I'm 59 and played since age 15. I have a song in a movie, some radio play in on band, and I played with some great musicians (e.g. Dan W. last drummer Frampton toured with last 8 years) etc. WHILE all that was fun I learned years ago that having 5 guitars near my office desk gave me the ability to escape for a few minutes and de-stress in life. Non musicians maybe play a video game but playing guitar (or other instrument) is the greatest gift you can give yourself. It is a gift that keeps giving.
I’m 59 and started at 15 too although I’ve never played professionally. I’m slowly moving away from learning songs and just play the blues. It’s a great release.
yep great form of relaxation... I sometimes noddle whilst on MT calls with my camera off. Or sometimes loss an hours work because I find something cool and get loss in the moment.
It’s so fucking awesome to see people already connecting and leaving their details in this comment section - love you guys, may this lead to great things :-)
I bet that my wife is hotter than your coffee shop girl...I am a solo acoustic guitar player. I watched accidentally, but it was great and I have photos...lol
I think social media like yt plays into why some people stop playing. You see people who are ridiculously talented. It makes some people just quit, thinking they will never achieve those levels of skill. Play what you can and have fun with it. I live in a small, west Texas city, with a totally nonexistent music scene and not many other musicians to jam with, so I do covers on yt. My channel is tiny and doesn't receive very much traffic, but I have a lot of fun learning new songs and posting them and hopefully helping another bassist out there. Am I a great musician, not by a long shot, but I do what I can and I enjoy doing it. Now grab your instrument and have fun!
COVID killed it for me - changed country, changed job, left all my gear behind in storage - stopped playing, stopped putting up YT vids... took me almost 3 years to "wake up", get some gear to play with and get my fingers working again.... To all my fellow players, please don't let your talent go to waste... I've taken pleasure from playing the old stuff I learned as kid again!
@@RobChappers oh Rob... mines all in Spain! I only got back there this April to move it from a mate's garage to a storage unit... all my studio gear, my amps n guitars....
I do photography on the side, and “The Bug” b.s. really put the brakes on my creativity and motivation. While many people were able to work remotely from home, I still had to work “in office” for my main job during that same time period. Really sapped me. Gradually dragged myself out of my funk, but still not 100% on that front. I need new gear (upgrade lenses, and new laptop), and spending 💰💰💰 right now is a dread… but I might need to bite the bullet.
@HAHb-zc2dp I know! I was a pro musician, teaching and gigging in Spain when I decided to relocate back to the UK for family reasons. 2 days after I got back lockdown happened and... that was that
Been playing guitar on and off since my late 40's. Now mid 60's. We now have a little bunch of friends called a band and this year we started doing gigs at old people's homes. It is brilliant having an audience that actually sits and watches you. We mainly do country pop sort of music and it really makes my heart swell looking into the crowd and seeing the oldies tapping along, singing along, or holding hands with a little tear in their eye remembering back when. Our drummer comes and goes, so I often have to use a drum peddle, which is interesting.
I was like this on Friday….thought sod it…..leave my iPad and iPhone alone…..I picked up my guitar, it was my American Strats turn, quick tune up….then it was Spotify on…..my go to for sheer joy, I play along with Slade in Flame soundtrack, followed by some Johnny Hates Jazz, moving over to Never Say Die album by Sabbath and then a nice medley of Hawkwind ….Warrior on the Edge of Time…..2 hours….whoosh, just lost myself in the music, jammed along, had fun, made mistakes, had success…..and just thought afterwards……that was effing great….must do this again…..and I will…..tomorrow……cheers Rob…..inspiring as ever….
What a great video, Rob. Me and my axe-wielding mates have all had this conversation over the last few years. All die hard guitarists of 20+ years who found ourselves lacking motivation at some point or another. If you truly love the instrument, or any passion for that matter, it WILL return. With that in mind, I’m based in Felixstowe, Suffolk and looking for a band to join/start. Alternatively, I play with a couple of old high school mates in Colchester every couple of months and need a bass player to join us!
This is my favourite year of your channel so far Rob. Your attitude, your humour, your playing, your good vibes. You’re killing it right now mate, great work. Video made me smile after a long day, much appreciated 😊
If you are struggling with motivation just set a goal to play for 10 min per day and have a goal for that time, whether it be working on speed, improvising over a jam track, working on a lick/riff/song you started writing, etc. 10 minutes tricks your brain into thinking this is easy, I can easily set aside 10 min per day, very attainable, and then often you'll find you end up playing longer when you get into the groove. And if you decide, meh 10 min was enough for today, you met your goal, feel better about yourself, and can put it down and wait for tomorrow when perhaps more inspiration or desire hits. It's also been scientifically proven that consistency trumps long and infrequent jam/practice sessions anyway for growth and your mind will remember more. Thanks Rob!
Almost every night I fall asleep visualising the fret board… hearing the notes and finding new patterns and the next day I try to remember these new paths I came up with. It’s a super sick way to stay creative and motivated. Also take your guitar outside, play to backing tracks through a lil spark amp while sitting under a tree or at the beach etc. you’ll play for hours and feel awesome at the end of it!
What country do you live in? Sit under a tree that has been there for years and cut down, shit floating past you either at the sea or a river, or some prick on a bike out to steal your gear in the middle of a solo!!!???
Great video which applies to our life in general. I no longer play the guitar because I've moved on to learning about other stuff; and this works fine in my life.
Love you Rob, you are a true inspiration for a lot of us. Please keep up with this great pieces of advice. They are huge for some of us struggling to get motivation to pick up the guitar, play more often and learn more stuff every day.
We play due to a passion we have. We just need to find 2-3 people and to play with them. Playing in front of the computer or just for UA-cam sakes, is not the same. Sharing emotions, ideas and loud music makes you shake... Not only your trousers 😂 Music is a joy, not a competition!!
Everything you said Rob was spot on. I'm 56 and consider myself an intermediate player and lately a shocking procrastinator. My problem is getting new gear like the BOSS Katana MK II Head I bought during lockdown. Great unit, but I wasted so much time setting it up I wasn’t getting much play time. I’ve even had 2 of my guitars signed by Steve Vai & George Lynch. (Still can’t play like them) In the end I went back to basics and bought a 3 channel HK TM40 Deluxe and use a POD HD500 to control it with a couple of effects. Happy Days. Thanks for the backing track ideas. Keep up the good work. Cheers
The part about the people is the key to all this, you could know all this stuff but doing it alone gets heavier and heavier. A video like this serves as a bit of inspiration and puts a little fuel back in my tank, thanks Rob. I’m currently still recovering from surgeries on my hands and fingers so I’m unfortunately not ready to be part of the fun just yet so please everyone have suns fun on my behalf. Don’t feel sad for me though for a moment I thought I wasn’t gonna be able to play no more but thankfully that’s not the case, looking forward to the journey
Been playing guitar for thirty plus years. I cant live without it! Like my personal zen. Mad, sad, or glad, my guitar is always a private oasis, personal time. Like meditation to me. I'll play as long as I'm able. Lovely advice by the way!
Great video! I stopped playing about 2 years ago, I just lost the drive and motivation to pick up my Strat and Les Paul(an Epiphone but still an LP) I just lost interest and it wasn't fun anymore to just crank up the amp and just jam a bit o' ACDC or anything simple. My gear is just sitting in the corner gathering dust bunnies. Hearing that you went thru the same kind of thing gives me the kick in the old rumpus and motivation I need to start playing again. Thanks again for the great video Roberto.
This happened to me for about a year, I stopped playing and just couldn’t find motivation to do it. So I started programming drums instead. Now I am back to player guitar again regularly. Brilliant advice!
After playing for nearly 30 years I've found its good to take a break for a bit. When I come back to it I feel refreshed and excited again. It will come back around when your ready.
