What's the matter with me?

Hey bud.. Sorry you are feeling that way but I definately can relate. I was feeling the same way a few weeks ago. I was given two lessons in a row that I never touched past the lesson.

I cant tell you what to do but in my situation I politely told my teacher I needed a break from the structure and I started learning a few songs on my own that I was interested in. I am learning them in great detail. Only two, but I am putting my all into learning these two. It has really inspired me.

But I also have the freedom to just strum and have fun. That was missing when I was doing the structured lessons.

But I would suggest that even on days when you dont feel like playing, that you pick it up and pluck around for 10 or 15 mins. Its kind of like marriage and love. You arent going to FEEL love for your spouse every minute of every day so some days you have to just struggle through it. Knowing that eventually you are going to feel it again.

Ohh and try writing some of your own. Join us in SSG. Its very inspiring sometimes.

Hope that made sense. Good luck.

Geoo

We all go through that once in awhile. Especially around the holidays when the world is driving you in different directions. The fact that you are picking it up at work should give you some indication that the urge is still there when there are no other distractions.

Your teacher could be holding you back so tell him/her what you are feeling and that you need something to challenge you and get you motivated.

Hang tough, try something new and it will come back.

Hey - things are going up and down -

Dunno which level you're at - but if you are not feeling inspired perhaps you shouldn't push it. If the problem is your teacher giving you lessons you don't practice and then you come bakc the next week feeling bad just to get another lesson thrown at you - you should consider doing something else. Have fun with it - don't care about the progress - play something you know - feel the good vibrations from playing music - play the same stuff every night if you feel like it. Then you might wake up one day and think - hey, in order to play this I need to practice [...] (fill in).

I know for certain that the reason why I gave up violin 15 years ago was because I wasn't having any fun at all with it. Practice, practice, practice, never getting any better - know the feelin'? :)

What kinds of stuff are you playing? Somebody might have more specific suggestions??

Hang in there!
Lars

Thanks geoo, I'll give some of those idea's a shot. Maybe it's the holidays and all the madness and lack of quality time. Man I have to snap out of it.

Well I think what you need to do is really just sit down at the cd player with a good tab and the CD of the song you want to learn. I mean really SLOW it down, and once you can play that slow part at full speed the rewards will be obvious and your motivation high.

Maybe write your own songs? I wrote one the other day. Well, I put some chords to some lyrics I'd written ages ago. I wouldn't say it's a terribly good song. I'm not sure my chord progression makes any theoretical sense, but it's just so much fun to play something I made myself, that I would rather play it than do pretty much anything else (taking a break now to spare the fingers!). I only really started playing about a month ago, so I don't know a whole lot of chords or techniques, but in my mind that just forces me to either learn new stuff to get the sound I want, or be all the more creative with what I do know and what I'm able to do.

Sorry, didn't mean to make this post about me, so to boil it down, maybe try getting creative with whatever you can do and see where it leads you. You might have a great experience, and sneak it into someone's thread so you can share it, too. :P

I'm not so sure I'm not going through the same thing.

All weekend and up to Monday night I hadn't even touched any of my guitars. I became a lump at home and had no desire to pick up any guitar or even play my drums for that matter.

I'm going to blame it on the winter blues. No sun, no shine, no jammin' of any kind..... :shock:

Hmm gonna go write a song....BBL...............

Your teacher could be holding you back so tell him/her what you are feeling and that you need something to challenge you and get you motivated.
My teacher has given me stuff that was down right hard to play. I think that maybe a problem. I can play most chords and as I've posted some very odd fingerings and so he pushes this but he lets me run the lesson. I've told him not to this and not to advance till I have what he is teaching down pat but that never lasts and we've moved on to something else.

I haven't had a class for a few weeks so maybe I will get motivated on the next one

I'm not so sure I'm not going through the same thing.

All weekend and up to Monday night I hadn't even touched any of my guitars. I became a lump at home and had no desire to pick up any guitar or even play my drums for that matter.

I'm going to blame it on the winter blues. No sun, no shine, no jammin' of any kind..... :shock:

Hmm gonna go write a song....BBL...............

LOL, I live in Vegas. It's always sunny here. OK, I'll blame it on that :D

Sorry, didn't mean to make this post about me, so to boil it down, maybe try getting creative with whatever you can do and see where it leads you. You might have a great experience, and sneak it into someone's thread so you can share it, too. :P

No problem

I am still lethargic from eating too much on turkey day.

how bout you?

you are merely on a plateau. one of many that you will experience.

I have learned that seeking inspirtation helps.
like an above poster wrote...get a CD and play along with it.

Neil Young does it for me.

and buying another guitar.

and buying another guitar.

Now that would be the way to go.... :D

Another guitar? Lets see.

USA Jackson Soloist
Jackson Kelly
2 Fender acoustics
Fender Strat
Schecter Diamond

I'm good on axes for a bit.

Would like some new pedals though

What Schecter do you own?

New pedals? Then you'll need some more connecting cords and probably some more 9v. batteries.

I just asked for a bunch of 9v's for XMas. One footswitch, one wireless guitar receiver and no memory to turn off or remove batteries while not playing. :oops: