Don’t get in a flap – it’s not unusual for your progress to slow down now and again. Every musician, whatever what their musical preference, knows the symptoms. One fine day it dawns on you that you’ve performed the same old thing for a long time, and you are not getting any better. On top of that, you’re not trying to add other tunes to your repertoire. What’s going on here? You’ve hit a full stop, attained your level, you’re stuck, doomed never to get any better and attain your ambition, which is to be hailed as the greatest guitar master that ever played.
Is there something you can do?
Well, of course there is. At least, let me give you some idea of what works in my case. As you can possible guess, a lot of it is based in the mind, unless you are just practicing so much that you are physically fed up of playing! Some master players, like BB King, don’t practice for hours, and just perform. By the way, he also confided that he’s afraid each time he plays, as he thinks that ‘this time it won’t work’ and ‘I’m just not good enough’.
Try and leave it alone!
Of course this is a difficult thing to do for us guitarists. Many of the best guitarists indicate that they played licks and songs a countless number of times to be at the top (and I’m sure it’s true), so you have to practice until we’re exhausted, don’t we? Right and wrong.
It’s true that we are improving and reinforcing the muscular skills by putting our hands on the right strings again and again, but if these actions are mechanical, without the passion behind it, then it’s not productive. Get the mind trained – why are you learning guitar? You play because it’s your passion.
Relax for a few days. Forget that complicated song you’ve been trying to learn. After a week or so not playing, you’ll possibly find that the music just comes naturally.
Its beneficial to revisit the first steps
Inevitably, when we improve in our playing, more basic things that we do are taken as learned as we improve our skills. As we progress, we can get a little loose with our basic ways of playing, which have a beauty all of their own. Return to them and re-learn them. Explore the music of the old masters and understand how their techniques were based on solid foundations.
Play really simple stuff for a week or so, but play it with feeling and give attention to every little detail.
Get Comfortable Playing Your Playing.
When you are at ease with the music, then it flows and comes naturally. Each one of us can get better, but its a fact that we all have a boundary of playing ability. Recognition of this and assimilating it, will make you at ease. Talk to “perhaps I can’t progress further – I’ll make sure that the the music I do perform the very best it can be.” After you get into this state of mind, you’ll progress! It’s almost supernatural!
There are many levels of expertise, and we can’t always be the best. Someone once said “if just the best birds sang in the forest, it would be a be very quiet place indeed”. Know your level of expertise and be content with it. Every one of us is unique and will produce unique sounds. Eric Clapton is often hailed a fantastic blues guitarist, but when playing the acoustic guitar, Tommy Emmanuel makes him seem merely adequate.
Of Course, It’s Mostly In Our Thoughts.
Its not certain where I’m going with this tip, but let me tell you a little tale. When I was a young man, I played along with a friend of mine, who was always less proficient than I was. It was because I practiced much more than he did back then. I loved ‘Police Dog Blues’ by Blind Blake but for me at that time it was too tricky to tackle.
This friend of mine moved abroad and perhaps 11 months after he left, while talking on the phone, he casually told me that he had taught himself ‘Police Dog’. The idea that a ‘less capable’ guitar player had learned this song was difficult to take. I picked up the guitar and taught myself the song in around three days. This is not a testimony to my talents, but rather an indictment of my faulty way of thinking. Most musicians have quite a lot of of arrogance, and quite a sizable ego.
This needs to be understood, controlled and channeled to the good side of the Force!
Play With Other Guitar Players.
It’s great to play with other musicians from several of ways of thinking. Primarily, it’s great fun. There aren’t many things more enjoyable than like jamming along with other guitar players, even when it brings along a sense of competition. This competition is motivating. While playing in a group, musicians are aware of each others capabilities. We all have our strong and weak points, and the wise player reinforces your strength with his own. He will also attempt to hide your weakness, and the overall sound can be a wonderful example of synergy – this signifies that the result is greater than all it’s parts added together.
If the guitarists are more proficient than you, then this will gently stretch you, giving you new ideas and helping you progress.
Play Away Your Normal Style.
I heartily condone this one, as it’s a lot of fun. If you normally play blues, then learn some jazz. If you are a picker, then become a temporary strummer. I think you know what I mean. Now and again we get fixed in one track and say that we are this or that kind of guitarist. We just play the guitar and learning various musical techniques can only aid you to play higher standard.
Take It Easy.
Relax. It’s not that important. You won’t play excellent guitar if you are too stressed or too heavy about it. Some of the modern blues men can be particularly intense and I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because we would like to play the same as the classic blues players and that kind of outlook goes with the territory. Don’t get bogged down with that kind of thinking. You will never be be the old blues man, because the way we live is very different. Be yourself, that’s all that has to be done – the rest will come.
