One cure is to just go out and buy a new piece of gear Then you have to get your money's worth.
The other suggestion is to add some variety to your playing. Backing up some singer, no matter how talented, and doing the same damn songs gets real old. I played top 40 country, etc. for the past 27 years. For the past three years I've played with a trio doing whatever the hell we want to play. The gigs are few but we practise once a week and bring in new material constantly. When we do play, folks are very complimentary. And, we're all getting to be better players. --jr
Sometimes something as simple as getting new cables,trying a different EQ setting,or finding a cool lick you can use with that one pedal or lever that has been elluding you all this time is enough to keep ypur interest sparked.
By far I feel the most important resource that keeps me goin' is other steel players. I can learn more and be inspired more by sitting down with another steel player for one day than by practicing by myself for months.And when another steel player is not physically around to chat with or bounce ideas off of then I get online and visit the forum.
Thanks to all you forumites who contribute your wealth to the forum even though it may only be "your 2 cents " worth it is still valuable.
DJ
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Darren James
Carter D-10 8P 5K
Nashville 400, ProfexII
Yep, back in 1986 I was playing weekends and sometimes several times during week. At the same time was holding down a full time day job in Dallas. Even took a three month job playing at the Foolish Pleasure on the Grand Prairie strip. Got divorced, moved to San Antonio, sold an excellen D-10 Emmons P/P and forgot about playing until the bug hit me 3 years ago. I'm playing better than ever and having a lot more fun with it. Before moving to San Antonio I was burning the candle at both ends and I think a lot of people can relate to that.
Yep, just got back on the steel a couple a weeks ago after a 15 mo. hiatus. After a couple of hours things got back to normal and if I didn't know any better, it was better than before. The break did me good.
It would be interesting to hear from the pro's on this subject. I personally know steel pickers that play for a living and put in 8 hours of practice every chance they get when their schedule allows it. A friend of mine, Gary Carter who played for Randy Travis, told me that he practiced at least 3 hours every day and "it shows up when you're pickin on stage".
Oh yeah. I was a little burned out when I got off the road in '87. The main reason I left the business was due to my mother being ill. But after almost 15 years of the music business, and driving the buses for anyone I ever worked for as well... yup, I was a little burned out. But I'd never trade it back for something else, overall, it was fantastic.
Since 1990, I have been a Transportation Director for a large commercial bus company and for the last 9 yrs., for a school district. 60 to 70 hrs. per week of solving everyone elses problems, parents screaming at me from 5:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. 'cause the bus is 3 minutes late and just about anything else you could ever imagine, trying (with much success thank God) to get 4000 kids to school and back everyday safely. Am I burned out on this gig ??? OH YEAH !!
I think the main thing is to find and do for a living, the thing you enjoy best. I'm in the process of doing that now. Money and health benefits don't mean a thing if the job it takes to get them creates the need for more money and health benefits.
My father passed away last year and one of the last things he said to me was "Live it up... it's a short life." I intend to be a stress free, happy person again. Playing music steel out again has helped alot.
"Tiny Olson," soon to be full time musician again, bass-fishing guide, voice-over artist, hotel owner and all around Major Hoople type. (If all goes well)
I couldn't agree more. I working back towards that kind of gig now.
I need to buy a hotel with live music so I can play there, on a lake filled with big bass so I can guide folks on fishing trips and have a recording studio in the basement of the hotel.
That would be the ultimate. And you know what ??... my wife and i are trying to buy a place alot like that (in the Adirondacks) right now. Anti-burnout all the way !!
Tiny, you are right on! I worked the corporate back stabbing environment for fifteen years. I saw people have heart attacks in the parking lot from stress of losing their jobs. I saw people commit suicide. Usual being back stabbed by some ba$tard boss who didn't like them personally. I own my own business now and try to treat my help like family. You have a very clear and healthy attitude and I wish you God's grace. I play every weekend just because of what you were talking about. Good fishing and good pickin!
