Quick, throw me a rope!

[guitarjamman]

I have been stuck in a rut for a while now but it has only dawned on me in the last week or so

I am 24 and have been playing guitar for 12 years (roughly). I took lessons in the beginning for a few months mainly so I could understand how to make chords and how to switch between them. The rest I have done on my own and have invested quite some time into it. The problem as of lately is that when I get home from work I grab the guitar, sit down, and begin to noodle a bit. There is no structure anymore. I am almost just playing with my subconcious; not 100% focused on what I am doing. While this helps me engrain the same stuff I already know, there is no forward momentum. The years before it seemed like I was having momentus breakthoughs every few months or so, but lately..........

Enough material is stored in the noggin to noodle around for hours if I want, but it is tough to exhaust all my material in one sitting and force myself to learn new stuff.

Maybe you guys can give me some insight into what your practice time looks like? When you sit down, what is your objective in playing? How to you keep yourself on your toes?

 

[West R Lee]

I've been stuck in the same rut for 40 years now. By the way, the '01 F30R was a great choice.....love those guitars.

On the "rut" thing, I don't know what the answer is, but I can make some suggestions. One would be to buy some guitar lick books from artists who's music you've come to know. Another would be to get on YouTube where there really are some great lessons given by folks, and some folks who just play and you can learn from them. One of my Youtube favorites on Youtube is a guy named "Fretkillr". And of course, there's playing with guys that you know who can share something with you, and you can share with them.

If you're anything like me, you hate to resort to probably the best option.....taking lessons again. But then, I've never had my first lesson and can't read a lick of music, I don't know scales or most of the names of the chords, but man I sure enjoy playing. Good luck to you.

West

 

[fronobulax]

My experience might not apply since I read music and play bass, but...

I have several exercise books that are supposed to teach me something - walking bass lines, funk lines and so on. When I need to bear down and focus I grab one, review the material I had looked at previously and then try and dig in deeper. I also have several song books that are pretty much transcriptions from recordings. I pick one or two of those and learn them, memorize them and then try and make the song "mine".

I accompanied a choir on Christmas and much of my recent practice was making sure I could play that part. I have also been doing scales because my wrist and left hand strength are not quite 100% after breaking the wrist this summer.

What focuses my practice is usually a commitment to play specific songs with other people at a particularity time and place. In the absence of something on the calendar, I fantasize a set list and try and learn that.

 

[Los Angeles]

My recommendation is to find someone to jam with, preferably someone like a singer/songwriter who writes their own stuff. You will be instantly forced into "creative mode" because you will have never heard the songs before. You might fall into familiar riffs, but then the chords won't match perfectly and you'll have to adjust. Next thing you know, you'll be doing something you've never done before.

OR - in a similar veign, get a looper like the line6 DL4 and "punch in" a new 4 or 8 bar chord progression. Once it loops, come up with a counter melody or a lead line.

Record everything you're doing, even if it's on an old cassette.

You're now on your journey. You're actually making music from nothing. You're an artist, not just a mocking bird.

 

[Ravon]

Just remember that even though you may think your in a 'rut' by just having a guitar in hand and your playing something it'll keep you sharp. I'm doing this more and more the older I get- I take a simple melody (Christmas tunes are great) or make up a melody on the 1st and 2nd string, then I'll add compatible notes and end up with a triad. And from there I'll add bass notes to make a full chord. Pretty soon I've worked out a solo chord progression. Don't always know the name of the chords but thats not the point. As long as they're compatible notes within that chord it can come out ok. And by just changing one note within a chord one can flavor it anyway one wants

 

[griehund]

In the beginning there was folk music. Then there was rock. Then there were ballads. Then churchy rythm strumming. In order to keep interested I had to change genres again. Now I'm working on blues. New/old songs. New chord variations. New solos. Try singing over a riff. I need something to hook me and draw me in. Change keys. Force an old song into a different genre. Education is not about finding answers. Its about exposing new questions. Above all else, enjoy what you're doing. Just sayin.

