Stuck in a rut.......:(

[Nicksan]

Ive been playing guitar for around 22 years and have had no problem with creating my own riffs and songs, just recently I have been in a rut.
I have been stuck playing these bizarre fast solos, probably due to listening to lots of Malsteen and Satriani. I have considered buying a bunch of classical music and drowning myself in it to change style or something.
Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[tourettes5139]

Yeah, crappy music will do that to you. (sorry! )

Try listening to something that you have NEVER listened to before. Something completely out of character for you. Try listening to grunge stuff. That seems like the opposite of what you have been into lately. Just an idea for ya.

 

[rpe]

Try out some alternate tunings. I recently discovered DADGAD (low to hi) which is used for many celtic tunes. Check it out you may like it!!!

rpe

 

[thewanderer24]

My opinion is that if you wanna get out of the wanky sounding guitar solos, listen to soloists on other instruments that you like. More importantly, learn to play those solos, including all the subtle articulations, phrasing, etc. on your guitar. That will open up new ideas for you.

I suggest you get a copy of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"

That Album has Miles, Coltrane, Cannonball Adderly and Bill Evans. Every one of those guys is an absolute monster soloist with scary chops. You won't really hear any big chops solos on that album, though.

The solos on there are GREAT (All Blues might be the best collection of solos I've ever heard in a song), and all of them are based far more on developing cool melodic ideas than on chops. Incredible phrasing, articulation, etc. The songs on there are mostly simple reharmonized blues progressions, also, not 32 bars of harmonic gymnastics.

 

[mshilarious]

Ive been playing guitar for around 22 years and have had no problem with creating my own riffs and songs, just recently I have been in a rut.
I have been stuck playing these bizarre fast solos, probably due to listening to lots of Malsteen and Satriani. I have considered buying a bunch of classical music and drowning myself in it to change style or something.
Anyone have any suggestions?

Sure, pick up the score to Debussy's piano works. When you can rip out "Reflets dans l'eau", I'll be impressed

 

[IronFlippy]

Sure, pick up the score to Debussy's piano works. When you can rip out "Reflets dans l'eau", I'll be impressed

I studied "The Afternoon of a Faun" at the end of last semester. That stuff is out there......

Nicksan, I don't recommend going to classical from Malmsteen, because that's where he's coming from. Some blues might be something for you to go into. Any of the 3 kings (BB, Albert, Freddie), Muddy Waters, etc. Or maybe some jazz/rock fusion may be up your alley. But yes, you do have the right idea in getting into another style.

 

[c7sus]

Buy an OM-42.

You'll think of something after that.

 

[pikingrin]

Or try playing with some different effects... Go get The Mars Volta's album "Deloused in the Comatorium" and get down with some of that. It's not as graceful as Coltrane and co. BUT it's different, and it's pretty out there...

 

[ez_willis]

I recently discovered DADGAD (low to hi) which is used for many celtic tunes. Check it out you may like it!!!

rpe

I like it!


Don't forget that the capo is your friend, too.

 

[Sirnothingness]

When I get in a rut, I go back to basics and spend long times just running through patterns and things. I've also put the guitar down for about a week and usually come back feeling refreshed and playing better.

 

[olfunk]

I suggest you get a copy of Miles Davis' "Kind of Blue"

i cannot second that quote enough. it is without a doubt, the best album ever! it takes a few listens to appreciate what the fuss is about, but after that, your whole way of thinking about music will change. FACT!

 

[TheRockDoc]

Ive been playing guitar for around 22 years and have had no problem with creating my own riffs and songs, just recently I have been in a rut.
I have been stuck playing these bizarre fast solos, probably due to listening to lots of Malsteen and Satriani. I have considered buying a bunch of classical music and drowning myself in it to change style or something.
Anyone have any suggestions?

I don't think listening to Paganini will help you get away from Malmsteen in a hurry... blues based, on the other hand, will put you squarely in the other half of what 80's shred was about. New rock music, sadly, is completely void of blues.

I feel your pain, man... I have been playing for 25 years, and still tend to be addicted to the wank. I didn't even acknowledge retiring from the 80's until 1996 . This is what has helped me with Y2K+ zen...

My best tools for recovery so far have been:
-Take the pictures of Doro Pesch, Vixen and Lita Ford off the wall
-finding a drummer who can play more contemporary beats, or write your own different beats.
-I write a song as it comes out of me naturally- like 'free writing', but without riffing over the chords and when the lead part comes up I STOP...remove it and write an entirely new section of the song.
-realize that if you are truly trying to communicate something in your music, it can only qualify if the person on the other end wants to or is willing to listen
-think rythmically and percussively with your leads- listen to the drums instead of the rythym guitar tracks
-go to open mic nights and sit in with guys who are completely different and play WITH them- don't strut your stuff. Use it as a mental challenge.

Waiting for an 80's comeback? with fat old longhair hairpieces playing 5 bands on a bill like an oldies revival? We'll have to sit in the park playing checkers talking about the good old days...

 

[thewanderer24]

i cannot second that quote enough. it is without a doubt, the best album ever! it takes a few listens to appreciate what the fuss is about, but after that, your whole way of thinking about music will change. FACT!

It certainly worked that way for me. I bought it, listened to it a few times, and didn't really "get it." Wound up on a shelf for a while. I wound up in a rut myself a couple years ago, revisited that album, and it's hardly left my que in the last 2+ years. I really can't even think of another album in any genre I'd mention as being in the same league. It is as close to perfect as any piece of music can be frozen in time. I actually transcribed one of the sax solos in All Blues for my bass a while back. Great great exercise.

Anyway, Kind of Blue might not be that album for everyone, but what I said about finding solos from people on other instruments than your own definitely applies to everyone wanting to grow.

 

[Nicksan]

Thaks for all the suggestions.
Regarding miles davis, I didnt know it was jazz, went to the website and found some downloadable MP3`s. I will give it a try, a change in any direction is a plus as far as I am concerned.

 

[ibleedburgundy]

If you want some new ideas about harmonies and chord progressions it never hurts to listen to the great JS Bach. I would recommend the Brandenburg Concerto's and the lute suites (most often played on classical guitar).

For a completely different flavor, try listening to a Brahms Piano Concerto. I really like his second. Very emotional and dramatic, gesturing, nuancing, dynamic.

If you want inspiration as to how to make a song into a journey, to make your music live and breath, listen to Beethoven's third, first movement. That piece is monumental in music history IMO. A major turning point.

Good luck bro! Classical music is infinite, step in the door and you will never be bored again.

 

[sweetpeee]

try humming the notes in your solo...it's more accessible to your average listener as opposed to other guitar players....

J.P.

 

[TheRockDoc]

try humming the notes in your solo...it's more accessible to your average listener as opposed to other guitar players....

J.P.

On my way home tonight, I was thinking about this thread. It resonates with some recent challenges I've had.

I remember studying jazz many years ago and was very into singing along like George Benson. I planned on posting that- and you beat me to it!

My twist, however would be to hum/sing it BEFORE you play it- not just along with it. You will be articulating what's in your head.

 

[beezelbubba]

Get Stravinsky's"Rite of Spring"!
It will change your life!

 

[EddieRay]

If your playing is mostly single-note melodic riffs, try listening to Chet Atkins, Michael Hedges, or ....(drawing blanks). Lose the pick for a while. The style is whole-chord movement which contains the melody, harmonies, and bass-line. If you have an acoustic guitar you might even add persussive rhythm.

 

[beezelbubba]

In all seriousness,I recommend dropping acid at least once!