Amazing advice! I’ve been fortunate not to get stuck in a major rut. I may have a day here and there where I’m not feeling it, but it’s usually about something else in my life and not really the guitar itself. I have a guitar routine that I follow each night and/or morning. I aim to do some warmups, learn something new or practice something I started, and then I always spend ample time jamming along with songs and enjoying the instrument without any specific goals. It’s a routine for me. The only other reason I might not play other than a very tough day (which I rarely use an a reason not to play because playing is a great fix for a tough time) is because I’m disabled/ill and having a rough day with my symptoms. I don’t even use being tired as an excuse because I’m always exhausted in reality, and I’d never play, lol. I generally use a variety of guitar education apps so I have a curriculum of sorts (ie: Gibson, Yousician, Justin Guitar, Ultimate Guitar, etc.), but I also keep things fresh by diving deeper into specific skills by finding UA-cam videos that contribute. Other times, I observe pros playing my favorite songs to see if I can try to copy what they’re doing. There are all kinds of things to explore whether you’re actively playing or not - but the more you play, the better you will become. Guitar proficiency requires muscle memory like athletes require to play spots. Just playing even 10-15 minute a day will help a great deal. And you’ll often end up playing longer because you’re having fun. Last week, I got a D’addario capo for $8 bucks that simulates Drop D tuning in E standard - in the blink of an eye, I was having fun trying chords shapes and creating lush sounding music. And then I flipped the capo and clamped it upside down on the treble strings, and again, it created a really pretty voicing on my guitar in a split second. Just $8 bucks gave me something new and interesting to explore. I love alternate and open tunings, but it takes a little time to dial them in and it’s annoying to always have to switch with a single guitar - so this capo helped me create a new voicing in a moment. I also learned there are all kinds of capos out there - the Spider capo looks like it could be a ton of fun. You have some really nice suggestions to try to get people to enjoy their guitar and not see it as a chore or feel like they’re not skilled enough to play. I may try some of your ideas as well. I want to improve my soloing skills, and I may just go use your Monkey Lord tracks for that purpose. Never type doing that! Thanks, Rob!
I love that you mentioned backing tracks. I STILL kick around a fender gdec 30, JUST for the backing tracks. I play over those tracks with my tune amp and pedals. Fun way to chill anytime
What a great message Rob! I used to be a pro guitarist and left it behind over 20 years ago. These days I pick the thing up, it’s dusty and I am a shadow of my former self. What you’ve said here isn inspiration in itself. It was playtime for me as a kid and I need to make it playtime again. Thanks Rob!
Nice one mr chapman, I stopped even though the band do gigs…..so that’s really the only time I play. This is exactly what I do, can’t get focused . Due to being impaired not playing has balled me up.!
Hey Rob it’s Rob from the US. You don’t know me nor ever have you ever heard of me unless you’ve been peeking in the window of my home office to hear me failing miserably at the guitar for 20 + years. Anyways, been watching you on UA-cam for years. You’re really awesome! Great video; one of the best I’ve ever seen. I really appreciate you. The most important thing that guitar does for me is give me hope. Hope that someday I will play something beautiful that will touch someone and that it will connect with them and give them a sense of peace - even if it’s only for a few moments. And it will by okay that the person doesn’t knows my name. Love to all of you!
It's a minset you arE helping to creat one for me, I have had guitars for 47 years and had 3 teachers as a kid who all gave up on me, as a I was sick of classical spanish guitar or being classically trained, I WANTED ROCK... Queen, Iron Maidaen, Dire Straits, ZZ Top etc.. Now I'm getting right into it, I know very well the stages you so accuraetly elude to and epithise with you completely. I really hope you get something going on here, as you are clearly a musician of a high calibre, to change the shite that has been in the the charts if they still exist for years!!! GOOD ON YA MATE, YOUR CHANGING YOUR OWN MUSICAL DIRECTION, VIA WISDOM!!! I've just started putting my generations of 'Listening skills' together with some playing experience to hopefully bring out somthing more meaningful, even like a modern ELO, songs with multiple layers, story-lines, thought provoking, poetry and shear modern clarity that was seen as fresh back then inthe 60's-mid ninties when it all went pear shaped ...baby baby, baby yaeah (INNIT) as it is now to hear those new tones we can now achieve. By ther way, I have always been a house DJ too in clubs, so zero neg comments about being an old man, MODERN 'CHART' MUSC IS SHIIIIIIITE! Its mostly shite because the kids who buy music to chart the bands, just copy the hell out of eachother, no individuals alowed in modern society, so the shite will flow, and the good will never grow.
I can't agree more. On point! Set goals! My ultimate goal is to earn back every cent I spent starting guitar (again in 2019). Recently, my Band and I started to be a business. I'm now almost half way to my goal. Others will follow...
Dear Rob, I saw you paying a visit to Marshall with red cheeks. Or in the guitar shop in Leeds (I can't remember exactly) when you met the old man with his old guitar. That inspired me so much that I started playing the guitar again. I tried to get my skills back for over 6 years. Our 3-man band stopped in 1982. For professional reasons. Then I started making music again over the internet with my old bandmates. It doesn't work. Nothing can simulate the flapping of jeans in front of the amplifier. I carried on and found a following. But it wasn't satisfying for me. Because there was no pressure. I then stopped making music again. That was 15 years ago. At 70, I don't have the strength or motivation to learn the skills again to be as good as I used to be. I love my guitars. My advice is: never stop playing. You'll forget how to play faster than you know it.
You are so right. I say I haven't got time to play due to work and family commitments but do all the things you said at the start - on my phone, netflix etc. I have bought new gear and its just gathered dust. This video has made me go back to lots of unfinished recordings. Great video
I'm 69, retired US Navy, THANK GOD I lived a major portion of my life with out "texts" and YT Shorts. Having 5 kids and being gone a lot might have been easier, but I set up a BBS in '90 on my hand built PC to keeps comms with the family when the kids were still young. I play a harmonica, a beat up old Canadian acoustic guitar, and have mostly stopped playing them as evidently; it irritated all of my 3 wives. Love your content Rob, you are a philosopher that plays guitar very well. Not a bad comedian either. Thanks!
I really needed this video and it popped up at the perfect time. I've been playing guitar for over half of my life, but I've not had the motivation to play at all until recently. I found the spark again and this video was my sign that I'm back on the right track... no pun intended! Thanks Chappers!
Very valid advice. And yes, the best advice is find a musician or two to jam with. Having been put on permanent disability by my day job, and now at the ripe young age of 61, the contents of my music room/man cave/home studio are probably worth more than my house, but I have been unable to find the motivation to play for about five years now. I have bought guitars and pedals which have yet to be played. I have put a guitar next to me on the couch, with a Yamaha THR on the coffee table. I have saved numerous UA-cam backing tracks. But I find myself watching UA-cam videos like this every day. I think I’m a hopeless case.
@@andymaidment111 thanks. I have 27 guitars, of which 5 are acoustics, some with alternative tunings. I think I just need a good kick in the proverbial butt.
Thanks for this video Rob, I definitely suffer with being overwhelmed by guitar and what to do etc etc, just hearing someone say take it piece by piece is sage like advice for me.
Thanks for this! I’ve got my last three gigs booked with the band… because it’s grown stale to me. Maybe this is what I need. Im giving up playing county fairs, some bigger shows with +/-1500 people, and even small venues with less than 50 people. I hate this feeling. Maybe your encouragement will turn me around.
For me, it DEFINITELY has to do with the "Music" AND the "Statement". That's ALWAYS been "The Goal". The "constant' that has been pivotal to keeping me @ it is working out in the Studio with the Guitars and Effects, the E-Drum Kit, the Basses, the Board and Peripherals and, of course, the "Boomerang +" Phrase Sampler. If I can't be in a band @ a given time...I can BE the band! And "The Band" presses on to new and exciting challenges CONTINUALLY!
"We rock so that others may roll" - Brilliant! 😄 The point of your video here reminds me that I need to get back to the way I used to play: to the radio, to the stereo, or to whatever was on MTV (when the "M" stood for Music).
I get, and appreciate a lot of tbese points. Id also like to add that going to see live bands has the potential to inspire in ways you never thought possible. Go and listen to live music! Be it at pubs, festivals, arenas or stadiums. Go and watch (and feel) the power of live music!!!!!
Thank you Rob! I think you just got me inspired. I have a room full of guitars that I stpped playing many months ago due to getting sidetracked by electronic music. This video is a godsend. Subscribed!
I call it guitar depression and yes, I ask all the same questions. This is my second one in about 20 years. First one happened when my group of friends "band" couldn't get together any more. Second one someone close got sick and playing guitar in the house just felt selfish. Then I forget all my songs and wondered why I'm wasting time re learning them. I recently said F it and just started to learn new songs.
@RobChappers Truer words have never been spoken… “We bend steel so that others can process emotions.” Profound man, profound! This will be my new mantra! Thanks Rob
For me, it was changing my whole realm of creativity and learning. I sold off a bunch of gear to where I have bare essentials - a Tele, a 335, a Hummingbird, and a 5-string bass - and started learning genres of music I never thought I’d touch. Now I don’t get overwhelmed by gear options and being forced to make the most out of my more minimal lineup has given me new kinds of inspiration. It’s been especially fun testing the limits of my new Telecaster. You REALLY have to push your creativity to get the most out of one of those!
