Breaking out of a rut

[Blooby]

Apparently, all this talk of prog-rock has inspired me to action.  I feel I'm in a playing rut, so to challenge myself, I'm trying to play outside the box (as it were) and pick out "Point of Know Return" by Kansas (and yes, even a non-UK band can be prog).

I was attacking that ascending line during the chorus with thoughts that I wouldn't quit until I got it semi-clean, and now I do believe I have crippled my fingers beyond repair.

Screw this.  I'm off to the pub for some St. James Gate Magic Elixir.

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On a serious note, what are some of the things you folks do to get out of playing, songwriting, whatever ruts?

Blooby

   
|-----------------10p-6---6-10p-6-|--12p-8---8-12p-8-13p-8----8-13--|
|--11----10-------------6---------|--------8---------------10-------|
|--10----10-----------------------|---------------------------------|
|--12----10-----------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|
|---------------------------------|---------------------------------|

The above tablature was an experiment.  I pasted in some text and clicked on the "Font Face" button (the red A).  I then typed in "courier" where it originally said "verdana," and the non-proportional font appeared.  If there's an easier way to change fonts, I'd love to know.

[Bluesberry]

Here is what I do Blooby.  If I am playing a lot of electric guitar and feel a rut, I switch to acoustic for a while.  Try to learn something new, work on fingerpicking or acoustic blues for example.  If in a rut with acoustic, switch to electric, work on something new with the electric, a new kind of style, electric slide for example.  Thats what I do, I switch it up to something different, electric to acoustic, work on acoustic folky songs with singing and harmonica for a while.  Keep changing to something different.  I find anyway, it gets me out of my rut and I end up learning something new and growing in my overall goal of becoming a "complete guitarist".  Pretty lofty goal but that is my ultimate goal, to be able to play all styles of guitar there is, equally well.  It is a slow work in progress for sure, but hey I have the rest of my life.  So I keep trying something new and staying with that for a while until I get bored and then change.  Why not get a banjo and learn some banjo?  Go way outside your comfort zone and see what you can learn.  That is my humble advice.

[Sprocket]

NEW GEAR!
New gear will break you out of a rut...even make you forget about that rut entirely!
And youll notice results on day two...after you stayed awake far too late the night before. Youll be playing lots and losing sleep...itll be great!

[Wiley]

Ooops, I don't do any of those things.  Just ask 48, I throw a mean temper tantrum. Then he straightens me right up and back to practice. LOL
Wiley

P.S. Poor Mike

[Blooby]

NEW GEAR!  New gear will break you out of a rut...even make you forget about that rut entirely!

I'm afraid this is what I've done for almost 20 years, and it works well, but it does get pricey.  A couple weeks ago, a church was getting rid of their Hammond, and well, you know the rest.

I need to get rid of that thing.

Blooby

[Davo]

I watch a music documentary, or blast an album in the area im trying to "move into".  It usually psyches me up.  Alcohol dosent hurt either.

[Greeny]

I find learning a new chord or two (the weirder the better) always opens up new sounds and songwriting possibilities.

Capo's and alternate tunings are good starting points for something different too.

And listening to other stuff always helps. I remember a particular Jemima's Kite track that was wholly inspired by hearing one of Jackofall's arabic-influenced songs. I started trying to approximate that scale / sound, and a song came out of it.

[Oldrottenhead]

mair drink! mair gear! mair life experiences! falling in love! falling out of love (an especially rich vein of inspiration).and most importantly collaborating with others. especially a whole lotta guys on this forum.