Fasting from guitar

[YouEnjoyMyReba]

I was recently reading a book called Everyday Enlightenment by Dan Millman (great book by a great author) and there was a section about fasting.  He was talking about how one could fast from anything they enjoy, not just food.  Now i know practice is the only way to get better, but when i tried this i found that after going 3 days without picking up my guitar i thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the jam session that ensued once i did.  Millman went on to say that fasting is not when one simply doesnt have enough time to play (eat,exercise, etc.), but when we do have the time and actually want to do it, but refrain from doing it.  When i did this, however, i did sleep with my guitar, so yea i am a nerd.

[HunSanity]

reba you bring up an interesting topic.  while i agree that playing a lot is the only way to get better.. i swear on my life there have been times in the past (not lately) ill just be really busy or tied up with other stuff where i wont play for say a week.  So that said ill go back and jam after a little break and notice that i got better.  very weird.  almost as if my approach to playing is different.  dont really know how to put in words but i have had this happen ...

i cant be the only one..

[picture_of_nectar]

Yup I totally feel refreshed and reinspired after a week off...and better even.

[Poster]

its because your brain recognizes patterns and stores them in your short term memory.

over saturate yourself, and itll be far more difficult to avoid the indented track of those previous patterns.

so, over the course of a few days/a week, those short term memories are either converted into long term memories or forgotten/fragmented.

were all just bacteria infested monkeys. enjoy!

[Uncle_Ebeneezer]

  but when i tried this i found that after going 3 days without picking up my guitar i thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the jam session that ensued once i did. 

I know what you mean, you come back after a few days break with a refreshing freedom. You dont get frustrated when you make mistakes and you listen with a new ear.

[cactuskeeb]

I don't know if fasting is the word for this but I found that after my previous wife made me sell all of my equipment (let's be honest, a really good pussy is better than guitar) and graduate school cost prohibited me from buying it back, when I finally did start again, I was able to knock off a lot of bad habits I used to have as a guitar player.  I really believe the hiatus can be good for you.

[beebs]

Just to take it a step further... Try fasting from guitar by picking up another instrument. I picked up the bass and didn't play guitar for about 3 month. Now when I pick it up, I am not only completely refreshed, but I have a much better understanding of the role of guitar. I feel like I've graduated somewhat from a guitar player to a musician. I can only imagine what a set of drums would do for me. I now think about things in terms of the whole band when I'm playing and listening instead of just zeroing in on the guitar. I've developed a whole new appreciation for music. I'm no longer impressed by guitar masterbating or wild solos, but I am very impressed with a good pocket (the total package). It has definitely changed my whole outlook.

[Brian27]

I havent played my guitar for weeks due to a desire to try the drums out. Now i have opened up a new journey and that is creating the guitar parts to the drumming in my head. Sure i sit there and hum the guitar parts while i drum but it takes everything to a new level.