List of songs that broke you out of the 'stuck in a rut' phase.

[Kirk's Puppet]

I'm not sure if this would help, but I'm sure many guitarists have been to this phase of guitaring. It feels like you're not improving at all and just playing the same old stuff all the time... I know I've been there and I think I'm starting to get out of it. Here are some of my song suggestions...

Dream Theater - Take The Time (I actually sat down and learned this song properly. I can't play everything up to speed but at least I'm improving. The instrumental part has nice exercises)

Stratovarius - Stratosphere (Nice shreddy-like song. Not the hardest song, but it sounds really nice to keep you motivated. Being not so hard, it's a good song to try to master. Though I still hasn't...)

Steve Vai - For The Love of God (Currently learning this. It's a beautiful song (one of the only Vai songs I like) and it's not exactly too hard. It's pretty challenging yet not too difficult so you won't give up too easily (for those like me...). Furthermore, Floyd Rose wankage FTW!!)




Sorry if this thread isn't very helpful...

[PoWaToM]

I find that learning new songs actually gets me stuck more than just making my own stuff up. I just try and improve my overall ability to play a particular style, through scales, chord progressions etc. Learning songs doesn't really interest me any more, although I do try and learn a few just for something to do.

[Alive]

Great idea for a thread, even in the main guitar forum.

I think perhaps songs by Cream or other similar blues bands could be good, as it shows how you can still make somethign sound amazing without having overblown technical skill.

Do you mean actual playing ruts or more motivational ruts?

[Kurrpt]

i see "getting stuck" as me not progressing, which is not possible

[Alive]

i see "getting stuck" as me not progressing, which is not possible

It's more than possible.

[lord_lennon]

I find that learning new songs actually gets me stuck more than just making my own stuff up. I just try and improve my overall ability to play a particular style, through scales, chord progressions etc. Learning songs doesn't really interest me any more, although I do try and learn a few just for something to do.


how long have you played, and did you like completely form your own style or kinda pick stuff up from what songs you did learn.

i feel kinda stuck and im wondering if i should try to learn new harder songs or kinda go with what your saying.

[PoWaToM]

how long have you played, and did you like completely form your own style or kinda pick stuff up from what songs you did learn.

i feel kinda stuck and im wondering if i should try to learn new harder songs or kinda go with what your saying.

I've only played guitar for about 5 or 6 years, but I've played other instruments since I was a little kid. I think it's just that I've played other people's songs for so long that I just get bored with learning them on guitar - for me it's a lot more enjoyable to just make stuff up. I was listening to punk when I first got into guitar, so for a while I was just thrashing around with powerchords and having a laugh, but then I calmed down a bit and started listening to more blues and classic rock, so I started learning some Hendrix, SRV, Led Zep etc. Basically, only learn songs that you enjoy. If you hear a song that requires amazing technical skill to play, but you don't really care much for it, then you will not be motivated to learn the skills necessary. It doesn't matter if you can only play Smells Like Teen Spirit or you've got Eruption nailed in one day, it's all about you doing what you enjoy. Don't be concerned with having a large repertoire to impress your friends. Hell, even just learn the main riffs or solos from the songs you like - that's all I do a lot of the time, and then just ignore the rest of the song. There's only so much skill you'll get from playing other people's music imo - you've got to know why that skill is necessary and the theory behind it for you to progress as a player, so make sure you learn a bunch of scales and stuff like that.

If I feel myself getting stuck as you put it, I just put the guitar down and go and do something I enjoy for an hour or two - be that reading, shooting nazis on DoD or just listening to some music. Later on I'll go back to the guitar feeling a lot better, and I no longer feel stuck. I guess if you've been stuck for a few days or even weeks, the only option is for you to just broaden your musical taste and start tackling a new style.

[ChuckHouse]

Somewhat unrelated, but has anyone else felt a bit dirty after watching Steve Vai do his vibratos? It looks like he's molesting his guitar...

But yeah I like to learn songs sometimes because it keeps you motivated in between the humdrum of practicing technique and applying theory.

Jimi Hendrix's Little Wing is a fun song to play. Short and not too hard.

