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Topic: Breaking out of the rut |
Jim Sliff
From:
Lawndale California, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 7:47 am |
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If you feel like your playing has hit "the wall" ( common term in music or business when you've just sort of run out ideas and are doing the same thing repeatedly, boring even *yourself*...) I've found that playing music in styles totally outside your "normal" style is the single best way to "relocate" your playing and come up with fresh ideas.
Stylistic challenges like playing unfamiliar music - even stuff you never listen to or even dislike - forces you to do things differently,and the things you find on the journey are amazingly adaptable to your "normal" playing.
You don't have to LIKE the music - it's part of a "lesson plan". I used to have all my students work up a song completely foreign to what they usually played.
Important note - I'm not talking about turning on a distortion pedal and playing along with rock songs; that's a trap, and a generalized vision of rock music many traditional players seem to fall into. I'm talking about using your normal rig at first, then maybe adding a few effects as you see fit. But it's amazing how a clean tone can fit styles outside the norm. Also, this particular example has nothing to do with rock.
I've been a huge proponent of Fender's GDec practice amps, which have dozens of backing tracks in a multitude of styles; those little amps are the single best practice tool (especially for improvising) I've ever found (some know I'm a Fender endorsee....but I didn't get mine from Artist Relations - I heard it in a store and bought it on the spot because I wanted it NOW). Best $280 I ever spent on a practice tool!
But this is at least as good, and it's FREE!
Guitar Center is running one of their annual "best unknown (fill in a style here) player" contest, and this time it's blues.
They had Pete Anderson create a couple dozen blues backing tracks that are distinctly different - blues is FAR more varied than most would think.
The best part - instead of signing up for the contest and getting a CD at the local GC store, you can DOWNLOAD every backing track for free.
Every one is different, with varied beats, keys, modulations, speed (and just about every one works great with a clean tone) - and again, there's NO cost.
I highly recommend downloading these and playing along with EVERY one - whether you're in a rut or not. I guarantee you'll come up with a few new ideas.
I hope folks who decide to play around with this idea find it helpful (and another kudo to Fender for the GDec amps - that is one of the best tools you can ever buy, and I highly recommend them).
http://gc.guitarcenter.com/kingoftheblues/tracks.cfm
_________________
No chops, but great tone
1930's/40's Rickenbacher/Rickenbacker 6&8 string lap steels
1921 Weissenborn Style 2; Hilo&Schireson hollownecks
Appalachian, Regal & Dobro squarenecks
1959 Fender 400 9+2 B6;1960's Fender 800 3+3+2; 1948 Fender Dual-8 Professional |
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Barry Blackwood
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 8:15 am
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Good thread, Jim. Hankey could learn a lot from this about how to write a clear, concise, informative, and thought-provoking topic.  |
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Jon Light (deceased)
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 8:22 am
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| Yes---there was a thread a few weeks ago linking to these Pete Anderson tracks. I've been using them. Real good grooves. |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 9:14 am
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+1 on the Pete Anderson tracks. Download 'em now while the contest is going on - they did the same thing last year, and when the contest was over, the tracks disappeared.
I agree on style-switching to get out of a rut. Just as blues can be an eye-opener for someone accustomed to a (typically) more major-scale oriented and frequently rhythmically-on-the-beat style like country, I wish more blues players would get out of their lumpty-lump pentatonic rut. I love blues and have been playing it most of my life, but there's a lot more to it than lumpty-lump pentatonic blues, and it isn't all distorted to blazes. I frequently get bored by so-called "blues bands" I hear.
The other hopefully obvious thing is that an open-minded and versatile player is frequently more marketable.
My opinions, naturally. |
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Joe Drivdahl
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 10:32 am
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Jon or Dave,
Please tell me more about the Pete Anderson Tracks. News to me.
Joe |
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Dave Mudgett
From:
Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee
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Dick Sexton
From:
Greenville, Ohio
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 11:26 am Tracks!
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Thanks Jim,
Must have missed these before. Just about as much musical fun as you can have by yourself......at my age!
Just let my mind wander into uncharted realms. Great practice with no particular destination or pressure. Love the blues! |
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Joe Drivdahl
From:
Montana, USA
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Posted 15 Aug 2009 1:15 pm
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Thanks Dave,
Kind of cool. Might have to look into downloading some of those.
Joe |
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Larry Weaver
From:
Asheville, North Carolina, USA
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