Playing Guitar is NOT Like Riding A Bike

**Double 07** · 07-26-2012, 12:49 PM

You know how it's said that you never forget how to ride a bike? Well...

Been working 10+ hour days 6 days a week and other things keeping me away from playing my guitar for some time now. I get home from work and I'm exhausted trying to take care of other things in life and get ready for the next days work ugh. So I haven't even picked up my guitar in about 6 months now. I'm sure that's the longest I've gone without playing since I started playing over 20 years ago.

I went into Guitar Center the other day to buy some strings, picked up a guitar to play, plugged into an amp and instantly realized how out of practice I was

. It felt like a stranger instead of an old beloved friend, WOW

. Where is "that note" that used to just fall right under my fingers and come naturally to me?

What was that cool riff I used to play over this chord?

Moral to this story: There's no substitute for time on the instrument / regular consistent practice. Got to keep up a steady regular practice regimen to "keep your head in it," and keep your chops up, and progress on the instrument. I'm going to be finding a way to get back to that like I used to. Practicing at least one hour per day minimum, believe that.

**ESCC** · 07-26-2012, 01:31 PM

I feel your pain.

The 1 hour a day may still be elusive, however, something that helped me was to keep a guitar on a stand (not in a case) located in a frequently used room of the house. Even on a busy day, I have no excuse not to pick the guitar up for 10 minutes and practice or play a song or two, and usually more than once a day. Not an ideal way to practice but prefer it to not playing.

**MarkRhodes** · 07-26-2012, 01:37 PM

It's not like riding a bike, that's for sure, but when you miss playing for awhile, it's not like you have to start over from scratch, either. Things come back as you resume practice and loosen up your fingers.

**Double 07** · 07-26-2012, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by markerhodes

It's not like riding a bike, that's for sure, but when you miss playing for awhile, it's not like you have to start over from scratch, either. Things come back as you resume practice and loosen up your fingers.

True, that's the good news.

I know once I get back to my dedicated regular playing regimen I'll be able to get back to where I was before long. The sad part for me though is, that is 6 months wasted where I could have progressed and gotten even better.

The passion for playing and for the music is what kept me so dedicated before but somehow because of other things going on I seem to have also lost some of my passion for it.

Don't know how to get that back?

**MarkRhodes** · 07-26-2012, 02:48 PM

Originally Posted by Double 07

T

The passion for playing and for the music is what kept me so dedicated before but somehow because of other things going on I seem to have also lost some of my passion for it.

Don't know how to get that back?

That will come back too. Fear not. You don't get the time back---no one ever does--but if you resume practice with dedication and passion, you may go further in the next three months than you otherwise might have gone in six, nine, or even a year. Keep pushing.

**Double 07** · 07-26-2012, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by markerhodes

That will come back too. Fear not. You don't get the time back---no one ever does--but if you resume practice with dedication and passion, you may go further in the next three months than you otherwise might have gone in six, nine, or even a year. Keep pushing.

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try but I know me and somehow I don't think no matter how far I go I'll ever get that passion back that I had before. It used to be a labor of love (beautiful) now sadly it just doesn't feel the same. Never thought I would say that but there it is.

**ESCC** · 07-26-2012, 03:31 PM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try but I know me and somehow I don't think no matter how far I go I'll ever get that passion back that I had before. It used to be a labor of love (beautiful) now sadly it just doesn't feel the same. Never thought I would say that but there it is.

Don't despair, it is cyclical for many of us hobbyist. I've gone a lot longer than six months without playing - try a decade- but the passion did come back and it is more enjoyable now than ever. If I reflect upon climbing out of my last dry-spell the biggest impetus for increasing the desire was (hard to believe but not a new guitar) an iPod and spending more time listening to music which increased my desire to play as well as learn new things . . . for what it's worth.

**pingu** · 07-26-2012, 03:32 PM

Get a gig booked in , in a month say ......
That will get the juices flowing ........
Its a wonderful motivator !

**djangoles** · 07-26-2012, 04:11 PM

I stopped for almost 7 years, did not pick it up once. Totally lost my passion for guitar, but not music. I started playing some other instruments at the time and writing more, but boy when I first picked it up again, I really sucked. It was like starting over again.

I can say this, that I have the passion more than ever now....it's all I think about all day and I try to get 3-4 hours in a day (if my girlfriend doesn't kill me first), While I could be bummed about all that lost time, I think the time away from guitar let me rediscover the things I love about music with fresh ear.

**edh** · 07-26-2012, 06:36 PM

I think I got all you guys beat. I stopped playing 15 yrs ago. For me it was work and life that got in the way of playing.

Now that I'm retired I picked up the guitar again. I know where the arpeggios, chords & notes are it's just getting my fingers to respond quickly.

