I'm bored with guitar

axisus

I'm bored with guitar. My playing is sh*te, zero progress, can't be assed to play or record videos, can't learn songs, I've been trying to learn the same two for about 4 years, turgid improv, zero theory knowledge. What the hell am I doing with guitars!?!?!?! I should sell them all and take up knitting. 

slacker

Variety...

I've got guitars, basses, drum kits, an xbox and if I'm really desperate I'll talk to my wife.

grungebob

dont let people pull the wool over your eyes, we all suffer the same from time to time

BRISTOL86

When you say zero progress are you being hard on yourself? 

I've been playing about a year and I have times where I feel like I'm making zero progress, then I find a video or something from a year ago and give myself a break, and remind myself that there are some nice views to be had from partway up the mountain....

If you genuinely mean zero progress in 4 years....what's your practice like, are you actually being disciplined in doing actual practice?

If you're just picking up the guitar and playing the same two songs incorrectly for four years then that'll be why there's no improvement! You're just practicing how to play two songs incorrectly. 

Teetonetal

grungebob said:

dont let people pull the wool over your eyes, we all suffer the same from time to time

This. I have a love - hate relationship with guitar. During the hate times, put it away, find something else to do. Then come back another time and start again. 

My cure thends to be to go and watch some live music, I find that inspiring or buy some new records.

Stevepage

Get yourself in a band. I went through the same thing and as soon as I joined a band the 'fire' returned . Having a purpose to playing the guitar really helps you focus and remember why you play in the first place.

carlos

Get your guitar, put it the wrong way around on your lap, i.e. like a left-hander would use it. That's how good you were when you started! Now put it the right way around and that's your progress right there.

paul_c2

Are you bored with music in general? Are you bored with the idea of making/playing music yourself?

In any case, you need some kind of stimulus to get you going, and some kind of realistic aims/progression to get you off on the right path. Some people can internally supply the stimulus and set themselves a goal, while others will need an external stimulus like, "I've got a gig coming up I need to learn these songs", or "I've got an exam coming up I need to get my pieces for it nailed" or "my teacher will be upset with me if I don't do anything". The last two, relate more to people learning classical musical instruments and following exam/grades, and/or being a kid and having a tutor.

Obviously an easy answer might be "get a guitar tutor" but its not the whole solution - you need some kind of internal motivation to want to play, and want to go to a tutor to get better. I think it would be unreasonable for a tutor to supply 100% of this, although they could play their role and provide some positive encouragement and reinforcement too. And of course, set the realistic goals and explain/teach you how to achieve those.

If you are simply bored with (specifically) guitar but still like music, and the idea of making/playing it yourself, then perhaps learning another musical instrument could be an answer.

octatonic

grungebob said:

dont let people pull the wool over your eyes, we all suffer the same from time to time

Very much so but the trick in my view is to play through the bad times.
It doesn't matter if I am hating it, I go and play.
Usually by the end of a practice session like this I find something to be positive about.

I'm not saying I never take a day off- that is normal, but the focus has to be to return to it if you want to maintain or progress.

Whitecat

If you're already used to pissing your money away for no measurable return in ability then why not try taking up golf? It's like guitar GAS, but 10x worse in terms of both real-world improvement and resale value.

Neil

Just put the guitar down for a while.

Don't feel you have to play it everyday

Don't think you have to make progress

Just enjoy playing a few tunes, however basic, with no pressure.

Nikko

What have you got, and will you take a tenner for it?

steamabacus

Prozac? 


More seriously, play with other people in whatever way you can arrange that (doesn't have to be a 'band').

Also I'll echo @Neil 's point - after a certain point most of us don't progress technically. It's not what you know but what you can do with what you know that matters. There are some wonderful musicians who are quite basic (even rudimentary, even a bit rubbish) technically who make amazing music.

Sassafras

Maybe you're just being hyper critical of your abilities.
It's very easy to be a perfectionist but not so easy to get perfect results.
I'm often my own worst critic. Other people are more generous with their opinions of my playing.

AllthegearNoidea

I have been in exactly the same position. Found @smogfalls as a teacher and my playing has improved more in 6 months than in years. A good teacher and a looper have worked wonders for me. Don't give up

sweepy

I took a year out when the kids were born, spent some time making wooden Scalectrix layout, R/C Cars etc, when I came back to guitar. I felt quite refreshed and driven

BRISTOL86

AllthegearNoidea said:

I have been in exactly the same position. Found @smogfalls as a teacher and my playing has improved more in 6 months than in years. A good teacher and a looper have worked wonders for me. Don't give up

I'd be interested to hear how you are using the looper as an improvement tool! As someone who never plays with others I feel it's something I should look at!

CHRISB50

I've hardly played this year. Last year I really knuckled down and learned some new stuff. This year I just don't fancy it. 

The way I see it, it's not a job. It's a hobby. If you don't fancy it, give it a break. 

You will not forget everything over night (including muscle memory). Take a break. 

Come back to it when you feel the need. 

All the best. 

@carlos great post btw. 

Philly_Q

Nothing to say really, except I sympathise with the basic premise of the thread.  It's  interesting to read the different perspectives.

Nikko

BRISTOL86 said:

AllthegearNoidea said:

I have been in exactly the same position. Found @smogfalls as a teacher and my playing has improved more in 6 months than in years. A good teacher and a looper have worked wonders for me. Don't give up

I'd be interested to hear how you are using the looper as an improvement tool! As someone who never plays with others I feel it's something I should look at!

I also use a looper, and have found that it has helped me with my improvisation when 'noodling'. Its also helped me to understand how to actually structure a piece and improved my timing. Before I had one (and didn't use a metronome either), my practice lacked any real direction, and what I was doing didn't really seem particularly 'musical' to me.

Looper = good...

...innit

BRISTOL86

Nikko said:

BRISTOL86 said:

AllthegearNoidea said:

I have been in exactly the same position. Found @smogfalls as a teacher and my playing has improved more in 6 months than in years. A good teacher and a looper have worked wonders for me. Don't give up

I'd be interested to hear how you are using the looper as an improvement tool! As someone who never plays with others I feel it's something I should look at!

I also use a looper, and have found that it has helped me with my improvisation when 'noodling'. Its also helped me to understand how to actually structure a piece and improved my timing. Before I had one (and didn't use a metronome either), my practice lacked any real direction, and what I was doing didn't really seem particularly 'musical' to me.

Looper = good...

...innit

I know where you're coming from on the 'lacking direction' front. Though I've taken a positive step and signed back up for lessons. 

I've said to the tutor that I want to revisit some
absolute fundamentals because at the moment I feel like I'm tying to build fairly advanced stuff on top of crap foundations. 

When I'm on my own I'm drawn to tying to learn stuff that's well above my difficulty when there's some really basic things I can't do well, and it's basically all down to lack of discipline to knuckle down and work on things that will really benefit me rather than stuff that sounds cool. 

When you're paying £25 an hour you have more focus to actually do the necessary!