Musician Block

[~Psalmist86~]

have anyone ever experience this before.

Yes I've experienced this a many times before...and trust me you do feel like giving...but I will tell you something that my mom taught me and that those times are called "valley times" and we go through them all but we must understand during that time God is really trying to teach us something and really minister unto us....so my friend be encouraged and encourage yourself just like David and all in all everything will be alright trust me...no trust God

[seemunny]

yes I am under stress with everyday life as well as my ministry with most of my musician about left and church members not doing right and I have to rebuild the music staff again. I am having offers to play for other churches but I don't want to leave my church because my pastor is my father its on top of stressThere is no such thing as "better", after you've done your best. Then you can rest, and do your best

jjjoe, to my knowledge, no human being can fly by flapping his arms. But, what would happen if every human being that couldn't fly by flapping his/her arms, became upset over it?....THE ENTIRE PLANET would be needlessly upset! And why? Over something they could not do anyway!!

How much sense does that make to you jjjoe? Not much huh?

The point is, all you can do is "all that you can do". And after you've done that (no matter what the outcome is), you are to be at peace with that. You know why? Because after you do all you can, nothing & no amount of effort was gonna change anything!

I can see if "being upset" would make it better, but that's not the case.  Put forth your best effort (that's all any of us have), and be at peace with it (no matter what).

Because, getting upset "over things that you can't control", makes as much sense as an entire planet of people getting upset because they can't fly by flapping their wings.

[themidiroom]

I got a Musician Block Similar to Writers Block. What I means is I am second guessing myself on chords. Also, I forgot about 70 to 80 percent of my chords.

That happens to me when I try to hard to be perfect.  I don't know about anyone else but my playing is much better when I'm relaxed and just let the music flow out of you instead of trying to force it.

[musallio]

That happens to me when I try to hard to be perfect.  I don't know about anyone else but my playing is much better when I'm relaxed and just let the music flow out of you instead of trying to force it.

Wow!!
U hit the nail on the log there!
Nowadays I'm more serious in prayer & just try to enjoy myself & I make far less mistakes/ experience musician's block far less! Contrast that with last year / a few months back, then I see a miraculous improvement..Only difference is I tried too hard to play the right stuff back then & would just go blank in the process.
Now I trust my feel & allow my fingers to play where they want, so long as I know the framework of the pattern I should start or end in, I don't fret..& it's looking good.

[betnich]

Sometimes I want to cry but I am trying to be very strong and my strength is still a little strong but my family is hurt too and it seems everybody is against you its ruff

You are NOT alone....have been going through similar stress...had to QUIT a paying Staff position to keep the peace.

     Was angry, sad, frustrated - but as I prayed I felt God impressing me to let it go...almost like He was saying 'don't fight it, this is not your battle'...feel much better now...

I understand you may feel you have to stay because of family...Will pray for you...

[Fenix]

That happens to me when I try to hard to be perfect.  I don't know about anyone else but my playing is much better when I'm relaxed and just let the music flow out of you instead of trying to force it.

Wow!!
U hit the nail on the log there!
Nowadays I'm more serious in prayer & just try to enjoy myself & I make far less mistakes/ experience musician's block far less! Contrast that with last year / a few months back, then I see a miraculous improvement..Only difference is I tried too hard to play the right stuff back then & would just go blank in the process.
Now I trust my feel & allow my fingers to play where they want, so long as I know the framework of the pattern I should start or end in, I don't fret..& it's looking good.

OK i am wondering why this is the case. I go through this too. Whenever i try to play the song "perfectly" i end up running into walls, forgetting the progressions, or just getting stuck in general. I don't get it.

The times i do just lay back and allow myself to have fun, i notice that i play so much better.

[musallio]

OK i am wondering why this is the case. I go through this too. Whenever i try to play the song "perfectly" i end up running into walls, forgetting the progressions, or just getting stuck in general. I don't get it.

The times i do just lay back and allow myself to have fun, i notice that i play so much better.

