Re: Losing The Will To Play Guitar

On May 1, 10:18 pm, sadjazzguitar <sadjazzgui...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
I have been a group member here for many years, tried to contribute
re: gear, gigs, lessons, all the good stuff...I have logged in under
another nickname because I want to ask the group's help and advice
without calling too much attention to real self.

I've been a pro player for many many years, primarily jazz and swing
guitar over the last decade. Now my age (upper 50's), my 30+ years in
the sideman fields of music and the current economic/music/gig climate
have all converged to create a new situation for me: I've lost the
will to play.

I have wonderful guitars, some spare time, lots of experience and yet
I find myself picking up the instrument less and less. I don't solicit
gigs anymore, solo or otherwise because there are about 2 dozen decent
players in my area that will dive bomb on any low or no paying gig and
I just refuse to to this. And I'm pretty burned out on the rejection
factor, agents not returning e mails or calls, promises or leads that
dead end, and other musicians playing fast and loose with their word
(and the pay scale) etc. Remember this joke:

The 4 Stages of John's Music Career

1. John Who?
2. Get Me John!
3. Get Me a Young John.
4. John Who?

30+ years surviving as a gigging player has taken a toll on my
psyche...I used to practice and play religiously, hours upon hours,
always finding time to play, work out new tunes, transcribe, etc.,
didn't care if the gig was high or low brow, if there was a packed
house or a couple of drunks playing pool, every chance to play was a
chance to learn and grow.

I actually caught myself just staring at my guitars the other day kind
of daydreaming. This has been happening for about a year now. I slowly
feel my guitar "powers" slipping away and know I have to play to
prevent that from happening but then I try to play and I can't seem to
hold my own attention for more than about 25 minutes...this coming
from a guy who was used to playing 3 hour solo gigs straight thru just
to see if I could keep my game on.

Is this what happens after a lifetime of playing??? Lord knows I don't
want to lose such an integral part of my life but I can't seem to snap
out of this (sorry about the Baseball metaphor) slump where the guitar
is concerned.

If anyone else has gone thru this, can you offer how you got back "to
the other side" and found your guitar "groove" again???

Happy or sad, one thing I could always count on in the past was my
ability to pick up the guitar and play. Not so much these days...

Hopefully there is some wisdom out here that can help me.

Signed,

SadJazzGuitar

Normal.

Has to do with the vicissitudes of life. I suggest that you consider
the source of your situation as emanating from the exterior. It is
evident that the 'interior' wants to still go at it, yet is crying out
for help. You are *not* alone and guess what?...you are being man
enough to not only face it, but to tell of it, alias notwithstanding.
If you are man enough to tell of it, you are man enough to conquer
it.
I also suggest that you look at playing as *priority* (even if it
really isn't, and if it really isn't, then pretend that you are an
actor playing out the part that it *is*) and in this way brush aside
emotion. Emotions don't amount to a hill of beans, but priorities do.
Quit looking at playing as trying to be the best. There can never be a
best; only a highly skilled different. Therefore, forget what the
hordes do and what they thrive on, because for you (or anyone really),
it is you and your horn, man.
As far as concentration goes? Yea, OK....you practice 20 minutes and
get up and decide to pop balloons? Do it then! Then go back and do
another 20 minutes, pop more balloons and repeat the procedure...Soon
enough, you will have stacks of 20 minute sessions (not to mention a
truckload of spent balloon particles to clean up) and I bet that each
forthcoming session becomes more and more involved. Get into
meditating, as well. And dig this, because you are going through a
"molting" process, you will most assuredly come up with a whole new
outlook on playing, practicing and beaucoup residual benefits. In
other words, you are going to be playing some really slick ***, dude!
Remember, priorities replace emotions.

Hoping this can be of a little help.

-TD
.

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