I played for 30 years. I haven't played in months. I lost my best friend. He was my music buddy. We talked and shared music every day. All those bands you mentioned, that was us. He kept me wanting to play and learn new stuff. Then one day, he was gone. I've played for maybe a couple hours since then. I kinda feel like I don't have the music in me anymore.
He would be mad to hear that you know. I have a friend who quit playing because his co-guitarist killed himself. Dead people would want you to keep jamming man
I have lost a couple of friends to suicide, I know how it feels to go through loss not only of the friend, but also of the project you were in - overtime the capacity on the negative emotions will reduce and you will only be left with majority positive. I suppose the best thing to do is, do it for him, that’s what I did for my friend Alex. You can do it, my friend ❤
It's a bit more complicated than death but this just isn't the place to explain it all. Death would at least be closure. I don't know what the fuck this is. All I know is that it sucks.
Thanks for this Rob, top man. It’s 2am here at the moment but tomorrow I’m going to crack open a guitar case, restring, tune up & see what happens. Much love 👍🏼
Drummer here… it’s harder than Rob makes it out to be. 😂 He is right about one thing though… drummers get shit done. Any success you ever achieve of the musical variety is likely the result of a drummer. You’re welcome. Also, I’m Jason from Detroit seeking either a drummer and bassist, OR a guitarist and a bassist who is into 90s punk rock or whatever the hell Jimmy Eat World is classified as. If you meet that description, reply here in the comments. I haven’t been able to rock out for like 20 years and I need that in my life.
Funny, my number one instrument is guitar, although I do have a Roland TD15 for recording. When I watch live bands, I’m nearly always watching the drummer.
Great video.! Self-taught guitarist her, around the NY State Capital Region. Always looking for fellow musicians to jam with and get inspired by. Big thumbs up.!
I've "quit" guitar for a few years trying to cover any song by going all P4 tuning. I'll probably come back to standard tuning someday or do both. But it's good to get away from comparing myself to others and thinking about what I can't play well enough for awhile. Oh, and P4 is very cool for leads and learning triad shapes all over the fretboard.
Cheers Rob for the Pep talk, I'm definitely giving up guitar now. Thanks for helping me make that decision After 30 years of playing and not really getting anywhere, you come to the realisation I am never going to get any better from here When you suck you suck hard. I'm so bored of it now,. I may take up knitting or drugs next which ever is cheapest , bloody cost of living crisis. Time to move 22 guitar and 6 amps.
I had a break of 20 years. Played hugely as a teen and was on track to attend ACM down south but things happened, I ended up doing an English degree and started teaching. Then life etc… Anyway, I picked up the guitar again in Feb ‘23 and just got the bug again, got a new guitar teacher and now am setting up for my Grade 8 and hopefully much more after that. I do lament not playing for so long but honestly I think the break of two decades made me love it more. Now I’m learning and practising like I’m running out of time (hopefully not) or at least to catch up. I certainly appreciate tone and feel a lot more than I did as a younger person. Anyway, another great video as usual Mr C. 🫡 Oh and, yes looking to start a band. I’m in Crewe.
I've been playing with backing track the past 3-4 days now, I don't know much about the scales much yet, only a few to get by and been having a real blast!
Excellent video, super inspiring! We all need a kick up the bottom sometimes to get better on the old GEETAR. Licks & lessons like the ones you have on your channel + something like Rockschool is awesome for having that TANGIBLE GOAL to reach in a structured way - it pushed me personally hard to succeed for Grade 5. It even gives UCAS points for University at the later grades. The leap into sweeping and 3 notes per string scales etc is a big jump beyond Grade 5. But hey - Grade 6 and beyond incoming. There's always a tonne to learn. Overwhelming even. Keep rockin' 🤘🎸
I really need some new strings but as my daughter is away for the weekend I might just get jamming. A backing track is always my go to! Gear that makes me excited: my only electric guitar, an original ML1 in natural finish. In fact Rob, the very guitar you handled in one of your videos where you popped in to Brighton Guitars!
10:11 I love jammin to backing tracks, I will definitely check those out Rob! Also thanks for this video... while it is very much targeted towards guitar players, this absolutely can be applied to anyone who has lost some passion for whatever their "thing" is
Oh man what a video! You know what killed it for me - spending years working contracts like cruise ship circuits / hotels etc and then suddenly stopping and trying to be “normal” and get a “normal” job because that’s just “what you do” because it’s “proper”. I hear you say but that strikes an opportunity for change and freshness! But no… it just withered. Also listening to the radio at work all day long in an office causes malnutrition. All of a sudden years pass and along comes a pub gig and the nerves set in, hands lock up, thumb cramps because you’re gripping the fret board as if you’re dangling off the edge of Ben Nevis’ Tower Ridge. There’s always time though isn’t there, people take a hiatus, but sometimes that can be good. Starting fresh, going back to basics, apply what you like right now to what you choose to learn. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Maybe I should change my profile picture.
Hold onto that beautiful image of when you first made the ‘true’ musical connection with your guitar 🎶 Possibly the feel of the strings beneath the fingers, the first big E chord through a massively too loud amp, the first glimpse of how cool of you looked posing in the mirror (or how cool you though you looked) or the first difficult piece of music that you spent all summer inside trying to perfect. But mostly, try and remember why you held on for so damn long in the first place 🎸 p.s. Much love Rob, and I’m still not sure why I haven’t gotten around to buying one of your awesome guitars yet 🤦♂️
Been there, sold all my gear and got into different hobbies. Funny enough, it was a Chapman ML3 modern at an Atlanta Guitar center that got me back into playing during covid. I had to sell it but it gave me the motivation to start again, so thanks for making those guitars. Im located at the NC/TN/GA border in America and play everything from classic rock to newer stuff like polyphia (GOAT is a very fun song to play) and metal etc......
Wish I knew the drummers you know Mr Chaps! Think what's ground me to a halt is being the guy having to drag everyone else along for most of the time in the band dynamic. Might be time to finally learn how to do it all myself if I'm gonna push myself to keep playing.
When I was 16 my ‘guitar teacher’ at school thoroughly discouraged me from playing not because I was bad but more so it’s hard (whatever that means). I didn’t play for 3 years. Dark times. Went through a bad break up and my brother picked up up told me to do what I love. 10+ years later getting paid for gigs on the regular
Rob, i gotta say,As well as this being a on motivation, to bang your youtube & spotify on it too,is a class act tbf. Ur a cracking salesman bro.👏👏Good info btw.
I feel ya. Ever since I started learning to play drums, I haven’t played guitar for months. It feels a little unfamiliar when I do sit down to play guitar, like visiting a childhood memory of a place I used to know.
New Zealand here. I've been creating stuff for years but the weakest link is my singing. All sorts of styles and subjects etc. songs. Lyrics written but needs *that* voice to give them the final pizazz.
I've only recently taken my playing seriously again after a couple of years of just strumming chords once in a blue moon. It feels so good to be excited about music again, I went back to the music that got me into guitar and that helped a lot (Green Day if anyone's interested) and now i'm back to playing everyday and chosing my guitar over playstation. Also anyone on here from North Wales wanting to jam?
I could post a long detailed rant about how I started guitar and why I stopped for many years, and why I started playing again. With that odd, elated feeling like I had "leveled up" in the first few months despite not playing guitar for many years (was quite serious about drumming in the time between though...) The TLDR is avoid people (including longtime guitar instructors) that put you down or are negative about players and musical inspiration you are studying... Seek players, artists and other artforms to inspire you. The amount you can learn "auto-didact" on UA-cam or the internet in general is astounding.
This video was awesome! I’m a new dad and I don’t have a ton of time to play, but I try to carve out a little time every week. We actually just moved to the Nashville area about a year ago and don’t really know anybody down here. I would love to find some other dads to jam with and play some punk. If anybody reading this is also in the Nashville area and wants to jam to some punk stuff holler at me. 🤙🏻
Great video. It's really hard to find people, and find the right people that would stay, work on stuff and improve is even harder. I am in Belgium (lately), I play viola, bass and guitar, beginner. I am interested in playing jazz and blues.
Your a funny dude . I relate to what you said about going over unfinished riffs and committing to finishing . I had a serious Illness and couldn't play for about a year but I vowed if I could ever play again I would finish what I started . It was the motive for starting a channel playing all Instruments a year ago . Sometimes we need a wakeup call to not take for granted the things we love in life . Great vid enjoyed it . CAMCURSE
If there's anyone in southern Massachusetts who wants to get me to stop noodling and start practicing, let me know. Or who gives guitar lessons. Or someone who wants to go to some shows or grab a drink - I just need some new musician friends. I'm a serviceable bass player with a guitar addiction. Great video, Chappers. Thanks for this.
