Been on a good run for a long time... maybe 3 years or so of being fairly happy with picking up a guitar and playing... but lately - the last 3 weeks or so - every time i sit down to try and do something, i am left fairly cold and give up after about 5 mins. Can't write anything at all. The best I can do is a few mins of strumming but my enthusiasm is gone for the moment. Not good!!
Hopefully back to normal soon but not feeling it at all!!
???
I've just had a hard time getting a moment to myself, needy people everywhere - Arrrrrrrrrrgh!
You'll get it back man, I know you will!
Mark
Just enjoy the 5 mins for what they are. And if you can't, recognise that and don't even bother picking the thing up, do something else more enjoyable. We don't have to play guitar, although most of us seem to end up feeling like we must.
I haven't done any recording for over year. Initially, I wasn't even keen on playing (even though I'd just bought a new guitar!). I just stopped bothering trying to force it, did something else instead. After a month or two I was back to noodling a few things on the sofa again. I've even written a song or two, bought two more guitars, and an amplifier. I'm really enjoying playing again - have done for over six months - but I still don't want to record, I'm not writing any songs that I feel "are good enough" to share (ie that I like enough). And do you know? I really don't care, it's OK :D
It'll come back: Don't force it... enjoy it :)
EDIT: Sorry, that should be "bought three more guitars" - I've even forgotten one already!! :D
I sympathise Mike, I lost mine. It was gone for a long time. Playing in a band has helped me to enjoy playing and kept me at it, there's a responsibility to your fellow members to keep it up. Writing and even noodling at home has not happened for nearly two years.
However, lately I have been actively seeking new music, I have stuff in my head that wants to come out and I have bugger all time to do anything about it, which is really uncomfortable and frustrating.
Stick with it. It comes back in my experience.
For me it's lack of time. I have actually lost a few songs to the ether recently, as I had no time to record them, and the scraps of paper I had them written on where lost in the wash.
When I feel I'm losing my mojo. I try changing the way I do things. Can be something as subtle as changing the tuning on a guitar, but usually a new piece of musical kit gets the water flowing again, be it an effects pedal or new instrument. Reading a good book can help too, I read tons. Another thing I find helps is learning an existing songs chord progression and sometimes those chords can light a fire in me. Plus listening to lots of different music.
I have been the same for a while Mike,
I thought with me having the house to myself for 5 weeks while the wife was away I could do all sorts, it's almost a week since she went and I haven't even picked up a guitar,
But been here before, it will come back...
Good luck.....
Alex
Hi Mike, I think we all hit the wall at times, I know I do. I'm with ORH, time has recently become a very precious commodity in the Willie family household, it's certainly not work as I'm retired but if I get a few spare hours, do I play or do I listen. I do try to share the time evenly even going as far to cancel membership to three other sites but unfortunately there are still not enough hours in the day. To get back to the thread, even when time is available I can sometimes get a guitar off the wall, tune it up and that's it. I twiddle about for half an hour and then hang it back on the wall but I know the dearth of ideas will stop sooner or later and I will get enough ideas to make turning the gear on worthwhile. Hang on in Mike it won't last forever and you'll be back stronger than ever. Willie
Hard luck Mike
but it happens to us all -at the moment I'm finding it hard to put any kind of a new song together---
It's the dreaded wall...
Dont worry my friend your Mojo will come back
I find just to sit and play some real oldies I know inside out will help bring me back on track.
So enjoy the short break -cos it wont be long before your back on course. 8) 8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Tommy
Get a new guitar
Try learning a few covers. This has kept me going for the last couple of years as inspiration has been hard to find for writing new material.
I also think the Songcrafters festivals are a great thing. You can imagine yourself as a songwriter in the Brill Building or Tin Pan Alley, being paid for songs to order.
Reading is also good. I read a few musician biographies this year and ended up writing songs inspired by them (I tried to write in their style but failed - but it was fun trying).
Ian
Quote from: FuzzFace on December 15, 2016, 02:33:05 PMGet a new guitar
Usually, I would say this, applaud this, in fact, I would possibly even insist on this as the correct reaction to a loss of mojo...
But, I've bought four guitars since the last recording I made... and I don't think it's worked so well this time!! :D :D
Quote from: IanR on December 15, 2016, 06:40:06 PMI also think the Songcrafters festivals are a great thing. You can imagine yourself as a songwriter in the Brill Building or Tin Pan Alley, being paid for songs to order.
Ian
I am hanging my hat on the festivals lately... i am starting to like the idea of someone telling me what to do - what left to my own devices i end up doing nothing a lot.
Thanks for your thoughts all!!
Set yourself a little task or an experiment with some bit of kit, you'll get carried away in the process, you'll will become inspired without even knowing it. Once your start ...
B
Quote from: AndyR on December 16, 2016, 12:33:16 AMQuote from: FuzzFace on December 15, 2016, 02:33:05 PMGet a new guitar
Usually, I would say this, applaud this, in fact, I would possibly even insist on this as the correct reaction to a loss of mojo...
But, I've bought four guitars since the last recording I made... and I don't think it's worked so well this time!! :D :D
Trade in all guitars for a killer xylophone
Do not trade...ever, but you should by a killer zylophone & a guitar & a bass & a ukulele & a ubass & a synth & a....
Fest are good and cheap also but buying feels better.
Rock on!
