Just one of those days..

[hendrix2]

Today it seems like I can't play mandolin at all. Even tunes I play almost everyday I mess up.
It's so frustrating!
When I have such a day I always start to wander if I have a bad technic or maybe my position is wrong...
I know that probably by tomorrow everything seems normal again.

Do you guys have those days too? Days you think you can't play at all, even the simplest tune won't work? What do you do then? just don't play?
I stopped playing for today 'cause I feared my mandolin would end up under my feet http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I'll probably give it a go in a few hours!

[Curtis]

I am new to the mandolin but a musician for 20 years now.

1) these days happen and just putting the instrument down til tomorrow isn't a bad thing.

2) if you're stuck I've found that going back to some rudiments can often help get you "unstuck." On piano it's Hanon type excercises. On trombone it's breath support/long tones. On mandolin I don't know what it is yet. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/sad.gif

[John Flynn]

I imagine we've all been there. Here is what I do:
> Make it about having fun. Play something you just enjoy, even if it is silly.
> Play with people. I enjoy playing stuff at a jam that would bore me alone.
> Slow down. The need for speed is a big mental blocker. Playing slow is a great exercise, even if you aren't blocked. See how slow you can play and still have the tune be recognizable. It will help your speed later.
> Try something completely different, like a classical piece or even the theme music to a TV show.
> Stop playing for a while, or if you play another instrument, play that instead.
> It's expensive, but buying a new mando always pulls me out of a slump!

[bradeinhorn]

stretch hands, shake them out, play slower.

maybe pick a new song to learn (that will force you to play slow).

[mandopete]

I know what you mean! #We've had several threads here lately along these lines and I have gone back to something I heard years ago about how to practice.

Take your practice time - say 1 hour each day - and divide it into several areas to work on. #You might pick things like technique, learning songs, reading music etc. #Break your time into sections and try to hit on each area during your practice time.

So here's what I'm doing with my hour.

I spend 10-15 minutes just warming up (hey I'm old!). #This is a combination of stretches and they I just play along with some of my favorite tunes.

From there I go to technique. #I have been trying to work on getting a good sound a focus on right hand stuff. #For this I really need to go in front of a mirror and the good old bathroom works great for that. #I'm going to start recording too.

And last I go to working on tunes. #I have a set of 10 or 15 tunes I'm working on and I use Amazing Slow Downer to slow 'em down to where I can learn them and play them. #I'm trying to focus on maintaining good tone throughout and make sure I can play it consistently at a given tempo, advice I picked up from John Reischman.

[Jonathan Peck]

well, this may sound overly simple....but when this happens to me it always seems to go back to my right hand. If I stop and try and play 'quitetly/softly' as I can while relaxing my right hand, then I get back on track. I also try and think about the relaxed back and forth motion of my wrist.

-jonathan

[fatt-dad]

I'd recommend buying another mandolin.

f-d

[Lou Scuderi]

Use it as an opportunity! When you're on your worst form you can also improve the most. Go through scales (lots of scales), do exercises, crosspicking, whatever; don't play tunes, practice your technique meticulously.

[tjg]

Peter Ostroushko gave me some helpful advice that really does work (at least for me).

Sometimes when I play, my right hand picking doesn't hit the strings as smoothly as I would like. #He suggested to simply pick back and forth on a set of strings (either the D or A strings) hard and slow and really dig in so that the pick actually stops by hitting the adjacent set of strings. #Do this for a while. You'll be surprised how much looser and cleaner you play afterwards.

At least it works for me. #It's a great quick warmup and gets my picking hand back on track.

[DryBones]

sounds like a good time to just go fishing

[Mattg]

Relax, don't worry, have a home-brew.

Oops, wrong hobby. #http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif

[Glassweb]

You dog... you beat me to it! Put down mandolin... pick up beer.

[Gutbucket]

Play thru it. Get back on that horse. A great mandolin player(Danny Knicely) told me if you don't play for a day, you notice it. Don't play for two or more days, everybody notices it. He says his grandfather, who is well into his eighties, makes time to play at least two hours everyday.

[Bill Snyder]

Be thankful. At least you play good enough to notice a difference when you aren't. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

[JeffD]

sounds like a good time to just go fishing
ditto

[Ivan Kelsall]

Had one yesterday - i'll be awesome today though !!!,
Saska

[dmamlep]

The problem is when you are playing a gig. just laugh and look the the banjo or guitar player to junp in. of course it was pitch dark, couldnt hardly see my mandolin.banjo players capo was in wrong place. just one of those days.

[Kirk Pickering]

Set the mandolin down for a minute.
Check your body's tension. Do a little
stretching, or try gently shaking your
arms a little. Take a few deep breaths,
then pick it back up. Play the first
thing that pops out when you feel relaxed.
Sometimes a little tension release makes
all the difference.