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I've Lost It

xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
edited April 2013 in Musicians and Gearheads
I used to LOVE playing but I've really just lost my spark. I still play for my church but I don't feel the "magic". I don't have the drive. Music was a HUGE stress reliever but it's just not cutting it anymore. I've tried to just give it some time but everytime I pick up the guitar, I don't feel excited like I used to. I just started working for a fire department a few months ago (used to work fire safety where I wasn't on call and didn't have nearly as much stress). I love working for the FD (it's a dream) but my other interests have faded. I hope the drive will return. I used to love reading/learning about gear (I'm a pedal whore) but it doesn't interest or inspire me. Anyone ever have this problem? What did you do?
Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
"Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
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  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,170
    xtremehardy388 wrote:
    I used to LOVE playing but I've really just lost my spark. I still play for my church but I don't feel the "magic". I don't have the drive. Music was a HUGE stress reliever but it's just not cutting it anymore. I've tried to just give it some time but everytime I pick up the guitar, I don't feel excited like I used to. I just started working for a fire department a few months ago (used to work fire safety where I wasn't on call and didn't have nearly as much stress). I love working for the FD (it's a dream) but my other interests have faded. I hope the drive will return. I used to love reading/learning about gear (I'm a pedal whore) but it doesn't interest or inspire me. Anyone ever have this problem? What did you do?
    it is called getting older.

    interests change. passions change. it happens. what i do is i have guitars out of their cases and sitting on stands randomly throughout the house. if i see one i feel inspired to pick one up and play it for a bit. i have my les paul custom (the one in my avatar), one of my strats, my acoustic, and my uke all in different rooms. i don't know, but maybe i see that stuff and just feel the need to pick one up and play it. i don't play for hours like i used to, but i will sit down for 30 min or so and just play and it gets my level of interest raised again.
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • Out of My Mind and TimeOut of My Mind and Time Posts: 1,333
    Definitely! Leave them out.

    Keep around the home accessible. Take a break. But you will see them and want to play. If they are stored or in cases or any extra step to play, they can become overlooked. Nothing wrong with leaving them alone for awhile. It will come back. Artist block. Writers block. Musicians block. It can happen. There will be a time that inspiration hits you again. 8-)
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    I have two of my acoustics out in my room and a couple electrics sitting out in the living room. I see the, and say "I'll play them in a bit" but I never get around to it. Man, it just sucks growing up!
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • evsgjammevsgjamm Posts: 2,106
    Been there, that's for sure! I've got a couple suggestions that may interest you.

    Try compiling a list of songs you'd like to be able to play on the guitar; old, new, country, rock, some PJ you've never tried before, etc. Pick out some songs that you'd like to cover. You may want to cover them identical to the band, or you may want to throw your own spin on them. Keep this list handy (on your cell phone; doesn't get much handier than that) and keep adding to it whenever you hear a song on the radio or in a pub that makes you think "damn, this'd be fun to learn" and then jot it down.
    Find an evening or a weekend or any downtime and get that list. Learn a song from it. Learn it to the point that you used to learn songs when you were younger. MASTER it, so that down the line when you're around a campfire for example, you're not playing the same old songs you're always used to playing. Gotta switch it up from time to time.

    If you used to have a buddy that you used to jam with, call him up. Or find someone who you think might be interested in either jamming a little with you or someone who might be interested in learning. I was in a funk as well and decided to put an ad out there asking for anyone wanting to learn basics on the guitar. Within a week I had a dozen replies of people interested, and two that actually committed themselves to meeting me and taking lessons. I began teaching a 9 year old and a 10 year old how to play guitar. These kids were awesome! They knew 90's alternative rock and older classic rock!! I began looking forward to teaching these kids and molding their basic skills, which actually made me play more!

    Hope these ideas spark your interests.

    KORITFW
    Vancouver '03, Paramount Theatre '05, Saskatoon '05, Calgary '05, Edmonton '05, Saskatoon '11, Calgary '11, Calgary '13

    2010 WATCH IT GO TO FIRE!!
  • gimmesometruth27gimmesometruth27 Posts: 23,170
    evsgjamm wrote:
    Been there, that's for sure! I've got a couple suggestions that may interest you.

    Try compiling a list of songs you'd like to be able to play on the guitar; old, new, country, rock, some PJ you've never tried before, etc. Pick out some songs that you'd like to cover. You may want to cover them identical to the band, or you may want to throw your own spin on them. Keep this list handy (on your cell phone; doesn't get much handier than that) and keep adding to it whenever you hear a song on the radio or in a pub that makes you think "damn, this'd be fun to learn" and then jot it down.
    Find an evening or a weekend or any downtime and get that list. Learn a song from it. Learn it to the point that you used to learn songs when you were younger. MASTER it, so that down the line when you're around a campfire for example, you're not playing the same old songs you're always used to playing. Gotta switch it up from time to time.