Very interesting topic. I had burn out back when I was working the bar scene in California. I don't think it was actual burn of the steel guitar as much as it was a lack of a healthy musical scene in which to play. Not to say the Bay Area scene didn't have it's good points. I miss many of the fine musicians I've worked with out there. I just like things to be a little on the edge and playing the same clubs and seeing the same faces ( in the crowd) got to be a drag. I hit a low point and decided that I would either quit playing music all together or change my attitude and continue. Well, here I am in Nashville working with three touring bands at the same time. I have not been practicing like I want too, but enjoy playing when I get the chance. The sad thing is, while working in touring bands, you only get to play between 40 and 90 minutes of music each show day, and depending on who you work for, you may do 2 to 4 shows a week. Sometimes more if you are lucky. Now that's barely as much as one night in a honky tonk! So now I kinda miss those days (nights) of chops maintaining 4 sets of music.
I have five nice steel guitars and when I want to get back into practicing, I just take the steel I've been negecting the most and polish it up and restring it and feel like a kid again. That lasts for awhile. And, somebody made a reply to this post about staying in touch with other steelers. Yes, that get me going too!
I think I'll go restring my Emmons D-12 basket weave. I haven't even scene it since I moved. It should be getting lonely by now.
One more thing. I find that going out and seeing other players helps get me going. I remember when my playing was stagnating in the 80's. I went to a small club in the Bay Area in California and saw Richard Sinkler playing steel. At the time, my playing was starting to bore me and I saw Richard playing licks connecting the different positions. You know, those climbing licks going from C on the 3rd fret to C on the 8th fret etc. I thought , "why haven't I done that yet", so I went home and set off on a whole new era of playing. So anyway, thanks Richard, you got me started in the the right direction again.
Dave<FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by Dave Ristrim on 18 June 2002 at 05:42 AM.]</p></FONT>
What Damir and Tiny said got me thinking. Throughout my 30 yr. steel career, I've contemplated many times about getting a day job and backing off playing, for the sake of stability and being home for the family. It only happened once or twice, while music was slow anyway, but it was not as remuniterive nor as stable as I thought. Mind you, I'm kinda untrained for anything else, so that limits my choices. Then I moved into a house gig on weekends with a great trio and we have fun every time and make more money than I could make on a week day job. That's lasted 2 years, and it's still fun. With high blood pressure this is just plain good for the stress level. My only problem is what to do with the weekday hours. I've been contemplating opening up a small music store in this area and catering to steelers on the side, as there's nothing withing 40 miles of here. If I die tomorrow, I'll die happy. Unfortunately, I won't leave much of a financial legacy. <FONT SIZE=1 COLOR="#8e236b"><p align=CENTER>[This message was edited by John Lacey on 18 June 2002 at 06:10 AM.]</p></FONT>
Tommy:
You know, I supervise 55 drivers. I've personally trained at least 25 of them. I guess when they say "those who can't do teach" that applies to me... right?? Believe it or not, that incident in Evanston, Wyo. was the only time I backed (or for that matter drove forward)a bus into anything. At least I did it with an audience and it was dark and I was going slow. I know... excuses, excuses. That was funny!.!.
Kevin:
Sounds as if you can most definately relate to the coporate type grind. I agree with you all the way. I'm glad we're both out playing again and not letting the day gig control our whole lives. I guess I'm about to come full circle.
My friend John Lacey in Canada, you are doing what you enjoy and nothing can beat that. We only have one shot in this life so we should make it count.
Burn out for me in the full time music business was WAY easier to deal with than the burnout from the current, stressful and aggravating day job. And the music burn out was not as long lasting either.
Awhile ago, one of my drivers came into my office and said, "it must be tough dealing with all this stress now, after being in the music business where there was none." I said that if you think there's no stress on a musician when the cameraman comes within two feet of you during your 16 bar steel solo on live, national TV with a million or more people watching... you're nuts. The difference is at the end of the show you can rejoice in the wave of affection due to your job well done. On the current day gig the stress doesn't have that redemption after the fact. It just sits there and festers.
Hey, tomorrow morning I'm going fishing, tomorrow night and Sunday afternoon I have gigs. A non-burnout, fun weekend.
And Tommy, I think I'm gonna buy an old MCI coach and come down to Texas to visit you. Mind if I BACK into your driveway and park ??? Ya gotta love it...
Then you have to get your money's worth.
