Musicians

[Mister Sin]

Ever pick up your instrument and just not have your normal flow?
I had that happen something terrible today. I picked up my guitar and couldn't make a damn thing sound good. Was missing my picks, muting strings, couldn't get a solid barre. I couldnt stay in key singing. I don't know what the hell was up but it was terrible. I hadn't wrote a song in a long time and was in the mood, went in the room, closed the door, grabbed my pad and pen, and....shit. Absolute shit came out. I couldn't find a progression to for what I wanted to do at all. I think I'm gonna have to put it down for a week or so and recharge. I sounded like someone who has been playing for 2 months.

 

[Greg Stone]

Yep, there are times one feels unmusical. When it happens at a gig and I have to play it seems to pass pretty quickly.

 

[Mister Sin]

Man it's terrible. It's the first time it's been this bad. Obviously you have days when your off and days when you feel in sync and shit comes out amazing, but I couldn't even play songs that I've been playing for years and years seamlessly.

 

[RK3]

I've been this way for 51 years.

 

[fearsomefour]

It happens. Music, golf or whatever. I don't know if the body is out of sync or if it is a focus thing or what.
My son, who is a baseball pitcher, is going through some of this now.
He has control issues. One day not getting through one inning, walking hitters left and right, and the next striking guys out. He has managed to lead his summer team (that includes a couple of D1 guys and one pitcher that pro scouts are looking at) in both walks and strikeout per inning. If he worries about starting to struggle and gets tense or starts thinking about his mechanics he goes south.
I am trying to teach him a technique I used when I was playing music. Developing a "reset" button mentally.
First when you are struggling it is natural to push harder and then to tighten up....forearms get tense, roll the shoulders, grip the pic harder ect. I would close my eyes for a couple of seconds and just take a deep breath and exhale slowly. As I exhaled I would visualize the days problems and stresses falling away. In my minds eye I would start out with a wide view and as I exhaled I would picture everything outside of my drum kit going black. Sometimes this took several breathes. Focus is not tense. Focus is relaxed but it takes practice. Sometimes this helped.
I also developed a reset exercise. A very simple one. For me is was a something like two paradiddles followed by double strokes (RLRR LRLL RRLL RRLL) focusing on playing relaxed, smooth and even. I would just repeat that until it felt good. Reset.
One thing for sure. You are not losing skill, that's not how it works. Also, everyone has bad days. An off day will make you nuts if you get stressed, demean yourself or kick your amp.
Relax, breath and reset.
If all else fails, go for a jog or go see a movie and come back to it. Sometimes that's all it takes.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

i was trained to practice daily so that when things like this arise it's not such a big deal. when you practice a few times a week this is when it can get troublesome cause you lose playing time

I normally run through my scales when I'm not feeling it. Them move on to my modes, and play all my finger exercises until I get real tired. Then I put on some simple stuff - normally some Krautrock so I can just play 1 note for 11 minutes - normally helps

worse comes to worse throw a few back, you'll eventually convince yourself you're playing great

 

[Mister Sin]

I picked it up this morning and it was better. Not technically skilled like you guys. I'm 100% self taught and have never learned a single scale. I never realized how it could help me, now I've been playing for about 6 years and don't have time to learn the basics again. I'm sure it would help me grow a bit. Hell I pick up an electric guitar and I'm lost. I don't use a pick at all, I finger pick everything or strum with the back of my index fingernail. When I first started learning I was very quick to pick things up and would figure them out fast enough that I let the fact that I could play a couple songs mediocre like, that I didn't need to learn the scales. Lol so now at 29 years old with working 45 hours a week and two small kids at home, I only find time to play maybe once or twice a week for maybe an hour. And I don't often feel like using that time to learn anything new. That's why I was so shocked, the songs I usually fiddle around with are songs that I've played for years and years and never had the issues I did last night. Just glad it passed.

 

[fearsomefour]

i was trained to practice daily so that when things like this arise it's not such a big deal. when you practice a few times a week this is when it can get troublesome cause you lose playing time

I normally run through my scales when I'm not feeling it. Them move on to my modes, and play all my finger exercises until I get real tired. Then I put on some simple stuff - normally some Krautrock so I can just play 1 note for 11 minutes - normally helps

worse comes to worse throw a few back, you'll eventually convince yourself you're playing great

Exactly. Those exercises, scales or rudiments from drummers are so great. They never let you down.

 

[fearsomefour]

I picked it up this morning and it was better. Not technically skilled like you guys. I'm 100% self taught and have never learned a single scale. I never realized how it could help me, now I've been playing for about 6 years and don't have time to learn the basics again. I'm sure it would help me grow a bit. Hell I pick up an electric guitar and I'm lost. I don't use a pick at all, I finger pick everything or strum with the back of my index fingernail. When I first started learning I was very quick to pick things up and would figure them out fast enough that I let the fact that I could play a couple songs mediocre like, that I didn't need to learn the scales. Lol so now at 29 years old with working 45 hours a week and two small kids at home, I only find time to play maybe once or twice a week for maybe an hour. And I don't often feel like using that time to learn anything new. That's why I was so shocked, the songs I usually fiddle around with are songs that I've played for years and years and never had the issues I did last night. Just glad it passed.

Yeah it happens and will probably happen again. Part of the fun of it all.

 

[Prime Time]

There was a time when I took off three years and didn't play a note on the guitar. There were things going on in my life that crowded out all creativity. It was a real busy time. A couple of things I noticed once I started playing regularly again:

1. I had to rebuild my callouses - ouch!
2. I didn't lose my skill but it took me much longer to generate enough interest to pick up the guitar and practice on a daily basis. It's like riding a bike. You don't ever forget how to do that but you just lose interest. That sacred me enough to play at least a little bit each day.

As far as having off days - sure it happens to everyone from time to time. Your fingers feel like sausages, the guitar won't stay in tune, etc. I have a recurring dream, in fact just this week, were I'm onstage and my strings break, I can't hear myself in the monitors, and everyone's booing. Crazy a$$ musicians!

 

[Force16X]

I picked it up this morning and it was better. Not technically skilled like you guys. I'm 100% self taught and have never learned a single scale. I never realized how it could help me, now I've been playing for about 6 years and don't have time to learn the basics again. I'm sure it would help me grow a bit. Hell I pick up an electric guitar and I'm lost. I don't use a pick at all, I finger pick everything or strum with the back of my index fingernail. When I first started learning I was very quick to pick things up and would figure them out fast enough that I let the fact that I could play a couple songs mediocre like, that I didn't need to learn the scales. Lol so now at 29 years old with working 45 hours a week and two small kids at home, I only find time to play maybe once or twice a week for maybe an hour. And I don't often feel like using that time to learn anything new. That's why I was so shocked, the songs I usually fiddle around with are songs that I've played for years and years and never had the issues I did last night. Just glad it passed.

dieter's advice is best, if things arent working right, practice. that way, at least you're accomplishing something. i would say that it would be best to just walk away when everything seems to be messing up, but you dont seem to have a lot of free time for this. my other thought would be to try something different or learn a new song at that time, because its not going to sound great right off the bat anyway and you get to do something different as well. isnt there a type of pick (maybe for banjos??) that you can wear like a ring on your finger ?

 

[Mister Sin]

Yea, I've tried to use them, I'm just not good with it. After this many years, it's hard to learn it. I'm a finger pickin fool. I tried to use them and I couldn't keep the distance from the strings that I needed.