Tubular.net :: Mike Oldfield Forums Discussion, news, reviews, fan music, and more.
	Search :: Members :: Help :: Guidelines

[ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ]

ex member 892 Group: Members Posts: 827 Joined: July 2008 Posted: July 21 2009, 21:11 Hi everybody, sorry it's been so long since I've posted, I've really been very busy. This topic is more serious than my last, and also more important to me. It has to do with musical inspiration, or rather the lack thereof. I am very passionate about music. It's really all I do. I think my guitar playing in particular has a lot of emotion, and I believe that's more important than playing fast. I can also play decently fast. I am in this band, it's a contemporary Christian band for a church actually, and it just seems to me that any drop of inspiration is just gone when practice is over. I love improvisation, but anymore when it comes time to solo, I just stick to my pentatonic scale box and wait for it to be over. This is really depressing to me. Some of the other people in this band are just terrible players/singers, and I think that might have something to do with it, but it's not the whole reason. I just don't feel the spirit in the music anymore, and I don't know why. I just don't know what to do. I wonder if anyone else in the tubular forums has been in a situation similar to this, and if so, what do you think I should do? I'd really appreciate your suggestions here. PS. I know this doesn't have anything to do with Mike, but I'm not part of any other forums, so I'm stuck with y'all Back to top

Bassman Group: Members Posts: 548 Joined: Feb. 2008 Posted: July 22 2009, 01:45 Hey Syd, I'm not sure that anything I can say can ease your mind and I'm sure that others here will come along with great stuff, but what I would consider most important for you to hear right now is to resist the urge to be disappointed with yourself.  Music not only comes from within, it's also reflective of what comes from without.  Inspiration to play comes and goes.  If you're having a bit of difficulty holding onto your muse... just hang in there.  If you ride it out, it's sure to pass.  It's not easy to get this across without sounding glib so I hope that what I'm saying is coming through well enough. -------------- Turn up the music... Hi as Fi can go. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: July 22 2009, 06:07 I agree with Bassman.Everyone goes through patches were they don't get fired up and hate their playing.Try getting into some new scales and modes.Ususally spices things up a bit and gives a new approach and see if there are any jams locally.All music is basically taking ideas from everywhere (musical theft is rife among guitarists!)so get out and play with new people and then bring what you've learned to the table when you play with your band. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

HRFanUSA Group: Members Posts: 128 Joined: May 2009 Posted: July 22 2009, 08:10 I think this is an interesting thread, and as a somewhat "creative" person myself, I thought I'd add a reply. Periods without inspiration, IMO, are the times when one needs to digest all else - to take some time to absorb what one has experienced or learned. Gosh, if we could all feel inspired and fired up all the time, well, we'd burn out! It's okay to sit back for a while and just simply think about things, without feeling the need to keep going at full speed. MO has certainly done this here and there in some of his albums... Every effort can't be a masterpiece or an emotional orgasm - there has to be some quiet/contemplative times to balance the creativity out, even though it might not be as emotionally rewarding. Hang in there and before you know, new inspiration will come along when you least expect it - just like in everyday life! Back to top

Scatterplot Group: Members Posts: 1981 Joined: Dec. 2007 Posted: July 22 2009, 09:41 Try changing music styles. Jazz, blues.....something else. See if that interests you. Try playing without the band for a while, or jam with a new one. If you don't have a keyboard, get one. Try converting "diddy's" from one instrument to the other. I like "band in a box" software. D/load it and try it, you might have a lot of fun! Jim -------------- We raise our voices in the night Crying to heaven And will our voices be heard Or will they break Like the wind Back to top

ex member 892 Group: Members Posts: 827 Joined: July 2008 Posted: July 23 2009, 15:18 Thanks everybody for your kind words and advice.  I would just like to point out that I don't suffer from this lack of inspiration normally, just when I am at band. I mean, occasionally I have problems with it at home (Mostly during composition), but this is every single band practice. I just wonder why it is that it's only at band that I regularly have this problem. By the way Caveman, I like the idea about learning some new scales or modes. I have a book with a lot of scale patterns that I've not really fooled with much, so I'll dig it out here in a little bit. Thanks. I do think that this subject will make for an interesting thread. Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: July 24 2009, 06:06 I was feeling like my playing was getting stale and pentatonic obsessed and a jazz playing friend offered lessons.Learnt a few new scales and modes and hey presto inspired again!  Learn Phrygian (spelt wrong)and you to can compose your own "5 minutes walk from this theatre"indian restaurant adverts! -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

Inkanta Group: Admins Posts: 1453 Joined: Feb. 2000 Posted: July 24 2009, 19:57 In addition to the musical advice, try doing something totally different that has nothing to do with music but engages your body and your mind. Take yoga (mind-body-spirit) or go white-water rafting. Meditate.  Dance all-day in the dance tent at Grassroots (that will have to wait until next year! ). Do something way outside your comfort zone. Chant to Brid [Breed] ("Brid, Brid, Brid, Brid...Goddess of the Sacred Well, Fire Tenderer at my Hearth....Keep me Healthy Bless my Art"). I am not a musician but I do have to create stuff. My mind tends to get freed when I run through the woods to the lake--I often have my best thoughts en route.  I know those aren't scales or styles of music or playing, but once your mind is back to being playful and you feel innovative, the universe is the limit for whatever you want to accomplish. -------------- "No such thing as destiny; only choices exist." From:  Moongarden's "Solaris." Back to top

The Caveman Group: Members Posts: 2178 Joined: Jan. 2008 Posted: July 27 2009, 06:51 Amen to that! On a musical note i've just been given a mandolin so i am sure when i get home with it and have played around on it for a while (and sussed out the tuning)then a load if new ideas will come through.As Inkanta said do something different.Meditation really does help btw.It doesn't have to be chanting the sacred OM but a quiet place is pretty much essential. -------------- THE COMING OF THE GREAT WHITE HANDKERCHEIF IS NIGH. Back to top

[ Track this topic :: Email this topic :: Print this topic ]

Forums | Links | Instruments | Discography | Tours | Articles | FAQ | Artwork | Wallpapers
Biography | Gallery | Videos | MIDI / Ringtones | Tabs | Lyrics | Books | Sitemap | Contact


Mike Oldfield Tubular.net