    If you used to have a buddy that you used to jam with, call him up. Or find someone who you think might be interested in either jamming a little with you or someone who might be interested in learning. I was in a funk as well and decided to put an ad out there asking for anyone wanting to learn basics on the guitar. Within a week I had a dozen replies of people interested, and two that actually committed themselves to meeting me and taking lessons. I began teaching a 9 year old and a 10 year old how to play guitar. These kids were awesome! They knew 90's alternative rock and older classic rock!! I began looking forward to teaching these kids and molding their basic skills, which actually made me play more!

    Hope these ideas spark your interests.

    KORITFW
    ^ this.

    great suggestions!
    "You can tell the greatness of a man by what makes him angry."  - Lincoln

    "Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
  • 2-feign-reluctance2-feign-reluctance Posts: 23,243
    :( this makes me sad..maybe look at how your work is affecting you? i am a therapist that works with children. i see and work with abuse cases and other things that would boil your blood, make you wanna run home and curl up under your bed and cry for days. it wasn't until the last 2-3 months that i got some of my own help and that in some way helped open up and reignite the creative side of me. your job is demanding and can be extremely traumatic and dangerous. take good care of you and i think that love will return.
    www.cluthelee.com
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    evsgjamm wrote:
    Been there, that's for sure! I've got a couple suggestions that may interest you.

    Try compiling a list of songs you'd like to be able to play on the guitar; old, new, country, rock, some PJ you've never tried before, etc. Pick out some songs that you'd like to cover. You may want to cover them identical to the band, or you may want to throw your own spin on them. Keep this list handy (on your cell phone; doesn't get much handier than that) and keep adding to it whenever you hear a song on the radio or in a pub that makes you think "damn, this'd be fun to learn" and then jot it down.
    Find an evening or a weekend or any downtime and get that list. Learn a song from it. Learn it to the point that you used to learn songs when you were younger. MASTER it, so that down the line when you're around a campfire for example, you're not playing the same old songs you're always used to playing. Gotta switch it up from time to time.

    If you used to have a buddy that you used to jam with, call him up. Or find someone who you think might be interested in either jamming a little with you or someone who might be interested in learning. I was in a funk as well and decided to put an ad out there asking for anyone wanting to learn basics on the guitar. Within a week I had a dozen replies of people interested, and two that actually committed themselves to meeting me and taking lessons. I began teaching a 9 year old and a 10 year old how to play guitar. These kids were awesome! They knew 90's alternative rock and older classic rock!! I began looking forward to teaching these kids and molding their basic skills, which actually made me play more!

    Hope these ideas spark your interests.

    KORITFW

    GREAT ideas! I will try this. I'm actually feeling excited, now! I am probably going to make a list in a little while. There are a few songs I'd like to learn/re-learn.
    2-feign-reluctance wrote:
    :( this makes me sad..maybe look at how your work is affecting you? i am a therapist that works with children. i see and work with abuse cases and other things that would boil your blood, make you wanna run home and curl up under your bed and cry for days. it wasn't until the last 2-3 months that i got some of my own help and that in some way helped open up and reignite the creative side of me. your job is demanding and can be extremely traumatic and dangerous. take good care of you and i think that love will return.

    I love the job, don't get me wrong. It's a dream I've had since I first saw a fire truck. I'm on the department I grew up watching and I'm so thankful. I am working with some of the best firefighters/EMTs/First Responders/Paramedics. I love it. I think, now, it's just balancing that, school, my relationship, and music. I'm thinking the passion will come back. On the upside, I'm playing guitar with some of the younger teens at my church. That helps. When I played with the adults I didn't have much creative freedom but the youth leader is totally opposite! I'm used to being told "calm down" or "pull back" but she always says "I asked you to play with us because I love YOUR sound...I want THAT sound". It really perks me up. She says bring as much gear as you want (which means I'm bringing as many pedals as possible, hahaha). I've seen some sad stuff (but I dealt with emotional stuff when teaching high school---those kids are some of the strongest people you'll ever meet and society seems to push them aside when they need to cut funding). I'm sure the passion will come back when summer comes around and I can hang out outside with the guitar
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
  • xtremehardy388xtremehardy388 Posts: 2,759
    Just an update. I went to a fire dept. convention in Indianapolis this past weekend. We stopped off and heard a great cover band (After Dark). They played a few songs that are popular now and I got bitten by the bug! I came home and learned them. For the little bit that I played, I felt the spark! It's great to have that excitement, again! Thanks to all of you for keeping me in the music game. I loved all the suggestions and they all helped :)
    Grand Rapids '04, Detroit '06
    JEFF HARDY AND JEFF AMENT USED TO LOOK THE SAME
    "Pearl Jam always eases my mind and fires me up at the same time.”-Jeff Hardy
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