I can relate to so much that's been said in this thread. I think most of us feel this way at some point or another.

Before the recent "Pointy vs Paddle" duel, I was hardly playing guitar. There's even a video floating around of me struggling to play a scale.

And the worst part?

I was starting to think that guitar wasn't for me. I literally considered selling all my guitars and finding another hobby. No jokes.

But then something comes along and kicks you in the butt. For me it was:

• The duel
• Seeing Albert Frost (and some other awesome blues guys) live
• A few other things

But nothing helped more than the duel. It was GRUELLING and I'm certain I lost the duel but I won something more valuable than that: I'm back in a playing groove and I'm LOVING it again.

@Hasie Like you, I'm a metal-head and, like you, I haven't bothered trying to play it because I know I'll suck. Well that changed with this challenge and I ended up playing a lot of metal-ish riffs. And it was MAD fun!

Look the lead still kicked my ass six ways from Sunday but the rhythm was tons of fun.

So that's what I'd recommend and others have said the same thing in other ways: Find what inspires you. If it's metal, pick up a bass guitar or learn some rhythm and just go for it. Learn the rhythm for one song, from beginning to end. And if there's a particularly hard part? Leave it out! Who cares?! You'll have so much fun playing the rest that it won't matter.

I hope something "clicks" for you again as it's done for all of us at one point or another. Good luck and keep posting here if you struggle. We'll do what we can to help ?

Hasie The past year and a half things changed a little. I had my first child and work just got busy. So after working until late on most days and every weekend for months, spending time with the family when there was/is a bit of time, the guitar love faded.

Hasie, I think this is normal man. We also had our first kid about a year after I started playing. If you are a bedroom player (like me) there are always going to be more "important" things that will try and push your hobbies to the backburner.

In my experience having a kid also eats up so much time that it is impossible to get to everything, and when I don't get to everything, I just don't beat myself up about it. Unless it's your job, there are always going to be more urgent things than playing guitar, but it is important to look after yourself as well.

It has taken me (and the wife) a long time to figure out how to chisel out some "me-time" for ourselves every day. And it doesn't always work out, but we have tried hard to make that space for each other. Prior to this I would always feel guilty playing guitar when I know there are more productive things I should be doing ---- that road leads to unhappiness.

So I don't really have much advice, but don't feel guilty when picking up the guitar, keeping yourself happy and sane is just as important as all the other things on your to-do list!

The passion for music/guitar exists outside of the actual playing. I know that doesn't really make sense... but herewith the story to the statement above:

I've been playing guitar for about 10 to 15 years now... Not even 100% sure anymore.

I only started playing because of church. I've played in youth bands and churches and events at churches.
Along my journey (Don't stop believin') I've had times where I've wanted to throw in the towel... Like when I meet someone who has been playing for a year and they are FAAAAR superior to me in terms of guitar playing, musicality etc.

I have spent at least the last 3 years feeling "stunted" in my musical growth due to playing only in the church environment where most of the music is pretty simple and doesn't require a lot of learning new techniques. I look at my gear and think "maybe it's time to pack it in since I'm not 'amazing' and not really progressing". I've been self employed for like 18 months, with having run a business on the sidelines for a couple of years before that. Time has been at a premium cost for me for many of the last few years... so time to "learn" new things has been VERY limited. Resulting in only really learning stuff I need for playing in the church environment.

But I've continued playing... Weekly church band practices and church services have meant a LOT of playing for me (compared to bedroom warriors).

Has playing a lot helped keep the passion going? Not really... Because it is a little like a "job" when you are committed to an organisation that you serve musically. The passion has come and gone even through times of playing a lot. Sometimes I'm really amped to pick up my guitar and play... other times it's more of a "meh" thing.

So I think the passion has to exist outside of the playing and it should flow through into the playing.

I do however think that committing to something like a church band or band band or something like that HELPS carry you through the dry spells.

NorioDS Thanks man. I love all this feedback and advice.

V8 I tell myself there's a balance. Creative pursuits require energy, if you are using all your energy on family and work, there's little left for developing one's own pursuits. Personally, I need to spend more time on exercising, a healthier me = more energy. I'm not gonna get the kinda cardio workout I need playing guitar!

Everyone is different in that requirement - I've recently got serious about my diet (zero gluten, avoiding processed sugars) which has had a major effect on my lifestyle. Means I spend more time cooking and less playing, but I've found I have more energy. Less time playing playing, but far more inspired fun.

V8.. soooooo much good things in your post..

but must agree on Diet the most, a decent diet be It LCHF or LFHC or vegan etc.. cut the sugar and processed food, and your life becomes a Vastly different, take care of your mind and body, and your soul (passions) find wings.

and find balance in your life between, job, social life, and hobbies, and have several ( for me my Main hobbies at the moment are cycling, guitars ,pc's, and reading, in no particular order,and a try spending a little time between them all, it helps me not been in a rut on one or the other).. and don't make your hobby a job.. surest way to kill the passion,

try not to play in a vacuum, get a sexy short music teacher (like me), or play in a band, play stuff you like, and stuff that pushes your boundaries. and for those with kids, play with them.. get rocksmith and a second cable.. etc.

there are so many ways to keep playing, and to make time for playing, I think most of the time.. when we say we don't have time, we forget about those hours we spent watching our favourite Tv series on the couch doing nothing else.....

and I'm no great guitar player.. I suck.. but I know myself and i know how I like procrastinating.. and i think alot of us do just that..but the last year and a half of me taking charge of my health has taught me, there is no day like today to start, you have to be disciplined, and consistent or you will fail, and try to keep those cheat days to a minimum.. they will happen, life happens, man up own your faults, work on them, and realize when you are in a rut, and try something new, a different approach..

