Take Inventory and Clean House!
Identify The Problem and Fix It!
For the past few weeks, I've been going over my guitar rig to get it all fixed up and ready for an upcoming tour. As I was soldering wires, velcro-ing pedals down, and getting all of the buzzes out of my axe after a good restring, I realized how much the preparation of the gear is much like the preparation of the player.
Life's Like A Box Of... Screwdrivers?
Much like our gear, sometimes things get a bit tweaked, misaligned, and ultimately out of tune. Sometimes we just need to take out a screwdriver and see what's going on for ourselves. For example, I fixed a Wah pedal just by looking inside and finding a little piece of cardboard misaligned. When you think about it, that was kinda like learning a solo then checking it against the music to tweak it back to perfection. I also re-wired an electrical plug. This was something that I hadn't done before, but I looked at it, figured out how to make the repair and fixed it (without causing a fire too!). That was much like when you listen to a song and want to learn it but you think you can't play it. Once you try and realize you can, then you have the power in your hands!
It's Easier To Play When Properly Setup!
As we get comfortable in our abilities, we tend to stick to what we know best. We've all learned that if you play the same frets over and over again, over time they will start to fade or where in places. Necks warp from the change of temperature, and things get out of tune from scraping your guitar across the monitors at the end of the encore (ahem...DID I DO THAT?). The common factor here is that when you work very hard at your craft, in time you may become overworked and worn. You need to be cleaned up, restrung, and tuned up so that you can dive in and always be your very best.
WAYS TO CLEAN HOUSE:
1: Identify bad habits and make an oath to get rid of 'em. 2: Identify your strengths and find ways to expand upon them. 3: Practice with precision and discipline. 4: Be creative and find ways to explore new techniques. 5: Stay true to your vision and play from your soul. Once you commit to taking out the trash and really working with what'cha got, you'll find yourself to be playing better than ever!
