Don’t seem to have a lot of the “want to” to when it comes to playing these days. Anyone else experiencing the same, or after all these years, have they finally succeeded in breaking my spirit?
Yes me. I’ve lost all interest.I just don’t see the fuckin point anymore
That is probably the saddest thing I read today.
Why?
On the contrary — watched a two hour live broadcast analysis of the Apollo 13 score this morning, and I’m all inspired to write music and study James Horner. So much beauty to enjoy.
I’ve always found that blasting a tune out on the guitar or piano is a good release for emotional energy. Move towards the light! 
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In a rare moment of consensus, I agree with Peter on this one.
When life hands you lemons, make lemonade, or better still, schnapps!
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Schnapps? Limoncello surely?
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i thought schnapps was made with pears, apples, peaches, plums, cherries etc. - not citrus fruits - but i expect times have changed and i’m not up with all these new-fangled drinking trends
I’ve always went through phases of being extremely inspired and busy with music. With lulls inbetween Somehow since this corona thing started my attention has been fixed on the developments and changes taking place in the world and this has somehow put the brakes on any creativity I had. I keep hoping it will return.
Amen! It surely quiets the beast within, maybe one of the only truly worthwhile things we do not part of surviving this matrix. I find it cancels negative thoughts out.
Just grab an instrument and play, without a goal except enjoying playing, like when you first started playing music. You can’t always control writing inspiration or practice progression, but you can always play a tune or noodle for fun.
I remember Santana used to video record his whole daily practice/jam session, and save any gems that came through, then just record over the next day…surprising what turns up accidently when you don’t try. He used video so he saw exactly HOW he played it afterwards (more important on stringed instruments with multiple note positions)
Slightly OT but I read this interesting technique for focusing your mind before a practice/writing session:
Some body somewhere said writing music (or possibly improvising, I forget 
) was just a matter of tuning thru different radio stations in your brain and stopping on one you like…maybe distracting thoughts stop you tuning in to the vast multiverse of unwritten tunes?
Thanks for the input, like Bob said, my inspiration, or motivation if you will, to play kind of comes and goes.
I think part of the problem now is how I tend to be a little overly sensitive on things sometimes. Because of that, I find it a bit depressing to be out and about these days. The traffic around here used to drive me nuts, but now, I can pretty much get to anywhere on this island in about 40 minutes. My joy in how easy it is to get around is soon diminished by the realization that it’s due to the fact that things are so screwed up here right now, and will be for at least a couple of years. Mixed in with that is the people I encounter aren’t as happy as they used to be. Seems everyone is walking around in a bit of daze.
The other problem I have is I have this nagging feeling that the worst is yet to come. I’ve long felt that the trajectory we were on around the planet was unsustainable and that a major correction was coming. I thought I would have been long gone before that happened, but turns out I was wrong again.
Hey, this place is looking halfway respectable these days.
When I’m not feeling it anymore, I find that it’s a result of losing touch with the sort of music that ignited me to play in the first place. I mean, whatever music really grabs me and resonates with me today as a listener. Being an atheist, I have zero issue with going so far to describe it as being spiritual. If I were to have a god, it would be that stuff in music that makes me feel human.
If you aren’t feeling it, maybe slag off playing for a bit and all else that is reasonable to put off, and get back in touch with falling in love with music as a listener, wherever that takes, forgetting the labels and how it relates to how you might see yourself today as a player.
Right now, this is catching me ear.
But this is catching my heart.
And this is doing both.
Neither of the first two are within my current realm, but hearing them ignite me to play the things that I play.
Aww sweet Sue, damn look at that crowd, good for her.
I’ve been in a deep well of sadness lately and for some time, but playing helps, it’s like you have to just dive in, see how deep you can go and what you find there. Currently working on Bridge of Sighs, next up Angel from Montgomery, if I survive those I need to try Walking on Sunshine. 
Cold wind blow, and gods look down in aaaanger on this poor child…
Bridge of Sighs from Robin Trower?
If yes, that’s one of those songs that when I first heard it, I had to sit down and listen. Great song.
Are you going to record and post when you’re done?
Oh yah, that’ll make the hair on the back of your neck stand up, huh? I imagine I’ll be chipping away at it for a while, although neither the riffs nor the singing are that hard I’m having a lot of trouble doing them together.
Can you record the riffs, then go back and record the vocals?
Sure, but the whole point to me is to be able to perform it. I just think at this point it’s the only way forward for me… I’m a pretty good drummer, who cares, an OK guitarist in a world full of amazing guitarists, who cares, an OK-ish singer, no range or technique to speak of but at my best I can sell a song IMO, in a world full of great singers, who gives a flyin’ fuck… but not everyone can sing and play and butcher the leads all at the same time. 
Plus I love it. It’s a real challenge and those few seconds of flow I get here and there is awesome. Makes me feel like a reeeeal musician, not just a drummer anymore.
Looking to learn it? It’s at ultimateguitar etc. IIRC you play Little Wing, yah? It’s way easier than that. Get nicely toasted, hit every pedal you got, and just listen to those notes hang in the air… 
Totally understand that, and a little pissed you’re able to do that, I still can’t sing along with stuff I’ve been playing for years. I can play Mr. Bojangles, Dust In The Wind, stuff like that in my sleep, but when I try to sing while I’m playing, forget about it!!!
I’ll give the tab a look see, if I come up with anything half way decent, I’ll let you know.
Maybe two guitars harmonizing on those riffs???