• From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Topic: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

Recently I left my band I was playing in to spend more time at home.  Over the last 2 years I've bought a lot of gear for gigs and so forth to make playing electric guitar in a band sound more awesome.  Now I'm playing just as much as I ever did at home but not jamming with anyone.  I'm finding it harder and harder to pickup an electric guitar and play anything without a drummer or somebody else to play with.  More and More I'll stay up stairs and pick a Yamaha guitar I bought real cheap.  I just sit on the sofa and run through licks mostly, play a few songs, and make up silly songs for my kids to dance around to (I can't sing well but thats never stopped me in public places or at home)

Does anybody else struggle with playing eletric guitar at home when they are away from the band thing?  And If you do play Electric guitar how do you get motivated to play when you know your not going to be jamming with anyone for a extended break?

AD3THREE's Website

  • Registered: 2008-03-07
  • Posts: 508

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

Hey

Backing tracks are cool to jam along to search on google and you can find plentiful supply
in all styles great way to practise  smile

"Everybody's entitled to my opinion. wink
  • From: Essex UK
  • Registered: 2010-03-19
  • Posts: 164

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

AD3THREE wrote:

Recently I left my band I was playing in to spend more time at home.  Over the last 2 years I've bought a lot of gear for gigs and so forth to make playing electric guitar in a band sound more awesome.  Now I'm playing just as much as I ever did at home but not jamming with anyone.  I'm finding it harder and harder to pickup an electric guitar and play anything without a drummer or somebody else to play with.  More and More I'll stay up stairs and pick a Yamaha guitar I bought real cheap.  I just sit on the sofa and run through licks mostly, play a few songs, and make up silly songs for my kids to dance around to (I can't sing well but thats never stopped me in public places or at home)

Does anybody else struggle with playing eletric guitar at home when they are away from the band thing?  And If you do play Electric guitar how do you get motivated to play when you know your not going to be jamming with anyone for a extended break?

The BIG thing for me is missing the challenge of the unknown, when you play in a band environment you never really know whats going to happen next, is the tempo going to be the same, has the bassist had one to many the night before? all the little things that make live music live!! Not to mention broken strings or drum sticks flying past your left ear!

So, What I do is listen to a song that I've never played before, work it out in my head and then give it 3 run throughs to try and get it right, or if not right at least sounding reasonable, it puts a bit of pressure back into making music, that for me is the thing that gets lost when you play alone. It will never replace a live band, but I find it helps in keeping the motivation to improve, just my 10 cents worth.

Stewart  cool  cool

Have Fun and laugh like it's your first time! You never know you might get to like it! big_smile
  • From: Vienna
  • Registered: 2010-01-16
  • Posts: 408

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

SOFTMC wrote:

Hey

Backing tracks are cool to jam along to search on google and you can find plentiful supply
in all styles great way to practise  smile


+1...

I just download the tracks I want to play along into my Logic Express 9 and off we go! smile

  • From: Florida, USA
  • Registered: 2008-06-04
  • Posts: 1,420

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

Backing tracks or jamming to your favorite songs offer a lot of inspiration.  Also, I like to try learning a new song or lick if I start losing interest in playing.  Right now I'm working on "High Landrons" from EJ.  I also like to change up my practicing and riffing by working on different aspects of my style.

For example, one day I may not use the pick as much.  Then next I'll practice classical-type licks.  Then maybe some blues stuff.  Sometimes I get bored playing the same stuff so I challenge myself to create a totally unique lick that I've never heard anyone use or try to write guitar bits for songs.

'67 and '74 Fender Twin Reverbs, '74 Marshall 1987 lead mkII, Metro Superlead 100. Pedals from TC Electronic, Ibanez, Dunlop, BK Butler, Electro-Harmonix, Fulltone, Maestro/Gibson, Loopmaster switching, VoodooLab, Boss. Gibson and Fender guitars, Dimarzio pickups.
  • From: Harrison, Arkansas
  • Registered: 2006-04-21
  • Posts: 3,155

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

If I can't play with a band, I'll play electric if only to try to write songs, because I find I write differently playing an electric than an acoustic. Sometimes the songs I write are difficult to transfer over to electric, so I'll just play electric with it.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make"

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  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-10-26
  • Posts: 2,926

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

I think I am just more in love with the acoustic Yamaha I have right now then my Strats.  Its not that old but it sounds like I've put 20 years on it in the last couple of weeks.  Strings haven't been changed in a year and the action is too high, but I swear I'll sit there on the sofa and strum it for 3 or 4 hours just goofing around where it kills me to go to my guitar room and stand around for 30 minutes on electric!  I guess I feel like I am playing around on electric where acoustic I feel like I'm improving and practicing for a solo gig in the near future if I want it.  Pays more to go solo.  So I'm told.