Hope my ramblings make sense, and you can take away something,

I was in the space. Sometimes go months without touching a fiddle.. but then it comes back and i will sit everynight. What really helps me is jamming along to my favourite tunes. So portability became very important. Particularly with a toddler i the house.

Youre in PTA right? Jam mates help too. Even if its talking shit over a beer. Cool to just plug in and make a bit of noise.

For the PTA folks.. we really should have a meet n jam.

Btw.. im a metal head too.. but really enjoy playing blues rock type stuff now.. cant even tell you why... i think it pulled me out of my rut..

guidothepimmp Thanks man. We should try and do a PTA jam. Even if there's more beer and shit talking than jamming. Maybe once a month. Use the netball or rugby field at a school - a place to use your full stack if you have one.

Having a baby in the house means playing with headphones or a small amp at very low volumes, which is just not the same as having a loud amp in the room - loud headphones does not have the same effect. This is just something to accept as it is and move on.

I've actually never tried playing my favourite bands' songs. I can do some chord melody stuff and blues, but don't really listen to those genres.

Many of the forum okes suggested playing the music I like. I think it's time to try and learn the songs from the album that really got me "lus" for starting out. It would mean buying a 7-string, but maybe that's just what I need to do.

Hasie Maybe once a month. Use the netball or rugby field at a school - a place to use your full stack if you have one.

Must a a rehearsal studio around there somewhere? No clean-up, peeps can arrive/leave when they want, etc...I like the idea, might even do something Cpt side (though Capetonians never pitch up ? )

Hasie I think it's time to try and learn the songs from the album that really got me "lus" for starting out. It would mean buying a 7-string, but maybe that's just what I need to do.

Doooooooo it! A few options spring to mind - Re-string one of your 6's with a heavier set - I did this last year, was a lot of fun! Went for a B low string and just left off the high e (since I'd hardly use it for nu-metal/djent grooves).

Otherwise the Ibby Gio range has a really decent and cheap 7. And there was a guy selling new Schechter's for R4500 - sure he's still got a few 7's.

When you get back into - feel free to poke me for a brief skype, I've some skill at the right hand/left hand percussive muting thing you'll want to get down for the rhythm bits.

Another option is to try get more regular forum meetups happening. Here in the vaal some guys did a band meetup thing... They organised a drumkit, small PA and people just came and went throughout the day... Drummers took turns... Guitarists, bass guitarists etc all took turns. They organised it all via a whatsapp group.

warrenpridgeon for a while we piggy-backed off of @slowpoet's Meetup events. Those sounded like fun. Never went but I liked how Adrian organised the songs to practise, etc. Coz herding guitarists is not dissimilar to herding cats ?

Looks like the last one was October:
https://www.meetup.com/en-AU/Joburg-North-Recreational-Musicians/

@slowpoet, you keen to start these up again? I'll happily post about them in the newsletters.

V8 Must a a rehearsal studio around there somewhere?

Gregory Wall has rehearsal space a few k's from my house. But if paying to use a space, then it needs to be worthwhile - structured.

Hasie I'd be interested in sponsoring that, depending on the costs. Keen to find out?

Definitely... just a thought on 7 strings.. i know budgets can be tight with a little one in the house. Not sure how many fiddles you have.. i just started messing with alternate tunings. Cheaper than shelling out dosh for a 7string which becomes a bit of a niche thing. E# for airbourne, E for normal stuff, E flat for a lot of the 80s rock and metal.. D.. drop C for those KSE moments lol...
Amps wise.. what always bothered me about low volume jamming.. the tine sucked. Sounded nothing like what I wanted.. and as a result.. because it didnt sound good.. i didnt like playing it. Enter the yamaha thr10. Bam.. instant rockout. These days.. there is the blackstar ID, yamahas, katana etc to chooose from.. but it really helped having a tiny amp that i could plug my mp3 into.. and jam along with authentic sound.. without irritating the guys in the next province

Gregs place is a storage locker with an elevated platform that has the drum kit. Not sure what he charges to use the space.

At some point we had a weekend warrior type jam going once a month or so . Was cool to just plug in and jam. But alas.. yrying to coordinate all the dads times became an issue.

Thinking about it.. if it became a relatively common occurrence to get together and jam.. it actually makes sense to hire a locker. Assume its R1000 a month.. split 6or 7 ways.. not much a month for a space.

guidothepimmp True - I have not found a storage unit with electricity outlets yet, but haven't looked very far.
I do have a Blackstar IDCORE 10. It sound great, but I still like a room filled with sound for some reason. I may just have to get used to the headphones thing for now.

Due to limited space for cables/pedals and to hide it from the tiny curious hands every time after playing, I'm thinking about swinging all the pedals and Blackstar for something like a Zoom G3Xn and play with headphones. And if and when I want sound, just plug in the PC speakers or the soundbar.

I'd love to organise meetups, but I can't find a space to have it. Some place where people can make some noise (aka music) in private because it wouldn't be an open mic type thing. And where the (possible) drums don't drown everyone out. That doesn't cost too much.

Sadly the office that was helping us last year can't do so any longer.

slowpoet OK cool so let's see what Greg charges and then we can try that at least once, depending on the cost.