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January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | I tend to go through a phase every 18 months or so where I get really bored playing the guitar. I still pick it up every day and play but my hearts not in it.
This boredom phase usually seems to last a couple of months but it is quite regular and then it just disappears.
Any tips out there on how to beat the boredom blues and to put some excitement back into things or should I just keep playing for the next month or so until it disappears? |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Git Up Soldier! Do your damned scales!!
All I can suggest is to find some new songs.
Y'know, something to spice-up your repertoire.
I need to follow my own advice...
(But I need to find songs that I have enough technical skill to play) |
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Joined:
January 2007
Posts: 672
Location: New South Wales, Australia | You're right Arthur. I've been playing in a band for the past few months so I guesss I'm getting sick of playing and practising the same songs every day.
As for technical skill......I can handle anything with a G, C and D :D |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by ozwatto:
I tend to go through a phase every 18 months or so where I get really bored playing the guitar. Geez, you get 18 months between dummy spits?
I'd be lucky to get through 18 days. I've been at the same level for the last 8 years or so and I get very easily frustrated nowadays. After over 30 years of on-again off-again playing, I should be much better than I am.
At least you've got other people to play with. That's always a good thing. An influx of new material can also tend to up the interest level.
Currently, my biggest problem is the songs that really rock my boat, that I wanna learn, need at least 2 guitars. To make one guitar sound 'unboring' requires a skill set that I don't currently possess, especially when you team it up with my 'voice'.
(For the Yanks - a 'dummy' is what Australians call a pacifier - the thing a baby sucks on) |
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June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | You guys need to check out that LASAD (learn a song a day) youtube site that was posted here by BruDeV. It's got quite a few that I didn't know. Here again, I didn't know much to start with.. |
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November 2004
Posts: 4413
| It's why we have beer. Nothing makes you sound better than a skinful (not to anyone else mind you, but to yourself....) |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by ozwatto:
I tend to go through a phase every 18 months or so where I get really bored playing the guitar. I still pick it up every day and play but my hearts not in it.
This boredom phase usually seems to last a couple of months but it is quite regular and then it just disappears.
Any tips out there on how to beat the boredom blues and to put some excitement back into things or should I just keep playing for the next month or so until it disappears? Buy a new guitar. :D Always works for me. :cool: |
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Joined:
June 2006
Posts: 7307
Location: South of most, North of few | I should be set for about...oh...the next two years then. |
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November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | By Schroeder: beer... Nothing... better than a skinful "Bota-Schroedah" |
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January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Exactly my responce, Gospell Guy. Buy a new guitar. |
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March 2005
Posts: 5567
Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Find some people to play guitar with...playing with others is not only fun but a great way to learn new songs and new techniques as well...and I agree with the others: getting a new instrument charges your batteries like nothing else can. Keep at it...
Blessings... |
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Joined:
May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | If not a new guitar, then buy a new piece of kit, like a mixer or a pedal or a 4 track or a cd of song you want to learn or a new book of songs or new strings or see a band etc. |
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December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | "dummy spits"...
I got the perfect visual and memory of how my daughters kept my parental skills on the move!
Brilliant!
Play with others, as Miska said.
Ask a youth what they like to hear and learn it..
Ask a Senior what they like to hear and learn it.
Grab a Uke or a Papoose to challenge your transposing skills. |
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January 2006
Posts: 5881
Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | I was somewhat like you as well, Oz, then I joined a Praise Band, pretty much at the recommendation of a few other OFC members. When you have essentially the same audience every week, new material is critical. Playing over your head with pro musicians will also keep things exciting. We're putting together a jazz concert scheduled for later this summer, so preparation for this event is also keeping the interest up. Oh yeah, as others suggest, picking up a new guitar now and then also helps. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Muzza quote-- "Currently, my biggest problem is the songs that really rock my boat, that I wanna learn, need at least 2 guitars. To make one guitar sound 'unboring' requires a skill set that I don't currently possess, especially when you team it up with my 'voice'."
Yeah, I can relate to that. I truly cannot sing. This is fine for me, cuz I just play along to the song in my head. But others ask "Aren't you gonna sing?"
No! You know the damn words, You Sing!
So much for a career in music...
[Actually, I probably could sing with a hands-free mike. But I HAVE a JOB!] |
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Joined:
April 2006
Posts: 972
Location: PDX | Finding others to play with, although a great idea, is not always easy to do. Another alterative is taking lessons. A good teacher will ask you what it is that you want to accomplish as a guitarist and chart a course to get there. This way you're always moving forward toward a goal. It works for me. I've been taking lessons for a couple of years and haven't had a "boredom phase" in all that time.
Now finding a good teacher is a whole 'nuther topic.
_____
gh1 |
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March 2005
Posts: 12759
Location: Boise, Idaho | I went through that phase for about 20-25 years. Then I followed the buy a new guitar theory, which has help quite a bit. SWMBO would say that I now have enough to keep me from being bored for the next 25 years, but I prefer to think I just made up for the boredom of the last 25.
I don't have enough time to practice like I should, so it takes most of my practice time to try to get through the songs I know. I'm thinking about taking Greg's advice and finding a teacher, especially one who could teach me how to use those electrics. |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | A bunch of good advise here.
I'll add to the list...
Find someone within a short drive to play / practice with. It might take awhile to find them but there is someone in your area looking for the same thing. Try going to some local open-mic nights to see who is out there.
For myself, I've have had the best luck meeting like-minded men on the internet. |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by gh1:
Now finding a good teacher is a whole 'nuther topic.
That's a good suggestion. I took lessons for a year from an extremely talented teacher/player. I learned something every week. Unfortunately, the lessons had devolved into 15 minutes of 'therapy' (venting about work, women and the world) followed by 15 minutes of learning one thing. It was cheaper than a shrink, but, not really what I was going there for.
All things considered, it was money well spent. But, I felt like I was moving too slowly and I quit. Now I'm not moving at all. :\ |
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November 2005
Posts: 4832
Location: Campbell River, British Columbia | Originally posted by Slipkid:
.....I've have had the best luck meeting like-minded men on the internet.... Must......resist.....do...not ...respond.......mmmffff-mmmffff! |
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Joined:
May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Originally posted by fillhixx:
Originally posted by Slipkid:
.....I've have had the best luck meeting like-minded men on the internet.... Must......resist.....do...not ...respond.......mmmffff-mmmffff! |
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April 2007
Posts: 11
| Do like I did... sold my Takamine, bought an Ovation :D |
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Joined:
August 2005
Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Originally posted by gh1:
Finding others to play with, although a great idea, is not always easy to do. GH1, you nailed it in that one short, concise statement. |
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guitar boredom