Have you ever.....

[fortyearspickn]

Hey GG! Good to see you back. What's the difference between a sabbatical and a vacation? It's academic! I guess I had a good long hiatus - with military, college, new career, kids, etc all taking precedence. Learned I couldn't really feel inspired if I was distracted. Like Mazlows hierarchy of needs, it's hard to find the muse when you're worried about your job and feeding your family. But, I like to believe the time off isn't wasted, and you come back more seasoned. Still have "Jonathan"?

[The G]

Nice to see you back posting. I wondered where you were.We need to keep the Canadian contingent posts up.....

I've never been without a guitar since I started playing although there have been a few lapses of time where

I wasn't really committed to playing regularly.And yes, the skin,muscles,and joints will be the first to ask

where the heck have you been ??? in their own special way.

Stay at it and you'll be back to form in no time.

[JuanCarlosVejar]

Karen ,

 

good to see you around again =) .

some really interesting reasons and stories have been written here .

since I'm in my mid 20's I can really say I have stayed away from my guitar for more than 3 days and tops probably 1 week .

 

I picked up my J 200 yesterday after 3 days and it was like falling in love with the sound for the first time all over again .

 

 

 

peace

 

 

 

JC

[larryp58]

I've been on a break going about two weeks now. Just so much going on all at once, I just don't have time to just settle down, relax and get in the mind-set of playing. You know that "playing music zone". I don't expect it to last much longer! By the weekend, I'll be to pickin'! Good to have you coming back around Karen! I miss the old Forum, too!

[ol fred]

It's about time ! Goofing off for a year, sheesh ! I was just gettin ready to drive up there and, and, uh do somethin'

Good on you cowgirl !

 

your secret admirer

[rustystrings]

Good to see you back! I had an extended hiatus from serious playing c. 1999-2006. I kinda wanted to play again c.2004, but I was recovering from major surgery and I discovered that everything had changed for me, guitar-wise. I was no longer comfortable with the skinny neck and wide body of the Taylor 815C I had thought was my forever guitar. I limped along, playing sporadically, until I bought my J45 in early 2007.

 

Since then, I've had shorter periods of not playing, mostly due to life events - an international adoption, followed by a surprise baby, assorted family crises, etc. But I come back to the guitar, and I don't panic anymore. It ALWAYS comes back, or it comes back in a new way that I find I like better, and sometimes the re-discovery brings with it new details that were missed before. I play slower now and leave more room for what I sing to open up; I can't remember the last time I used a flatpick, and I'm in no hurry to pick one up; I just feel freer. I definitely feel that the stop and start cycle has kept me from staying in some very well-developed playing ruts I had gotten myself into, and I think that it (coupled with widening up what I listen to) has broadened my range.

[bobouz]

From '71 to '86, became highly absorbed in buying, fixing, & trading acoustics.

Then got freshly hooked on photography for thirteen years, until one day in '99,

a friend asked me to find a good guitar for his daughter.

 

That was all it took to jump right back into the deep end.

Eventually in '01, discovered a new found love for electrics,

which are so incredibly cool for Travis style picking.

 

P90s in a thin hollowbody (& the right amp) = bliss!

[ballcorner]

I stopped playing once for five years and another time for two. I had so much guitar in my life with a guitar shop etc. that I took the five years off after I sold it. Amazingly, when you work with guitars all day and night seven days a week and you listen to customer after customer playing the same licks over and over, it wears you down. I sold the shop because I didn't want to be a retailer any more, and that was a good choice, but not playing for five years afterward was a big mistake. I know now if I had never carried electric guitars I would probably still own the shop.

 

As you are seeing from a year off, you regress to a point well before the skill you had the day you quit, and you re-learn everything. Still, for inspiration on re-learning guitar, look into Pat Martino's story. And then bear down and get to work. It will all come back and you will drink more pots of coffee.

 

Best wishes to you as you re-discover the passion of playing guitar. I hope your efforts bring rewards, and I mostly hope your health improves so you don't feel a need to take a break again in the future.

[billder99]

...Have you ever taken a hiatus from playing? ...How rusty were you when you started again? How long did it take to get back in the swing of things?

 

I think it depends on how long you were playing, and how well you played before the break. A year is not that long a time. If you played well enough to really embed the muscle memory, it will all come back quickly... I often see players state that they play better than before after a good break. On the other hand, a 5 year or more break and you may have to start all over again... don't let it get away!

[GuitarLight]

Welcome back! And it's never too late to come back. I took 10 years off to work as a actor in the theater and stage.During that time I hardly ever played what with constant stage rehersals and runs that just took all your time and energy. I've pulled away from that and found my way back to my guitar a few years ago....makes me wonder why I ever left it for the stage. The stage did teach me many things about life..and singing. Which are now applied to my guitar work. Jump back in and play that guitar..because even after everything else has passed...your guitar will always await you eagerly, to welcome you home to life.

Well, have you? LOL Have you ever taken a hiatus from playing? Do you recall why or how long? Was it hard to get back into it? What prompted your return? Was it a planned break? How rusty were you when you started again? How long did it take to get back in the swing of things?

 

I haven't played hardly at all for at least a year now, probably longer, due to health issues and time constraints. It's pouring rain here this morning and I stumbled upon an old song I used to love to play, so grabbed the guitar. Yikes, fingers sore, wrist sore from playing bar chords that I used to be able to nail, no problem. It's a bit distressing to see the loss of skill, but I know if I persevered it would come back. It seems like I'm not really starting from zero this time, just maybe back a few numbers from where I once was. Now I'm sitting here with the guitar on my lap, a big cup of hazelnut coffee, as the rain pours away outside. It's lovely. I know my fingertips will be complaining pretty soon LOL