AD3THREE's Website

  • From: York, PA
  • Registered: 2010-08-27
  • Posts: 1,749

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

I get bored playing at home sometimes too.  Usually I jam along with youtube videos unplugged with an electric.  I come up with some good licks but can never remember them when it comes time for band practice. -S

9 Reply by aussiemeats (edited by aussiemeats 2010-12-08 08:52:17)

  • From: Los Angeles
  • Registered: 2010-03-19
  • Posts: 105

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

Good Day,

I converted one of the bedrooms into a mini studio, I've got my 3 main combo amps setup in

there, and I have switch setup, so I can pick and choose which amp I want to play thru or

blend them all or any combination I like. I also have a mixer, and my studio monitors,

and my PC recording system with Cubase 5. Lastly, I have a CD player in there, which is

setup to play thru my Mixer and Monitors.

When I rehearse (everyday after work) I either play along with the radio, which keeps me sharp

on my chops...I'll play Smooth Jazz or Rock (depending on what I find on the stations)

or I'll pop in a CD of Joe, or Eric Johnson, or Eric Clapton, Or the Allman Bros, or Stevie Ray,

and I PLAY....

The operative phrase is "I PLAY" constantly...

I am still PASSIONATE about becoming better and better EVERY day, I have the BEST instructors in the

world on my CDs..Joe Eric etc...

I also download instructional material from the NET AND I work extensively on learning to play the piano.

Yes, I'd like to be gigging, but for now, that's not happening...in the meantime I've set goals for myself

from a playing perspective, and writing perspective..and I'm working towards them.

I have NO PROBLEM playing by myself...although in the final analysis, I'm NEVER playing by myself,

I'm playing with the best bands in the world..Joe, Eric, Allman Bros etc...

Dedication and Discipline drive me, and I believe, you'll find that is true, with ALL of the great

musicians out there.

Cheers Mates

  • From: Burlington, Ont Canada
  • Registered: 2010-04-01
  • Posts: 365

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

Well put aussiemeats. Kind of the same here. My family, kids and my job keep me very busy. My spare time is spent either with my family, working out, or playing guitar. I like playing at night, after the kids go to bed. I have a "practice room" set up in the basement. Acoustic or electric - it doesn't matter (although I heard an uncorfirmed rumour I may be recieving a Taylor 814ce for my 40th b-day in May, so my acoustic playing will undoubtably increase  big_smile )

I usually use this routine: I warm up by noodling, then spend about 30-60 minutes on pure technique - you know, the "un-fun" part of practicing. Then I play about another 30-45 minutes incorporating the new stuff into my bag of tricks so to speak. I find that always inspires me. Try this if you are in a rut. Work on insane sweep picking or string skipping legato stuff for half an hour then go back to just jammming over something. You will be FLYING...

Every now and then I take a day or two off, and I find my hands get stronger and I play better afterward - weird huh?

Gits: '03 Gibson Historic R7 Goldtop, '06 Gibson R8 Plaintop, MIJ '62 RI Strat,  and others...
Amps: '99 Marshall 1987x Plexi RI, 1969 Fender Super Reverb

My band: www.meanbones.com
  • macg1
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  • From: St. Petersburg, FL
  • Registered: 2010-01-21
  • Posts: 1,018

Re: Does anybody find it hard to play electric guitar at home alone?

I hate playing acoustic guitar, so for me it is an easy answer!  I need voltage!

Amp: Firebird Musical Amplifiers
Guitars: 2x 1962 LPs , 02 FB VII, 76 Electra Omega, 64 SG Special, 63 LP Jr, 73 LPC
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