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Dirty-South Blues Harp forum: wail on! >
Lost my Mojo
Lost my Mojo
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Philosofy
482 posts
Sep 29, 2013
2:49 PM
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I've been playing since Christmas of 1986. I'm mostly self taught, but did have some lessons around 1989 and again in 2010. While I'm not great, I'm not that bad. I've sat in with some good bands (Bourbon Street, Tootsie's in Nashville), and the bands have always asked me back up on stage. My friends think I'm the best harp player in the world, but my friends also think "Long Way Home" by Supertramp is some awesome harp playing.
My problem is that around 3 years ago, I started noticing a lot of my deficiencies. I was working on correcting them, but just sort of lost interest. And then it spread to my creativity. Used to be I could "solo" in my head over any song on the radio. Riffs I wanted to use, melodies, etc. But that ability seems to be gone.
I started a new harp project to kick start my passion again: I milled my own brass combs. And I'm getting ready to coat my harps with some effect pigment coatings to make them really special. But my desire to play hasn't returned. And my skills have atrophied. I still love the harp, but don't like playing it as much.
I subscribed to Dave Barrret's website, but all I did was listen to the interviews.
Any suggestions on how to get my mojo back?
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Rick Davis
2457 posts
Sep 29, 2013
3:04 PM
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Concentrate on tone rather than licks. Go to jams and get on stage. Play long notes and listen. Leave space. You'll get it back.
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-Little Rick Davis
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Jehosaphat
558 posts
Sep 29, 2013
4:13 PM
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I've been there and i'm sure that there'd be others on the forum who have as well.
I went years sometimes barely picking up a Harp.
Just an occassional sit in and BBQ playing to accoustic guitar/singalongs etc.
I just had lost my motivation to improve and or go through the band politics stuff.
There were a few reasons i got back into it but the main one was that a few guys in this city started up a Blues jam,not an open mike ,singer/songwriters wanky sort of thing: a BLues Jam.
I really only went along to support them by putting a dollars over the bar but gradually it fired me again to play.
I think that like a lot of people i need to have a goal in mind to be prepared to put the time in prctise and get enthused.Tootling around at home just doesn't get me motivated enough.
I suppose i have just done a long winded version of what Rick said above.
But jamming worked for me.Even got a band slot offer to think about out of it.
Good luck and Get that Mojo workin'
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jawbone
533 posts
Sep 29, 2013
4:48 PM
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Hey Philosophy - You have pretty much mirrored my situation - I took up the CBG in the mean time - and I'm still waiting to see where it all leads. What a goofy journey. :-)
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If it ain't got harp - it ain't really blues!!!!
Last Edited by jawbone on Sep 29, 2013 4:49 PM
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SuperBee
1449 posts
Sep 29, 2013
6:45 PM
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I've been there, more than once. If it's a chore, give it a rest I guess.
Just about anything you do, you can burn out on at times. Sometimes it comes back, sometimes you move on. I came back and became a much better player after my last crossroads event. I wrapped up the band I was with...we'd all had enough. Personalities mainly, but for me it wasn't working. Didn't fit my life. And then when there was no band, I thought 'why am I even doing this (playing harmonica, working on my chops, trying to become a "good" player)?'
And I didn't have a good answer to that question. I was a little hungover that morning, and I posted my blueness here.
Some folks said 'give it away then, why so serious?'
Others pointed me to "effortless mastery"
Some said they'd been where I was.
After a little while I found myself picking up the harps again, playing songs I liked, not worrying about the repertoire left behind.
I hired a guy to accompany me and busk at a festival, which turned into a radio appearance, newspaper article, some open mic events, a 4 piece blues band, more busking and etc...and this time in resolved to keep it fun, not get hung up on others' insecurities, if someone wants me to kick someone out of the band for not being dedicated enough, that's a trigger for re-evaluating why we have a band, not a trigger for becoming uptight.
Sorry, that's all my personal trip. I guess we all have our personal reasons for wanting to play or not. Sometimes I know mine is a delayed childhood dream of being a performer, and then I devalue that and think I should shape up and be responsible. But other times I think, well what's actually wrong with having a dream and pursuing it? I know I've missed the boat to be a rock star and I'm kinda happy about that. What I know is that the better I become at playing harmonica, the more I enjoy playing it. I know now that I can develop any aspect of playing if I care to. And that enjoyment is the main reason to play. If you aren't enjoying it, by all means give it a rest.
But maybe ask yourself if you ever enjoyed it, and if you did, what was the thing you enjoyed about it? Have you lost your way, or are you just ready to move on?
I dunno mate. All the best anyway. It's ok to let it go if you want.
That effortless mastery book is pretty cool, btw. Worth a look IMO.
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XHarp
537 posts
Sep 29, 2013
7:06 PM
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Hey Philosofy, got the same thing going on. Just no interest or desire. Occasionally pick a harp up if I hear a lick I think is cool but no dedication. Pick up the guitar more often and just noodle but I've been here before. The mojo will come back. Stay with it and just go with flow. Try a different instrument to at least keep your groove.
Just wait it out. Don't press yourself too hard.
Good Luck on it.
