Hey, latly i rarly practice guitar, if i do pick up my guitar i end up playing the same riffs or songs and not learning anything new.
i have no inspiration and feel like im not going to improve and the only reason im stil playing guitar at the moment is to play cover songs in my band (and a few originals that we have) and to play/sing covers acoustically at buskers nights and such.

im trying to write en EP of songs that i have wrote myself but i've lost inspiration for writing and when i do get inspiration it lasts until i hit the first block and then i cant be bothered.

im really concerned because ive been playing for a few years now and i enjoy playing to a live crowd who likes to hear me, but i just cant face practicing anymore. scales, theory and playing the same technique over and over just isnt interesting to me, even though i know i wont get better without it.
ive tried mixing up practicing different techniques and scales and other stuff so i dont get bored, but it doesnt work. im really stuck and cant find a way out of this rut.

has anyone else had these problems or have any tips for me?
i really dont want to stop playing.

Cheers
Chris

Perhaps you need to go into the world and get some inspiration?
If you are feeling bored maybe you are focusing too much on one style or a limited range of techniques.
For me something is only enjoyable if it is a challenge so maybe set your sights a bit higher and try to learn something really difficult?
I'd also suggest trying to listen to a wide range of styles such as jazz, instrumental rock, classical, extreme metal, blues etc and try to take something from all these styles that you like, and work on it.

Hope that helps
David

+1 With David.

I was also going to suggestion you find something more challenging!! If your stuck in a rutt it may be that your just not feeling challenged enough !

Why not try one of Muris's most challengin lessons they look like alot of fun to try and master !

I have had this problem in the past, I`m kind of suprised that you say you lose interest, coz I found the opposite since joining GMC, the "in the style of" lessons are great for a mixture of techniques and learning something interesting, maybe your not picking lessons that are challenging for you?
I deliberatly pick hard lessons, this usually highlights for me areas of weakness, then I go looking for lessons that are specific for my weakness`s and I concentrate on that for a while going back to the hard lesson, once you start nailing those techniques its so rewarding that you want to carry on.
I find for me that inspiration comes when I`m enjoying my playing, ideas seem to flow a lot better as I`m more able to translate whats in my head to the fretboard, its when I cant connect the two that I used to lose interest.

Absolutely, there is nothing like a challenge !! I will pick any lesson that interests me no matter how hard. You can alway break it down and practice it bar for bar if its really challenging !

This if definatly a great way to grow as a guitarist

if i knew how to pick out my weaknesses i would. I have tried things that are hard for me, i cant sweep pick and i very rarely shred. i find that most of the harder lessons require the use of less difficult techniques, and to learn to use those techniques it requires a lot of repetativeness which i just cant keep myself interested without saying to myself "i know, ill try something else instead" then i get bored of that and try something else. learning scales is depressingly boring for me too.

Maybe Davids idea of going out into the world for Inspiration might be a good call then. Sometimes if ive been practicing hard for a long time and lacking inspiration i go into the word and do my photography or fishing, or something totally new like dance classes (dont laugh ! )

I usually return with bags of enthusiasm

hmmm, I think you gotta ask yourself, do I want to be able to sweep pick etc? unfortunatly yes there is repetition in all those kind of techniques, but why not build yourself up a routine? say half hour of sweeping, half hour of alternate picking etc? rather than 4 hours of just one thing? I`m a little obsesive by nature so I`ll quite happily sit there for hours till it starts coming together, however I do know what you are saying, unfortunatly a lot is going to have to come down to your own disipline if you really want to do those things.
Its really down to you, no one can make you do anything.

man you remind me so much of myself !

*runs out door screaming "noooooooooooooo"*

I`m not going dancing with you either

Its ok, your not my type

Its just the way you desrcibed practcing remind me of myelf! I too will sit there playing one lick for hours if need be .... it just doesent bother me at all !!

nah, its gotta be done if ya want to learn.

Absolutely

i dont do 4 hours of one thing, i had a routine of 20 mins for each thing.
maybe i'll try learning a new instrement for a while, trumpet or something.... or a tuba so i can follow large people down the street like stewie from family guy

Maybe Piano ! I think that may help with your arrangements etc

yea keyboard would be good!

already play keyboard lol

My guitar teacher plays trumpet pretty good Lately I have been doin sight reading with him which is pretty fun ! Not so much for learning guitar but its just fun !!

hmmm well maybe if this is the stage you`ve reached then a break into something new may bring back the spark in guitar for you, I cant give you any suggestions I`m afraid, `m sure you`ll find something that you`ll enjoy, I just know that if I didnt play guitar then I`d probably go for keyboards, I did break from guitar for about 6 months a while back when my daughter was born, and for similar reasons to you, I`ve come back fully refreshed and I just cant imagine why I put it down in the first place now.

I play the trumpet! lol I stopped for a while but I was asked to play at my church this Christmas... Got the music yesterday and I almost shat myself. Some of the notes are soooo high. I have only heard two people ever play that high before so I think I'm kinda up the creek. But yeah, learning a new instrument can definitely help renew your interest in the other.