I think it shows how mysteriously & powerful a tool the mind is.
It operates best when relaxed...Once we try to "cram" stuff into it, we disturb the natural operational flow/ process..
Hence the reason we can play 3 of the 12 "big" chords we've crammed & then we just get blank..
But if we have practiced a few times & have a general or good idea of what we ought to do & allow our mind-fingers to do what comes most natural, we are less likely to make mistakes, & if we do, the mind knows how to direct the fingers to correct them...
But in the process where we have tried to cram everything, we don't leave room for mistakes, that's why a single interruption can make us go blank instantly:'(

[Fenix]

I think it shows how mysteriously & powerful a tool the mind is.
It operates best when relaxed...Once we try to "cram" stuff into it, we disturb the natural operational flow/ process..
Hence the reason we can play 3 of the 12 "big" chords we've crammed & then we just get blank..
But if we have practiced a few times & have a general or good idea of what we ought to do & allow our mind-fingers to do what comes most natural, we are less likely to make mistakes, & if we do, the mind knows how to direct the fingers to correct them...
But in the process where we have tried to cram everything, we don't leave room for mistakes, that's why a single interruption can make us go blank instantly:'(

Mus man, that is 100% correct. Good stuff. I DO have a tendency to cram stuff. So what happens is that if i forget one chord, the whole song falls apart.

Good stuff.

[musallio]

Mus man, that is 100% correct. Good stuff. I DO have a tendency to cram stuff. So what happens is that if i forget one chord, the whole song falls apart.

Good stuff.

You know, it happened to me this Sunday:
I had come with a very neat contemporary composition of Blessed Assurance..I wrote the chords down & rehearsed it once or twice with the chords in front of me.

When I tried to play it for my sis, I could only play 2 chords of the progression before I went blank.
Needless to say I ended up playing what I'm used to
But good thing is I still have it on paper..

[themidiroom]

You know, it happened to me this Sunday:
I had come with a very neat contemporary composition of Blessed Assurance..I wrote the chords down & rehearsed it once or twice with the chords in front of me.

When I tried to play it for my sis, I could only play 2 chords of the progression before I went blank.
Needless to say I ended up playing what I'm used to
But good thing is I still have it on paper..

I know what you mean.  I hardly ever play a song exactly the same way each time.  I try to keep it interesting and let the song breathe.  Most of the time, it works well but sometimes, the feel just isn't there and I go with the generic song.

[musallio]

I know what you mean.  I hardly ever play a song exactly the same way each time.  I try to keep it interesting and let the song breathe.  Most of the time, it works well but sometimes, the feel just isn't there and I go with the generic song.

Don't you think that this is the reason most cats don't want to hear of theory? Because maybe somehow they associate it too much with sight-reading & just freeze at the thought of having to learn sheet music
That's my strong suspicion.. But to the many that think like that: You are completely misguided. Theory is not at all about learning sheet music. Sheet music is just another aspect of music theory. What theory does is it enlightens one of all the options available to them..The more theory you have & know it's practical application, it's the more you actually learn that music leaves lots of room to make "mistakes/ accidents" which, if made within the correct framework of a musical piece, become a divine pleasure to hear.

Ok, lemme not change this thread into something else..hehe

[seemunny]

Before this thread comes to an end, there IS one other "musician block" that hasn't been mentioned yet, and i think it's important for us to give it some recognition.

It's basically a "percusion" instrument made of hollow wood, that you hit with a mallet. This particular "musician block" can be used in just about any style of music if you lay the beat down right.

So with lots of practice, you too can be playing a wooden "musician's block" in no time! And just think about it - "no transpose buttons!" 

[musallio]

Before this thread comes to an end, there IS one other "musician block" that hasn't been mentioned yet, and i think it's important for us to give it some recognition.

It's basically a "percusion" instrument made of hollow wood, that you hit with a mallet. This particular "musician block" can be used in just about any style of music if you lay the beat down right.

So with lots of practice, you too can be playing a wooden "musician's block" in no time! And just think about it - "no transpose buttons!" 

  You're sick