In a rut....time for a change?

Phil_aka_Pip

bluechargeboy said:

Think of words using the letters ABCDEFG, and then make chord sequences out of the word! %-(

Use a looper.

Play solos avoiding the root note at all costs.

or take a word like CABBAGE and say that the letters are your bass notes. Now make a chord progression and a tune out of it.

Grunfeld

ourmaninthenorth said:

...but here's the rub. I'm an incredibly private bloke, music to me is the antedote for having to play an interactive part in the world as we all have to do, and not a contribution to that activity.

Actually I get that because I was you and ICM£5.  Put it this way:  I live alone with just a couple of (really great) guinea pigs for company; my last gf lived 80 miles away and we'd go months without seeing each other and it was fine, I don't own a telly, I don't drink or drug, and my rock n roll Saturday night (cos I wasn't gigging) was an early night with a few cups of tea, a book on German existentialist philosophy, and a jumbo book of the Telegraph's cryptic crosswords.  I really don't do "world".  However...

somewhere along the line (actually GASfest 2004) I played in front of people.  And thought... "I could play better than that." 

And a few false starts, a few bands, each one getting better, and I can see that there's a whole different aspect to playing guitar which I wasn't aware of previously.  It's like those pictures where at first you only see one aspect then, once you "get" it you understand there's a whole different look to it.

Sorry for the biography!  But as someone who didn't play live for at least 20 years and only got into it late it has been a total eye opener for what is still basically just me playing my guitar. 

Anyway, just thinking aloud that it would be a shame to sell if you've never done it. :-)

Bellycaster

@ourmaninthenorth

I bet many players feel pissed off at times. I was inadvertently giving myself a kick up the arse while replying to you, so you have done me a favour too.

It doesn't matter what material your playing as long as you're enjoying it.

I didn't want to put the guitar down tonight and I had a most uninspiring weekend with it.

As for @Grunfeld giving you advice on the band, I agree with him entirely. I am absolutely dying to get out there and play again and I know what my limits are, but I just want to do it anyway. If you can get into a comfortable situation with a band I reckon it'd be great.

It's 19 years since I played live but I still remember the Buzz from a lot of gigs.

 

Roaster

Get out and play mate, go to some jam nights, join a band, that focuses the mind and will get you playing something different and something different to think about

ourmaninthenorth

I reckon if I sold my 1 guitar, both amps, pedal, leads, valves etc etc...I'd have enough for a top end acoustic...something like a Lowden 038 I've seen at around the 5 grand mark. I don't have the scatter to add to what I already have, so what I bring in must be financed by what goes out. That's everything I have for one single instrument...anyone specifically done that - completely changed their whole set-up and gone back to basics? I'd love to hear your insights.

I hear and thank you all for the input, the idea of re-inventing myself however, as anything other than a lone wolf, whilst being attractive at lots of levels, crashes on the rocks of my own reality. I'm a solo guy as a player, always have been, and always will be. In all candour I kinda like it that way, something just for my own amusement and pleasure. I'm a guitar player to my DNA, I owe this instrument an awful lot...it's pulled me out of more mire than I can mention..I don't drink or drug, bloody hell I don't even smoke anymore ( 6 weeks 2 days 23 1/4 hours..but who's counting? ) It's been my therapy.  I'm not talking about stopping playing, more about playing in a different, simpler way. 

Cheers all 

ICBM

It sounds like you might have High-End Gear Syndrome... equipment which is too refined and perfect, so you find it too easy to play and too bland. (NB, I do like some 'nice' gear too, and this isn't meant as just reverse snobbery.)

So I would sell something you won't really need if you do change your mind (one of your amps most likely) and buy something cheap and unrefined that makes you work... like a Danelectro, a Fender Excelsior amp and a fuzz pedal (NOT a boutique one!), or a half-decent resonator guitar.

Or even just a nice acoustic - you don't need to spend remotely as much as five grand on one, less than half that will easily buy you something classic like a D28.

steamabacus

ourmaninthenorth said:

I hear and thank you all for the input, the idea of re-inventing myself however, as anything other than a lone wolf, whilst being attractive at lots of levels, crashes on the rocks of my own reality. I'm a solo guy as a player, always have been, and always will be. In all candour I kinda like it that way, something just for my own amusement and pleasure. I'm a guitar player to my DNA, I owe this instrument an awful lot...it's pulled me out of more mire than I can mention..I don't drink or drug, bloody hell I don't even smoke anymore ( 6 weeks 2 days 23 1/4 hours..but who's counting? ) It's been my therapy.  I'm not talking about stopping playing, more about playing in a different, simpler way. 

