Loss of Mojo

[Mike_S]

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!!

 

[launched]

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

[AndyR]

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

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!!

[Flash Harry]

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.

[Oldrottenhead]

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.

[Groundy]

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

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

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

[fenderbender]

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.


Tommy

[FuzzFace]

Get a new guitar

[IanR]

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