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GMC Forum _ CHILL OUT _ Musicians Block.

Posted by: Joe May 18 2010, 10:55 PM

GMC,

I've been plagued with a never-ending case of musicians block for the past couple months. Nothing I play seems to sound good enough, everything sounds similar. This kind of feeds on itself, and when I pick up the guitar and play it almost seems like I'm just going through the motions and not really making music, just playing notes on a guitar. Maybe some of it is all the theory I've been learning, and it just hasn't settled down in my brain yet. Kind of like when first learning scales and getting "stuck in the box" but I'm past that stage.

Maybe part of it is because I haven't had a chance to crank up and jam out with my friends. I am going to go do this tomorrow. But I'm worried that I won't catch that spark, and I'll just make everything sound awful because of my lack of inspiration. I listen to things I recorded months and years ago and it sounds better and more alive than my playing now.

Anyone else go through this? I hope I find the cure soon. Whenever I get like this I always remember a quote, I believe it was Hendrix, talking about how you'll go through phases where you "hate the guitar" but you just work through it. I've worked through this in the past, but it's never been this bad. Maybe it's compounded by my own expectations, where I put more pressure on myself to play better because I've been playing longer, learning, and should be playing better. Ach.

Posted by: Ivan Milenkovic May 18 2010, 11:53 PM

Hey, don't worry about it, it happens once in a while. Just take your time, and don't push it. And don't you think that your skills will be gone in time. If you make a long pause - all it takes is couple of weeks, and you are back on track. In other words - you can continue any time, and that time might just be around the corner. Start enjoying music once again, and start small, work your way up gradually.

Posted by: Adrian Figallo May 18 2010, 11:56 PM

+1 ivan, wise words!
i hate the guitar sometimes too man, i feel frustrated, incapable, sometimes i even feel like i don't have creativity at all, i feel cornered and etc etc etc, then i take pauses on the guitar, but never on music, i start to play drums or i start singing more

Posted by: Bogdan Radovic May 19 2010, 12:10 AM

Don't worry much as we all go through this from time to time. You should start watching some concert dvd, practice new technique or something that will light a spark in your playing. Once you feel better, you will more easily come up with cool new ideas for songs etc...And when its not working its just isn't...you can't really make your self compose a cool song just because you think you should in that particular moment. A brake from playing (1-2 days max) will do wonders in these cases too...

Don't worry much, you'll be back on track in no time.