonder why I even bother. Whats crazy is he played the bass even better than he did the guitar. Maybe he's "gifted" I don't know but that's where I feel I should be and I'm not and it's depressing...I hate suxing at things.

Now I know someone will say will write down where you want to be, make a list of the things (skills) needed and then set out a plan to accomplish them. Yea sounds great but one I'm not even sure what all of them are, two I probably wouldn't have that much time and three even if I did I might never get there.

For now I'm just trying to keep playing even if at times it's just going through the motions I'm hoping that if I can ride it out without dropping it completely the fire will come back.

Try to stay interested without stressing about it and my quess is you'll come back. You can't prodict the future but you never know what might turn up and it may open up opportunities to play with other people etc.

Up until a few years ago, I would take 6 months off at a time. I could barely play a song or two after a few years. The past 3 years have been quite difference. Captive audience kind of thing. Gotten much better, but I stilll have those stretches where I can go about 2 or 3 weeks and barely pick up a guitar. Just enough to say I played some. Mostly noodling. I think I just got out of one of them ruts. My jamming mate is coming over tomorrow night. I'm also involved in 3 projects here at GN.

But what triggers me back into playing a lot? This does not always happen, but I'll hear a song and want to learn it. That happens most of the time. I was surprised at the number of recording projects I have started and toyed around with.

So, I dunno. Listen to the radio, a different one than you normally do, and see if anything grabs you. Maybe go see a live show in a coffee shop of local pub and see if that grabs you. Something might call out to you to be played. :D

It doesn't change as you get older, either.

I've been playing since 1974, have my Grade 8 and so ought to be able to play "anything"

Over the last few months I've brought some great stuff into my performance repertoire - Air on the G String (Bach), concertos by Vivaldi, Cavatina (yes, that one), and my first piece of South American music (Se Ela Perguntar, by Dilermando Reis).

I sat in my study yesterday, and the day before, among some 6,000 pages of music and I simply could not be asked.

A :-)

Got it! From here, the mission begins to learn 'Pieces of April'. :)

That's the spirit. Go with it, and have some fun. As someone who has frequently vowed to never play agin (and has picked a guitar up the next day, every time) over a period of 20 years, I can relate ;)

Fortunately, I always enjoy playing the guitar. I´ve never had a boring moment, not even in the beginning when it all just sounded really really crappy - I just laughed at how bad I was and went along with it.

But, I can totally relate to previous post about "I should be much better by now" (I´ve been playing for six years) - since I used to think that too (I also have a really "gifted" friend - damn him :wink: ). But, since then, I´ve come to realise that it´s no use in comparing yourself to anyone else, it´s just not relevant, since everyone´s different.

But I would also guess that just listening to a lot of music would get the inspiration you might need to grab the guitar, I think that would work for me if I ever got stuck in a rut (fingers crossed I won´t).

Staffan, if that rut ever comes along, rest assured we'll all be on hand to pull you out! :) (Sure Hendrix weeps every time somebody threatens to lay down their instrument...)

I used to work nights with a guy who could cat-nap at the drop of a hat - asked him once what the secret was. Turned out he'd been in the Army, and he told me, "In the Army, you learn to sleep when you can and eat when you can - 'cause tomorrow you might not get the chance."

I take that attitude to my guitar playing these days - so I pick up a guitar and play whenever I've got a spare few minutes. Even if it's only running through stuff I already know, it's going to keep my fingers limber and my callouses tough. You never know what's going to happen tomorrow - you could break or finger or do some other damage to your hands which means you're going to have to put the guitars down for a while.

BTW, just lately I've been listening to a different radio Station - Absolute Classic Rock - still classic rock, but a little more mainstream than Planet Rock. Found I've been playing along with a lot of songs I've never played before - and a lot of the time, I'm finding them fairly easy to work out, so either my ear's improving with the constant playing and practise or my guitar playing is! There's also an Absolute 80's station - a lot of the music back then was heavy on the synths, so it's interesting to try and add guitar parts to songs that don't have a lot of guitar in them!

:D :D :D

Vic

Vic

a true test is to sell your guitar. if you don't miss it then you done.

Ha! Ya mean like me foist wife??? :lol: :lol: :lol:

Still...I'm in Frustration Land at the moment...cosmicly constipated, I think...but I still play every day. (Most of my studio equip went back for warranty service...so I'm playing an electric unplugged most of the time.) If you get stuck in a rut...even in a car...if you don't look for a way out, you'll never get out. Aim to improve just one chord...or just one note...in something. Seeing that you are getting better has always been a way out for me.

Cat

if i'm not enjoying my playing, it's because i'm not playing well or playing the same old stuff, and the only way to play well is to play, and the only way to come up with new stuff is to play. if you don't play for a couple days, you'll sound like it. would you ignore a girl for a week and expect her to jump into your arms when you feel like it?

being inspired is key. Find out what got you excited to buy the guitar in the first place and spend time doing that. Listen to music that moves you, go see a concert, hang out with better players etc…