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"Keep it in your mouth" - XHarp
Last Edited by XHarp on Sep 29, 2013 7:07 PM
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HarveyHarp
512 posts
Sep 29, 2013
7:14 PM
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I went 20 years without playing harp, because I bought a Marine Band and hated it, and could not play it. So I gave up.
It took a cute Aerobics Instructor named Heidi who invited me to a Blues Jam that her boyfriend was running at a Chicken Wing and beer restuarant to get me interested in playing harp again. She also taught me the Electric Slide.
I really Miss Heidi.
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HarveyHarp
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Frank
2857 posts
Sep 29, 2013
7:26 PM
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Go to the next great live blues show you can, and just listen and have fun - enjoy the show :)
Till then this should cheer you up :)
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KingoBad
1395 posts
Sep 29, 2013
7:44 PM
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I agree with Jawbone, but I would pick up a regular guitar... Get a cheapie for 100 bucks at guitar center and hit the web. It might inspire you, but you are only out a hundred bucks if it doesn't.
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Danny
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FreeWilly
354 posts
Sep 30, 2013
1:51 AM
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Writers block doesn't exist. The fear of writers block is writers block.
So the fear of losing your musicality is to have already lost it. Stop fearing. Just don't make music if you don't feel like it. Don't be scared to lose something. If you're scared of losing something, life is a nasty game. What's the worst that can happen? That you invest time in other things, and know more about music and feel than you did before you picked up the harp?
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Rarko
47 posts
Sep 30, 2013
2:23 AM
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I played blues guitar since I was 14 years old, I play harp two years (I am 30 now). And I had ups and downs, sometimes I quit with playing sometimes it hits me harder then the first time I wanted to play...
Advice I heard and that helped me: dont make a "plan", playing riffs, songs, licks... That is good, but you are not soldier, you cant do that if you dont have your "mojo"... So - listen your feelings! If you are sad, play something appropriate. If you are in the mood - listen and play something that will go with your emotions.
And talking about that here is very good thing, that means that you care about playing and you love it, that's a good start... you will get your mojo back soon ;-)
Last Edited by Rarko on Sep 30, 2013 2:27 AM
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The Iceman
1198 posts
Sep 30, 2013
2:56 AM
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You just need inspiration.
Find a new harmonica artist that excites you.
For me, it was Paul deLay in the 1990's that did it.
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The Iceman
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jbone
1371 posts
Sep 30, 2013
4:31 AM
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Situations change. WE change. Instruments change.
In 42+ years since I began this trip I have put them away several times, the most notable when i took on building a business for 13 months. By that time Music and specifically harp was a large part of me, and it was obvious to those around me that I was missing it badly. 13 months and the business tanked. Back to a day job and the harp adventure resumed.
Other times I have been stuck on a plateau. Those times I would give it a rest and when I came back to it, New stuff emerged in my playing that I didn't know I knew. The subconscious is always working.
I just left a band so I can refocus on my project as a duo with my wife. I was neglecting it in favor of making money with a band, but after careful, reevaluation I made a choice which will be much better for me. And us. It's not all about money or I'd find a different gig.
We just played at the first annual buskers' fest in Clarksdale Mississippi, kind of a re-inauguration of our duo. It was really great! This is part of a relaunch of our next cd project as well.
I have had times where a project ended or a band dissolved. Personalities. Moving. Various reasons that things had to change. In those times I was usually depressed for a while, or just plain pist off, and I would brood for a while, then fall into a new deal or form a new project that became possible.
We don't all develop that same or go through changes the same way. For me it has been a sort of evolution from not dealing with changes well at all to capitalizing on the new opportunity that was presented. Maybe for changing projects or maybe just to rest a while, work on chops, be a civilian, whatever.
I am not scientific in this thing much. If I feel it I work on it. If I don't I will probably let it go. New challenges do present themselves and I get to find new ways to deal with them.
Take a break, you will know when to get back busy.
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Honkin On Bobo
1156 posts
Sep 30, 2013
5:09 AM
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Yep, been there too, Philosofy.
Kinda similar story to yours, though not playing as long as you. Taught myself enough to get up there with a few bands for a song or two. Loved it, well received and always asked back. Then, I think, " I need to get better", so I start to actively search out information, which leads me to this and other sites and books. Pretty soon I realize how much there is to know and techniques to master....and suddenly the joy of self-expression and performing gives way to the "chore" of learning.
Unfortunately, I got no magic solution for you (not that there is one). I even started several related threads here asking people how they keep woodshedding fun. Members were great in offering suggestions, but nothing seemed to resonate with me.
I think you're in your head a little too much. You mention that your problems started when you started noticing your deficiencies. One thing I think you could try is to get yourself back to the joy of just making music. Forget all of the intellectual side of being a musician. Stop coming here for a while, where you can read about how to overblow in 9th position, or watch a video of Howard Levy playing Bach's fourth movement in G minor while simultaneously playing a jazz fusion piece on the piano with his toes. Go back to sitting in with a coupla bands again, and just blow.
The thing that's sustained me through the funk of what you're going through was the realization that no matter how good or bad a player I was, I had a burning passion for the music and an equally buring desire to grab a piece of it, however big or small by getting up there and blowin a few notes. And that nobody and nothing could take that away from me.
Good luck with it, Phil.
Last Edited by Honkin On Bobo on Sep 30, 2013 5:28 AM
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