Jump to content
Hamer Fan Club Message Center

Does anyone else have extreme playing abilities day to day?


Crimsontider

Recommended Posts

This is my out there post of the week.

Right brain mainly controls left hand coordination and visa versa. Right brain is spacial, left is communication and more disciplined tasks among other things.

I am a lefty that plays right handed, but the right hand is the backbone of your overall playing. It controls the rhythm and feel.

If I spend the day socializing and doing left brain activities, I have total control over my right hand when I play later than night.

If I spend it mainly doing computer related tasks (job) that requires rapid fire multitasking subconscious activities, when I play at night, I have much less control with my right hand (my off hand). I did very little left brain activity and it being so important to playing, and it also being my weaker hand leads me to believe that I have a varying degree of communication with it, which can become somewhat disconnected if I let it

This may sound crazy but it's true. And I would think it would effect lefties who play right more because of how important the right hand is when playing,

My left hand is always consistent, just the right varies. So if I was a righty that played right, then I would just start out slow, but if your right hand is like a brick, what can you do? I set it down.

Just food for thought. Any comments other than I am nutts appreciated.

Edit: wanted to add that people have varying degrees of flow between the hemispheres, many to the point where none of this would apply.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't seem to have a problem with left hand right hand coordination from day to day as long as i warm up a little.

I do have days where everything I play sounds boring and not creative, you know you resort to old tired licks. When that happens I

play a little than put it down for a while and come back to it. When I warm up I don't play scales I just do chromatic runs up and down the neck

on all strings. If I start playing this scale or that scale I end up using scales to much and not creating any real music. I just pick a spot and try

to go in a different direction that I normally do and hope something musical comes out, usually a fifty fifty shot at coming up with something

that pleases me. It's the same live with me, I get pissed of with my playing if I resort to often to tried and true licks, Sometimes I screw up

just to find something different or push myself to be creative, but when it works it makes me happy inside.

Cool Beans

Gene

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Cool Beans

Gene

Yeah, your overall mood can play a big part. Sometimes I can get to the point where I spend all my time trying to find the right sound, the next day it sounds perfect. Your advice to set it down, if possible, is the best thing to do. Maybe listen to something that kick starts your creativeness. If you're not inspired, you aren't going to get inspired listening to yourself!

And yes, with a chromatic you can get your chops and ear back (all those semitones).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I go up and down a bunch, when I am practicing(not just playing) it is a little more stable from day to day, but when I am just playing regularly it can really fluctuate.

keep "show" tunes simple, you can always play more when you are having a good night and they are still good on a not-so-great night

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm stuck in a rut where I can sound like a wizard on a recording and pedestrian live. I'm hoping this is because I've really only done studio stuff for four years but haven't had an active band in six. I feel like the biggest hack in the world lately, and it is a bit depressing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm stuck in a rut where I can sound like a wizard on a recording and pedestrian live. I'm hoping this is because I've really only done studio stuff for four years but haven't had an active band in six. I feel like the biggest hack in the world lately, and it is a bit depressing.

You're not alone: It's called "impostor syndrome" among other things. I read an interesting post about it the other day.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed that some days everything is perfect. The amp sounds great. The hands are playing almost with a mind of their own. Then some days or weeks it's a struggle to make things work.

I found the best thing to do in this case is to buy another guitar.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would imagine there are exercises for both sides of the brain - maybe it's as simple as doing some mental calisthenics to sort of re-initialize your synapses. I never thought that having parts of my brain in sort of a dormant mode for extended periods before playing may have any effect.

Good, I need more things to think about that revolve around guitar :)

Maybe I'll look around for some sort of dexterity builders or brain stimulation and give it a try.

For me, a medium Peete's coffee usually gets everything working.. but that's for gigs.. a coffee a day would take away from my equipment budget :)

Thanks for making me think more.. just what every musician needs.. hehehe..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only extreme playing IN-abilities, here... day to day, hour to hour, minute to minute...

