Gilliangirl Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Sloppy, sloppy, sloppy guitar playing. I spent about an hour warming up doing scales, which went okay, but now I'm forgetting chords to songs I've known for years, missing bass notes, sloppy fingering is muting in-between strings, etc. I could blame it on a sore wrist (maybe a bit weaker than usual), but even before I hurt my wrist I would sometimes just have an 'off' session. Rather than beat myself up, I'm putting the guitar away and calling it a night on the playing. Anyone else have times like these? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgarHF Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 Sounds like you are trying to copy my playing style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted April 15, 2009 Author Share Posted April 15, 2009 Sounds like you are trying to copy my playing style. LOL Let me clarify..... I'm playing sloppier than I USUALLY do LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larryp58 Posted April 15, 2009 Share Posted April 15, 2009 If you play a guitar, you're bound to have days like that! Sometimes the days can turn into weeks it seems like! I have run into brick walls that have lasted for months. But when you finally get over 'em, man, it's all worth it!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honky Dog Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Most definitely, Karen. I have "off" nights from time to time. I typically call it quits pretty quick those nights. But I also have "on" nights. Then I'll stay up very, very late. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ballcorner Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 If you are tired or your brain is taxed from a long day or other stresses, you don't get into the right space mentally to make good playing possible. I meditate for ten minutes before I play. For me, that makes a big difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 It probably happens to everyone. I know I have off days without question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deadgrateful Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Yup, and I do exactly the same as you, put the guitar (or bottle) down. Usually by the next day, it's all good again! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLiveSoundGuy Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 ...'cept I'll put the guitar down and pick up the bottle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Most definitely' date=' Karen. I have "off" nights from time to time. I typically call it quits pretty quick those nights. But I also have "on" nights. Then I'll stay up very, very late. [/quote'] I am with the Dog on this one.... I still play on those nights until I can't even stand to listen to myself anymore... (wife, kids and cat have long given up on me by then)... other nights I am in my own little world and I truly am the guy that taught Mr. Clapton that great riff..... :) Mornings come way too early on the next day after those kind of nights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Honky Dog Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'd have to add that some nights when I'm "off", a little break to do something else while have a cold beer or two, and then it can become an "on" night. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Karen, naaaaaaaaaaa!, I sound good every night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taylor Player Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'd have to add that some nights when I'm "off"' date=' a little break to do something else while have a cold beer or two, and then it can become an "on" night. [/quote'] Gotta say after a couple beers I always sound better! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jinder Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Plenty of times. Hundreds over the last 16 years of playing...as I said in a previous post, some nights I am a singer who pretends to be a guitarist, other nights I am a guitarist who pretends to be a singer! Thankfully more often than not I manage to just about pull both off :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Last Sat. was Easter eve. My whole Band had an off "set". Thank God it stopped there. Set up, expecting a slow night because it was "Easter eve.", but just happened we're booked in a large room. Huge. We'd packed if before, but it was "Easter eve." Kicked off the first song, I'm getting a huge buzz in my monitor. Worked through a few songs, complained, sure enough, it's in the mains too. Kicked off a song I sing and go to the mic and go.......... BRAINDEAD......... I've sang this song a million times and missed the first verse. Didn't have a clue. Drummer dropped a stick, ect., ect. Hard to troubleshoot during the show, but narrowed it down to the bassplayers line out LoZ cord going to the board. By the time the second set got there, and a few brewskys, we had it fixed and a pretty good crowd showed up late. We kicked butt the rest of the night. Glad they were late. Yep. It happens........ Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aj_newkirk Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I've had plenty of off nights. For me the ones that stick out in memory are always the ones that occur on gig nights, when I can't just call it a night and watch tv. I've gotten a bit better at recovering from it over the past 5 years by learning to pay attention to things other than my playing. Watching the folks on the dance floor, watch the games on the pool tables..anything other than watching my fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6stringTom Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Definitely have off nights. if I think I'm just exhausted, I play a little while and then quit. If I'm not concentrating, I usually keep on playing, and eventually the music will sometimes take over whatever was distracting me. These nights sometimes turn out pretty well. Sometimes my hands are just stiff and the path from my brain to my hands seems to be short-circuited. Sometimes I work through that and have a good session. Other times I give up. I have found that pushing myself through these rough sessions often pays off with a really super night a day or two later. I can't prove the good night wouldn't have happened anyway, but I think playing as many nights as possible is critical to the really good sessions. I should add that I am referring to playing in my home, not to performing in public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertjohn Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Karen. I'm still working towards an "on" night! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR GIBS Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I have the same thing, only it happents to me in the mornings. I love (but this is not happening every morning for a pitty) to wake me up and first thing - to get a guitar and to play and sing a song. In the best mornings I play&sing "Here comes the sun" with no mistake. But not every time. Some mornings, days, nights my hands are just like "standing on my way". It obviously happents to most of the guitar players. I particulary hate this phenomena when it occurs on the rare occasions when I must play&sing on stage before audience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I have the same thing' date=' only it happents to me in the mornings. I love (but this is not happening every morning for a pitty) to wake me up and first thing - to get a guitar and to play and sing a song. In the best mornings I play&sing "Here comes the sun" with no mistake. But not every time. Some mornings, days, nights my hands are just like "standing on my way". It obviously happents to most of the guitar players. I particulary hate this phenomena when it occurs on the rare occasions when I must play&sing on stage before audience. [/quote'] This generally happens when you're not warmed up properly physically. That's why your hands "stand in your way" in the morning. It is like your brain knows what to do but your hands don't. That's because playing involves "muscle memory". You learn to play without thinking because your physical movements are so familiar through practice that your hands "just go there". When you aren't warmed up physically or you are just physically disconnected, that physical muscle memory breaks down. So if you're having "one of those nights".... you can do a two things: 1) Go to bed 2) Do a physical warm up - whatever gets your body wide awake and aware Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Karen. I'm still working towards an "on" night! If you ever experience one' date=' please enlighten me. I have no idea what one would be like.... [img']http://katamaridemocracy.files.wordpress.com/2009/02/nudge1.jpg[/img] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 GG, How many of those Canadian beers did you have first???? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EdgarHF Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Would you rather have an off night at a time like ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Sometimes it's the stress of the day, sometimes it's what you've eaten or haven't eaten... It's a blood glucose thing, even for non-diabetics. Could be too much caffeine makin' you a bit jittery. I get that once in a while. Your wrist is on the mend, probably got a muscle or tendon that got lazy, not bein used or just being cranky about haven't to go back to work. Could be your brain is goin'g "What If I can't play again... then what do you know, you've forgotten the next chord."Could be just an 'off night'. Having an off night? Better to put the baby down before you el-kabong her up agin the wall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 I have way more off days than good ones, but then I have a full time job with too young children and an addiction to these forums... There's alot to be said for practice! Flight959 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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