Do you get this - not playing for a week and being sloppy?

[Gooseman]

I picked up my guitar today, after not practicing for the last week. Boy, was I sloppy. I purposefully just kept the gain to a minimum, and focused on playing through my clean channel. I sounded like utter shit. I don't get it. It made me feel quite behind, like I somehow took four steps backwards. From now on I am going to really make sure I am spending more time picking up my guitar. I've just been so busy lately, and very unorganized with my time.

I haven't ever noticed this sort of problem before in the past though. It seriously had/has me really freaked! The last thing I want it to think is that it was all for nothing -- the practice I've put in over the last three years. Nothing sounded smooth -- my chord changes, my dynamics, etc. ARRR!

 

[octatonic]

Yup, it takes a day or so to get back in the groove.
Best advice: never stop playing.

 

[Mailman1971]

Imagine not playing for 10 years and then picking up a guitar again...
When I was a teen...started playing at 13....I played ALL THE TIME...
Practiced scales....runs...solos....you name it....I was all deep in it.
Was actually a pretty good player back then.
From about 22 to around 32 years old....I just more or less collected guitars. Never really played. Passion was gone.
Grunge was around......and I was still stuck in the 80's scene.
Just really started 'playing' again a few years ago. Just goof off with my friends. No more practicing. Just more of a noodling hobby for me. Lot more fun these days for me. Thats for sure.

 

[Lord Toneking]

Im sloppy everytime I play no matter how much I play The more I play the sloppier I get

 

[Mailman1971]

Im sloppy everytime I play no matter how much I play The more I play the sloppier I get

LIAR!!!
I heard your clips!!

Wish I was that 'sloppy"....

 

[The Hoff]

Im sloppy everytime I play no matter how much I play The more I play the sloppier I get

LIAR!!!
I heard your clips!!

Wish I was that 'sloppy"....

Seriously!

 

[Shark Diver]

Goes both ways for me. Sometimes a little time off gives me a mental break and I really rip when I pick up the guitar again. I think it's just recharging the battery sometimes. Other times sloppy as hell. Go figure.

 

[BenoA]

Feels like the OP all the time!

Im sloppy everytime I play no matter how much I play The more I play the sloppier I get

Feel like this 99% of the time!

 

[Skrapmetal]

Regardless of practice frequency I've had off days before where I've picked it up and put it back down shortly after, feeling absolutely disgusted with how I was playing.

Just a down day.

 

[JakeAC5253]

Strangely, when I take some time off from playing I usually come back stronger and less sloppy.

 

[Gooseman]

Ha ha. I just picked up playing again and can happily report that all is good again. Whatever that funk I was in before has completely left me. I am back to my skill level, thankfully. Seriously, it's amazing how "off" we, as humans, can actually be. It must've been some mix of mental and physical disharmony inside of me. Whatever it was, I'm glad it is gone now!

Back to writing ...

 

[Gooseman]

Regardless of practice frequency I've had off days before where I've picked it up and put it back down shortly after, feeling absolutely disgusted with how I was playing.

Just a down day.

+1

Well put ...

 

[Gooseman]

Goes both ways for me. Sometimes a little time off gives me a mental break and I really rip when I pick up the guitar again. I think it's just recharging the battery sometimes. Other times sloppy as hell. Go figure.

+1

 

[Ventura]

It's weird for me... I get into these stints of playing for long days, lots of practise, and then working on new territory with my learning material. The 'new territory' is where it's at for me - getting better!!, not just noodling. Now, the dealio is, when I stop, I usually lose that extra ground, and this loss of new territory discourages me. So, it's not so much that I can't bust out my usual chops, it's that the new stuff, the 'creative juices' are gone again, and it's all a start over...

Good thread

 

[Progbusters]

Yeah I feel I loose a bit of the feel and dexterity. Unfortunately if I play every day I will have painful tendonitis

 

[jcj]

Ehhhh....some days you suck, some days you don't

Probably more in your head than anything else, but yeah, I can relate, for sure

 

[racerevlon]

Some days, even lucky underpants can't help...