Quote from: Hook on December 16, 2016, 09:09:10 AMDo not trade...ever, but you should by a killer zylophone & a guitar & a bass & a ukulele & a ubass & a synth & a....
Fest are good and cheap also but buying feels better.
Rock on!
Of course you are right.
I was just thinking the loss of beloved instruments may spawn new material to write about.
So basically since posting this thread, I find I have been starting to pick up the acoustic and just strumming easy songs (covers) and trying to sing along. Been quite enjoying it, but the furthest thing thing from my mind is doing a recording right now. Just enjoying the "real" moment i guess. I think i was starting to feel obliged to "record" every time i picked up a guitar which in its own way maybe started to have a negative effect on me.
For the moment I am gonna keep strumming in a spare five ten mins here and there. I will pop my head in shortly to listen to some of the new tracks on here in the meantime.
Cheers guys!!
:)
Mike
I have read this thread with interest I too had about three years were I recorded a lot of stuff posted and enjoyed the feedback , then just hit a wall were every song seemed the same , lead break , and chord sequences , I fell of the edge and into the Abyss, which annoyed me and affected the way I recorded and approached any new material that I played on guitar , then the band I was in packed in so all things musical just went Tits up ! I have retired now and switching on my BR800 deleting, and reviewing some of the ideas I had some of them nearly 6 years ago, the fact that you have posted your concerns about hitting a wall means to me that you will eventually start to record again and have some fresh ideas to share , little baby steps for me and for you , good luck and keep playing something will fire you up and keep the juices flowing
Dunny
So still strumming away but not forcing any songs into production for the sake of it. I have something i am fiddling about with that i quite like so with a bit of luck it should see the light of day, but could take a few weeks yet as its just a bit of a riff with one verse so far. And to top it all I have too much work to do. My own fault really - I work freelance and sometimes land myself in it with too much to do...
i can't find my mojo at all these days, but probably more down to lack of time, work life is a blur just now, hopefully it will be grist for the mill and when i get some time to myself the songs will come.
Don't worry, it'll come back when it's meant to.
Fests are great for inspiration if you fancy them, but if you don't they can be a bit of a turn-off - mainly listening for me as I hate being told what do to, so they don't tend to hold my attention much (unless someone wants to do a collab for the fest).
Quote from: Hilary on February 04, 2017, 11:00:09 AMDon't worry, it'll come back when it's meant to.
I'll second that. I've just been through a bout of mojo-loss the past couple of months. It happens... and trying to force something out when it's just not there rarely (if ever) results in music you're proud of in the long term. My usual ploy at these times is to work on the purely technical aspects of the instrument: a chord shape you've never really been comfortable with; a lead guitar technique like sweep-picking; a genre of music that you've always shied away from etc etc.
By "parking" the creativity side of things you don't feel obliged to pluck a tune out of thin air... you're just building up the skill base for when inspiration DOES strike. And here's the best part: often exploring these new avenues is EXACTLY what does get the old juices flowing.
All great ideas for getting your mojo back. When I was learning to play saxaphone as a teenager the then Superintendent of music for Chesterfield County,Va, (I was friends with his kid) told me that I didn't have to practice everyday but I did have to hold the instrument for 30 min. While watching TV, sitting inside listening to records, etc. Your fingers start moving unconsciously...I still do this.
glad to hear your playing brother, the rest will come.
Rock on!
It's an even better technique with something new ;)
Quote from: Hook on February 04, 2017, 03:18:33 PMWhen I was learning to play saxaphone as a teenager the then Superintendent of music for Chesterfield County,Va, (I was friends with his kid) told me that I didn't have to practice everyday but I did have to hold the instrument for 30 min. While watching TV, sitting inside listening to records, etc. Your fingers start moving unconsciously
Some excellent advice you got there, Hook - thanks for sharing that!
I think we all get this way at times.
I get frustrated that everything I play sounds the same, etc.
I've found my best way to get out of a funk like that is to try to find some music I'm not very familiar with, and give it a good listen. Even classical music, or something you might not think you'd ever like...
Maybe not even try to play it, but just listen for differences in timing, tempo, chord progressions, etc. and see what differences you can pick up on. Might refresh the creative juices a bit.
Works for me (sometimes).
I haven't been playing as much lately. I am preoccupied with work and some family stuff, so I have found that doing the live duo stuff with John has been really helpful. Some days, I don't want to go to the gig, but I usually find myself lost in the music after a half an hour or so. John has to give me the hook as I want to keep playing.
When I listen to other folks being creative on this site or elsewhere, rather than get pumped up, I get really ticked at myself. There's a downward spiral for a bit, and then I emerge. I don't know if I have a trick for working through these times other than try to limit the stressors. I know the gear purchasing route doesn't work for me (yet I do it constantly).
This thread has been interesting. It validates that we all have lives to lead, and inspiration ebbs and flows. Having said that, I am truly thankful for this site as an outlet when things are going well. Kudos to the administrative team once again. It has been said but never enough.
Blooby
Quote from: Blooby on February 21, 2017, 07:14:22 PMThis thread has been interesting. It validates that we all have lives to lead, and inspiration ebbs and flows. Having said that, I am truly thankful for this site as an outlet when things are going well. Kudos to the administrative team once again. It has been said but never enough.
Blooby
I think that just comes with the territory of being creative individuals.
I might have a week where I record several songs, then several weeks where I hardly pick up my guitar.
But I also have to go to work 5 days a damn week lol