Think I am done with the geetar.....

[RacerX]

Rather find that out sitting on my couch than at the show

I just did a Metal Jam - only one rehearsal which didn't go well (I didn't play) - so, day of the gig, the other guitarist comes up to me on stage right before we start "Balls To The Wall" and asks "Standard tuning right?"

I laughed and replied "Well, great time to ask *that*, dude! Yes, standard"
Then we killed it!

[Newc]

Yeah I always hated it when the bass player asked "what key?" just before we played a song on stage

"The fuck do you mean 'what key!?' - you have heard the song, right?"

One of the things that made me hard to get along with in a band was I actually expected the other people to know how to play the song they wanted to play. I mean, if you want to do Paranoid, know the words.

[Rsmacker]

I mean, if you want to do Paranoid, know the words.

Why? I don't think Ozzy knows them!
( I think his teleprompter says things like "Owww!! Yeah!! I love you!. Let's go crazy" and instructions like FROG JUMP NOW!)

[RacerX]

"Let's go crazy"

Correction: "Let's go FOOKIN crazy!!"

[RR2772]

So how does the guitar interest stay with me after playing for god knows 25 years or so?

For some reason I am still stuck with the desire to keep my guitars and I have had them for a very long while. They are always around and get played every now and then. Being 38 years old and still look 25 I still feel the same as always. I have been pretty comfortable with my guitar style since late late '90s and I do know what it will take for me to get in any direction I choose. I have never had any practise rutine or so. I just play and pick the guitar up when I do feel like it as it always feels good and fun to do.

Am I any good? Well I am my own critique so I usually say that if people like it I am good.

It's been 9 years since I last have been in a band and I do not know if I miss it or not even though the music sounded great and in harmony together with just a 3 piece playing Jimi Hendrix cover tunes. However it is more of a question of where to go with it these days rather than giving up.

The danger of ending up playing the same old things does happen so lately I am trying to actually pratice some Stetina and Yngwie stuff which seems to work well. The metronome cleans up really good. It is not 25 years of bad habits at all. I just really never gave the time to do either as far as what I wanted to learn at the time. What is stuck in mind was something from a Randy Rhoads interview on the subject of learning something new every day. I find it works for me.

I have also taken up drumming which is fun and keeps the guitar experience interesting too. If you have the desire you got to make the time. So is it with everything in life even playing guitar. Once it was having the desire to get a guitar that changed your world. Now you are older and wiser right!?

[slashrox]

Wow just reading this thread I thought I was the only one going through all of this! Over the past few years I just don't have as much dedication to the guitar like I used to. Don't get me wrong I still love guitars, but I just can't seem to pick my own up much anymore. When I do pick my guitar up, I'll probably play for about 10-15 minutes and I've had enough, then I don't play for a few days. This all started happening when I turned 20-21, I'm 23 now. The motivation, desire and fire I once had for playing has gone. Even my techniques and style has gone. To my ears now everytime I pick up a guitar and play some licks, I think I sound like a beginner (And for someone like me thats been playing since I was 14, it actually upsets me alot).

My Jackson PC-1 is still on layaway and I was hoping when I finally get it of layaway, The passion would come back...but I'm not so sure.

[paulbag]

When my last metal band broke up, (2007) I fell out of love with it all...felt burnt out and tired of it. All the fun got sucked out of it. I started noodling again this past Christmas, and I'm back at it for hours a day again. I've spent about $7000 on new gear already in 2013! I'm happy and excited about playing again. Just take a break, you'll know when it's time to go back to it.

[Chad]

I've found two things get me interested again:

1. Learn some songs by ear note for note. Maybe pick something a bit off the usual path. This sets a solid goal and makes you have a sense of accomplishment when finished....and that can breed more drive and success.

and/or

2. Join a band. Doesn't have to be an official band or even have paying gigs. Maybe just get together with some friends. But in align with point #1, pick some songs and shoot to get them down solid. Or maybe just "jam". I've found jamming in some settings can be a directionless, waste of time. But in some settings with certain people it can be productive.

The main thing to avoid is just sitting there and rehashing the same songs & licks every time you play.

[Maiden89]

This guy tried to get me in his "band" a while back. I thought it would be cool and a good way to get back into playing with others. Well, it didn't pan out right.

I brought my guitar with me and he was trying to call everyone to come over. So I'm sitting around thinking, "What the fuck, you told me to come at this time and no one is here." We went into is filthy fucking shed, where I was stumbling over junk. Everything was half assed and rednecked to the max. He had a shitty microphone duct taped to a makeshift stand pointed to a cheap combo amp, hooked up to an ancient PA system. That was my rig. I asked him what songs they were going to play and he kind of just babbled on and threw a couple names out. He's a drummer and we decided to both play Crazy Train since we both knew it.

We start playing and through the first verse he stops and says, "Thats not the way the other guitarist plays it." Ok, I played it a couple different ways. He says he lost the vibe and stops playing and starts talking about how he wants this band to be a professional group and how he has such high paying venues begging him to play. Yeah right, it would be a cold day in hell before I play a gig with this hillbilly setup. I would be embarrassed as hell to use a shitty sounding combo amp connected with duct tape to microphones. The other guy finally shows up and plugs one of the guitars into the shitty setup I was using and they plugged my guitar into the PA. We play Breaking the law, I figure it out quickly and start to play. It sounds like shit because I can't even hear myself over his loud wall of shitstortion and feedback, I can hardly move because I'm scared of chipping the wings on my beloved kelly on all the junk surrounding the place and I'm pissed off because the guy told me they had all the equipment to sound good.

