Losing your Mojo

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bluesheart on October 15, 2009 at 8:41am

Hang in there man. Just let your heart flow out through your fingers . You may be amazed by what is waiting there.

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Permalink Reply by Shane on October 15, 2009 at 8:53am

Walk away for a little while. Put your mind into something else. In addition to all things CBG, I dabble in book collecting, amateur photography, folk art and collecting old circus memorabilia. I also DEVOUR music...at least one new cd a week.

You're not always gonna have the getupandgo to play music. It's a give-and-take thing. Rest a little. Recoup from your other problems and maybe look out another window of diversion for a while. I guarantee you that when you're ready to return to your music, you're going to have a pocketful of new ideas.

-Shane Speal

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Permalink Reply by Wray on October 15, 2009 at 8:57am

Bluesdog,
I used to get that way alot,but one day a guy I met said, No matter what happens it'll all work out. Good or bad it'll all work out. One way or the other tommorrow will be a different day. We can't always change things, & most times when we can we screw things up worse than they already were.
Kind of made sense. I kind of made that my "motto" or "way" sort of. No matter what happensm I've almost always been through tougher crap (been divorced 5 times!) Having that attitude lets me see a different perspective in tough times. Not that sometimes it ain't still tough but lets me look to tommorrow instead of only focusing on todays pains. Hope this helps, & doesn't sound too silly, your mojo is still there you just gotta put the crap on the back burner, Ya know?
Wray

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Permalink Reply by Ben on October 15, 2009 at 8:59am

Hey man,
I checked out your videos to see what it was you were missing. I really enjoyed them and if I were to venture a guess it would be that you're probably not sucking as much as you think you are right now. I know how it is to lose your mojo...I'm having a similar problem right now. Mine is that I can't seem to focus on anything really. I've got a lap steel that's 85% finished that I just can't seem to put the time in on. When I do pick up my other stuff to play, I get overly critical of my playing. I'm a music teacher and so its kinda my job to troubleshoot other people's playing. When I get home I don't really want to do it for myself. I just did a TAB and Recording of "Fishin' Hole" that I wasn't feeling too good about. Once I got it all mixed down though it sounds at least a little bit better so I started perking up a little bit after I posted it (its on my page and in the TABs group). I usually find that when I'm feeling really down about something its because I'm just not going about it the right way. Maybe pull out some tunes you haven't played in a while or experiment with some tunings or styles you don't regularly use. Sometimes I just need a little time away from what I've been doing (although that doesn't sound like the case with you since you've been gone for a while). Back to the basics maybe?

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Permalink Reply by Joker on October 15, 2009 at 9:05am

I agree with Shane. Walk away for bit. It does you good. When your Mojo returns it's like a dam bursting sometimes. When you feel like you have to force it, it ain't no fun no more.

Shane Speal said:

Walk away for a little while. Put your mind into something else. In addition to all things CBG, I dabble in book collecting, amateur photography, folk art and collecting old circus memorabilia. I also DEVOUR music...at least one new cd a week.

You're not always gonna have the getupandgo to play music. It's a give-and-take thing. Rest a little. Recoup from your other problems and maybe look out another window of diversion for a while. I guarantee you that when you're ready to return to your music, you're going to have a pocketful of new ideas.

-Shane Speal

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Permalink Reply by HOLLOWBELLY on October 15, 2009 at 9:29am

I think Shane speaks the truth.A few weeks back I lost my mojo-I'd been rehearsing too much and so one day I found myself playing (rehearsing) with feet that felt like lead.The lyrics were like ashes in my mouth.I realised I'd just overdone it-my mojo was rebelling maybe!... so I just left it for a week.Did the trick for me.

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Permalink Reply by One String Willie on October 15, 2009 at 9:31am

Frans, I agree with Shane and Joker-

Use the force, but don't force it. Playing music should be a way to let off/channel emotional energy, and if it's not happening, walk away from your music a while and it will come back. You may need to take care of other stuff in your life first, but the music will be there when you are ready to get back to it.

Hang in there!

Best regards, Willie

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on October 15, 2009 at 9:37am

well i never had the mojo in the first place so i'm not much help to you bro but what the other guys have said sounds like good advice
hope you mojo returns soon if you get more back than you lost send a little my way please !
juju.

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Permalink Reply by David L. on October 15, 2009 at 9:45am

Hi,
It depends upon how bad you are feeling. Feeling a bit low and pissed off happens from time to time for most people and passes in time.
BUT
if you are finding a complete loss of enjoyment in everything I would consider visiting your GP/family doctor just to check you are not becoming or are already depressed. There are free online questionnaires for example http://depression.about.com/cs/diagnosis/l/blscreenquiz.htm to do a quick check on your current state. I would take it seriously.
Personally I find playing the guitar helps me to relax but then again I play so badly I have no mojo to lose.
Regards,
David

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Permalink Reply by Mortimer Snerd on October 15, 2009 at 9:55am

You may have depression, you need to get out of Dodge, get some rest, eat right, sleep right, vitimins, fresh air, stop the bad habits, go for walks in the outdoors daily, exersize enough to get a clear head again. Let yesterdays go. Funks come and go in life, but they do go away when your active and tweeking your health to the better. Shit happens to everybody, don't pertend your the only one.

If you haven't played lately, you may just be out of sink, I find I need to play something, anything, everyday. But I am still learning to play, so I have to do the daily thing, but my practice has never taken a back seat to life's problems,yet.

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Permalink Reply by Tim on October 15, 2009 at 10:17am

yeah its a daily guess if i can play a thing or not some days i pick up my guitar and cant even hit a cord right and then there are days when nothing goes wrong even my screwups sound good. i dont play in a band so its no big deal, if i find its not there i put it down and try agian later.

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Permalink Reply by Noisemaker on October 15, 2009 at 11:45am

Hang in there man...the Mojo shall return. There's good advice posted here as I'm sure we all go thru a slump. I get frustrated too...but in time new sounds emerge from whatever I pick-up to play. On a side note...I want to thank you for the Republic Resolian video. When I was considering a resonator...it was you & Keni Lee (youtube videos) that convinced me Republic was the way to go. Just got it last week...

Good luck...

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