I cringe when I think how much farther along I might have been if I had continued playing those 15 yrs.

**Nikkorico_03** · 07-27-2012, 06:28 PM

@edh, do you live in El Dorado Hills? Just guessing because that's your name and you live in California.

**edh** · 07-28-2012, 04:33 PM

San Jose Ca. is my place of residence.

**Double 07** · 07-29-2012, 07:31 PM

Well I dunno? It's been 3 days since I wrote the original post. Guitar is just sitting across the room but I still haven't played it even once. Before I would have found a way to have gotten a good 6 or 7 hours playing in during that time no matter what. Hope I find some inspiration soon?

**amusiathread** · 07-29-2012, 10:03 PM

Don't try to force inspiration, it happens when it's ready. Try dedicating a bit of time to listening to music attentitively, without distraction for an hour a day. Dust off some old favorite albums, listen to something new or different, but try to take some time to listen and enjoy. The greatest boost to my inspiration after a dry spell was listening to Stravinsky's Firebird. Doesn't matter what the music is that you choose, as long as you enjoy it.

**Double 07** · 07-30-2012, 12:52 AM

I listen to music almost every moment that I can already. Even when I'm busy with other tasks at home I usually have some music on in the background. Wen driving I'm also almost always listening to music. So an hour a day I've already got that beat by a long way. Thanks for the thought, it may help somebody, but for me I don't think that's the answer.

Anyway I've since figured out what's missing/bothering me why I'm not motivated/inspired musically right now but it's more personal, nothing to discuss on a forum like this.

**Badge** · 07-30-2012, 02:42 AM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Well I dunno? It's been 3 days since I wrote the original post. Guitar is just sitting across the room but I still haven't played it even once. Before I would have found a way to have gotten a good 6 or 7 hours playing in during that time no matter what. Hope I find some inspiration soon?

I'm not sure if you are doing this but: turn off the TV, make sure kids/ wife are in bed, turn off phone/ email, choose a tune you used to love and play well, pick up guitar and play. Do that 3 days in a row and you will be back in business.

**Double 07** · 08-07-2012, 02:23 AM

Finally picked up the axe again Monday and put in some practice time again. Well can't say the passion is all back like it used to be but I did notice some things that need work now. Mostly seems like backpicking and sweepicking suffered the most from my time away from playing. Things I had practiced so much before that they felt just as natural as picking forward or alternate picking

Also the whole fretboard visualization thing not as sharp as it used to be, ugh

. Well back to more boring exercises to get sharp on things I once had totally engrained in my brain and fingers

.

The only thing good that came out of it, if you can call it that, is now realizing things I was so good at before that seemed easy weren't really easy after all. Just the result of a lot of time on the instrument and dedication.

**Rustic** · 08-07-2012, 04:56 AM

I say this in the sweetest way, but if you didn't choose music, music choose you, then it will choose you again. Or it won't. I agree with the other postings that it is best not to force it, passion can't come from your conscious mind. My experience is that all things come and go in cycles. I've been thru a bunch of them: skiing, jazz bass, tango, singer/songwriter guitar, vocals, jazz guitar. All you can do is be honest with yourself and watch to see what happens next...

**Jazz335** · 08-07-2012, 06:28 PM

Originally Posted by Double 07

Well I dunno? It's been 3 days since I wrote the original post. Guitar is just sitting across the room but I still haven't played it even once. Before I would have found a way to have gotten a good 6 or 7 hours playing in during that time no matter what. Hope I find some inspiration soon?

I think it's just due to the fact that you want to practice 7 hours...go for 20 minutes 3 times a day, you'll be back on track in a few days...

**jovialspoon** · 08-07-2012, 11:59 PM

Hi Double-O.

There’s bound to be more than one way to get your guitar-mojo happening again, but Badge hit the nail on the head in an earlier reply – find a song you really, really love. And make your goal to play that song well. Not necessarily in a challenging chord/melody arrangement, maybe just the unaccompanied melody and nothing more (for now). Eventually we should all put in the effort with our scales, arpeggios, reading chops etc. But above all else, what is our purpose if not to make music we love? The guitar is our instrument, but the objective is to play music, not play the guitar. That probably sounds too obvious to be saying, but I know I for one have sometimes mistaken the means (the guitar) for the ends (the music). So find that song that makes you happy when you hear it, learn to play it, and there’s your reason for doing it.

**Double 07** · 08-11-2012, 01:26 AM

"Love" well eh Imm not really to big on that word right now.I guess that now makes me like most guys lol who getting the other thing without love suits them just fine. I'll probably be a bachelor forever.I Anyway I just like to play on a certain level that I know I'm capable of that's all. Well I hope music is what comes out when I play lol. I hope so anyway.