Uninspired to play

[R. Shackleferd]

I've had somewhat of a problem the last month or so...I didn't want to pick up the guitar! It's not that I didn't have time, I just had pretty much absolutely no desire to. I went at least 2 weeks without even touching it, and when I forced myself to play, I only picked about 5 minutes before putting it down. Frankly, I didn't understand. I've always loved guitar, and nearly all my musical tastes reflect that. And I usually couldn't go on a weekend trip without missing it. I was pretty apathetic about it since I only play for my own amusement, but it still made me dissappointed in myself. Especially after reading of Akira's ailment...he'd kick my ass for being that way. But I've found the problem and thus the cure. Simply enough, I wasn't listening to enough music. I'm fortunate to be able to listen to headphones at work...which turns out to be about 6-7 hours of listening time available everyday. Thus I went through my collection fairly quickly, and searching for entertainment turned to the radio, namely talk radio. There's a funny morning show I listen to, then an hour of political talk, then a finance and money show, all of which offered variety and held my interest while working. So about the only time I heard songs were in the car or briefly at home. I didn't make the connection between that and my desire to play until fairly recently when I was cleaning my place and had a ZZ Top cd on, and it totally made me want to go jam and expand my abilities. Plus, within the last week I've recorded Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival and a Los Lonely Boys show that came on PBS, and watched my own DVD of SRV. I never realised how directly my desire to play was linked to just appreciating others' abilities.
So...didn't mean to make such a long post, and I'm not looking for pity or congratulations, just thought I'd bring it up. I've cut back on the talk radio at work, and listen to more stuff at home too, so I'm back playing like I love to and enjoying it. It seems so obvious now. Perhaps let it be a warning to ya'll.

[Grambo]

I get like that sometimes too - usually a new cd or a new songbook revives my interest.
Bought one today - a lot of them come with soundalike cds now.

[40ftsmurf]

I've gone through times that I didn't have any desire to play also. One time I was laid off and had to make a house payment. It was either keep my first guitar (1973 Gibson J-45 Deluxe) and move my family onto the streets, or sell the guitar to make a house payment. I sold the guitar. I got a cheap replacement, or would play my Dad's 1931 Gibson L1, but the times would be few and far between for about 3 years. I didn't know it at the time, but my wife was saving money those 3 years until she had enough to replace the guitar that I had sold for the family, with a new Martin D-28. I've played it pretty regularly since until I found a guitar web site that has a forum where you can read about other people playing guitar, and make comments or tell your own story. Now I spend all my time doing that.

[Grambo]

Martin D - 28, nice guitar - nice Wife

[Fenderalltheway]

I've played it pretty regularly since until I found a guitar web site that has a forum where you can read about other people playing guitar, and make comments or tell your own story. Now I spend all my time doing that.

Hmmm...sounds kind of familiar...

[jeffhx]

id start worrying if i didnt pick up my guitar for a day...id be like... noooooooo!!!! im a shafterrr!!!....i guess i do have those periods...or moods...but it always disapears once i hold it in my arms....i guess it has got to do with the level of guitaryness one is at..i still have heaps of stuff to learn so thats why im still motivated...maybe for u rustee ud probably have no idea where else to go with that guitar...maybe ur attention had been shifted to some other stuff which are more important and u just lost that feel with music....momentarily...i dont know.. :) ...its good tohave the feel back tho...weet

[donf]

Just coming out of that myself. After playing with a band for 3 years, and constant playing 7 years before that, I told the band I was quiting back in June. So I quit and it was a good thing, for me, but since then, I've became uninspired. So, since June, I picked up the guitar maybe 4 or 5 times, only to put it back down.

On Labor Day, when my band used to play this big block party, there was another band playing instead, so I got to sit back and watch. Watching them play re-inspired me to pick up the guitar again, but not to get up on stage. I dont miss that, believe it or not. The band was playing Southern Rock, which I always liked, but different from the music we were playing, when I was with my band.

So, I went to my CD's and picked out all my Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Bros, Outlaws, Marshall Tucker and started fiddling with it. Now I'm looking forward to playing and trying new things out when I get home from work.

4 months is unimaginable to me, not to pick up the guitar, but it happened. I'm just glad I got back (wife kept pushing me too).

I kind of compare it to a baseball player, who goes into a slump. Can't hit anything, then the confidence level drops, then finally one day, he get a bloop single to right field, then goes on a hot streak and the slump is over.

I'm taking off in a different direction, so I did some searching, found this site and hopefully I can absorb some of the info put out here as well as have an input if needed.

[Trinivalts]

Those day then I have loss some interest in playing guitar I just sit and watch TV and play, so by doing that I play a less than I would if not watching TV, but I also would be like :eek: OMG noooooo!! if would play at least a little bit a day, but that hapens rearly, luckely.

[earthman buck]

My interest level in the guitar has been steadily declining for months now. It's sort of sad, but mostly I'm just indifferent.

