Stuck In a Musical Rut

drdoom8793

THAT guy at Chick-fil-A
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
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Location
North Carolina
I find myself feeling stuck in a rut musically. I just don't find myself inspired to play or write music anymore. I've tried trading gear around, listening to new music, etc, but just can't get the drive to play. I go days without playing a lot of times. Any suggestions on how to get out of a rut?
 
It's okay to take a break. I became bored of guitar based music for awhile back in the late 90-00's when I was mostly centered around heavier rock music. I got back into it when my interests shifted towards R&B, Disco, and Funk music.. IDK, try something different, listen to something different, just be different.
 
Buy another PRS :) seriously though, I'll walk away for a few days and not even touch them. When you do want to get back at it pick something totally off the wall and challenge yourself. I know I get bored because I keep trying to learn the same things over and over. Good luck we've all been there
 
For me it's about phrasing. If I hear something totally new, some new way to say something, I get all fired up to try to play that. If you're playing rock all the time, shift to Country, or R&B, or something bluesy. If you're a masochist try jazz. It will get new all over again.
 
Buy something shiny - preferably a useful item that takes you down a different musical or tonal avenue.

If that doesn't kick-start something, take a little breather and come back to it from a fresh angle. I experienced a similar phase some years back and was incredibly bummed about it. Swore I was just going to unload all my gear and call it. But the thrill came back.
 
+1 to all above.

I would also suggest putting yourself in a different musical situation - that can mean playing with new people, or grabbing some new drum loops to jam against (I like Beta Monkey's) - possibly in a style that's a bit different from what you normally do.

Or, discover a new scale or chord voicing or something and see what that can unlock.
 
Another +1 to the comments so far. Do something totally different, or take lessons to give you some goals to work on. I've been taking on-line video lessons with Paul Gilbert at Artistworks.com for a while, and it has definitely given me some "renewed" enthusiasm.
 
Breaks are a good thing. Don't force yourself into anything. Let it come to you. You'll be better off that way.
 
Breaks are a good thing. Don't force yourself into anything. Let it come to you. You'll be better off that way.

+1

Some of the best advances I've made have been after taking a few weeks away from playing. It seems to clear my head like when you're looking at a puzzle that you just can't solve, but then you take a break and come back and solve it with ease.

Gear-wise, maybe try some different tunings? Or a different instrument. Every once in a while I like to tinker on lap steel, piano, or bass. I'm feeling very inspired lately by the SE 7-String lately.
 
Whenever I get into a rut with my playing, I do like Bruce Springsteen says in "Hungry Heart". I take a wrong turn and just keep going.
 
Whenever I get into a rut with my playing, I do like Bruce Springsteen says in "Hungry Heart". I take a wrong turn and just keep going.
With GPSses and smart phones, these days, it's virtually impossible to take a wrong turn.

No, seriously, I definitely vote for "play something outside your usual" -- always play dirty? Play clean. Always play clean? Get a fuzz pedal. Play mostly notes? Practice chords. Play mostly chords? Learn all the scales. Play trad rock? Learn funk.

Other advice is to just spend 15 minutes practicing every day, and no more, even if you find yourself wanting to play more, stop yourself anyway. But play those 15 minutes, just so as not to lose the muscle memory.

Oblique strategies are always helpful. Stop making sense.
 
What Bodia said - breaks are OK.

If it feels good do it if not F it.

I do like playing with new people. I also take a lesson here and there. A great teacher based in Downers Grove (a PRS guy as well).
 
I'm kinda in the same boat right now, but it's compounded by my physicality (bad back). Some times I just can't sit with a guitar in my lap for very long and cannot play standing up anymore for even shorter periods. When I can do it physically, I get things done though.

As for inspiration, I don't know what types of music you do, but if you're like me you've noticed guitar being replaced by synths in a majority of mainstream music. These days you have to look harder and farther to find guitar music that is inspiring. I find it in Jazz, Classic Rock, Old Skool Funk, and lesser known stuff like Snarky Puppy and the late Shawn Lane. Whatever your style there is stuff out there to get inspired, you just have to search for it.

Maybe a goal or sense of direction might help. If you have a goal like putting out an EP or setting up a youtube channel with all your original songs or starting up a band to showcase your tunes, you might get that musical engine running again.;)

Like Bodia said, taking a break is cool sometimes, I just don't like the couple of days of being rusty after not touching the guitar for a week or two. At my age & condition it takes a little bit longer to get back to speed.:p

Good luck!!
 
I'm in the same rut.....have been for several months now after my last band replaced me (inside politics). I haven't even wired up the rig that i used with them since I bought it back home.

I got a new job...kind of (previous employer different position) and I thought that since I get to work from home and see my guitars on the wall to the left of me everyday all day, something would fire me up to get back on it. But nope, seeing these guitars just hanging on the walls collecting more dust than fingerprints seems to make it worse. Hell, I don't listen to music much any more and am disinterested in doing any recording or production work even if someone wants to pay me to do it.

Blah.....I need something to rekindle the fire.....
 
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