I started playing in 1997 and reached a skill ceiling around 2001. After that, I hardly touched a guitar until about 2007. I played again for a year or so before losing my passion for it. I got married, had a few kids, and stopped playing altogether until the pandemic hit. Since then, I've been on a theory learning mission and improve my playing, I even bought three new guitars in the past 18 months! It might seem illogical, but I'm thrilled to be back at it. It took me about six months to regain my mojo, and now I'm playing stuff I never thought I could before.
Another geezer here - I'll turn 78 next month, been playing, mostly lamely since '59. Lotta years (and interrupted by career and raising kids). I view myself a hack player but my bandmates think I'm great, so I let them have that delusion.... I'm so grateful to have a band of brothers, 3 other guys who love to plug in and make a racket with me. As the lead guitarist, I'm kinda the 'star' of the band, though I would never, ever call myself a star of anything. I'm a very good physician, but guitarist, well, I'm limited, but I've been at it long enough to be able to hold my own. We don't gig often but we could if we really wanted to. I'm not too keen on that for all the work it entails, but I must admit that it's nice when people really dig what we do. I've had the opportunity to hang in a recording session Robben Ford almost 30 years ago (his bro Mark and I were close friends as Mark was one of my paramedics in my ER) and I've shared the stage with Mike Varney - a killer player who was very kind to me, about 20 years ago. So, I gifted myself, for my 78th BD coming up, a guitar that has been Mike's 'weapon of choice' - an SG Jr!! Under 6# !!!! On its way... My bandmates and I being OLD, I don't take a single session or even day for granted. Our clocks are ticking loudly - so I try to drown that out with some harmonious decibels, best accompanied by my bandmates. Onward ~~~~>>> Oh, and, Rob, where are your backing tracks??
Great video Rob, I am in a rut, all I want to do is play AiC songs in a live setting. Just even in a practice room. Just fed up of playing the stuff I love by myself.
oh boy this is gonna be a long one but this video really spoke to me and I'm about to pour my heart out: Back in November/December of 2018 (holy Toledo it's been a hot minute...) my band Touch of God was wrapping up our second studio album. At that stage in my life I was working in a dead-end job that got me severely depressed, and the band was my escape to at least have some idea of happiness and somewhat success or the sense of accomplishment. As this was all going on I should also say I was seeing a therapist for my depression. Something that my band mates were well aware. But as many of you that have jobs outside of music can understand, sometimes the dark path of that job gets you to a stage where even your motivation to pick up an instrument is depleted. Yes, it got to this point unfortunately and instead of having support from my band mates, I had the opposite. I was pushed against a wall to accept things I wouldn't otherwise accept. Things that would always come with the veiled threat of "Do this or I leave" . The drummer was the main responsible for this at that stage I didn't realise how much influence he had on the bass player however whom I considered a brother, a friend of many many years. The last of their demands was for me to accept getting another guitar player. Which I accepted. Even tough logically it didn't make much sense since we were composed of guitar/keyboard/bass/drums and our songs were written around that. So I didn't feel it was right but nevertheless for the good of the group I accepted: I even went as far as giving up the position of guitar player of the band and letting him take the bulk of the work I used to do. My imposter-syndrome had now reached into my musical life. The only aspect, until this point, where I felt I was somewhat good at. But yes, my playing was affected due to all that was happening in my life, and only a fool could not see it: I was now depressed even during rehearsals and it didn't help matters that when friends outside of the band heard the new line-up play , they said it didn't sound the same. It didn't sound as good. I am not ashamed to say I would cry to sleep after rehearsals As I gave in to their demands I slowly but surely lost even the little motivation I had and it all came crashing one day as the drummer said he was leaving the band effective immediately , I defiantly looked at the bass player and said "we can carry the torch" to which he said there was no point and turned his back on me. The today me would have probably fought, argued, in my depressed state I accepted that things were at it's end and closed that chapter of my life. To this day, all ties are cut. I haven't received word from any of them. Bass player left the country, the drummer kept on drumming on separate projects of different musical genres. He has gone as far as pretending to not know me if we cross paths in the street. I didn't pick up a guitar since then, except for one or another occasion where I was asked to play for a birthday party or a get-together with friends My life has changed since then. My professional career took a turn, I am doing QA Testing for software companies and I love what I do. As of right now in terms of what I do musically is barely anything of note. I play songs that I have a vague idea on how to play them and I wouldn't even call it practicing. After doing it and feeling ok with myself for a bit the only thing that comes to mind is "I didn't evolve, I didn't learn anything I am stuck" . This cycle will repeat itself months on end. Tried getting something started musically in my area (Porto, Portugal) but it's been for naught. Hoping the fates change, thanks for reading if you reached this point
you know what, you've summed up where I am right now. I picked up guitar when I was 15, played in bands a lot through my 20's and 30's but life has got in the way, and my motivation has somewhat gone. Now I'm in my 50's, work, kids and other stuff has not left "opportunity" to pick up the guitar and when I do, I'm not sure what I want to play or practice. The youtube backing tracks are a great idea, and I've no idea why I've never done it up to now. I'd love to set up my PC to record and produce some music, but I've never known where to start and something always crops up to stop me even starting to research it. But i'm going to do it. I don't want to be still writing a comment like this in a year's time. I've got my trusty ML-1 hot rod, and a DI so I'll start from there. I've been wanting to get that passion back, but was not throwing myself into it. I'll make the time and dive in. Thanks so much for doing this video. I always enjoy them, but this one really hit home.
This is something I'm currently working on. To reconnect with my guitar and the creative process I used to love so much. I had so many ideas, man. They came so easily to me when I was younger. I've been thinking about it very hard lately. It's not just the guitar, it's everything. Sure, it has something to do with my age. But there are other factors. Maybe even more significant. I realize I need to simplify my life. Make the stream of information coming to my brain a lot thinner. Puting away my phone is a start. It sucks in so much of my time and energy... I realized the impact is much bigger than I thought. Do an experiment - turn off that bloody thing for a couple of days. Avoid the PC as well. And see what happens. Scary, right? To be with yourself without all the distractions. But it's a great thing to fully realize the digital cage we willingly threw ourselves into. It's the first step for us to walk out. If we want to. But I am pretty sure it's most definitely behind the loss of our passion and feelings we had about life. Well... I say "we" but of course I'm talking about myself. But maybe someone else will relate as well.
Man the " we bend steel so others may process emotions" needs to be on a t shirt, Chapman guitars shirt, something. Epic. Great exploration of this.
agreed
I'm 59 and played since age 15. I have a song in a movie, some radio play in on band, and I played with some great musicians (e.g. Dan W. last drummer Frampton toured with last 8 years) etc. WHILE all that was fun I learned years ago that having 5 guitars near my office desk gave me the ability to escape for a few minutes and de-stress in life. Non musicians maybe play a video game but playing guitar (or other instrument) is the greatest gift you can give yourself. It is a gift that keeps giving.
I’m 59 and started at 15 too although I’ve never played professionally. I’m slowly moving away from learning songs and just play the blues. It’s a great release.
yep great form of relaxation... I sometimes noddle whilst on MT calls with my camera off. Or sometimes loss an hours work because I find something cool and get loss in the moment.
It’s so fucking awesome to see people already connecting and leaving their details in this comment section - love you guys, may this lead to great things :-)
Yeah, I'm ready right now to jam live with you, Rob. I play the triangle and castanet, but I guess you'll be on guitar as usual?
I bet that my wife is hotter than your coffee shop girl...I am a solo acoustic guitar player. I watched accidentally, but it was great and I have photos...lol
Glad to hear you reference David Goggins. He makes me do push-ups in my sleep.
@@reubenisaac702 yeah, but he plays crap blues guitar.
@@digitalchris6681 David Goggins plays guitar?
I think social media like yt plays into why some people stop playing. You see people who are ridiculously talented. It makes some people just quit, thinking they will never achieve those levels of skill. Play what you can and have fun with it. I live in a small, west Texas city, with a totally nonexistent music scene and not many other musicians to jam with, so I do covers on yt. My channel is tiny and doesn't receive very much traffic, but I have a lot of fun learning new songs and posting them and hopefully helping another bassist out there. Am I a great musician, not by a long shot, but I do what I can and I enjoy doing it. Now grab your instrument and have fun!