[pizzicatopicker]

yeah, you gotta put her down every once 'n a while. This summer, I would study it for hours, ( for a rising sophmore, I had nothing else to do) and consquently I got a 110 percent better than I was before, or something like that. But then, after that, I didnt really want play her. Playing guitar is an activity, and it can get a little boring/monotonous going it EVERY day. Dont worry, this'll pass, everyone goes through it at least once.

[equator]

Oh yeah, I`ve been there, done that, multiple times.
But you just can`t quit guitar after you had a taste of it.

[markc2005]

ive been goin through a dry patch for a couple of weeks now i dont know its it cos i dont have time with college n trainin almost everyday or weather im not finding time

[Bar Chord Nick]

I put my guitar away for 20 years and just picked it back up 8 months ago. So I know the feeling of losing interest. Now when I have a few days I'm just not in the mood to play I take my electric unplugged in front of the TV and just run scales and next thing you know I'm trying to put together a new riff idea. Next thing you know I'm plugged in and trying to expand on the riff. Try it next time you feel like quiting or lack the drive to play.

[R. Shackleferd]

Yeah, I think part of it for me was that I had been on a plateau of sorts, or more simply put, a rut. So even when I did pick it up I was bored playing the same old stuff. But now I have a renewed desire to delve into songs and techniques I've never gotten around to.

[ericthecableguy]

I know the feeling totally bud. Now i just pop in a dream theater dvd.

Disclaimer...this may not work for some. Some may become more inspired to burn their guitar instead, but I don't know....

[Lordathestrings]

Up until a few weeks ago, I wan't playing more than an hour or so a week. Then I got a beat-up 1966 Yamaha SG-2 that looks like my first real guitar probably would if I hadn't crudely modified it and traded it away back in '73 or '74. It's amazing how quickly I adapted to the longer scale (a full 26"). It felt like coming home after a long absence. I've been playing humbucker axes ever since that first SG-2, and now I'm re-discovering the joys of a righteous pair of single-coil pups. I'm back to playing a couple of hours a day. I stopped in at Guitarworks on the way home from work today and looked at some of the Strats. They seem so crude and unrefined compared to the old Yamaha SG-2. Now I understand why I was so willing to sell my '62 re-issue Strat when I needed rent money. The SG-2 may be a 'cover' of a Jazzmaster, but it's like Hendix's version of "All Along The Watchtower" compared to the original.

And I just got a couple of Savoy Brown double CD's of the music that formed my early playing style as much as the early Grand Funk Railroad material. Major blast from the past - cobwebs are being shredded and the rust is getting buffed away.


Musicians don't play because we can - we play because we need to.

[Grambo]

I wasn't playing a lot, untill a couple of weeks ago when I traded in my old marshall valvestate for a Line 6 spider combo.
I play about 5 hours a week now.

[Akira]

Musicians don't play because we can - we play because we need to.

Yup, and it's especially hard when you can't physically play!

I think sometimes you just have to count your blessings; I can't play due to tendonitis, whereas other people, even if they are uninspired, can still atleast play without causing damage to their hands.

Having said that, it is possible to have a legit bad day on guitar where it seems like you've just unlearnt everything; that can be pretty uninspiring to say the least.

[earthman buck]

Having said that, it is possible to have a legit bad day on guitar where it seems like you've just unlearnt everything; that can be pretty uninspiring to say the least.
Hear hear. That's my main trouble.

[rockonn91]

*hug to you all*

[performingchimp]

i'd recommend trying a style you've never even attempted before.

get yourself a good instructional DVD of someone whose playing you like, but is really different from your own. I did this recently with Kelly Joe Phelps, and had weeks of fun learning his tunes!

[quickfingers]

i get like that too...i mean, music-wise. i listen to music all day at my work (i work at a skateshop) and after a while i just get burnt out. i used to love driving back and forth to places just so i could pump the subwoofers and piss old people off, but now my car rides to and from work are either A)silent or B) talk radio. lame!

[quickfingers]

Yup, and it's especially hard when you can't physically play!

I think sometimes you just have to count your blessings; I can't play due to tendonitis, whereas other people, even if they are uninspired, can still atleast play without causing damage to their hands.

Having said that, it is possible to have a legit bad day on guitar where it seems like you've just unlearnt everything; that can be pretty uninspiring to say the least.


i can relate to that as well. im not sure if i have "tendonitis" or "CTS", mostly becuase i dont want to go to a doctor and get it checked out, but ill have that same problem. the worst thing in the world is to physically not be able to play over something as stupid as wrist problems. its not always stinging, either. sometimes it just feels like i hit my funnybone, but in my wrist. hah. luckilly, its not a heavilly-occuring thing, but its no joke when your a working musician/music major who wants to make a living with guitar. scary ****.

[magicninja]

I've been having alot of bad luck with the guitar myself as of late. Between Betsy electrocuting me and strings breaking on all three of my guitars in the same week I haven't been playing much myself. It's kinda disheartneing.