ETA: to answer your original question, yes, my inabilities seem to vary widely day to day, though I've never attempted to correlate changes in function with how I've spent my day. There's likely a doctoral dissertation there if someone wanted to pursue it!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll add that I tend to play better after a long day of transcribing. Not necessarily better technique, but better note choices and better phrasing. Too many variables to consider, could be I'm listening better, could be I'm playing in the style I was transcribing,and that makes it "better" sounding to me at that time, could be coincidence.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed that some days everything is perfect. The amp sounds great. The hands are playing almost with a mind of their own. Then some days or weeks it's a struggle to make things work.

I found the best thing to do in this case is to buy another guitar.

This.

Not only is Thorn's assessment of different days equally different results accurate, but his cure is spot on too!

I'll do it!

One Ultimate, coming up!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

never thought of my playing abilities as extreme :P, but do notice variability day to day , I think its mostly in my head , boredom with myself . seriously I think Thorn has a point , and thats why own several guitars & amps , to overcome ( or at least work around ) self boredom

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've noticed that some days everything is perfect. The amp sounds great. The hands are playing almost with a mind of their own. Then some days or weeks it's a struggle to make things work.

I found the best thing to do in this case is to buy another guitar.

This.

Not only is Thorn's assessment of different days equally different results accurate, but his cure is spot on too!

I'll do it!

One Ultimate, coming up!

Here, here! Kudos to Dr. Thorn, his assessment and his prescription! pipe-smoking-emoticon.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm stuck in a rut where I can sound like a wizard on a recording and pedestrian live. I'm hoping this is because I've really only done studio stuff for four years but haven't had an active band in six. I feel like the biggest hack in the world lately, and it is a bit depressing.

You're not alone: It's called "impostor syndrome" among other things. I read an interesting post about it the other day.

I'm very familiar with imposter syndrome. It may be one of the most common anxieties you see among college profs; I certainly went through it when I had my first class that was totally mine. I guess ironically due to what made you think of it, guitar is possibly the only thing I at which I don't feel like a phony at the moment (not a great week on the job hunt front). I'm just frustrated and struggle with impatience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Case in point. I've been suffering from a serious case of funk all week. In fact, I think it started when I went to BillGelder's place. But I can't be sure.

So, FedEx knocked on the door today and handed me this. Figured I needed a new challenge.

jp7.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Case in point. I've been suffering from a serious case of funk all week. In fact, I think it started when I went to BillGelder's place. But I can't be sure.

So, FedEx knocked on the door today and handed me this. Figured I needed a new challenge.

Sorry about that buddy. I guess I should of warned you. But fear not I mail you the cure.

lotrimin-af-jockitch-antifungal-cream.pn

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Multi-tasking makes your brain smaller Grey matter shrinks if we do too much at once

This may have something to do with it. I do boat loads of multi-tasking working every day, doing three or four things at the same time because they are so ingrained in my memory, up to four hour stretches. When I finally get a chance to play my mind cannot focus on one thing, it's still going 90 miles an hour. I think I need to sit in a quite room and meditate for about 15 minutes before I play. I going to try this in addition to starting out with some disciplined chromatic scales. This will probably work in my case.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

still play about 30 gigs a year , that never gets boring , but practicing does , just do it even on the days its a struggle . .... Ive heard it said there is no such thing as multi tasking , its really just switching focus continually , if there were one could read a book and write one at the same time

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't seem to have a problem with left hand right hand coordination from day to day as long as i warm up a little.

I do have days where everything I play sounds boring and not creative, you know you resort to old tired licks. When that happens I

play a little than put it down for a while and come back to it. When I warm up I don't play scales I just do chromatic runs up and down the neck

on all strings. If I start playing this scale or that scale I end up using scales to much and not creating any real music. I just pick a spot and try

to go in a different direction that I normally do and hope something musical comes out, usually a fifty fifty shot at coming up with something

that pleases me. It's the same live with me, I get pissed of with my playing if I resort to often to tried and true licks, Sometimes I screw up

just to find something different or push myself to be creative, but when it works it makes me happy inside.

Cool Beans

Gene

Starting playing a chromatic to warm up when I read your post and it has helped. It stretches your hands and is unmelodious.

After playing back and forth until fluid, my fingers are stretched and mind is ready for melody.

Assuming this is standard.

A - 5th-8th

E - 4th-7th

A - 3rd-6th

G- 2nd-5th

B- 2nd-5th

A -1st-4th

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...