I guess I need a rocket up my a####

[Bluto]

Hi guys. Feeling like cr#p tonight. Got home fairly early from work today after listening to my ipod most of the day. Loads of great stuff on it, including some of the sounds which I've downloaded from this here fine site.

Inspired by all you guys after listening to some of the REALLY REALLY good bits, I sit down, switch on the Monitors, plug the guitar in, and...............nothing.:thumbdow: Absolutely bugger all. I've kinda got myself deeply entrenched within a dry zone, where anything that I try to get to grips with sounds bloody awful. :dead:

Now.........I realise that at my advanced age of 43, I'm never gonna be able to shred anywhere near what I want to be able to do, I take that for granted and have probably realised this some time ago, but I'm feeling I'm just stuck in rut with nowhere to go.:wall:

So I say to myself, 'no problem, go for the tones you like, slow down to something like a slow David Gilmour with feeling etc'.

Do any of you guys ever get like this? How do you get out of it? Do you just beat the crap out of the dog :nono: or do you just put the guitar down and let it be for a week or two until you miss it so much you just gotta start again?

[Rob]

Take a look at this link mate

http://www.6stringheaven.com/forum/vb/showthread.php?t=2570

[Highway Star]

You have visited a place where we all go from time to time. I get round it by realising my limitations and being content with small improvements which I must say have totalled to better playing. (In honesty, since I joined this site). Set yourself a goal and push hard at achieving just one song completely. You will be amazed at the results! I've seen loads of players improve dramatically on this site and it will happen to you if you stick at it. I'm 48 BTW, still leaning and still got a long way to go! LOL

Good Luck,

Farl

[wahwah]

...and I'm 44 knocking on 70! I'd say if your mojo ain't working, put the guitar down, back out of the room slowly and lock it with duct tape for a week. A lay-off really does the ears good and you usually come back refreshed and ready to go. My problem is I have a guitar in my hands 5 days a week from 9.30am until 10pm some nights. I'm so busy earning a (large) crust that BTT I get round to doing my stuff, I don't wanna see a guitar until the next day. However, I am a night owl and cider drinking fool so after a couple I get Dutch courage and have a go! :)

[Stempy]

Beer is the answer.....plenty of beer. Ask Zeuss, he'll tell ya. I'm 43 too, but not for much longer, fancy a 43 year olds collab on something, might help lift you out of the rut. I'm currently working on 'Anarchy In The UK' but I'll give anything a go if you want to choose. BTW can you sing like Johnny Rotten?

[Steve Zane]

Beer is the answer.....plenty of beer. Ask Zeuss, he'll tell ya. I'm 43 too, but not for much longer, fancy a 43 year olds collab on something, might help lift you out of the rut. I'm currently working on 'Anarchy In The UK' but I'll give anything a go if you want to choose. BTW can you sing like Johnny Rotten?
I have to agree with wahwah.just put the damn guitar down for a week and come back when you start to miss it. It happens to me too and I think it happens to all of us.Being in your 40's is not too late..there is no age.I also don't think that you need to shred to be a guitarist, but if that's what you want to do,you could go have a few advance lessons in private.That might help you to improve your shredding skills :-)

[petruccis_shadow]

I am 34, and I have had more than a few of these moments, I call them Guitar Senior moments, no offense intended, lol I usually do a change up, or let it go for a bit, changing up can mean several things, new guitar, new amp, new listening pleasure, any of these can be a fresh outlook promoter.

[bwdavis99]

Wait til your fifty, same as forty only less stuff works

Barry

[Rick]

i was trying to figure out what a#### was?
can't be arse or anus could be arris but thats a process where by you remove sharp edges from something.

anyway back to the point in hand, i agree just put it down. have a couple of days watching tv that'll be enough, another thing i do is just play totally different stuff, been playing loud and brash and its duff then i go back to for example learning dee (randy rhoades) or something.

[Bluto]

i was trying to figure out what a#### was?
can't be arse or anus could be arris but thats a process where by you remove sharp edges from something.

anyway back to the point in hand, i agree just put it down. have a couple of days watching tv that'll be enough, another thing i do is just play totally different stuff, been playing loud and brash and its duff then i go back to for example learning dee (randy rhoades) or something.