Then they just jamming around with songs they made up. I can't keep in time because the drummer is throwing fills and fast shit everywhere. I kind of just play along even though I can't hear myself, the drummer says he's tired and walks out. I'm stuck with the guitarist and he just noodles around and turns his amp off and takes off too. I asked both of them to give me a list of which songs I should learn, again, they say a couple, but don't have a setlist. They made me feel like a total newbie even though I've been playing for about 9 years.

This was the first group I've tried to play with in 5 years. The last one was perfect, we practiced each part of the song until we had the timing and sound down and moved on, we had working PA systems, amplifiers and multi effects pedals. Everything sounded flawless. We would play fast and technical songs with ease and on time. Now, I feel like a beginner. They kept on saying I was playing this part wrong and my timing was off. They would try to hum the riff so I could learn it. WTF, I know how the song goes!

Maybe I'm just not used to bad band rehearsals, but this experience almost made me not want to be in another band again. I still get inspiration and can play for hours when I'm in the mood, but not like I used to. Deep down inside, it kind of sucks.

[Chad]

^Not been in anything quite that bad, but have seen some of those things.

Two key things: 1) be careful who you choose to play with and 2) ask questions before committing.

Some people find it fun to get together with nothing in mind and see what happens. As mentioned, with the right people (good musicians who play for the music and not themselves) it can be a good thing, but a lot of times not. I just can't see the point in having nothing planned with zero structure. So I'd ask the "leader" or whoever what the plans are when you get together. If it sounds like an unorganized disaster, then it probably is. Walk away and find some folks who will appreciate your seriousness and dedication. I always try to play with people who are better than me because it rubs off and pushes you to be your best. On the flip side, playing with lousy people can drag you down.....and sounds like that's exactly what happened.

[emperor_black]

and/or

2. Join a band. Doesn't have to be an official band or even have paying gigs. Maybe just get together with some friends. But in align with point #1, pick some songs and shoot to get them down solid. Or maybe just "jam". I've found jamming in some settings can be a directionless, waste of time. But in some settings with certain people it can be productive.

This is easier said than done! Every ad I see on CL about a metal band is looking for 18 yr olds. And we know what sort of music they are trying to play. No luck for 30 yr olds...especially ones with kids and a steady job for sure. Coming to think about it, I was relly lucky to land in my first and last band...the other guitarist was a year older than me and the drummer even though 10 yrs younger than us, was matured enough to hang with us at the same level. Too bad the brother-in-law started coming and jamming with us and screwing up everything and eventually I quit.

[Chad]

I hear ya. There are a lot of idiots out there. I know this comment may not be popular with some folks. Anyway.....I don't know where you all stand on spiritual things, but I found playing at church to be fun. We rock out on some songs, but on others the styles are so different from what I'd normally play that it's almost like relearning the instrument. The key was to find a church with some of the best musicians in the area that is open-minded music-wise. That way it is taken seriously and is fun and productive. Also, they are open-minded overall and let pretty much anybody and everybody on the stage as long as they have some skill. A great bunch of guys to hang with. Not a bunch of hypocritical, wackos. Anyway, I found that's where most of the musicians of my age were hanging. Due to the networking, an actual band ended up spinning off from that.

[LouSiffer]

I haven't played it since making this post. I just don't care to anymore. Was trying to sell everything as package deal and thought I made a stupid low price on it....however, no bites. Will put it up on eBay when I get back home. -Lou

[paulbag]

This is easier said than done! Every ad I see on CL about a metal band is looking for 18 yr olds. And we know what sort of music they are trying to play. No luck for 30 yr olds...especially ones with kids and a steady job for sure. Coming to think about it, I was relly lucky to land in my first and last band...the other guitarist was a year older than me and the drummer even though 10 yrs younger than us, was matured enough to hang with us at the same level. Too bad the brother-in-law started coming and jamming with us and screwing up everything and eventually I quit.

Yup, that was me during my last go round...30 years old trying to teach 20 year olds how to conduct practices, write material...now I'm 43! How does that listing read!? Not easy...you need some luck in finding that situation. You just have to continue to find sources of inspiration...like the Decapitated/Lamb of God show I just got home from

[dvscool]

Jam with other people. Join a band as Chad said. I've been playing in a band after not playing in one for 10 years, and have never been so motivated to play. I look forward to rehearsal. I look forward to introducing new riffs and vocals to the band. I stay up late at night after the shorties go to bed and shred some. I have been in "ruts" over the years where I have just had zero desire to play. Usually, its guilt that makes me pick it up and play. Like, "seriously, you dumb fuck your just going to give this all up?" is what goes through my head. I think every guitar player gets in a funk and doesn't want to play. Don't fret about it. (pun?) Ride it out, find inspiration in the small things. Dude, it just a fuckin guitar right......