GAS, or Give up?

Drew_TNBD

beed84 said:

In the meantime, give yourself a break. Guitars and music really shouldn't cause us anguish and question who we are.

I think the thing is, when we spend so much of our life living and breathing guitars, we convince ourselves that it's the entirety of who we are.

It isn't, and it's healthier to have a more holistic approach to ourselves and our creativity.

beed84

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

In the meantime, give yourself a break. Guitars and music really shouldn't cause us anguish and question who we are.

I think the thing is, when we spend so much of our life living and breathing guitars, we convince ourselves that it's the entirety of who we are.

It isn't, and it's healthier to have a more holistic approach to ourselves and our creativity.

Agreed. It's bloody hard though. Hmmm, you've got me thinking now...

Drew_TNBD

beed84 said:

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

In the meantime, give yourself a break. Guitars and music really shouldn't cause us anguish and question who we are.

I think the thing is, when we spend so much of our life living and breathing guitars, we convince ourselves that it's the entirety of who we are.

It isn't, and it's healthier to have a more holistic approach to ourselves and our creativity.

Agreed. It's bloody hard though. Hmmm, you've got me thinking now...

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

guitarfishbay

I'm a guitarist but genuinely I've preferred playing bass for fun for at least the past year or so.

And I prefer writing and recording songs these days too, as opposed to trying to be the best technical guitarist I can.

It used to cause me genuine anxiety if I couldn't keep on top of my guitar practising to stay on top form (well, relative to my limitations). But I've come to realise it really doesn't take that long to get back to it, if you really want to. And you can't beat yourself up about the process, it's no different to exercise. You don't forget how to run, lift weights etc so to speak, but you lose your stamina and a bit of sharpness with technique... you can build it back if you want to though 

TTony

I wouldn't go and *buy* a Helix just to play with to see if it inspires you - they're a little expensive to sit in a cupboard if you don't get inspired.  But maybe get hold of one to test drive for a few days to see if it works for you.

I had years of not playing, post Uni until moving back to Suffolk (close to 20 years).  Always kept a couple of guitars, but more because it wasn't so easy to sell them in those days.  Glad I kept them though.

Then I didn't play for >3 mths before we moved last Christmas, and hadn't picked up a guitar until a couple of weeks ago - about a year's break.  The restart was prompted by me committing to playing on some songs at the jam session next weekend.

If you remember it as a hassle with the bandshit, you're less likely to feel the urge to pick it up again, but as the hassle memory fades, perhaps the urge will come back?  

Maybe just do some fun stuff, maybe set up some simple jam sessions (there are enough lonely guitarists out here).  Maybe do some writing & recording?

Even if it just gets the littl'uns into music, that'd be a good thing.  

ESBlonde

Been there done that. One day someone will ask you to depp or would you be interested in.... and off you go again almost without thinking. Don't sell good gear but it's OK to reduce it to the basic rig. A good guitar amp and a pedal gets a lot done when needed.  
Also pop into Ipswich on a Thursday to webby jam or over to cams on a Sunday for the blues jam and just sit in a couple of  numbers. 

There is nothing wrong with moving on but you do know a satisfaction and peace with your guitar and that can help you one day.

Tone71

The problem with selling all your gear is that 2k+ in the bank disappears far, far too quickly.

When it`s time to buy that D45 that you`ve always wanted, it becomes hard to justify.

I`d honestly say, put it all away out of sight and chill, it will either bite again or you`ll pass it on.

beed84

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

In the meantime, give yourself a break. Guitars and music really shouldn't cause us anguish and question who we are.

I think the thing is, when we spend so much of our life living and breathing guitars, we convince ourselves that it's the entirety of who we are.

It isn't, and it's healthier to have a more holistic approach to ourselves and our creativity.

Agreed. It's bloody hard though. Hmmm, you've got me thinking now...

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

Interesting. I've never viewed it like that before. Will ponder on that as I sleep tonight!

guitarfishbay

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

Drew_TNBD said:

beed84 said:

In the meantime, give yourself a break. Guitars and music really shouldn't cause us anguish and question who we are.

I think the thing is, when we spend so much of our life living and breathing guitars, we convince ourselves that it's the entirety of who we are.

It isn't, and it's healthier to have a more holistic approach to ourselves and our creativity.

Agreed. It's bloody hard though. Hmmm, you've got me thinking now...

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

Right but there's nothing stopping you being several individual things if you want. I refer to myself as a guitarist as it's the only thing I'm competent at, or at least comfortable with declaring myself to be reasonably competent at. It's not the only thing I can do though 

I don't only think in guitar terms when I write music

BigMonka

@monquixote when was the last time you found a new album that you really liked?
For me I didn't play my electric guitar for a few years then suddenly found a couple of new bands, bought a bunch of new CDs and found myself drawn back to my guitar as a result. It wasn't that I was trying to reignite a passion, it just came back again when I found some music I was genuinely inspired by.

1979

Some great points there guys

littlegreenman

Drew_TNBD said:

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

It was only really once I got into that mindset that I actually started to write music instead of being a guitar player. Once I became a composer who happens to play a guitar it all opened up to me, cellos, bassoon, timpani, tampura, 808, cowbell...

Then I was set free to write tunes that I could play what I wanted to, and it all made sense.

Not saying it made any difference to my playing, but it gave it context. I certainly enjoyed the process a lot though.

