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Any other guitarists feel this way?

Black Circle SpinBlack Circle Spin Posts: 55
edited May 2004 in Musicians and Gearheads
No matter how often I try to play or what I try to play, I can never seem to improve my skills. I think a muscle condition I have is the problem, because even a simple three chord song is hard for me to pull off smoothly, even though mentally I could play it in my sleep.

I just wish I knew how to get better. It sucks.
I'm not too concerned with PJ20, because I celebrate the band's existence every year.
Post edited by Unknown User on

Comments

  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    i hit my plateau about 5 years ago. it's pretty depressing.
  • PJamGrunge10PJamGrunge10 Posts: 596
    it seems like i never get better either.....but i know i have....but now it seems like i dont improve:(
    Stone Gossard...riffmeister extraordinaire!

    I am a man, I am advanced.....I am the first man to borrow Stone's leather pants!
  • Black Circle SpinBlack Circle Spin Posts: 55
    Maybe getting lessons or tackling a new genre of music would help.

    Personally, I can't afford lessons. Heh.
    I'm not too concerned with PJ20, because I celebrate the band's existence every year.
  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    Change for many people is something that comes very gradually and you only take actual notice of it on rare occasion. For me this is true, the other day I realized I could actually tremolo pick pretty well (I'm no Dick Dale but compared to my skill at it a few years ago it's markedly improved). Eventually you'll notice that you can not only play chords, but look at a song brand new and be able to play right along to it's chord changes. Just takes time and lots o practice.
  • mojorison_75mojorison_75 Posts: 157
    Sometimes you hit what seem to be plateaus, but if you keep at it you will improve. I sometimes have long spells where it seems like I can't improve or learn anthing new. Then one day, bam, I can do something. I can't even explain how I could do it, I just can.

    It comes from lots of practice and your brain and muscles waking up one morning deciding to cut you a break. It will happen though.
  • Gossard_Is_GodGossard_Is_God Posts: 1,031
    Yeah, tackle a new genre. It always helps to learn something new then go back. Then learn something new again. I would be better than I am if I practised more consistently.
    Pearl Jam - London Astoria 20/4/06....One hell of a night :)

    Reading 2006 - WOOOOW!!!!!

    Paris 2006 - Fucking amazing

    Wembley 2007 :D
  • GreencatGreencat Posts: 1
    I know the feeling... it's horrible...
    Hit the refresh button in your head!!! Repeatedly! :) Listen to your favourite artists all the time, change the CDs in your CD player frequently, meet other guitarrists and just listen to what their playing, look at their hands,... these things help you get aware of note and chord patterns of your favourite music.
    It'll create in you a sense for ritm and phrasing, even if you don't know shit about notes and chords.

    Learn chord fingering and forget all about chord names.
    Know the position of the fingers and keep changing chords by chance until your fingers fall off.
    Just like learning Morse code. It's all about translating the chord sound in your head to your fingers mechanicaly, without thinking.
    One day, you'll get a TAB from the net, learn the chords in it and you'll play the song in a breeze.
    The best part is that your naturaly pushed do it with the right ritm because you have that ritm marked in your brain due to the long hours of music listening you've done!
  • ski4ski4 Posts: 261
    i go in waves , i'll improve a bunch, then be static for 6 months or a year then bloom again it's strange it's like the seasons, every spring i blossom again
    "The only thing I ever saw that came close to Objective Journalism was a closed-circuit TV setup that watched shoplifters in the General Store at Woody Creek, Colorado." hst
  • FiveHorizons88FiveHorizons88 Posts: 12
    yeah i used to be able to be super good at making up songs and riffs and what not.. now it seems that my friend in my band is making up all the songs.. it sucks.. i cant think of any cool riffs anymore.. i feel like i suck haha.. but all i can do is try harder.
    blahh
  • evenflowrocksevenflowrocks Posts: 96
    wait til you get older! I USED to be able to play slayer and old Metallica/megadeth type speed shit...couldn't do it know to save my life. not that I'd want to b/c it's just not my style anymore but I tried to play " the four horsemen" the other day and got a serious cramp. I guess you have to keep up on that shit. and I'm only 33, been playing since 14. oh well just practice and it'll come around
    www.myspace.com/evenflowrocks

    heathen frog psycho number ONE!
  • puremagicpuremagic Posts: 1,907
    Originally posted by Black Circle Spin
    No matter how often I try to play or what I try to play, I can never seem to improve my skills. I think a muscle condition I have is the problem, because even a simple three chord song is hard for me to pull off smoothly, even though mentally I could play it in my sleep.

    I just wish I knew how to get better. It sucks.

    I don't know what your muscle problem is, but, you might want to start by exercising with a gripmaster. If its more than that you might want to seek out a training to help develop your arm strength. If its hereditary, maybe a different instrument. Good luck.
    SIN EATERS--We take the moral excrement we find in this equation and we bury it down deep inside of us so that the rest of our case can stay pure. That is the job. We are morally indefensible and absolutely necessary.
  • given to jamgiven to jam Posts: 57
    yeah, i know what you guys mean. it seems like i never improve, but i know i have. i also go on long spells where i can't write a song for the life of me, and then i'll go on like a 3 day span in which i write like 5 full songs, and it seems like every time i pick up the guitar i play something new, original, and awesome sounding. it just comes and goes.
    knowledge is a tree
    it's growing up just like me.
  • CroonSpoonCroonSpoon Posts: 1
    Maybe playing the guitar is like muscle conditioning.

    Maybe you have to "shock" your muscles by trying to play something that is scary even to look at. I dont know but anything is possible.
    "Is my band ready to kick it?" - Stoney

    10/09/00, 06/18/03
  • HYLAHYLA Posts: 137
    If you play stuff that falls under the same category then it's going to do that. You won't gain as much muscle memory since your muscles are already conditioned to play that type of music.
  • BinFrogBinFrog Posts: 7,309
    I have been in a major rut for a few years. The best thing I ever did was buy a multi-track recorder a few months ago.
    Bright eyed kid: "Wow Typo Man, you're the best!"
    Typo Man: "Thanks kidz, but remembir, stay in skool!"
  • exhaustedexhausted Posts: 6,638
    Originally posted by BinFrog
    I have been in a major rut for a few years. The best thing I ever did was buy a multi-track recorder a few months ago.

    yep. the only time i can stretch myself (since i have no band) is when i'm figuring out parts on recordings.
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