 

[dtw927]

A few suggestions as to tools that I use when a guitar partner is not available for jamming and developing new arrangements:

You will need a PC and internet connection (not a dial-up). Decent powered speakers connected to the PC are recommended, and a soundcard.

For free resources, try:
http://www.Justinguitar.com free lessons, licks, etc.
http://www.freejamtracks.com/
http://www.myguitarsolo.com/Licks/Licks.htm
http://www.jazzguitar.be if you are into jazz, even if you are not there is a lot of free info there

For not-free resources, try
Band in a Box (BIAB), see
http://www.PGmusic.com
lots of free BIAB songs at
http://www.wesleydick.com/Songlist.html and
http://www.alisdair.com/gearsoftware/biablinks.html

Other tools:
http://www.modemaster.com/
http://www.guitarscalemastery.com/artic ... in-things/
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/5-joe- ... hould-know
http://www.jazzguitar.be/premium-sample ... son%20%232 I highly recemmend this - a lesson/song a week, with instructions and licks. A very good deal.

Guitar chord generators:
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/index. ... m6add9&v=2
http://www.jguitar.com/chord?fret=5
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/g ... ex_db.html
http://www.chorderator.com/
http://www.chordguide.com/guitar/chords.asp?note=f

Other resources:
http://www.grahamviolin.com/Scales.htm
http://guitarsecrets.com/arpeggio_exercise.htm

These should keep you busy with new material for a while. I always have 4-5 songs in the queue to learn. Youtube.com is a great place to find and record songs. google seaches on the song title can usually pull up lyrics and chords, and often guitar tabs for the technical parts. Good luck on your musical journey...............DaveW.

 

[Ravon]

Great links Dave !

 

[Ridgemont]

Wow, there is lots of stuff here that I have not seen. Guitarjammin, I feel like I am a lot like you. When I am tired and want to relax the brain, I don't have the energy to learn something new, so I stick to songs I know. Keeps me fresh.

The songs I choose are ones that really catch my attention and find listening to on repeat while I work. I tend to like old people music so the one I am currently working on is Doc Watson's Deep River Blues. I do not have the patience to sit and practice one song for 30 minutes plus. Besides it takes time to process that data and get the neuromuscular connections working the way you want. So what I do, is sit down with the music and walk my self through it slowly for a couple runs (5-10 minuses). Then go on to something else. Later, I do it again. Repeat. I have the privilege of listening to music while I work so I tend to listen to the song over and over to get the vibe and flow of the song. This process will usually take me between 1-4 weeks to get a tough song. Doc's is tough and I am on week 2. Once I get the music, it is off to singing while I play.

 

[adorshki]

Everybody's offered excellent advice, the only thing I didn't see was, try writing some songs of your own?
Mine usually start with a musical "hook" I hear in my head and I'll work on getting that just right in exactly the key I hear it in in my head, then work on the chord progression to go with it. A couple mugs of beer really help the woodshedding process there. :lol:
I write a lot of 3 and 4 chord tunes by the way.. sometimes add a couple more for the chorus.... :lol: Somewhat less frequently the inspiration comes from a snip of conversation or thought, and I think: "That'd make a great lyric hook or song title".
Sometimes lyrics and music are floating around waiting for their other half for quite a while. :lol:

 

[drc]

A few suggestions as to tools that I use when a guitar partner is not available for jamming and developing new arrangements:

You will need a PC and internet connection (not a dial-up). Decent powered speakers connected to the PC are recommended, and a soundcard.

For free resources, try:
http://www.Justinguitar.com free lessons, licks, etc.
http://www.freejamtracks.com/
http://www.myguitarsolo.com/Licks/Licks.htm
http://www.jazzguitar.be if you are into jazz, even if you are not there is a lot of free info there

For not-free resources, try
Band in a Box (BIAB), see
http://www.PGmusic.com
lots of free BIAB songs at
http://www.wesleydick.com/Songlist.html and
http://www.alisdair.com/gearsoftware/biablinks.html

Other tools:
http://www.modemaster.com/
http://www.guitarscalemastery.com/artic ... in-things/
http://www.mattwarnockguitar.com/5-joe- ... hould-know
http://www.jazzguitar.be/premium-sample ... son%20%232 I highly recemmend this - a lesson/song a week, with instructions and licks. A very good deal.