LOL.:lol: Don't talk.......no only am I losing it with the guitar, but my spelling is going to pot as well.

Thanks for the replies fellas, everybody responded in a manner which I really appreciate.

Rob, thanks for your link which made interesting reading, its nice to know that its not only me that gets in a rut now and again. What is really positive is you all carry on and continue to get better.

I'll probably give it a rest for a little while to think about what I'm going to tackle song wise next.

I'm going to see Wales v Australia on Saturday, so it'll be an excuse for getting some right arm bending going :thumb: so instead of being kettled for the weekend, I'm probably going to be sh*tfaced until middle of next week. :drunk:

In the meantime, I can still log onto here and listen to some great stuff, so thanks again guys. :thumb:

Dan

[Highway Star]

I am a night owl and cider drinking fool

Now I can't believe the fool bit, hell your a cider drinker! That makes you more intelligent than the average man!! LOL (Oh hell, that could start something!)

Farl

[Rob]

Oh by the way Bluto I am 41 and just got into a bit of the old shred this year, I have already posted a couple of satch covers!!. Learning new technique and scales has boosted my interest a lot and its all thanks to this site and the guys who live here.

[ini]

I don't think that this has anything to do with your age..I'm 18 and I sometimes feel the way you described too.

To avoid this, I simply stopped recording myself, all I do now is practicing to get better and simply noodle around for fun.
I'll start to record again when I think that I'm good enough to do so.

[zeusse]

Beer is my solution my wife cut me down to 3 a day and I'm losing inspiration I usually need 5min if not I go to the guitar store and hang out there until somebody that can play decent makes me jealous, if not at least I get to mess around with more gear that I can't afford..LOL

[Six]

I am another advocate of the 'leaving it alone for a week' method, though learning something comletely different can help to trigger a new phase of interest and enthusiasm.

Beer just makes me play worse.

[Stempy]

Do what Farley does, buy a new guitar.....

[Master Tang]

LOL @buy a new guitar!

Been there done that.

I've been and felt stuck MANY times, and to get out of it, I usually try to play something I never tried before. Like hybrid picking, or learning some country licks. It makes your fingers go to unusual places, and forces you to rethink a few things.

Learn some odd sweeping shapes, or try playing the chromatic scale using only three frets. (it can be done although you have to use octaves creatively)

Other times, I'm just unispired to pick up a guitar at all. Those times, I just let it sit for a few days.

Also, if you play a guitar with a hardtail, take out one with a bar. Or vice versa. Anything to break a routine, or cycle.

It's just like any other hobby, sometimes it's best to just relax, and let your mind play the instrument instead of your fingers. You'll come back refreshed, and full of inspiration to try something else.

BTW, age don't matter. I just celebrated the 15th anniversay of my 29th B-day as well. ;)

Hope any of this helps.

Jay

[Stew]

BTW, age don't matter. I just celebrated the 15th anniversay of my 29th B-day as well. :wink:

That is a class way to look at it Jay :lol:

I like petrucci shadow's method go do somehting mad buy a guitar or bit of kit or a new CD/DVD of somehting you never listened to before. I was stuck in major rut lasy year adn hooked up with Rick, Tony4552, Bloodandtears and guitarzone and went to watch Paul Gilbert Clinic. i had listened to the guy way back in his Mr Big days but nothing since came away totally inspired and like ROb know in last year have made a bit of a leap. Been alot of ruts this year and loads of trips online for more gear :smile: what the hell you only live twice Mr Bond.

TV can be really cool for inspiration either forget the guitar or keep it next to you and if you hear a jingle try play it..it may be the little finger twister that makes you whole again.

Failing this think me and Rick can testify the licklibrary videos can keep you going for months :thumb:

[Rick]

i'll go for that stew.
although 98% of my guitar time is spent noodling. totally unconstructive.
I tend to try to learn tons of songs at once and the ones i get to sound something like i keep on with the others i don't.

[Highway Star]

Do what Farley does, buy a new guitar.....

Ha ha!! I may get another one on Sunday!! Music Live - NEC - How can I resist!! LOL

Farl