• From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

I just always played harder and tried to get the juices pumping. Have some fun, move around a bit. It gets me into it. Also, it really helps to warm up before a gig. I remember my last band practice I didn't really warm up, and it took me half of the practice to get into it and get thoroughly warmed up. It's amazing what that can do.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

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  • Registered: 2009-10-10
  • Posts: 438

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

Thanks for all of the excellent tips.  I would have to agree that warming up is critical.  I try to warm up long enough that I start to play by feel, and not just scales or patterns right before a performance.  I like the sound of concentrating on relaxing, sitting back in the mix, playing my go to licks, or just thinking outside the box. I know I need to quit blaming it on my equipment.  That just gives me a bad case of GAS!  I also liked the suggestion of changing the situation.  If you are not playing music that you like, it is hard to play with a lot of feel.

  • From: Detroit
  • Registered: 2006-06-02
  • Posts: 5,807

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

"Hamming it up" like Spinal Tap reminds me when I'm having a bad day to just have fun with it.

- Nic from Detroit... posting on JB's Forum since 6-2-2006
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  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

When I'm playing a little uninspired or flat, I always think of things that make me mad.  I play my best when I'm pissed off it seems...it really makes me forget the same old patterns and forces me to go for it.  A certain ex girlfriend works great.  Also, if you are playing in front of people pretend that some major music executive is in the crowd.  Play everytime like it could be your big break.  As far as tech-y stuff goes...picking up different guitars or using other amps are great for sparking inspiration.  Putting a fresh set of strings on my axe always makes me more inspired to play.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.

23 Reply by Rocket (edited by Rocket 2010-04-04 22:35:19)

  • Rocket
  • Rocket
  • BONAMEGAMETAL
  • Offline
  • From: San Francisco
  • Registered: 2006-04-26
  • Posts: 10,275

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

When I'm playing a little uninspired or flat, I always think of things that make me mad.  I play my best when I'm pissed off it seems...it really makes me forget the same old patterns and forces me to go for it.  A certain ex girlfriend works great.  Also, if you are playing in front of people pretend that some major music executive is in the crowd.  Play everytime like it could be your big break.  As far as tech-y stuff goes...picking up different guitars or using other amps are great for sparking inspiration.  Putting a fresh set of strings on my axe always makes me more inspired to play.

If you play your best when ticked off, why pretend there is a major music executive in the crowd?  Why not pretend there will NEVER be one instead?  Play like you'll NEVER going to get a big break (do they even exist anymore?)?!
Would that actually help more, or less? Don't take me way too serious on this though, ok?! wink

Rock On & Keep the Faith,
Rocket

Regarding the warm up and exercise, actual physical exercise before, enough to get something going, yet time enough to get you air or heart rate down a bit.  Food?  3 hours prior or something post exercise may help, the former for long playing time, latter for getting started short play or long play.  If you have any fingering problems ever (this goes for young and older), some Ben-Gay really can help especially if you include the wrists.  But make sure your fingers are wiped clear before actually playing.

"He still doesn't charge for mistakes! wink"
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"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
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  • From: Burlington, Ont Canada
  • Registered: 2010-04-01
  • Posts: 365

Re: When Your Having a Bad Day.......

stratpaulguy86 wrote:

When I'm playing a little uninspired or flat, I always think of things that make me mad.  I play my best when I'm pissed off it seems...it really makes me forget the same old patterns and forces me to go for it.  A certain ex girlfriend works great.  Also, if you are playing in front of people pretend that some major music executive is in the crowd.  Play everytime like it could be your big break.  As far as tech-y stuff goes...picking up different guitars or using other amps are great for sparking inspiration.  Putting a fresh set of strings on my axe always makes me more inspired to play.


I totally agree! My rhythm player pisses me off sometimes as he tends to turn up an up and up throughout the gig as if no one notices. It's HIS band in a sense that he owns the gear, rehearsal space, website, etc. but his playing is ordinary if not bad. The last gig we played my wife said she couldn't hear my leads after the second set - which pissed me ff as she said the first set sounded awesome. I had had enough when i politely asked him to turn down he "pretended" to turn down! He motioned toward his volume knob on his Mesa but I could see he did nothing! I play with a plexi sheild in front of Marshall and hate annoying people with excess volume but promptly dialed my Marshall from 4 to 7 and backed off my TS808 a bit to compensate. I then dug into my LP with wild abandon, intent on burrying Johnny into the mix. Well the crowd went wild, and even our singer said he had never heard me play like that before.


Play pissed off! It works! Maybe it's just playing with emotion? Works for me....

Gits: '03 Gibson Historic R7 Goldtop, '06 Gibson R8 Plaintop, MIJ '62 RI Strat,  and others...
Amps: '99 Marshall 1987x Plexi RI, 1969 Fender Super Reverb

My band: www.meanbones.com