Drew_TNBD

littlegreenman said:

Drew_TNBD said:

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

It was only really once I got into that mindset that I actually started to write music instead of being a guitar player. Once I became a composer who happens to play a guitar it all opened up to me, cellos, bassoon, timpani, tampura, 808, cowbell...

Then I was set free to write tunes that I could play what I wanted to, and it all made sense.

Not saying it made any difference to my playing, but it gave it context. I certainly enjoyed the process a lot though.

For me, because I grew up making drum and bass and techno as a 13 year old, bashing out choons in Reason and Fruity Loops, it just came absolutely natural to me to think of music as a collection of sounds, rhythms, tones, and instruments. Like... I never had that "I'm a kid learning an instrument" experience. I started off using drum machines, step sequencers, and automation lanes in a bunch of computer software.

I didn't truly start learning guitar until I came to university, so I would've been 19 going on 20 at that point. I've only been playing 12/13 years or so!

But I just always thought in high-level terms, not getting bogged down in the miniscule aspects of playing. That's why shred never interested me very much. Was too busy listening to the drums and the bass guitar - I'm still that way now! When we play a gig, I'm generally listening to the whole band, not just my own playing.

So when I started writing stuff for the band, I thought in the same mindset... I wrote basslines, drum parts, vocal parts, guitar parts, little synthy bits here and there... just getting stuck in.

When I meet 'pure' musos who are or consider themselves to be a particular kind of musician... I find they get a bit defensive when their parts are written for them. But if a band doesn't have someone who thinks of the high-level impact, then that band is doomed - imho!

monquixote

Drew_TNBD said:

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

I suppose that's actually more accurate for me as well. 

I've actually got bored of guitar a few times in the past, When I was at uni I went pretty much completely off guitar music and got really into Warp Techno and that was my first foray into music as my shitty old PC struggled with audio, but it could do MIDI stuff.

I also spent a couple of years playing drums in a band and another good few years playing bass in various different bands from country, to metal, indie, etc.

Towards the end of my last band it was actually learning to sing that kept me interested as long as it did.
I also co wrote and produced the demos for some of my past bands. 

As @BigMonka mentioned I think more generally I'm less excited by music than I used to be. I don't really go to gigs, listen to much new music or get ideas for songs. I can't think of the last time I wrote a riff or a melody whereas I used to record loads of stuff. 

The best way to get me interested again would probably to take up piano or something completely different.

Freebird

Drew_TNBD said:

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter...

I only use these types of words when I am chatting up a girl 

monquixote

Some of this discussion was prompted by realising that it was the weekend of the best gig of the year that my old band used to do. It is an awesome festival where they would always get us to headline. 
I dropped one of the members a message to say "hope it goes well" and they said that at the last minute the booking had got messed up and they'd pulled out.

I really don't miss that kind of shit.

Emp_Fab

I went through something similar when my band split two years ago.  I didn't touch any of my gear - never even played my acoustic for my own pleasure.  I just sat there gathering dust.  It did cross my mind whether to just flog it all and keep just one, but I'm glad I didn't.  I'm now in a new band and we aim to be gigging within a few weeks.  My interest in guitaring and effects-ing has been renewed... I've started buying gear again etc..

Don't sell it yet.  Give it at least a year.  You have no idea what may transpire - or what your feelings may be when it does.

Drew_TNBD

monquixote said:

Drew_TNBD said:

For example.. I've pretty much never referred to myself as a guitarist. Composer... artist.. musician.. songwriter... but I don't limit myself to one instrument. Leads to one dimensional thinking imho.

I suppose that's actually more accurate for me as well. 

I've actually got bored of guitar a few times in the past, When I was at uni I went pretty much completely off guitar music and got really into Warp Techno and that was my first foray into music as my shitty old PC struggled with audio, but it could do MIDI stuff.

I also spent a couple of years playing drums in a band and another good few years playing bass in various different bands from country, to metal, indie, etc.

Towards the end of my last band it was actually learning to sing that kept me interested as long as it did.
I also co wrote and produced the demos for some of my past bands. 

As @BigMonka mentioned I think more generally I'm less excited by music than I used to be. I don't really go to gigs, listen to much new music or get ideas for songs. I can't think of the last time I wrote a riff or a melody whereas I used to record loads of stuff. 

The best way to get me interested again would probably to take up piano or something completely different.

Have you thought about focusing on vocals for a while and seeing where that takes you??

monquixote

Drew_TNBD said:

Have you thought about focusing on vocals for a while and seeing where that takes you??

It's not a bad idea. 

I kind of lost my confidence with it as some of the guys in the band were real dicks about my singing despite the singer and audience seeming to think it was ok. The idea of going back to singing lessons actually appeals a lot more than playing the guitar at the moment.

Drew_TNBD

monquixote said:

Drew_TNBD said:

Have you thought about focusing on vocals for a while and seeing where that takes you??

It's not a bad idea. 

I kind of lost my confidence with it as some of the guys in the band were real dicks about my singing despite the singer and audience seeming to think it was ok. The idea of going back to singing lessons actually appeals a lot more than playing the guitar at the moment.

I've not had a singing lesson in ... well, probably 11 months, since Penny was born. I really miss them, but I just can't find the time right now.

You should definitely think about that. Might give you a new sense of purpose, I dunno. Depends what you want to get from it.