Recurring Theme about New Music

[lackstone]

Going by many names - Plateauing, Doldrums, Going Stale, In A Rut, etc. - there are also as many suggestions for rising above them from learning new music, changing genres, using alternate tunings, etc.

One I've yet to read about is exploring the chords, or a single chord, and breaking it down at its varying places along the fretboard. We tend towards placing full chords because that's how we start out. Seldom do we learn to place a chord successfully and then immediately explore its varying sounds relative to its scale. Instead of the triad, use the diad. Get it in your ear and then do the same with the other chords. These are called Partials and can be very rewarding when experimenting with published music or when scoring your own compositions, which leads me to just that; composing.

Another break from the monotony of what seems to be a roadblock to progress is venturing out of your comfort zone and scoring your own music. It's not rocket surgery. If you have the basic chords down you can score music. I do constantly and the use of Partials in an alternate tuning (DADf#ad) is where I dwell more than in standard tuning. This departure from the norm has given fresh ideas to existing skills. Learning the fretboard in the new tuning will come quickly.

Last is more odious but, let's face it, necessary to going to where you want to be instead of suffering where you are. Lose the plectrum, if not forever for a while at least, and get some muscle memory going in the picking hand fingers. It will eventually stick and the rhythm of the finger movements, patterns, will ultimately lead to patternless control, or freestyle if that can be applied, and that will never find itself plateaued. I suggest you not (ever) anchor your little finger. Debate that all you want but a crutch is still a crutch in all that it implies.

The guitar is a limitless instrument in the hands of the right person and that's the person you need to be and remain - musically curious. Never let the skills training get comfortable.