Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum

At The Back => Time Out => Topic started by: JDC on July 09, 2009, 03:35:14 PM

Title: guitar off days
Post by: JDC on July 09, 2009, 03:35:14 PM
well today my guitar playing just sounds awful to me, other days I can do mindless shredding as good as anyone else, sweeping seems to be the least consistent even though I've been doing it for over a year or two now

rusted string probably doesn't help, I think fresh string rings out more and so drowns out any tiny bits of noise from other strings, but there has to be something I can do?

how often do you guys have off days?
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Twinfan on July 09, 2009, 03:45:46 PM
Now again, occassionally when it's a gig.  Which is an arse.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Philly Q on July 09, 2009, 04:20:53 PM
About 365 times a year.  Sometimes 366.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: ToneMonkey on July 09, 2009, 04:23:43 PM
Every day for about 15 years
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Antag on July 09, 2009, 05:30:43 PM
I do have days when I feel terribly fat-fingered & can't seem to play even the most basic lead line or chord progression without making mistakes.

Often it's because I have loads of other stuff buzzing in my head or I'm trying to record something quickly.  Best way around it is to sit down & concentrate on tempo/timing.  Force myself to play something at a tempo that feels slow, but given my state of mind is probably how it should be played.  Tension plays a part - take a deep breath (& remember to breathe while you're playing!), loosen your wrists, don't grip the pick so hard it's in danger of breaking etc...

Also, it helps to remind myself that I play guitar for FUN.  It's what I do to relax.  I have no deadlines & if I'm trying to record something, I can take as long as I like over it.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: 38thBeatle on July 09, 2009, 06:58:36 PM
Yeah don't worry about it, I get days like that when nothing sounds right and my rhythm is all over the place. I am in trouble if it happens at a gig but thankfully those times are rare.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Henk on July 09, 2009, 07:29:26 PM
Not long ago i let go alot of my effects to buy others, really dumbass plan, now i constantly 'need' some sound i got from them.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: MDV on July 09, 2009, 09:18:16 PM
Today

Havent played for a week or so though.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: dave_mc on July 09, 2009, 11:04:41 PM
every so often, yeah. Normally when I'm tired or something like that. :(
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: WezV on July 09, 2009, 11:09:00 PM
some days everything is just awesome - it would be rude to ask for that all the time :P
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: indysmith on July 09, 2009, 11:21:44 PM
I only really play guitar for about a week every 6!
If I'm not feeling it I just don't.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: CaptainDesslock on July 10, 2009, 05:57:08 AM
I don't really have "guitar off days,"

With my skills its not possible to get any worse :) That being said, my voice is strangely temperamental and has on/off days.  Theirs been times where I'll wake and and be like LAAAAA and its perfect, and others where I'll warm up and everything and still not sound 100%.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Tellboy on July 10, 2009, 08:42:39 AM
Yep - certainly get those.

Also seem to get occasional amp off days where after getting a good sound with certain settings on an amp I switch it on the next day and it sounds pants even though I've not touched the controls. Could be cr@p supply voltage fluctuations or more likely how I'm feeling when I play.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: TheIronBeast on July 10, 2009, 09:00:15 AM
I think everybody has off days once in a while. I usually get off days when I really can't be doing with them, like when at a band rehearsal or a gig  :lol:
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: MrBump on July 10, 2009, 09:40:07 AM
Personally, when the muse isn't with me, I just put the guitar down.

It's not worth the anguish when you're trying to play something, and you're hitting all the right notes, but it's just not right.

It's a bummer, because my life's full and pretty busy, and when you make a little time for the guitar and the magic isn't there, it's rough.

Mark.
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: Will on July 10, 2009, 12:59:38 PM
Yeah, some days the guitar is just wrong. Its not me or anything :)

TBH everybody has off days, it happens
Title: Re: guitar off days
Post by: JDC on July 10, 2009, 07:37:11 PM
I've decided it's a hand sync problem and got the metronome out and practice everything at 150bpm until it's tight as hell and analysis the every single detail of my playing even more than usual

I tend to shred at 200 to 220bpm but at 150 it seems to be right in between my normal speed and my shred speed so technique at this speed is less refined, or at least you can hear mistakes more than when the notes are whizzing by at higher speeds