10000%
COVID killed it for me - changed country, changed job, left all my gear behind in storage - stopped playing, stopped putting up YT vids... took me almost 3 years to "wake up", get some gear to play with and get my fingers working again.... To all my fellow players, please don't let your talent go to waste... I've taken pleasure from playing the old stuff I learned as kid again!
You are literally telling my story, 100% went through this same situation and my equipment is still in storage back in the UK
@@RobChappers oh Rob... mines all in Spain! I only got back there this April to move it from a mate's garage to a storage unit... all my studio gear, my amps n guitars....
I do photography on the side, and “The Bug” b.s. really put the brakes on my creativity and motivation. While many people were able to work remotely from home, I still had to work “in office” for my main job during that same time period. Really sapped me. Gradually dragged myself out of my funk, but still not 100% on that front. I need new gear (upgrade lenses, and new laptop), and spending 💰💰💰 right now is a dread… but I might need to bite the bullet.
Changed country? Wtf
@HAHb-zc2dp I know! I was a pro musician, teaching and gigging in Spain when I decided to relocate back to the UK for family reasons. 2 days after I got back lockdown happened and... that was that
"We bend steel so that others may process emotions." That's deep!
I know this is a guitar channel but Rob you talking about Elden Ring put a smile on my face.
Been playing guitar on and off since my late 40's. Now mid 60's. We now have a little bunch of friends called a band and this year we started doing gigs at old people's homes. It is brilliant having an audience that actually sits and watches you. We mainly do country pop sort of music and it really makes my heart swell looking into the crowd and seeing the oldies tapping along, singing along, or holding hands with a little tear in their eye remembering back when. Our drummer comes and goes, so I often have to use a drum peddle, which is interesting.
I was like this on Friday….thought sod it…..leave my iPad and iPhone alone…..I picked up my guitar, it was my American Strats turn, quick tune up….then it was Spotify on…..my go to for sheer joy, I play along with Slade in Flame soundtrack, followed by some Johnny Hates Jazz, moving over to Never Say Die album by Sabbath and then a nice medley of Hawkwind ….Warrior on the Edge of Time…..2 hours….whoosh, just lost myself in the music, jammed along, had fun, made mistakes, had success…..and just thought afterwards……that was effing great….must do this again…..and I will…..tomorrow……cheers Rob…..inspiring as ever….
What a great video, Rob. Me and my axe-wielding mates have all had this conversation over the last few years. All die hard guitarists of 20+ years who found ourselves lacking motivation at some point or another. If you truly love the instrument, or any passion for that matter, it WILL return.
With that in mind, I’m based in Felixstowe, Suffolk and looking for a band to join/start. Alternatively, I play with a couple of old high school mates in Colchester every couple of months and need a bass player to join us!
This is my favourite year of your channel so far Rob. Your attitude, your humour, your playing, your good vibes. You’re killing it right now mate, great work. Video made me smile after a long day, much appreciated 😊
If you are struggling with motivation just set a goal to play for 10 min per day and have a goal for that time, whether it be working on speed, improvising over a jam track, working on a lick/riff/song you started writing, etc. 10 minutes tricks your brain into thinking this is easy, I can easily set aside 10 min per day, very attainable, and then often you'll find you end up playing longer when you get into the groove. And if you decide, meh 10 min was enough for today, you met your goal, feel better about yourself, and can put it down and wait for tomorrow when perhaps more inspiration or desire hits. It's also been scientifically proven that consistency trumps long and infrequent jam/practice sessions anyway for growth and your mind will remember more. Thanks Rob!
Almost every night I fall asleep visualising the fret board… hearing the notes and finding new patterns and the next day I try to remember these new paths I came up with. It’s a super sick way to stay creative and motivated.
Also take your guitar outside, play to backing tracks through a lil spark amp while sitting under a tree or at the beach etc. you’ll play for hours and feel awesome at the end of it!
What country do you live in? Sit under a tree that has been there for years and cut down, shit floating past you either at the sea or a river, or some prick on a bike out to steal your gear in the middle of a solo!!!???
Thinking the only way to get peace, is to buy a private island!
Great video which applies to our life in general. I no longer play the guitar because I've moved on to learning about other stuff; and this works fine in my life.
Omg what an inspiring video, it popped up for me at the best possible time! Glad I found your channel :)
Love you Rob, you are a true inspiration for a lot of us. Please keep up with this great pieces of advice. They are huge for some of us struggling to get motivation to pick up the guitar, play more often and learn more stuff every day.
I promise I will do mate 🤘🏽
We play due to a passion we have. We just need to find 2-3 people and to play with them. Playing in front of the computer or just for UA-cam sakes, is not the same. Sharing emotions, ideas and loud music makes you shake... Not only your trousers 😂
Music is a joy, not a competition!!
Everything you said Rob was spot on. I'm 56 and consider myself an intermediate player and lately a shocking procrastinator. My problem is getting new gear like the BOSS Katana MK II Head I bought during lockdown. Great unit, but I wasted so much time setting it up I wasn’t getting much play time. I’ve even had 2 of my guitars signed by Steve Vai & George Lynch. (Still can’t play like them)
In the end I went back to basics and bought a 3 channel HK TM40 Deluxe and use a POD HD500 to control it with a couple of effects. Happy Days. Thanks for the backing track ideas. Keep up the good work. Cheers
The part about the people is the key to all this, you could know all this stuff but doing it alone gets heavier and heavier. A video like this serves as a bit of inspiration and puts a little fuel back in my tank, thanks Rob. I’m currently still recovering from surgeries on my hands and fingers so I’m unfortunately not ready to be part of the fun just yet so please everyone have suns fun on my behalf. Don’t feel sad for me though for a moment I thought I wasn’t gonna be able to play no more but thankfully that’s not the case, looking forward to the journey
Been playing guitar for thirty plus years. I cant live without it! Like my personal zen. Mad, sad, or glad, my guitar is always a private oasis, personal time. Like meditation to me. I'll play as long as I'm able. Lovely advice by the way!
Thanks Rob, been struggling with my 'why' for quite some time. Super helpful.
Great video! I stopped playing about 2 years ago, I just lost the drive and motivation to pick up my Strat and Les Paul(an Epiphone but still an LP)
I just lost interest and it wasn't fun anymore to just crank up the amp and just jam a bit o' ACDC or anything simple. My gear is just sitting in the corner gathering dust bunnies. Hearing that you went thru the same kind of thing gives me the kick in the old rumpus and motivation I need to start playing again. Thanks again for the great video Roberto.
This happened to me for about a year, I stopped playing and just couldn’t find motivation to do it. So I started programming drums instead. Now I am back to player guitar again regularly. Brilliant advice!
After playing for nearly 30 years I've found its good to take a break for a bit. When I come back to it I feel refreshed and excited again. It will come back around when your ready.
Amazing advice! I’ve been fortunate not to get stuck in a major rut. I may have a day here and there where I’m not feeling it, but it’s usually about something else in my life and not really the guitar itself. I have a guitar routine that I follow each night and/or morning. I aim to do some warmups, learn something new or practice something I started, and then I always spend ample time jamming along with songs and enjoying the instrument without any specific goals. It’s a routine for me. The only other reason I might not play other than a very tough day (which I rarely use an a reason not to play because playing is a great fix for a tough time) is because I’m disabled/ill and having a rough day with my symptoms. I don’t even use being tired as an excuse because I’m always exhausted in reality, and I’d never play, lol. I generally use a variety of guitar education apps so I have a curriculum of sorts (ie: Gibson, Yousician, Justin Guitar, Ultimate Guitar, etc.), but I also keep things fresh by diving deeper into specific skills by finding UA-cam videos that contribute. Other times, I observe pros playing my favorite songs to see if I can try to copy what they’re doing. There are all kinds of things to explore whether you’re actively playing or not - but the more you play, the better you will become. Guitar proficiency requires muscle memory like athletes require to play spots. Just playing even 10-15 minute a day will help a great deal. And you’ll often end up playing longer because you’re having fun.
Last week, I got a D’addario capo for $8 bucks that simulates Drop D tuning in E standard - in the blink of an eye, I was having fun trying chords shapes and creating lush sounding music. And then I flipped the capo and clamped it upside down on the treble strings, and again, it created a really pretty voicing on my guitar in a split second. Just $8 bucks gave me something new and interesting to explore. I love alternate and open tunings, but it takes a little time to dial them in and it’s annoying to always have to switch with a single guitar - so this capo helped me create a new voicing in a moment. I also learned there are all kinds of capos out there - the Spider capo looks like it could be a ton of fun.
