Good way to break out of a rut?

Tim Russell · From: Pennsylvania, USA

We've all been there...

At some point, we begin to realize that a lot of what we play "sounds the same..."

Same licks, same string combinations, same pedal/knee combos, and pretty soon it all becomes repetitive. With my recent guitar purchase, a couple of the knees were reversed and a couple changes are different.

To add to the reversed knees, the 9th string lower and 5 & 10 string lowers are not on this guitar. Those few copedent changes forced me to reach outside of my normal playing mode, and over the last few weeks I have developed some new licks/runs/patterns.

Any other ideas on how to get out of the "same old lick" rut?

I personally think we should all rotate guitars here on the forum on a regular basis so we can discover new things from each others' setups! Very Happy

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Sierra Crown D-10

Lane Gray · From: Topeka, KS

Drink from a different well.
Listen to, steal licks from, and learn whole tunes, from other idioms. Al Green, Lou Rawls. Bach, Khatchaturian. Sonny Stitt, Coleman Hawkins. Jimmy McGriff, Shirley Scott.
Even if the only music you want to play is country, steal some vocabulary from elsewhere.
Country music of the 50s wouldn't have been nearly as cool as it was if the guitar players hadn't spent their time sneaking jazz in there.
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2 pedal steels, a lapStrat, and an 8-string Dobro (and 3 ukes)
More amps than guitars, and not many effects

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

Not sure if this would work for you but....
I've been laid up and not able to gig for a few months.
Before that, I'd say I was in quite a rut with same same all the time.

With a lot of time on my hands and able to play I've been going back to the basics.
Going over old material from as much as 40 years ago like the Winnie Winston book, Jeff Newman's "Just play the melody, John Russell's great tab's and just about anything to see what I missed years ago.

Also been just trying to find new ways to do old things at other positions.
Trying to play any melody that comes to mind or something I hear.
Putting Dave Hartley's many youtube videos on to play all night while I sleep in the hope something of it will stick between my ears.
Good luck... And if something gets hung up and you can't find a good way out, drop it and do something else.
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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Jim Kennedy · From: Brentwood California, USA

One of the things I like about Joe Wright's teaching approach is that if you take the bandstand you better be ready to play whatever the crowd wants, country, rock, R&B, blues. I believe it was b0b who has said we should be able to do whatever a six string player does on the steel. Trying to play blues and R&B tunes has lead me to voicings I would not have discovered by simply playing coutry music, especially "traditional country." Mike Perlowine plays classical music on psteel. It's all music, it's all good. Branching out only makes us better musicians.
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ShoBud Pro 1, 75 Tele, 85 Yamaha SA 2000, Fender Cybertwin,

Rich Upright · From: Florida, USA

Sometimes when I am on a gig, I find myself playing the same old tired, boring, but "safe place" licks & think how sick I am of my playing.

But, then I realize I hear myself every time I gig, the audience is only hearing me tonight, so what's boring to me is fresh & new to them.
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A couple D-10s,some vintage guitars & amps, & lotsa junk in the gig bag.

Ian Rae · From: Redditch, England

Well said, Rich. The audience deserves to hear comfortable competent playing. If you're bored it's because you're doing your job right and not taking liberties at their expense. They payed for a night out, not a challenge.
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Make sleeping dogs tell the truth!
Homebuilt keyless U12 7x5, Excel keyless U12 8x8, Williams keyless U12 7x8, Telonics rack and 15" cabs

Tom Gorr · From: Three Hills, Alberta

Play with singer songwriters at jams. There is some pretty wide spectrum music out there. I am in a house band at an open stage jam... get lots of country blues rock folk indie

Dan Robinson · From: Colorado, USA

I've had some success taking a lick that I'm not happy with, don't like the timbre, uncomfortable with grip.... and try it at some other position, adding a pedal/knee vs. moving the bar, or vice versa, playing a run using several strings vs. fewer strings but more pedal or bar movement. I'm not good enough to instantly transpose without goofs, and in the process have stumbled into some pleasing phrases, repeat several times then they're in my bag of tricks.

It's hard to do this when learning a new song, prepping for a band rehearsal. But when I have the chance to review familiar material, this kind of noodling around has paid off.

Andy DePaule · From: Saigon, Viet Nam & Springfield, Oregon

One more thing I'd say is that in going through review of all the older materials I have, the one that has been most useful for training my ear is the Jeff Newman's "Just play the melody"....
Really helps me in finding melodies and harmony with a less that perfect ear.
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Inlaid Star Guitar 2006 by Mark Giles. SD-10 4+5 in E9th; http://luthiersupply.com/instrument-gallery.html
2017 Mullen SD-10, G2 5&5 Polished Aluminum covering. Custom Build for me. Great Steel.
Clinesmith Joaquin Murphy style Aluminum 8 String Lap Steel Short A6th.
Magnatone Jeweltone Series Lap Steel, Circa 1950? 6 String with F#minor7th Tuning.
1956 Dewey Kendrick D-8 4&3, Restoration Project.
1973 Sho~Bud Green SD-10 4&5 PSG, Restoration Project.

Pete Burak · From: Portland, OR USA

Buy a Dobro and kick around on that when Steel gets you down.
Most of us get a huge kick in our collective Pedal Steel pants by attending a Steel Show.

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