How do you fight the urge to quit playing?

[TMeury]

I can't be the only one out there.

I've got the gear, but my chops haven't really improved for many years (due to lack of consistent playing. kids, work, familial obligations etc) and I'm just kind of over it.

Music hasn't really inspired me. New stuff that I dig is just too technical for me to pull off and I get bummed by that too. Chon for instance.
Easier stuff is too boring to play. Maybe I just need a friend to jam with...or maybe I just need to get a practice habit again...or maybe I should sell it all and just be a bassist.

Pardon the rambles but has anyone gone through this before?

 

[dmatthews]

I did the music hiatus thing when I got married and had a son. When he grew up enough I started in a band.
I found my niche as a rhythm player. I'm happy with that and lead vocals.
Music is and has always been in my soul, as I know it is for you too.
Ebb and flow...
Stick with it. You'll find your place.

P.S... Ebb is not E flat flat, or E flatter...

 

[veinbuster]

I go for periods when I don’t play much, for various reasons, but I’ve never considered quitting. I’m not a great player, but I improve at some things from time to time and that is satisfying.

I do play a lot of different styles, which helps keep things fresh. I also play stuff written for different instruments to try to keep myself thinking.

My secret to satisfaction though is: if I’m trying to play something that just isn’t working for me, I set it aside. I might try again tomorrow, next week, or in a couple of years. I can always get happy by playing something original, so I don’t need to be good at someone else’s song.

 

[alantig]

The closest I ever came to really giving it up was when I went through a bout of depression some years ago, but I came to realize that was the illness talking. When I get frustrated or uninspired now, I just walk away for a day or two. I realized a long time ago, I'm a lifer (physical abilities not withstanding). I miss having a band and other folks to play with, but I've pretty much filled that void with recording.

Ebb is not E flat flat, or E flatter...

But it is a sharpened D...

 

[RC Mike]

I’m never going to be a good guitarist. It’s not even something I think is remotely possible. I focus on how playing makes me feel. It lets me escape my stresses for a bit, engage in some fantasy, and be creative in ways that don’t come naturally to me.

Other aspects of guitar have their appeal, too. Working on them, learning about them, and enjoying the technical aspects and challenges of getting tones that please me.

When I get frustrated with my playing limitations, these are the things I remind myself of.

 

[RickP]

I enjoy playing, even when I don’t. It’s a part of me, like a marriage in many ways. You don’t have to have the warm fuzzies all the time to still be in love.

Give it, and yourself, time. Maybe some space. I’ve a feeling that, if you ever loved it, the “want to” will come back to you. If not, you can always give up music and be a drummer!

 

[dmatthews]

I enjoy playing, even when I don’t. It’s a part of me, like a marriage in many ways. You don’t have to have the warm fuzzies all the time to still be in love.

Give it, and yourself, time. Maybe some space. I’ve a feeling that, if you ever loved it, the “want to” will come back to you. If not, you can always give up music and be a drummer!

Bwahahahahaha!!!
I started as a drummer mostly. Still love it.

 

[Draconomics]

I can't say I ever felt like giving up, but there were times when Id go a few months without touching a guitar. Call it a sort of depression and general fatigue from losing someone dear to me and my day job. Around two years ago, things really changed and the "funk" had gone. Sometimes if you are feeling like that where you are uninspired, best thing to do is to just feel it and move through it knowing that it will pass, and it does. These days, playing for me is just...a part of me now I suppose. When Im home, I always have a guitar in hand, and generally im.not playing anything, just playing with the guitar. Often we get so wrapped up in scales and exercises, we forget to just be like kids and play with it.

Btw, if you are looking for inspiration, go mining! There is so much music out there, it's ridiculous. Look at stuff you don't necessarily like or know. Look at ethnic music from other cultures besides ours. Dig thru classical works, get to know composers and what makes them tick. Listen for sounds instead of music, from nature, from the city, anywhere. Look at inspirations behind your inspirations. In my teens, I got into Zeppelin, but from there learned about Howlin Wolf, then worked back to Delta Blues singers from the 30s, further down to call-and-response songs from Africa. These are the roots of everything we know and you'll find your music knowledge will exponentially expand, and I guarantee you'll find inspiration. Music is all around you.

 

[Wakester]

Back in 2015 became deeply depressed for a number of reasons. As a result, in a few days time, I quit my job on the illusion of greener pastures and sold off my 3 guitars, 2 basses, an amp and 2 multi effect units, under the dellusion that I would never get better. I still regret those decisions. 3 years later I had to scratch and claw to get back to where I am with what I have today. Do I play any better now than then? Nope.

But, the difference between then and now, is that it doesn't matter if I can play better. What matters, is that I play my own groove, and that is more satisfying than trying to be like my guitar gods. I do this to make me happy, not anyone else.

My advise to you, is not to sell it all away. Put in a closet or a shelf for awhile. Then when you get your groove back you will have your gear nearby. Regret nothing.

 

[CandidPicker]

I save and close, but the only time I quit is when I don't need the application open anymore.

Otherwise, giving up practice doesn't make sense. Not giving up means endurance, like being in it for the long haul, and a better future.

 

[RickP]

Bwahahahahaha!!!
I started as a drummer mostly. Still love it.

Me too… it’s my Dark Side. Lol

 

[CandidPicker]

I enjoy playing, even when I don’t. It’s a part of me, like a marriage in many ways. You don’t have to have the warm fuzzies all the time to still be in love.