You have some really nice suggestions to try to get people to enjoy their guitar and not see it as a chore or feel like they’re not skilled enough to play. I may try some of your ideas as well. I want to improve my soloing skills, and I may just go use your Monkey Lord tracks for that purpose. Never type doing that! Thanks, Rob!
I love that you mentioned backing tracks. I STILL kick around a fender gdec 30, JUST for the backing tracks. I play over those tracks with my tune amp and pedals. Fun way to chill anytime
What a great message Rob! I used to be a pro guitarist and left it behind over 20 years ago. These days I pick the thing up, it’s dusty and I am a shadow of my former self. What you’ve said here isn inspiration in itself. It was playtime for me as a kid and I need to make it playtime again. Thanks Rob!
Nice one mr chapman, I stopped even though the band do gigs…..so that’s really the only time I play. This is exactly what I do, can’t get focused . Due to being impaired not playing has balled me up.!
Hey Rob it’s Rob from the US. You don’t know me nor ever have you ever heard of me unless you’ve been peeking in the window of my home office to hear me failing miserably at the guitar for 20 + years. Anyways, been watching you on UA-cam for years. You’re really awesome! Great video; one of the best I’ve ever seen. I really appreciate you. The most important thing that guitar does for me is give me hope. Hope that someday I will play something beautiful that will touch someone and that it will connect with them and give them a sense of peace - even if it’s only for a few moments. And it will by okay that the person doesn’t knows my name. Love to all of you!
Nice to meet youRob, I’m sure our paths will cross at some point, thank you so much for the love and support :-)
It's a minset you arE helping to creat one for me, I have had guitars for 47 years and had 3 teachers as a kid who all gave up on me, as a I was sick of classical spanish guitar or being classically trained, I WANTED ROCK... Queen, Iron Maidaen, Dire Straits, ZZ Top etc.. Now I'm getting right into it, I know very well the stages you so accuraetly elude to and epithise with you completely. I really hope you get something going on here, as you are clearly a musician of a high calibre, to change the shite that has been in the the charts if they still exist for years!!!
GOOD ON YA MATE, YOUR CHANGING YOUR OWN MUSICAL DIRECTION, VIA WISDOM!!!
I've just started putting my generations of 'Listening skills' together with some playing experience to hopefully bring out somthing more meaningful, even like a modern ELO, songs with multiple layers, story-lines, thought provoking, poetry and shear modern clarity that was seen as fresh back then inthe 60's-mid ninties when it all went pear shaped ...baby baby, baby yaeah (INNIT) as it is now to hear those new tones we can now achieve.
By ther way, I have always been a house DJ too in clubs, so zero neg comments about being an old man, MODERN 'CHART' MUSC IS SHIIIIIIITE!
Its mostly shite because the kids who buy music to chart the bands, just copy the hell out of eachother, no individuals alowed in modern society, so the shite will flow, and the good will never grow.
I can't agree more. On point!
Set goals!
My ultimate goal is to earn back every cent I spent starting guitar (again in 2019). Recently, my Band and I started to be a business. I'm now almost half way to my goal. Others will follow...
I work, and what I do has nothing to do with music. When I get home, I'm exhausted. It sits there. It is what it is.
Dear Rob,
I saw you paying a visit to Marshall with red cheeks. Or in the guitar shop in Leeds (I can't remember exactly) when you met the old man with his old guitar. That inspired me so much that I started playing the guitar again. I tried to get my skills back for over 6 years. Our 3-man band stopped in 1982. For professional reasons. Then I started making music again over the internet with my old bandmates. It doesn't work. Nothing can simulate the flapping of jeans in front of the amplifier. I carried on and found a following. But it wasn't satisfying for me. Because there was no pressure. I then stopped making music again. That was 15 years ago. At 70, I don't have the strength or motivation to learn the skills again to be as good as I used to be. I love my guitars. My advice is: never stop playing. You'll forget how to play faster than you know it.
Selling my old acoustic and buying a new Enya carbon fibre smart guitar was enough to get me rocking again, I just love it.
You are so right. I say I haven't got time to play due to work and family commitments but do all the things you said at the start - on my phone, netflix etc. I have bought new gear and its just gathered dust. This video has made me go back to lots of unfinished recordings. Great video
I'm 69, retired US Navy, THANK GOD I lived a major portion of my life with out "texts" and YT Shorts. Having 5 kids and being gone a lot might have been easier, but I set up a BBS in '90 on my hand built PC to keeps comms with the family when the kids were still young. I play a harmonica, a beat up old Canadian acoustic guitar, and have mostly stopped playing them as evidently; it irritated all of my 3 wives. Love your content Rob, you are a philosopher that plays guitar very well. Not a bad comedian either. Thanks!
Thanks for your service!!
Thank you! Very inspiring! I needed this
Didn't realize you had given up Rob but glad you are doing it again - my wife and I love your playing.
I really needed this video and it popped up at the perfect time. I've been playing guitar for over half of my life, but I've not had the motivation to play at all until recently. I found the spark again and this video was my sign that I'm back on the right track... no pun intended! Thanks Chappers!
Fantastic video. Appreciate all of the cool ideas to reinspire us to play.
Blues guitarist here- covid killed the band for a while- but now up and running again- you're a great inspiration to many Rob, you rock dude 😁😁
Very valid advice. And yes, the best advice is find a musician or two to jam with.
Having been put on permanent disability by my day job, and now at the ripe young age of 61, the contents of my music room/man cave/home studio are probably worth more than my house, but I have been unable to find the motivation to play for about five years now.
I have bought guitars and pedals which have yet to be played. I have put a guitar next to me on the couch, with a Yamaha THR on the coffee table. I have saved numerous UA-cam backing tracks. But I find myself watching UA-cam videos like this every day. I think I’m a hopeless case.
@@andymaidment111 thanks. I have 27 guitars, of which 5 are acoustics, some with alternative tunings. I think I just need a good kick in the proverbial butt.
Thanks for this video Rob, I definitely suffer with being overwhelmed by guitar and what to do etc etc, just hearing someone say take it piece by piece is sage like advice for me.
Thanks for this! I’ve got my last three gigs booked with the band… because it’s grown stale to me. Maybe this is what I need. Im giving up playing county fairs, some bigger shows with +/-1500 people, and even small venues with less than 50 people. I hate this feeling. Maybe your encouragement will turn me around.
For me, it DEFINITELY has to do with the "Music" AND the "Statement". That's ALWAYS been "The Goal". The "constant' that has been pivotal to keeping me @ it is working out in the Studio with the Guitars and Effects, the E-Drum Kit, the Basses, the Board and Peripherals and, of course, the "Boomerang +" Phrase Sampler. If I can't be in a band @ a given time...I can BE the band! And "The Band" presses on to new and exciting challenges CONTINUALLY!
I needed this. Thank you again!
ive actually been playing alot lately. im not great but ive definitely felt improvement over time and i think thats what motivates me to keep going.
Im a 60 year old muso who gets board shitless with playing lately ,I found this helpful Thanks Rob😁👍
"We rock so that others may roll" - Brilliant! 😄
The point of your video here reminds me that I need to get back to the way I used to play: to the radio, to the stereo, or to whatever was on MTV (when the "M" stood for Music).
I get, and appreciate a lot of tbese points. Id also like to add that going to see live bands has the potential to inspire in ways you never thought possible. Go and listen to live music! Be it at pubs, festivals, arenas or stadiums. Go and watch (and feel) the power of live music!!!!!
Thank you Rob! I think you just got me inspired. I have a room full of guitars that I stpped playing many months ago due to getting sidetracked by electronic music. This video is a godsend. Subscribed!
I call it guitar depression and yes, I ask all the same questions. This is my second one in about 20 years. First one happened when my group of friends "band" couldn't get together any more. Second one someone close got sick and playing guitar in the house just felt selfish. Then I forget all my songs and wondered why I'm wasting time re learning them. I recently said F it and just started to learn new songs.
@RobChappers Truer words have never been spoken… “We bend steel so that others can process emotions.”
Profound man, profound! This will be my new mantra! Thanks Rob
For me, it was changing my whole realm of creativity and learning. I sold off a bunch of gear to where I have bare essentials - a Tele, a 335, a Hummingbird, and a 5-string bass - and started learning genres of music I never thought I’d touch. Now I don’t get overwhelmed by gear options and being forced to make the most out of my more minimal lineup has given me new kinds of inspiration. It’s been especially fun testing the limits of my new Telecaster. You REALLY have to push your creativity to get the most out of one of those!