I couldn't help but notice your avatar - have you considered signing up on one of Robert Fripp's Guitar Craft courses?

fretmeister

Paul_C said:

maybe buy something that'll force you to think differently in terms of music making for a while ?

ukulele/keyboard/old vibraphone /etc.

This.

Doesn't have to be an instrument though. I'm learning to sight read (slowly) and that is forcing me into playing loads of different things.

birdo

Personally and slightly against popular opinion , sell your gear and get something else. If it's not inspiring you to pick it up it's not helping. However I wouldn't plough it all into one £5k acoustic. £1500 would buy you a great acoustic . Plus maybe a tele and a little amp. Giving you tonnes of change for a little multi track recorder. Then set about writing and recording your own stuff. Coming up with new material would push you out of the same old licks that you re growing tired of.

Paul_C

Lixarto's selling a nice looking acoustic, I believe.

Drew_TNBD

I'd quit music and pull a Chris Benoit.

mike_l

I agree with @Grunfeld. I was out at a jam the other night (with @bigjon and @viz both top blokes) when bigjon suggested Comfortably Numb. And I had to solo.

I was happy enough with the rhythm, but not confident on the solo. Afterwards a few people commented that they'd enjoyed my playing.

I'm suggesting playing something you're not really comfortable (no pun intended) with

Iamnobody

What about just hooking up with people to practice with playing in a band situation but without the pressure of gigs or playing to an audience?

That will bring in the other players tastes and give you new tunes to learn and focus on.

Failing that the nice acoustic, Tele and amp is a good call...

Van_Hayden

What your describing won't be cured by gear. You can only find so much inspiration in gear. It might inspire you to play more but without a musical goal it's probably pointless.

I speak from experience, gear doesn't make you a better player. The best pupil I ever taught at Leeds Uni arrived with a fairly low end £400 ibanez and a hideous Laney solid state amp - yet he had incredible drive and focus to become a better player so the gear didn't matter, it would have discouraged me!

I'd suggest a search for inspiration. Perhaps find an inspirational teacher. Set musical goals to get yourself out of the same old licks. Find some new music, jam more.

If you don't look at the root of the issue you'll be playing the same old licks on that nice expensive acoustic in a couple of years.

But if you've still got that Murphy R9 give me a call...... ;-)

Van_Hayden

ourmaninthenorth;56945" said:

don't even smoke anymore ( 6 weeks 2 days 23 1/4 hours..but who's counting? )  

Bugger me this is serious.

viz

Join a coursera course - i'm loving the jazz one.

ourmaninthenorth

Thanks for your insight Hayden, very much appreciate your opinion indeed. 

The Murphy 2001 R9 Plaintop... Yeah still got this wonderful guitar. I'll give you a call on it only with the promise that you'll be sitting down when I tell you the price!!

As to the smoking, who the bloody hell would have thought that was ever likely to happen?  

Take care bud, regards to all at Matamp. 

b-(

ourmaninthenorth

viz said:

Join a coursera course - i'm loving the jazz one.

Signed up for that Viz, then promptly unsigned up when I discovered there was homework, never got into the habit while I was at school and have no intention of starting now.... )

Hope you're enjoying it?

viz

Well it's out of the old comfort zone that's for sure. But I did enjoy noodling along to that backing track I must admit, and although it sounded like a lot of old shit, and I look extremely peculiar when I'm playing, I was at least trying to do something new, which felt good. It was a bit of a shock to see that I stare vacantly to the left when I play though - never noticed that. I assumed I look at my hands.

ourmaninthenorth

Kudos for having a go at something new,and more importantly feeling good about it. I think I lack the courage to change if I'm being really honest about it. I'm the problem here without a doubt.  I think that's the underlying message I'm getting from people's experience here, do something new and directional. Which I may be confusing with a lifelong modus operandi of taking easier softer ways, and then moaning about the outcomes.

Bollocks to it, I'm gonna do something about this....not got a pot of glue what...but something's going to change..

8-} :-\"