Tips for the Guitarist...
Welcome! Every month I'll be featuring a new tip to help you out with your playing.
Over the many years of performing and teaching the guitar I've slowly come to learn a few things that have helped me out tremendously in my career. The subjects will include tips on guitar playing, performing in public, equipment, guitar care, strings, capos... you get the idea.
I hope that you'll find these tips as valuable as I have and will look forward to any comments or ideas you may have. You can drop me a line at the bottom of this page.
Over the many years of performing and teaching the guitar I've slowly come to learn a few things that have helped me out tremendously in my career. The subjects will include tips on guitar playing, performing in public, equipment, guitar care, strings, capos... you get the idea.
I hope that you'll find these tips as valuable as I have and will look forward to any comments or ideas you may have. You can drop me a line at the bottom of this page.
Getting out of the rut.
It happens to all of us from time to time. For some reason we just don't feel like picking up that instrument, learning something new or being creative. Here's some tips on how to get back on track.
Don't worry about it. Take some time off from the instrument and instead try doing something else creative. It may involve music or it may not. Doesn't matter.
Go somewhere you never went before. Enjoy the experience.
Do something that you've always wanted to do but haven't. It doesn't have to be anything too complicated.
Listen to some music that you aren't familiar with, or music that first inspired you.
Try writing down - as in keeping a journal - anything that comes into your head for a few days or even weeks.
Watch a movie... or two... or several.
Spend some time with a few of your friends.
Basically do anything else but try to be creative with your instrument.
The creative process - along with Stonehenge - is one of our oldest and pervasive mysteries. Sometimes it needs to be left alone before it makes a return. Sometimes it needs to be gently pushed. But for now try not to worry about it.
If nothing happens over a period of time... which I doubt... then take some small, gentle steps to get it going again.
On the other hand, motivation can also be a huge factor. I've often done some of my most creative work when approached with a major project whose deadline was looming on the horizon. At that point I had no choice but to get my *** in gear and buckle down to doing the work of being creative. That meant digging through the pain of 'staring at the blank page' so to speak and just tapping away at the keys. In the case of playing an instrument that could mean just playing as much as you can, day after day until something... and it usually does... starts to appear.
Bottom line: whether you take a break or hit it on full steam don't worry about it... it.... will.... resurface.
It happens to all of us from time to time. For some reason we just don't feel like picking up that instrument, learning something new or being creative. Here's some tips on how to get back on track.
Don't worry about it. Take some time off from the instrument and instead try doing something else creative. It may involve music or it may not. Doesn't matter.
Go somewhere you never went before. Enjoy the experience.
Do something that you've always wanted to do but haven't. It doesn't have to be anything too complicated.
Listen to some music that you aren't familiar with, or music that first inspired you.
Try writing down - as in keeping a journal - anything that comes into your head for a few days or even weeks.
Watch a movie... or two... or several.
Spend some time with a few of your friends.
Basically do anything else but try to be creative with your instrument.
The creative process - along with Stonehenge - is one of our oldest and pervasive mysteries. Sometimes it needs to be left alone before it makes a return. Sometimes it needs to be gently pushed. But for now try not to worry about it.
If nothing happens over a period of time... which I doubt... then take some small, gentle steps to get it going again.
On the other hand, motivation can also be a huge factor. I've often done some of my most creative work when approached with a major project whose deadline was looming on the horizon. At that point I had no choice but to get my *** in gear and buckle down to doing the work of being creative. That meant digging through the pain of 'staring at the blank page' so to speak and just tapping away at the keys. In the case of playing an instrument that could mean just playing as much as you can, day after day until something... and it usually does... starts to appear.
Bottom line: whether you take a break or hit it on full steam don't worry about it... it.... will.... resurface.