I played for 30 years. I haven't played in months. I lost my best friend. He was my music buddy. We talked and shared music every day. All those bands you mentioned, that was us. He kept me wanting to play and learn new stuff. Then one day, he was gone. I've played for maybe a couple hours since then. I kinda feel like I don't have the music in me anymore.
He would be mad to hear that you know.
I have a friend who quit playing because his co-guitarist killed himself.
Dead people would want you to keep jamming man
I have lost a couple of friends to suicide, I know how it feels to go through loss not only of the friend, but also of the project you were in - overtime the capacity on the negative emotions will reduce and you will only be left with majority positive. I suppose the best thing to do is, do it for him, that’s what I did for my friend Alex.
You can do it, my friend ❤
It's a bit more complicated than death but this just isn't the place to explain it all. Death would at least be closure. I don't know what the fuck this is. All I know is that it sucks.
@@RobChappers Thanks, Chappers. It may sound terrible but death would at least be closure. I don't have that and I think that makes it even harder.
Great video! It’s easy to get in a rut and stop being inspired. These are great tips!
Thanks for this Rob, top man. It’s 2am here at the moment but tomorrow I’m going to crack open a guitar case, restring, tune up & see what happens. Much love 👍🏼
Drummer here… it’s harder than Rob makes it out to be. 😂 He is right about one thing though… drummers get shit done. Any success you ever achieve of the musical variety is likely the result of a drummer. You’re welcome.
Also, I’m Jason from Detroit seeking either a drummer and bassist, OR a guitarist and a bassist who is into 90s punk rock or whatever the hell Jimmy Eat World is classified as. If you meet that description, reply here in the comments. I haven’t been able to rock out for like 20 years and I need that in my life.
Funny, my number one instrument is guitar, although I do have a Roland TD15 for recording. When I watch live bands, I’m nearly always watching the drummer.
Yeah that all sounds good 🎉 where are you based?
@@DrJohnsun are you from Metro Detroit? What do you play? I’m guessing guitar, but don’t want to be presumptuous.
@@jasonswitzer1748 no sadly Oxford uk , play all the band instruments looking to play fun upbeat drums in some band
nothing greater than making connections, nice job Rob!
Great video.! Self-taught guitarist her, around the NY State Capital Region. Always looking for fellow musicians to jam with and get inspired by. Big thumbs up.!
I've "quit" guitar for a few years trying to cover any song by going all P4 tuning. I'll probably come back to standard tuning someday or do both. But it's good to get away from comparing myself to others and thinking about what I can't play well enough for awhile.
Oh, and P4 is very cool for leads and learning triad shapes all over the fretboard.
Cheers Rob for the Pep talk, I'm definitely giving up guitar now. Thanks for helping me make that decision After 30 years of playing and not really getting anywhere, you come to the realisation I am never going to get any better from here When you suck you suck hard. I'm so bored of it now,. I may take up knitting or drugs next which ever is cheapest , bloody cost of living crisis. Time to move 22 guitar and 6 amps.
I had a break of 20 years. Played hugely as a teen and was on track to attend ACM down south but things happened, I ended up doing an English degree and started teaching. Then life etc…
Anyway, I picked up the guitar again in Feb ‘23 and just got the bug again, got a new guitar teacher and now am setting up for my Grade 8 and hopefully much more after that.
I do lament not playing for so long but honestly I think the break of two decades made me love it more. Now I’m learning and practising like I’m running out of time (hopefully not) or at least to catch up. I certainly appreciate tone and feel a lot more than I did as a younger person.
Anyway, another great video as usual Mr C. 🫡
Oh and, yes looking to start a band. I’m in Crewe.
Now I feel truly motivated. I guess I'd better buy a guitar, pedal and amp.
This is your best upload Rob, your a top Lad👍
this has got to be one of your better videos
keep up the good work
I've been playing with backing track the past 3-4 days now, I don't know much about the scales much yet, only a few to get by and been having a real blast!
Excellent video, super inspiring! We all need a kick up the bottom sometimes to get better on the old GEETAR. Licks & lessons like the ones you have on your channel + something like Rockschool is awesome for having that TANGIBLE GOAL to reach in a structured way - it pushed me personally hard to succeed for Grade 5. It even gives UCAS points for University at the later grades. The leap into sweeping and 3 notes per string scales etc is a big jump beyond Grade 5. But hey - Grade 6 and beyond incoming. There's always a tonne to learn. Overwhelming even. Keep rockin' 🤘🎸
I really need some new strings but as my daughter is away for the weekend I might just get jamming. A backing track is always my go to!
Gear that makes me excited: my only electric guitar, an original ML1 in natural finish. In fact Rob, the very guitar you handled in one of your videos where you popped in to Brighton Guitars!
I love this video Rob. Thank you.
The best version of Rob so far 👏🏻
10:11 I love jammin to backing tracks, I will definitely check those out Rob!
Also thanks for this video... while it is very much targeted towards guitar players, this absolutely can be applied to anyone who has lost some passion for whatever their "thing" is
I don't see a link to your backing track, so I tried searching on Spotify but I can't find it for some reason
I'm an old bloke guitar player looking to form a geezer blues band in West Michigan. I need to throw some water in my face and get movin'.
Bro, if I was near Michigan I would totally dig that, however being in Georgia prevents that 🙂
go to guitar center and find the best young drummer that's just grooving/shedding away on a kit. Be like "can you play Whipping Post?" ...
Mitten representation for Chappers!
Oh man what a video! You know what killed it for me - spending years working contracts like cruise ship circuits / hotels etc and then suddenly stopping and trying to be “normal” and get a “normal” job because that’s just “what you do” because it’s “proper”. I hear you say but that strikes an opportunity for change and freshness! But no… it just withered. Also listening to the radio at work all day long in an office causes malnutrition.
All of a sudden years pass and along comes a pub gig and the nerves set in, hands lock up, thumb cramps because you’re gripping the fret board as if you’re dangling off the edge of Ben Nevis’ Tower Ridge.
There’s always time though isn’t there, people take a hiatus, but sometimes that can be good. Starting fresh, going back to basics, apply what you like right now to what you choose to learn. At least, that’s what I’m telling myself. Maybe I should change my profile picture.
'Big fish in a small pond' that made us happy, pre internet.
Find your local group of likeminded creatives, improve, be happy.
Great vid Rob!
Hold onto that beautiful image of when you first made the ‘true’ musical connection with your guitar 🎶 Possibly the feel of the strings beneath the fingers, the first big E chord through a massively too loud amp, the first glimpse of how cool of you looked posing in the mirror (or how cool you though you looked) or the first difficult piece of music that you spent all summer inside trying to perfect. But mostly, try and remember why you held on for so damn long in the first place 🎸 p.s. Much love Rob, and I’m still not sure why I haven’t gotten around to buying one of your awesome guitars yet 🤦♂️
Thanks rob, great bits of advice for us mere mortals 👍👍
Been there, sold all my gear and got into different hobbies.
Funny enough, it was a Chapman ML3 modern at an Atlanta Guitar center that got me back into playing during covid.
I had to sell it but it gave me the motivation to start again, so thanks for making those guitars.
Im located at the NC/TN/GA border in America and play everything from classic rock to newer stuff like polyphia (GOAT is a very fun song to play) and metal etc......
Wish I knew the drummers you know Mr Chaps!
Think what's ground me to a halt is being the guy having to drag everyone else along for most of the time in the band dynamic.
Might be time to finally learn how to do it all myself if I'm gonna push myself to keep playing.
When I was 16 my ‘guitar teacher’ at school thoroughly discouraged me from playing not because I was bad but more so it’s hard (whatever that means). I didn’t play for 3 years. Dark times.
Went through a bad break up and my brother picked up up told me to do what I love. 10+ years later getting paid for gigs on the regular
This video made me feel amazing. Thanks.
Glad you enjoyed it dude
Rob, i gotta say,As well as this being a on motivation, to bang your youtube & spotify on it too,is a class act tbf.
Ur a cracking salesman bro.👏👏Good info btw.
Following you since 2008
Love this!
I feel ya. Ever since I started learning to play drums, I haven’t played guitar for months. It feels a little unfamiliar when I do sit down to play guitar, like visiting a childhood memory of a place I used to know.
New Zealand here. I've been creating stuff for years but the weakest link is my singing. All sorts of styles and subjects etc. songs. Lyrics written but needs *that* voice to give them the final pizazz.
