Bored Musically. Who/What Influences You?

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I felt the same way a few years ago so I joined a top 40 cover band. The stuff isn't very challenging (Some of the country stuff is!!!) but it's all very different. I'm on a Nile Rodgers kick right now. Metal is cool but doesn't have the groove and feel of R&B and Funk.
 
suhrimmetal":2cwobfw9 said:
Andy Timmons!!

Some Joe Bonamassa LIVE

Andy Timmons!!

Joe Holmes, John Norum, Doug Aldrich.

Andy Timmons :D

... sometimes i just go back and 'listen' to the music/bands I was into before I got really into playing. Just get back to the love of music without being in 'musician' mode. It can re-light that fire and reinspire. Cheers
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Thinking of picking up some of Any Timmons stuff. What album do you recommend for the full effect?
 
Everyone goes through this. The key for me is to not just listen to great music but dig deep and try to play the stuff exactly as the artist does. I take one song that I really dig and try to figure out and nail all the little nuances and feel of the artist. It really opens my playing up.
 
Check out Starz. They were out from 76-80, put out 4 albums and broke up. Very well thought out songs, well written and played. They do sound like a 70's band, only a few of their songs have that timelessness that many other bands from that era have. Learn some Kansas, Styx, or Yes tunes, that can inspire you to grow or quit depending on the day. Try learning some Fleetwood Mac if you can easily retune your guitar. Whenever I get bored from the stuff I play now I go back to the 70's hard rock, it is always an inspiration. If I don't get inspired to play, I get inspired to smoke a bowl or do a line of coke. :D


 
For me, nothing is more inspiring than seeing a good live show. Any genre really, just has to be a band who brings it live.
 
The Hoff":x6mek2wr said:
For me, nothing is more inspiring than seeing a good live show. Any genre really, just has to be a band who brings it live.
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I am just the opposite, unless it is a national act, I can't stand seeing local bands. I'd rather play a gig than watch one, but that's me. :) :)
 
rcm78":olazyp6x said:
I felt the same way a few years ago so I joined a top 40 cover band. The stuff isn't very challenging (Some of the country stuff is!!!) but it's all very different. I'm on a Nile Rodgers kick right now. Metal is cool but doesn't have the groove and feel of R&B and Funk.
Click to expand...

I've been in a top 40 cover band for the last 4 years and as painful as it is to play that music it's helped me tremendously with being a more well rounded player. My rhythm playing has improved greatly since I only get to solo 1.3% of the time. Agree with you on the metal stuff as well.

I'm a guitar player but as of late I've been trying to teach myself how to sing and play which has been interesting. Keith Urban and John Mayer are 2 players that I admire for their ability to do both well. Although they are both pretty mainstream and their songs might be kind of cheesy, it's a challenge to play and sing them. That might be another approach to pushing the envelope.
 
Go to your library and check out some soundtracks to movies that have really cool music. Tron:Legacy's Daft Punk disk is amazing, as is the music for Oblivion. Sometimes hearing how the music affects you can be inspiring, and since often it's quite different than rock, can make you think outside the box a bit and get inspired.
 
Don't listen to guitar related music for a while. Listen to something you normally wouldn't and see what it is that catches your attention. Then, find a way to put it in your guitar playing.

 
+1 to listening to music that isn't necessarily guitar-centric. Sometimes, just not listening to *anything* can help. For weeks / months at a time.... you might be surprised at what you come up with.

For me personally lately, I've been listening to a good amount of stuff like this



or like this



or this



That King Crimson track is great, btw. :rock:
 
For wild rock techniques, I'd say check out Glenn Proudfoot's stuff.
Metal: check out Tosin Abasi.
For simplistic musical ability: future of forestry (the song "slow your breath down" is a great track)
For wild post rock sounds: James duke (check out his work on the song "who is this" by John Mark McMillan)
For some laid back "why didn't I think of that? It's so freaking simple!", check the black keys

That's just some stuff off of the top of my head that gets me going back to the guitar man. Hope you find your inspiration!
 
Mark Tremonti, Mike Einziger, Tim Mahoney, Adam Jones
 
I usually can work my out of it and often times it is improvising over backing tracks of various styles outside my hard rock/metal and neo classical stuff. Listening to classical music of guitar, violin, cello) usually gets me going but I love it too much so I have to change gears to find inspiration. Sometimes it listening to Jazz or Fusion, sometime its more roots music of late 70's early 80's and sometimes that doesn't work. When all doesn't work I force myself to either step back for a day or two or break out the metronome and work on my speed, articulation, picking and scales.
 
The Hoff":30c05jbv said:
For me, nothing is more inspiring than seeing a good live show. Any genre really, just has to be a band who brings it live.
Click to expand...

Yup!!!! Hoff is right on point with that. Plus, hybrid/chicken picking. Look up Earl Scruggs, Foggy Mountain Breakdown. You will see how Banjo Rolls can be integrated into rock style playing.
 
guitarmike":f06w2nfk said:
The Hoff":f06w2nfk said:
For me, nothing is more inspiring than seeing a good live show. Any genre really, just has to be a band who brings it live.
Click to expand...

I am just the opposite, unless it is a national act, I can't stand seeing local bands. I'd rather play a gig than watch one, but that's me. :) :)
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Hey Mike. So I take it you will not be coming to see my band next Tuesday at the metal grille :D ?
 
nevusofota":3k9w3zjn said:
suhrimmetal":3k9w3zjn said:
Andy Timmons!!

Some Joe Bonamassa LIVE

Andy Timmons!!

Joe Holmes, John Norum, Doug Aldrich.

Andy Timmons :D

... sometimes i just go back and 'listen' to the music/bands I was into before I got really into playing. Just get back to the love of music without being in 'musician' mode. It can re-light that fire and reinspire. Cheers
Click to expand...
Thinking of picking up some of Any Timmons stuff. What album do you recommend for the full effect?
Click to expand...

Live Resolution.... not only a great album, but watching Andy play Live is half the fun!! You could probably find the whole show on youtube.
 
Hi,
I love lot's of music and have listened to a lot in my 52, almost 53 years on this earth, but that said, I try not to listen to too much stuff that I don't care to play. My reasoning is that it will influence my playing and since I'm not the most accomplished theory guy, I want to study and take my time playing stuff that will help me improve, but that's just a different approach.
That said, I find, as someone else posted here that I get to the point that I don't listen to too much music. The things that inspire me are nature, hunting, fishing, kids playing, natural things, etc,. Just being alive I guess, and then suddenly I'll get something in my head that sounds like a melody. Then I'll go home and try to make an instrumental song out of it. Just a simple one. Then I'll practice leads over, etc,. Someday I'm going to record some of this stuff, but right now I just want to get all the equipment I need to jam live, etc,. But, I'm working on it..
God speed to whatever you do man! Good luck and just have fun. Life is too short as I'm sure you're aware!
T
 
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