Guitar chord generators:
http://www.all-guitar-chords.com/index. ... m6add9&v=2
http://www.jguitar.com/chord?fret=5
http://www.looknohands.com/chordhouse/g ... ex_db.html
http://www.chorderator.com/
http://www.chordguide.com/guitar/chords.asp?note=f

Other resources:
http://www.grahamviolin.com/Scales.htm
http://guitarsecrets.com/arpeggio_exercise.htm

These should keep you busy with new material for a while. I always have 4-5 songs in the queue to learn. Youtube.com is a great place to find and record songs. google seaches on the song title can usually pull up lyrics and chords, and often guitar tabs for the technical parts. Good luck on your musical journey...............DaveW.

this is a great post!! very cool

 

[Bikerdoc]

If you're anything like me, you hate to resort to probably the best option.....taking lessons again. But then, I've never had my first lesson and can't read a lick of music, I don't know scales or most of the names of the chords, but man I sure enjoy playing. Good luck to you.West

For someone who doesn't know a thing :wink: you sure play darn good. :shock: I still can't get the finger pickin' thing down.

Those links by dtw are great BTW. If I can just stay focused on what I'm wanting to learn I might just learn something more. But I too seem to be at a standstill and I'm not sure what I need to move ahead.

Peace

 

[littlesongs]

Everybody's offered excellent advice, the only thing I didn't see was, try writing some songs of your own?

You're now on your journey. You're actually making music from nothing. You're an artist, not just a mocking bird.

+1

 

[charliea]

Go public. I recently got a street performer's license, and spend some time croaking songs on street corners and in gutters. Busking is way too dignified a term for it. It'll tell you though, that when you start preparing to perform for a bunch of total strangers (many of them likely psychopaths, and armed to boot!) the world changes. You start paying a lot of attention to details, and rehearsing again and again until you only make occasional stupid mistakes, instead of every minute or so. Me, anyway.

 

[samriggle]

Find someone to jam with, or find some folks that engage in a regular jam session. You will learn and have fun, not to mention the interesting people you will meet.

Sam

 

[walrus]

Sam's point is a good one - whenever I play with someone else, it's a blast! I play in a little jazz band where I teach, we practice once a week, and learn a new batch of songs and play at a school event every semester. It is led by a professional musician, who gives us a lot of tips and help. Although some of the songs are not neccessarily what I would normally play, it is great practice, and still fun because I'm with other people, taking solos, etc. And we all get to bring songs to the table each semester, so I can sneak in some 70's R&B, Steely Dan ,etc. It has certainly made me a better player, and expanded my knowledge of music.

Then when I'm playing at home I can go back to my usual 60's, 70's and 80's rock music!

walrus

 

[RussD]

Great thread and ideas, y'all.
My 2 cents:

Take a few lessons, maybe just one a month or so if you are too busy for more.
___A decent teacher will accelerate your learning curve tremendously.
Play with others.
___Guitar camps, local jams, song-writing camps, festival camping - bunches of opportunities.
Try to play different genres and instrument styles: gypsy jazz, ragtime, stride, sax, bagpipes and clarinets.
___Be fearless - it's just guitar.

Here's my favorite song book (it's free http://kristinhall.org/songbook/Songbook.html
Hope you have lots of fun!

 

[killdeer43]

Here's my favorite song book (it's free http://kristinhall.org/songbook/Songbook.html
Hope you have lots of fun!

One of my favorites, too, and like you say, the price is right! :wink:

Joe

 

[markus]

Play with others.
___Guitar camps, local jams, song-writing camps, festival camping - bunches of opportunities.

Not to forget LTG-get-togethers!

Here's my favorite song book (it's free http://kristinhall.org/songbook/Songbook.html
Hope you have lots of fun!

Thank you Russ, I've never seen that before!
Markus

 

[taabru45]

Me too, looks great. thanks