Do you ever get days where......

[Ger the man]

You feel like your not going to get any better as a player? Or you depend on the internet too much to learn from others. Or maybe you see a cool riff and you learn it and you say to yourself "I should have thought that one up myself"! Granted im only back playing a few months (had a guitar about 10 years ago). Any thoughts?

 

[R_of_G]

You feel like your not going to get any better as a player? Or you depend on the internet too much to learn from others. Or maybe you see a cool riff and you learn it and you say to yourself "I should have thought that one up myself"! Granted im only back playing a few months (had a guitar about 10 years ago). Any thoughts?

I have those days a lot. I would guess all of us have at one time or another. My only advice is just play right through it. Afterall, the only way to become better is to keep playing. When I first started playing, I would become frustrated at each new technique I couldn't immediately master. Many times I said, "I'll never be able to play barre chords," or "I just can't play pull-off's right," or "I guess I'll never be able to solo." With time and patience all of those things came to me. As for your concern that you should have thought up riffs by yourself, don't get down about it. Take that new riff you learned and see what else you can do with it [eg., invert it, take pieces out of it/add pieces to it]. In other words, take whatever it is you are playing and make it your own. If you're overly concerned about relying on others for knowledge, take a break from looking at lessons on the net or at books and just spend some time developing your own style and technique. All I know is my playing now is pretty much made up of things I used to say I'd never be able to do. Keep at it and good luck!

 

[Ger the man]

Cheers man, i look at other players on youtube sometimes but i think its time to stop for a while. I was actually considering selling my gear off and giving it up it because I was getting bored with it. I guess all I needed was some inspiration.

Cheers

 

[ted s]

Don't give up GtM, I'm going through it again myself. Listen to some musicians that inspire you, hang out at the fret, leave your gear out in the open, just don't shove it all back in the closet. I did that once and it stayed there for 20 years.

 

[Robert]

You feel like your not going to get any better as a player?

Pretty much every day!

 

[R_of_G]

Pretty much every day!

Ok, well that should be inspiration for most of us. I can't imagine feeling like that if I could play half as well as Robert, but since he does than it is a common feeling that can be overcome. I for one am glad Robert never decided to hang it up and quit playing because I think he's awesome. Gives me more desire to just power through those periods.

 

[Justaguyin_nc]

I for one am glad Robert never decided to hang it up and quit playing because I think he's awesome. Gives me more desire to just power through those periods.

Inspiration!

:beer:

 

[Ger the man]

Cheers! I think i was expecting too much too soon. Thanks again

 

[sunvalleylaw]

Yeah man, I get those days. Sometimes a lot. then one day, something clicks and I learn something or take a step. Jest keep playin', I say. I think it was Oldguy that reminded me it was called "playing" for a reason.

 

[ted s]

... expecting too much too soon...

yup, I do that all the time.

 

[just strum]

GTM,

1) If you are like me, you expect too much and also don't recognize your advancements. Obviously you (we) have to stop thinking that way.

2) Realize that the same feeling happens at all levels, you are not alone and it's just part of the journey.

Good luck and next time I will come to you for words of encouragement.

 

[Lev]

Lessons from a good teacher may get you out of a rut? It may help with motivation too e.g. I have to learn that riff/scale/solo before my next lesson to progress.

 

[Bloozcat]

Nah, I haven't felt that way since....yesterday. And I haven't played at all yet today....

 

[marnold]

And remember that inspiration is 90% constipation and 10% defenestration.

 

[zeusse]

I usualy find its the guys and gals on youtube and on these forums that keep me inspired its when I'm just sitting around watching clouds float by that I loose inspiration....a nice box of wine really seems to bring me out of the ruts too...LOL

 

[t_ross33]

GTM,

1) If you are like me, you expect too much and also don't recognize your advancements. Obviously you (we) have to stop thinking that way.

2) Realize that the same feeling happens at all levels, you are not alone and it's just part of the journey.

Good luck and next time I will come to you for words of encouragement.

+1 Happens to me all the time, especially playing live and I clam up, forget a chord progression or just have a brain fart and I think, "Man I suck at this and I'm never going to get it" Nothing to do but laugh it off and play on ude: I love playing in a band and that provides all the motivation I need.

Find out what makes it fun for you, even if you're just playing to the cat in your living room. Then just when you think you're the bomb, go out and jam with some guys that can shred the paint off the walls, return home with your tail between your legs and start all over again :rotflmao:

I can't imagine NOT playing though. It's not even a journey, or a hobby for me - it's something that I do. Period. Whether I'm any good (which I'm not, really) is almost irrelevant. Something connects for me when I have a guitar in my hands. I'll never give it up.

Trev

 

[just strum]

I can't imagine NOT playing though. It's not even a journey, or a hobby for me - it's something that I do. Period. Whether I'm any good (which I'm not, really) is almost irrelevant. Something connects for me when I have a guitar in my hands. I'll never give it up.

Trev

Trev,

Boy, that sums it up. I don't think I could imagine not playing either.

The other night I was playing, got pissed and told my wife that I just don't feel like I'm getting anywhere. She responded really of the first time since I started playing with "you sound a hell of a lot better than you did a year ago". I walked away still pissed and then I thought to myself "you know, she's right" Made a u-turn in the kitchen, picked up the guitar and went at it for another hour or so. We sometimes are our hardest critics - relax have fun.

 

[Spudman]

I go through this from time to time too...because like Just Strum says we are are own toughest critics. I pick on me a lot.:deadhorse:

The one thing that keeps me in a funk the longest is if I don't get a dose of good drumming. If I can't get my funk on then Spud has lost his groove. Once that rhythm comes back then I'm flying high again. It's just the low without good rhythm pumping through my veins that hits me the hardest. Some good live drumming or watching drum videos makes it happen for me. I LOVE A GOOD DRUMMER! :AOK:

 

[Fingers]

You know I went electric a coupla years ago cos I love the Brian May/ Queen sound..............got a BM replica guitar, Treble booster and played it through a Vox...............struggled to get the sound......just couldn't get hold of BM's playing at all..............fingers could just not do it....had a few lessons......then hung up the RS and went of on a Keef open tuning, 5 string trip........fantastic..............played a lot of Chuck on my Sheraton.....lovin' it.............played in a band with it ...............best fun with yer clothes on........

Last week pulled the RS of the wall....for no reason, really......plugged it in switched on the vox..............AWESOME............Was that Brian May in the room????????...................I have no idea where the improvement came from, I have not practiced the BM stuff....probably played the guitar two or three times in the last 12 months..........it is all a mystery to me.

My view now is that if I am struggling and don't think I am improving, then I will change style completely and try something new for a few weeks.........when you go back to old stuff it is amazing how much better you play it........without even trying.

Variety is the Spice of life I suppose............