Give it, and yourself, time. Maybe some space. I’ve a feeling that, if you ever loved it, the “want to” will come back to you. If not, you can always give up music and be a drummer!

I save and close, but the only time I quit is when I don't need the application open anymore.

Otherwise, giving up practice doesn't make sense. Not giving up means endurance, like being in it for the long haul, and a better future.

Am wondering just how much we could have saved on "trips to the barbershop" and still realized our music is what matters most to musicians.

Yet, I still wake up and shave when I need to. Am just thankful I'm not looking for a relationship today, tomorrow, and ad infinitum, like many are or have already found.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

What kind of music do you like and what kind of music do you listen too? You’re saying you like technical stuff you can’t play, and what you can play is boring. Let us know what you like, and what interests you and maybe I have a suggestion.

Also, I don’t know your age, skill level, or how long you’ve been playing. All those things matter in determining a best next step. But I will tell you this. Every guitar player has ruts or walls they hit. You even read about it in Guitar Player. There a ways to “bust through” what you’re going through, no matter what level you’re at, and it is not only “normal” it’s something almost everyone goes through multiple times!
Head up!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Same as Dave, I took a break from playing for several years, whilst the kids were young.

Now I play in a band with my son and daughter.

Sometimes a break helps. You come back fresh.

Also all that widdly-widdly stuff isn’t the be all and end all. Find your style.

 

[Tone-y]

I totally get where you're coming from. Although I don't think I've considered quitting myself I've definitely been frustrated with my progress and thought for years that surely I should be getting better by now and not making all these simple mistakes all the time still. I do just mainly play for fun though, I have no demands on learning anything particular apart from what I give myself. And I am certainly not a musician - which doesn't particularly help - I'm just someone who messes around on guitar and enjoys it.
I do also wish I could play more of the technical stuff, and likewise find the more simple stuff somewhat boring. I'd love to shred up the fretboard but just can't seem to make my fingers move quickly enough or accurately enough. I have made some progress in the last couple of years though, probably as much as the last couple of decades and the reason is that I've just played a hell of a lot more. I have the pandemic to thank for that and working from home almost exclusively with my guitars right next to the desk. I've lost count of the amount of meetings I've been in with myself on mute noodling away on a guitar and then panicking when I realised someone has asked me something!
So I guess for me, even though I was playing quite a lot before, it was in reality nowhere near enough to actually make progress with technical playing. There is no substitute for just repeating something for hours and hours

 

[KentuckyBoiledChiccan]

My way of keeping myself entertained is to change the way I play "my" music. When I started playing back in early 90's that was Green Day and Nirvana which made me picking the guitar in the first place. When I get bored with lack of challenge I have moved to more technically complex stuff. Paul Gilbert was my god by then. I have eventually end up with prog and 7 string guitars. After few years like some other folks here I had to men up and move on due to life related stuff and I sold off my guitars. Started again 7 years or so ago with... a Stratocaster. Different guitar that makes you play different way. I was hooked again.

Maybe this is what you need. Different kind of music and different kind of tools

 

[Boogie]

Guitar playing and making music is an inextricable part of me, whether I’m actively doing it or not. I’m happier when I am, but places like here let me relive milestones that mean something. Never before would I post clips that expose warts and all (no one is recording when I’m actually playing well ) but it is therapeutic now. Especially since I may be facing the fact that I may not be playing live again. That’s a tough reality to accept. Airing the fun times helps remind me that this stuff really did happen. Sometimes seems like a dream.

 

[11top]

I enjoy playing, even when I don’t. It’s a part of me, like a marriage in many ways. You don’t have to have the warm fuzzies all the time to still be in love.

Give it, and yourself, time. Maybe some space. I’ve a feeling that, if you ever loved it, the “want to” will come back to you. If not, you can always give up music and be a drummer!

Time keeping is an essential part of playing an instrument. Being a decent drummer helps. It’s amazing how many good guitarists are also good drummers.

 

[bodia]

I get where the OP is coming from. I go through cycles like that all the time. Why bother is usually what creeps into my mind. I know I’ll never be skilled enough to play the Dream Theater that I love, but that’s ok. I’ll never be without a guitar. But, I rod question whether I should keep all that a currently have.

 

[Mike J.]

I never felt like quitting, but I used to get very frustrated with my lack of progress due to the hours I was working. I actually started on bass in 1969 and a guitar came into the picture in 1996. For years I was working 11 and 12 hour jobs and by the time you include the driving time to and from, I was putting in 13 to 14 hour days. Not a lot of free time.

Jump ahead to now. I'm soon to be 69, I retired in March of 2020 and other delays came into the picture. For the past 3 months I'm finally at the point where I can play more and more important, I can STUDY what I'm doing. Jam tracks on YouTube are of a tremendous help as well as backing tracks for songs without the guitar. I'm learning the songs I loved from my youth and then I'll play along with the backing tracks. I've also found that One Chord Backing Tracks are also of a huge help. I take those slow and really try to concentrate on what I'm doing so I can have better fret board knowledge.

It's great! I'm learning things like Love Me Two Times, Purple Haze, Brown Eyed Girl, Sunshine of Your Love....that's about my speed so to say. These songs may be elementary to some of you but each one of them (and others) has their own set of challenges for me. I'm also working on some original ideas.

I'm just having fun trying to uncover the mysteries of this instrument. I know I'll never be as good as some people but I'm not trying to compete with anybody. But I am inspired by them.

Of course, having my first PRS guitar is a HUGE inspiration. Got a Vela semi hollow body on 12/4/21. Can't put it down!