[Pom-Bear]

i got kinda bored with learning My Sharona And Bad Love(ending needs learning) And Get The Hell Outta Here(needs tap solo work)

so i decided to learn The Strokes - Juicebox and ive almost learnt all of it, its good to learn a modern easy song once in a while in my opinion

altho im currently learning Cliffs of Dover too for improvisation runs

Id say

its best to learn a Hard And Easy Song cause Easy Songs r Fun and Hard Songs improve ur playing a lot

[lord_lennon]

I've only played guitar for about 5 or 6 years, but I've played other instruments since I was a little kid. I think it's just that I've played other people's songs for so long that I just get bored with learning them on guitar - for me it's a lot more enjoyable to just make stuff up. I was listening to punk when I first got into guitar, so for a while I was just thrashing around with powerchords and having a laugh, but then I calmed down a bit and started listening to more blues and classic rock, so I started learning some Hendrix, SRV, Led Zep etc. Basically, only learn songs that you enjoy. If you hear a song that requires amazing technical skill to play, but you don't really care much for it, then you will not be motivated to learn the skills necessary. It doesn't matter if you can only play Smells Like Teen Spirit or you've got Eruption nailed in one day, it's all about you doing what you enjoy. Don't be concerned with having a large repertoire to impress your friends. Hell, even just learn the main riffs or solos from the songs you like - that's all I do a lot of the time, and then just ignore the rest of the song. There's only so much skill you'll get from playing other people's music imo - you've got to know why that skill is necessary and the theory behind it for you to progress as a player, so make sure you learn a bunch of scales and stuff like that.

If I feel myself getting stuck as you put it, I just put the guitar down and go and do something I enjoy for an hour or two - be that reading, shooting nazis on DoD or just listening to some music. Later on I'll go back to the guitar feeling a lot better, and I no longer feel stuck. I guess if you've been stuck for a few days or even weeks, the only option is for you to just broaden your musical taste and start tackling a new style.


thats a great philosophy, and i agree with you very much.
thanks

[ChuckHouse]

Oh another thing that gets me back in the mood for guitar is just watching videos of good guitarists. It's inspirational because you'll see somebody approach the instrument in a way you may have never thought of.

[jake plays guitar]

i see "getting stuck" as me not progressing, which is not possible
ooooh. some one is cocky.

[Nic__]

When I get stuck I learn really complicated jazz chords.

Or I just pentatonic wank for a couple weeks. But as long as your practicing good techniques, you'll get better. Just don't practice crappy technique.

[Steerpike]

One thing that helped me get out of a rut I was in was trying to learn some ska. It was like re-learning guitar.

Sublime
Mighty Might Bosstones
The Hippos
Streetlight Manifesto

I'm going to have my guitar teacher this semester teach me some of the Bandits of the Acoustic Revolution stuff since it could dramatically improve my rhythm technique.

[Leukeh]

I'm in the rut at the moment... And I'm hoping John 5's "Zugg Island Convict" will help me get out of it!

[Teh Secksi]

Im stoked right now, I think Im breaking my rut, Ive got a nice melody coming along on my acoustic. :)

[hades2]

My rut comes from my main axe being at the shop being adjusted and set-up (god only knows why the hell it's taking so long...I'm beginning to lose faith in that shop, even if its the closest one to me; it took almost 3 months to get my guitar from them in the first place) so I have my less-good guitars left. They're good rhythm guitars, but for lead a couple of them have dead spots on key frets or just can't cut it.

Then again, its been a good thing, because I've discovered how to get a killer lead tone out of my strat. I'm typically an anti-strat/single coil person, but I still like picking up the battered old thing now and again for some more clean stuff. It's a shame that the neck is pretty tacked-up from my earlier ignorant days of nu-metal strumming, but it still sounds good. So I guess the moral of my story is to try new things, even if it comes forcefully :p

[Amit]

Mediterranean Sundance, duh.

[Lydisk]

when im "stuck in a rut" i usually just create some chord progressions and solo over them.

[superdigg]

Megadeth - Holy Wars
JerryC - Canon Rock
uhh yeah those come to mind. also, general knowledge of theory and improv.

[4yearpro?]

motorhead- ace of spades
thats a good song to help

[toxicmudd]

do what i do, be too lazy to get stuck in a rut in the first place. I actually know very few whole songs *hangs head in shame*

[ledzeppelin007]

all along the watchtower and little wing by jimi

[eddie_the_great]

Hangar 18

[Mr. Badguy]

The Unforgiven - Metallica

Gotta love that Kirk solo, even if the song is a bit angsty.

[goongaloonga]

making up my own song, complete with 7 min solo, I was tired of trying to write music and never getting it to sound good, so one day I just started playing and messing around and I came up with a kick *** tune, I didn't realize how good it sounded until I made a video for my cousin and watched it (vhs, trying to convert it to dvd so I can post it)

[Music as a Weapon]

Master of Puppets and Stairway to Heaven helped me along my way a lot