Probably been discussed before but why is it everytime I take a break

adamm82

from playing and start again I am better than before?

is it because i've broken my stale routines? 

I probably didn't play very much for the last year whilst the first few days were very rusty I know find I can chicken pick like I couldn't before and I am constantly using my pinky finger where as before I used to be lazy and avoid it.

lukedlb

So true. 

adamm82

lukedlb said:

So true. 

I am still no good when I try to record myself though :-( 

lysander

Recording puts pressure which can make the playing worse.
Best way to get over it is to record more often

Funkfingers

adamm82 said:

stale ... routine ... lazy ... avoid[ance]

This.

adamm82 said:

I am still no good when I try to record myself

Record yourself frequently. Once you take the process for granted, the red light fever will be gone.


One of my most frequent mistakes when overdubbing is to have a quick play along to the existing backing music just to set a level. Almost invariably, I come up with some random, spontaneous idea in the moment that I cannot replicate. 

In short, when it's gone, it's gone. Record everything. You can always throw the weak bits away.

Toms_Dad

Perhaps you don’t even have to stop playing.
When I have been trying to learn a piece for a while and I stop making progress, I just park it for a few weeks and play something else.
Usually when I come back to it I am playing it much better in a very short amount of time.
That way you also keep practicing and becoming a better all round guitarist.

uncledick

Wasn't it Phil Spector who always used the last take of the day when everyone was cheesed off and just wanted to go home? I recently played a gig having had a serious fever and practically no sleep for 72 hours.  Dosed up with half a packet of paracetamol, I went through the set pretty much on auto-pilot and a few people said to me 'you were on form tonight!'  I guess I'd just concentrated on the basics with no frills or experimental solos and it worked.  Went home and collapsed in a heap on the Saturday night and didn't properly feel better for about 10 days.

grappagreen

Funkfingers said:

adamm82 said:

stale ... routine ... lazy ... avoid[ance]

This.

adamm82 said:

I am still no good when I try to record myself

Record yourself frequently. Once you take the process for granted, the red light fever will be gone.


One of my most frequent mistakes when overdubbing is to have a quick play along to the existing backing music just to set a level. Almost invariably, I come up with some random, spontaneous idea in the moment that I cannot replicate. 

In short, when it's gone, it's gone. Record everything. You can always throw the weak bits away.

Which leads to the old recording trick in the studio - 'we want a test run through the track, play as if you mean it so that we can get everything setup properly' = best take

Blaendulais

uncledick said:

Wasn't it Phil Spector who always used the last take of the day when everyone was cheesed off and just wanted to go home? I recently played a gig having had a serious fever and practically no sleep for 72 hours.  Dosed up with half a packet of paracetamol, I went through the set pretty much on auto-pilot and a few people said to me 'you were on form tonight!'  I guess I'd just concentrated on the basics with no frills or experimental solos and it worked.  Went home and collapsed in a heap on the Saturday night and didn't properly feel better for about 10 days.

Probably liver damage from the paracetamol