I've only recently taken my playing seriously again after a couple of years of just strumming chords once in a blue moon. It feels so good to be excited about music again, I went back to the music that got me into guitar and that helped a lot (Green Day if anyone's interested) and now i'm back to playing everyday and chosing my guitar over playstation. Also anyone on here from North Wales wanting to jam?
I could post a long detailed rant about how I started guitar and why I stopped for many years, and why I started playing again. With that odd, elated feeling like I had "leveled up" in the first few months despite not playing guitar for many years (was quite serious about drumming in the time between though...)
The TLDR is avoid people (including longtime guitar instructors) that put you down or are negative about players and musical inspiration you are studying... Seek players, artists and other artforms to inspire you. The amount you can learn "auto-didact" on UA-cam or the internet in general is astounding.
Exactly what I needed. Thanks, Rob!
This video was awesome! I’m a new dad and I don’t have a ton of time to play, but I try to carve out a little time every week. We actually just moved to the Nashville area about a year ago and don’t really know anybody down here. I would love to find some other dads to jam with and play some punk. If anybody reading this is also in the Nashville area and wants to jam to some punk stuff holler at me. 🤙🏻
Great video. It's really hard to find people, and find the right people that would stay, work on stuff and improve is even harder.
I am in Belgium (lately), I play viola, bass and guitar, beginner. I am interested in playing jazz and blues.
Your a funny dude . I relate to what you said about going over unfinished riffs and committing to finishing . I had a serious Illness and couldn't play for about a year but I vowed if I could ever play again I would finish what I started . It was the motive for starting a channel playing all Instruments a year ago . Sometimes we need a wakeup call to not take for granted the things we love in life . Great vid enjoyed it . CAMCURSE
If there's anyone in southern Massachusetts who wants to get me to stop noodling and start practicing, let me know. Or who gives guitar lessons. Or someone who wants to go to some shows or grab a drink - I just need some new musician friends. I'm a serviceable bass player with a guitar addiction. Great video, Chappers. Thanks for this.
I started playing in 1997 and reached a skill ceiling around 2001. After that, I hardly touched a guitar until about 2007. I played again for a year or so before losing my passion for it. I got married, had a few kids, and stopped playing altogether until the pandemic hit. Since then, I've been on a theory learning mission and improve my playing, I even bought three new guitars in the past 18 months! It might seem illogical, but I'm thrilled to be back at it. It took me about six months to regain my mojo, and now I'm playing stuff I never thought I could before.
Another geezer here - I'll turn 78 next month, been playing, mostly lamely since '59. Lotta years (and interrupted by career and raising kids). I view myself a hack player but my bandmates think I'm great, so I let them have that delusion.... I'm so grateful to have a band of brothers, 3 other guys who love to plug in and make a racket with me. As the lead guitarist, I'm kinda the 'star' of the band, though I would never, ever call myself a star of anything. I'm a very good physician, but guitarist, well, I'm limited, but I've been at it long enough to be able to hold my own. We don't gig often but we could if we really wanted to. I'm not too keen on that for all the work it entails, but I must admit that it's nice when people really dig what we do. I've had the opportunity to hang in a recording session Robben Ford almost 30 years ago (his bro Mark and I were close friends as Mark was one of my paramedics in my ER) and I've shared the stage with Mike Varney - a killer player who was very kind to me, about 20 years ago. So, I gifted myself, for my 78th BD coming up, a guitar that has been Mike's 'weapon of choice' - an SG Jr!! Under 6# !!!! On its way... My bandmates and I being OLD, I don't take a single session or even day for granted. Our clocks are ticking loudly - so I try to drown that out with some harmonious decibels, best accompanied by my bandmates. Onward ~~~~>>> Oh, and, Rob, where are your backing tracks??
Great video Rob, I am in a rut, all I want to do is play AiC songs in a live setting. Just even in a practice room. Just fed up of playing the stuff I love by myself.
oh boy this is gonna be a long one but this video really spoke to me and I'm about to pour my heart out:
Back in November/December of 2018 (holy Toledo it's been a hot minute...) my band Touch of God was wrapping up our second studio album. At that stage in my life I was working in a dead-end job that got me severely depressed, and the band was my escape to at least have some idea of happiness and somewhat success or the sense of accomplishment.
As this was all going on I should also say I was seeing a therapist for my depression. Something that my band mates were well aware.
But as many of you that have jobs outside of music can understand, sometimes the dark path of that job gets you to a stage where even your motivation to pick up an instrument is depleted.
Yes, it got to this point unfortunately and instead of having support from my band mates, I had the opposite. I was pushed against a wall to accept things I wouldn't otherwise accept.
Things that would always come with the veiled threat of "Do this or I leave" .
The drummer was the main responsible for this at that stage I didn't realise how much influence he had on the bass player however whom I considered a brother, a friend of many many years.
The last of their demands was for me to accept getting another guitar player. Which I accepted. Even tough logically it didn't make much sense since we were composed of guitar/keyboard/bass/drums and our songs were written around that. So I didn't feel it was right but nevertheless for the good of the group I accepted: I even went as far as giving up the position of guitar player of the band and letting him take the bulk of the work I used to do.
My imposter-syndrome had now reached into my musical life. The only aspect, until this point, where I felt I was somewhat good at.
But yes, my playing was affected due to all that was happening in my life, and only a fool could not see it: I was now depressed even during rehearsals and it didn't help matters that when friends outside of the band heard the new line-up play , they said it didn't sound the same. It didn't sound as good.
I am not ashamed to say I would cry to sleep after rehearsals
As I gave in to their demands I slowly but surely lost even the little motivation I had and it all came crashing one day as the drummer said he was leaving the band effective immediately , I defiantly looked at the bass player and said "we can carry the torch" to which he said there was no point and turned his back on me.
The today me would have probably fought, argued, in my depressed state I accepted that things were at it's end and closed that chapter of my life.
To this day, all ties are cut. I haven't received word from any of them. Bass player left the country, the drummer kept on drumming on separate projects of different musical genres. He has gone as far as pretending to not know me if we cross paths in the street.
I didn't pick up a guitar since then, except for one or another occasion where I was asked to play for a birthday party or a get-together with friends
My life has changed since then. My professional career took a turn, I am doing QA Testing for software companies and I love what I do.
As of right now in terms of what I do musically is barely anything of note. I play songs that I have a vague idea on how to play them and I wouldn't even call it practicing. After doing it and feeling ok with myself for a bit the only thing that comes to mind is "I didn't evolve, I didn't learn anything I am stuck" . This cycle will repeat itself months on end.
Tried getting something started musically in my area (Porto, Portugal) but it's been for naught.
Hoping the fates change, thanks for reading if you reached this point
Thank you Rob! I needed this exact advise at exactly this time!
you know what, you've summed up where I am right now. I picked up guitar when I was 15, played in bands a lot through my 20's and 30's but life has got in the way, and my motivation has somewhat gone. Now I'm in my 50's, work, kids and other stuff has not left "opportunity" to pick up the guitar and when I do, I'm not sure what I want to play or practice. The youtube backing tracks are a great idea, and I've no idea why I've never done it up to now. I'd love to set up my PC to record and produce some music, but I've never known where to start and something always crops up to stop me even starting to research it. But i'm going to do it. I don't want to be still writing a comment like this in a year's time. I've got my trusty ML-1 hot rod, and a DI so I'll start from there. I've been wanting to get that passion back, but was not throwing myself into it. I'll make the time and dive in. Thanks so much for doing this video. I always enjoy them, but this one really hit home.
This is something I'm currently working on. To reconnect with my guitar and the creative process I used to love so much. I had so many ideas, man. They came so easily to me when I was younger. I've been thinking about it very hard lately. It's not just the guitar, it's everything. Sure, it has something to do with my age. But there are other factors. Maybe even more significant. I realize I need to simplify my life. Make the stream of information coming to my brain a lot thinner. Puting away my phone is a start. It sucks in so much of my time and energy... I realized the impact is much bigger than I thought. Do an experiment - turn off that bloody thing for a couple of days. Avoid the PC as well. And see what happens. Scary, right? To be with yourself without all the distractions. But it's a great thing to fully realize the digital cage we willingly threw ourselves into. It's the first step for us to walk out. If we want to. But I am pretty sure it's most definitely behind the loss of our passion and feelings we had about life. Well... I say "we" but of course I'm talking about myself. But maybe someone else will relate as well.
Loads of great advice - cheers Rob !