Took a break to focus on university, now I suck.

[classicalmetal24]

Title, I knew my skill level would deplete, but I really do suck a lot now and it's very surprising to me (and, I admit, funny). This is the first time this has happened to me, I even got a blister on my finger lol.

I just shake my head in disgust whilst playing at how terrible I am.

Anyone else gone through this?

 

[guitarfishbay]

Yeah, it sucks! I find it is best to go over really basic stuff when you come back from a break, just to make sure you don't pick up any bad habits. Also make sure you don't give yourself any tendon injuries by over playing too soon, depending on how long you've been out you might have lost some finger/hand strength and stamina.

The good thing is that sometimes time away means that you get some fresh inspiration next time you come to write music. Sometimes a break helps break a rut.

Hopefully you'll be back up to speed soon!

 

[classicalmetal24]

Here's hoping, I'll stick to 30 - 60 minutes a day for a bit.

 

[glpg80]

Experiencing the same thing. You lose that natural feel of a guitar being an extension of your abilities, and it feels more like a tool you're using for the first time.

IMO after about 2 weeks of solid playing, I tend to get close to where I previously was in style but nowhere near constant gigging stamina.

 

[MetalheadMC]

agreed with above and take it slow. Muscle memory works, and after a short amount of time, you'll be back close to where you were

 

[burl]

it does feel terrible, knowing that you cant play as well as you were.
but on the other hand, it could be a good re-starting point, to fix those old bad habit.
start at very beginning practice and really slow tempo
focus on your posture, the tension between the notes and the speed BUT DONT GO TOO FAST WHEN YOU ARE NOT READY!(why people always want to be faster huh?)
also it s a good time to explore a new technique and more theory stuff,
looooong break is not totally bad. dude

 

[vilk]

That's weird, because I got really GOOD at guitar when I went to university.
You think you suck now, just wait till you get a job.
j/k I'm better than ever because I have no life.

 

[Konfyouzd]

Just practice. You'll get it back. it sucks, but you can do it.

 

[MerlinTKD]

Title, I knew my skill level would deplete, but I really do suck a lot now and it's very surprising to me (and, I admit, funny). This is the first time this has happened to me, I even got a blister on my finger lol.

Was it on your little finger?

Did you maybe get a blister on your thumb?






Seriously, good advice above. The pathways in your brain that make your muscles do those things just haven't been used in a while, give them time and attention and they'll start flowing again. In the meantime, be patient, make sure you're creating good habits (those paths in the brain again), and don't hurt yourself!

 

[classicalmetal24]

Was it on your little finger?

Index finger haha.

 

[oompa]

Title, I knew my skill level would deplete, but I really do suck a lot now and it's very surprising to me (and, I admit, funny). This is the first time this has happened to me, I even got a blister on my finger lol.

I just shake my head in disgust whilst playing at how terrible I am.

Anyone else gone through this?

plenty of times! once I barely played for 2 years. I then had a lot of spare time while waiting for a new job I would get 3 months later, and I was in horrible, horrible shape as a guitarist. I took the chance to rework my technique, remove some flaws I knew I had but never had the energy to care too much about, practised like a son of a gun and about a year or so later I was better than I ever was, and now the roof had been raised quite a bit due to me fixing my crappy right hand technique and had a different approach to left-hand positioning, which led me to being able to play on a completely different level a couple of years later.

tl:dr; what Konfyouzd said (he often says wise things! ) just practise. You'll get it back and then some, just trust us!

 

[classicalmetal24]

Well I'm having much more success today, almost mastered this new song which is nice.

 

[mr coffee]

Yup. I took a three year hiatus when carpal tunnel reared its ugly head. I've been rebuilding for a year and I'm closer now, but still not what I was before.

-m

 

[Dutchbooked]

I think it is good to take a step back every now and then so you remember you are making music and not training for an athletic contest using your fingers that has the side effect of producing sound.

 

[bloc]

You should be able to pick it up again quite fast. Imo, learning to play guitar is a bit like riding a bike or learning to swim; you never really forget how to play. You might forget how to play a specific song of course, but the raw mechanics of guitar playing should stick with you.

 

[AxeHappy]

I took a break from teaching 5+ hours a day and gigging to get a real job (which interestingly enough has allowed me to afford much, much better guitars) and now I suck too. Haha.

As mentioned, since learning the actually mechanical ability to manipulate the instrument is all muscle memory you will pick it up a lot quicker than you did the first time! You should also be able to avoid, at least some of the, pitfalls that may have gotten in your way last time!

So don't fret, just stick with it and you will be back were you where soon enough.


As I teacher I tended to find about 2 months of *No* pracitsing (summer break) can undo pretty much 10 months worth of dedicated work. Tragic.

 

[Solodini]

I think it is good to take a step back every now and then so you remember you are making music and not training for an athletic contest using your fingers that has the side effect of producing sound.

This. If you want mechanical proficiency, train in a sport not an art. Take up speed typing. It'll be mechanically similar.

 

[Rolanthas]

I have no doubt you'll get back to your former proficiency sooner than you think. Hang in there. You'll probably begin to see colossal day to day leaps in comfort and ability soon.

I came back from a 2 year break myself this January, took me roughly a month to reach where I was ( or what I remember I was anyway ), but more importantly I had ample opportunity to drop a couple of bad habits that I was accommodating while playing. So I think it is, in some ways, beneficial to have a reason to go back and analyze why you are playing the way you do.

 

[classicalmetal24]

Now my finger is infected, guess I'm taking another break.

 

[protest]

I took roughly a 7 year break from the time I started college, through the first few years of my first job. I would play maybe an hour a month. I actually started playing almost 12 years ago, but have only actually "played" for about 5 of those years. It took me honestly over a year to get back to around where I was when I stopped playing.

Keep in mind though I'm not playing 4 hours a day like I did in high school, more like maybe 4 hours a week. I'm guessing if you have time to sit down and play an hour or more a day you'll get it back much faster.