Conference napalm::guitar

    I can only tell you this, I know that my chops were definitely
    improving when I wasn't in a bands.  Now that I've been in (more or
    less) two for the last couple of years, my chops have generally
    not improved or worsened (depending on the particular area).
    
    Thus, as I see it, there is definitely some advantage to taking some
    time off to try and reach new levels.
    
    	db

I just started taking piano lessons.  Theory is an enormous hole in my 
background and it is clear to me that it is easier to study theory on a
keyboard than a fretboard.  The fact that both of my main guitars are in
the shop was a contributor *and* that I have a synth that I have not been
getting reasonable use out of due to my lack of keyboard chops contributed.

Jim

        I can think of at least one major benefit to such a sabbatical.
        Performing while you're trying to fix problems in your technique
        regularly puts you under pressure to *produce* whether you're
        using your hands the right way or not.  In my experience, this can
        do even more to re-establish bad habits than practicing can do to
        get rid of them.
    
        Paul

    re: -1
    
    absolutely!  To this day, I don't play slide worth a ka-ka.  I never
    took the time to practice/learn the technique, and when it came time
    for the gig (every weekend) I wasn't ready to take the step and debut a
    slide lead.......never did either.
    
    fwiw
    
    sd

Sometimes the best teacher is just time, and the right environment...
For me, I was never happy with my Voice, and I was always trying to 
figure out how to improve it...  Chop wise, I was o.k., somenights
better, than others, but I learned that was the give and take
of gigging...

so when I finally got spent from working clubs I hung it for bands... 
and did something I always wanted to do.. 

bought a small PA system....  (6 channel 200w board, 2 15" front
loaded  two way Gollehorns) already possesing a few guitars,
the essentials in the form of rack stuff, as well as some midi crap,
I was able to put together a decnet little stuido in a room in our
basement..  You'll hear better setups, but for me, it's just fine...
 
Basically, what I found after almost a 2 year sabatical was this
gave me the right environment where I was able to spend more time,
focusing on what I wanted to foucs on, instead of what I needed
to focus on for band bizz...  (Which oddly enough we all find is
two separate worlds apart from each other and bands at times, tend
to stiffle your own growth..)

Though I'm not convinced  it's made my voice that much better than 
it ever was, it's done a lot for my confidence...   As far as bands
go,, I'll do a gig now and then with the guys I worked with for 12 
years, but I've  yet to place any stake in the ground with
getting seriously involved again.  

>I was able to put together a decnet little stuido in a room in our
    
    We have one of those here at work too.  DECnet is our main protocol.

  <<We have one of those here at work too.  DECnet is our main protocol.


A Palmer-ian slip,, no doubt....

    Interesting topic,
    
    	I am starting to feel a little burned myself, in the last 12mnths
    I have done 80 odd gigs. Now some of you may do more than that,but I
    have to sequence (program) all the music.  What this means is this:
    I have worked seven days a week for nearly a year.  We do a lot of
    country gigs (up to 150 - 200 miles away on a saturday) and man am
    I getting sick of it.
    	It is really getting time to do something else.  Maybe take some
    time off and spend it with my spouse, build the studio, work on my 
    chops and voice, and most important maybe go back to playing original
    music and stop playing covers.
    
    	P.K.

    
    12 months of country @ 7 days a week??!!!??  Why not just clean your
    ears with an icepick and get it over with...
    
    I guess I should put a smiley face in there, huh?  Anyway, the kind of
    grind is bound to take the fun out of anything.  Take a break!
    
    

    I *think* when P.K. sez "country" he means driving to the boonies.  Gawd,
    if he's doing country with MIDI sequencing, he desreves to suffer *)
    
    						Brian

    
    
    
    
                              Never mind...
    
    
    
    
    

    I think a sabbatical like that is a great idea... just to expand
    musically.  Have tried this in the past.  My only problem is, I get
    to a point where I have to play with some people to try out some things
    I've learned.  Before you know it I was playing again on a regular basis 
    in a group situation.   Guess it's hard for me to woodshed for a real
    longtime.  Though it's (woodshedding) is great thing to do when things
    start getting stale.  It can really open things up.
    
    /Paul
    

    re a few back
    
    	country == not the city   8^).
    
    	I have sequenced a steel guitar solo once.....badly.
    
    P.K.

    THe demo for the Ensoniq SD-1 (or was it the VFX/SD) had a GREAT
    sequenced steel guitar.  I think it'd fool most people - maybe not
    a steel player or an experienced musician who isn't specifically
    listening to see if it was sequenced.
    
    In fact, that whole demo (it had other styles as well) is by far the
    most killer demo I've ever heard.  Oddly enough, it beat the pants
    off the Ensoniq TS-10 demo and the TS-10 is (ostensibly) the successor
    to the VFX/SD series!
    
    	db

    I woodshed when circumstances (like new babies) force me to.
    It has its good points and its bad points. On the good side,
    you tend to develop 'your voice' more. Things that grab your
    attention can be explored and developed. The past 2 years I've
    been doing very little playing out. During this time I've been
    heavily into swing/jump blues and solo acoustic swing with little
    bass runs and stuff. 
    
    On the other hand, it's almost orthogonal to the skills you need
    in a band. You can't play a whole night of swing blues, and if
    you've got a good bass player he'll crank out better bass lines
    than you can dream up (hi Rick), so there's no need for the solo
    stuff. Band skills like listening to others, tight endings and
    harmonies, and dynamics are not things that can be learned from
    woodshedding. Every time I come back from the 'shed', I have to
    re-learn that.
    
    - Dave

    Well, just an update.  
    
    I *have* started taking lessons again and already I've learned a lot
    although I can see there is plenty for me to work on.  As my teacher
    pointed out, it's hard to take the plunge because it bruises your ego
    pretty badly to admit that after playing for many years (and making
    money at it) that there are simple things you just can't play. 
    
    							Brian