How did you get out of a mental rut?

[shar-vell Dan]

Sometimes life happens and interests and priorities change, i look at dates i upload music and sometimes there’s six months between where I barely picked up an instrument in that time, then there’s times like the last couple weeks where im playing hookie from work to sit home all day and night to work on things. thinking you need to force yourself to do something you're just not feeling at the moment i feel can lead to even more burnout

When you get older only one thing changes and thats EVERYTHING.

 

[CoreyW]

Since I am in a similar situation here is what I do... but a little back story to help...

I moved to digital load boxes around 2017, new marriage and life style changes, these allowed me to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it without upsetting the misses. It tooks a while to get use to them, but once I did it made everything after a lot more convenient and comfortable. I always liked the idea of MFX units, but struggled with a few namely Helix, to get sounds that I enjoyed...

About 5 years ago I took a job where I travel typically 4 nights a week, I wasnt playing much at all when I started this job and had other hobbies I was into, but I would take a guitar occasionally. During this time, my interface died on me and left my home set up almost unusable, took longer than I care to admit to fix it, but I finally did a little over a year ago. I was getting the playing bug again and getting it pretty hard but I knew carrying amps in a car and hotel room night after night wasnt a great idea. I was using the Helix for a bit and comfortable enough with the sounds I was getting, that I ended up snagging the Pod Go, it made things significantly easier to lug around. I was content, but not thrilled with it... but this time I wanted to actually get better at guitar. So, the Truefire membership, Troy Grady membership, Lick Library membership, all gave me a load of material to sift through but no clear direction.

When I started back this past year I decided to keep a practice journal as well. I was keeping track of what I was working on, setting goals, using it to set my practice routine based on what I wanted and needed to work on. I filled this note book up completely and keep forgetting to buy a new one to continue doing this. It has really helped me hold myself accountable to achieving the goals I have set. For the most part it has been a success, but I still have a few areas I really need to work on and dont dedicate the time I need to in order to do that.

I started taking lessons with @Techdeth this summer, and I am doing things now I was only dreaming of doing when I was younger. I also moved into the fractal gear earlier this year and have really become a fan boy since I started using it, even replacing my pod go with an FM3, and now instead of just having sounds I was ok with, I have sounds that I actually enjoy. But one thing the Line 6 did do for me, it stopped me from obsessing so much over what my rig sounded like, and just get to the playing and practicing.

I have built a small mobile studio so to speak I can set up in a hotel room in just a couple of minutes, and I have yet to receive any complaints about volume at any hotel I am at. Laptop, small interface, IK multimedia iLoud small monitors, FM3 and guitar, everything but the guitar fits in a back pack. I have the EZdrummer and Superior drummer to build drum loops with, guitar pro to play a long and practice with, pro tools to record with when I finally start doing that again. The main thing I am looking for now is people to collaborate with. I would love to get in with some people around my home to play with, but being gone Mon - Fri, im overly cautious about trying to dedicate too much time where I would be gone during the weekends.

 

[Techdeth]

Since I am in a similar situation here is what I do... but a little back story to help...

I moved to digital load boxes around 2017, new marriage and life style changes, these allowed me to do what I wanted to do when I wanted to do it without upsetting the misses. It tooks a while to get use to them, but once I did it made everything after a lot more convenient and comfortable. I always liked the idea of MFX units, but struggled with a few namely Helix, to get sounds that I enjoyed...

About 5 years ago I took a job where I travel typically 4 nights a week, I wasnt playing much at all when I started this job and had other hobbies I was into, but I would take a guitar occasionally. During this time, my interface died on me and left my home set up almost unusable, took longer than I care to admit to fix it, but I finally did a little over a year ago. I was getting the playing bug again and getting it pretty hard but I knew carrying amps in a car and hotel room night after night wasnt a great idea. I was using the Helix for a bit and comfortable enough with the sounds I was getting, that I ended up snagging the Pod Go, it made things significantly easier to lug around. I was content, but not thrilled with it... but this time I wanted to actually get better at guitar. So, the Truefire membership, Troy Grady membership, Lick Library membership, all gave me a load of material to sift through but no clear direction.

When I started back this past year I decided to keep a practice journal as well. I was keeping track of what I was working on, setting goals, using it to set my practice routine based on what I wanted and needed to work on. I filled this note book up completely and keep forgetting to buy a new one to continue doing this. It has really helped me hold myself accountable to achieving the goals I have set. For the most part it has been a success, but I still have a few areas I really need to work on and dont dedicate the time I need to in order to do that.

I started taking lessons with @Techdeth this summer, and I am doing things now I was only dreaming of doing when I was younger. I also moved into the fractal gear earlier this year and have really become a fan boy since I started using it, even replacing my pod go with an FM3, and now instead of just having sounds I was ok with, I have sounds that I actually enjoy. But one thing the Line 6 did do for me, it stopped me from obsessing so much over what my rig sounded like, and just get to the playing and practicing.

I have built a small mobile studio so to speak I can set up in a hotel room in just a couple of minutes, and I have yet to receive any complaints about volume at any hotel I am at. Laptop, small interface, IK multimedia iLoud small monitors, FM3 and guitar, everything but the guitar fits in a back pack. I have the EZdrummer and Superior drummer to build drum loops with, guitar pro to play a long and practice with, pro tools to record with when I finally start doing that again. The main thing I am looking for now is people to collaborate with. I would love to get in with some people around my home to play with, but being gone Mon - Fri, im overly cautious about trying to dedicate too much time where I would be gone during the weekends.

You’re consistent af now with practicing new shit . And when I make you learn even harder shit you just do it . That atttiutde is killler . I love new things and going for it as well . Also though I’d like to see you just taking the TC 50 halfstack to the hotel with you each week . You can do it lol

 

[CoreyW]

You’re consistent af now with practicing new shit . And when I make you learn even harder shit you just do it . That atttiutde is killler . I love new things and going for it as well . Also though I’d like to see you just taking the TC 50 halfstack to the hotel with you each week . You can do it lol

Thank you sir.

 

[Devin]

I always have fun and get inspired just by jamming along with and learning songs I love