Khashoggi

Time for a lecture mate sorry.

As a parent I can fully see your parents attitude. I have two daughters at school, both aceing everything, all the time until recently. Seemingly without putting any effort in. The eldest has hit a bit of a wall with mathematics, its largely due to her teacher. I had to spend some time talking with her on Thursday. I had to explain that at times of personal growth, you'll go through a lot of discomfort even pain in some circumstances. It's a fact of life, something you cant escape. As her parent I will always do my best to alleviate any situation, but I'm not going to be around forever. So get used to it because theres going to be plenty of times when the only person she can rely on is herself.
It's quite painful as a parent that feels like he was only a kid himself yesterday. You get handed this bundle of responsibility that you can see the potential in. You have this awesome responsibility to tame this life form your given and make them fulfill what their capable of.
So what I'd do to appease your folks is spend a hour a week extra (yes ontop of homework and other studies), studying the subject you experienced a stumble in. Go to the local library and get a couple of books on the subject.
Once your parents see your taking it on your own back to improve, you'll see a very different side to them. They'll likely bend over backwards to assist you. If not there will be someone on these boards who's likely a expert in the subject that wont mind chipping in.

On guitar boredom. Put the radio on a station you dont listen to and play along. I know its my answer to everything, because it works for nearly everything. We've all this free to hear music that we dont pay attention to. We can really learn a lot from it.
You'll break out of your rut, learn some new stuff and really open your ears up. If you really dont like what's playing, change station. No blues, no queen, no arpeggios, no scales though. I cant think of anything else in music thats as boring and repetitive as blues, scales and arpeggios anyway. Focusing on them things is more than likely the cause of your woes.

I get stuck in a creative rut every couple of months and i have no desire to play guitar when that happens.
So i go and play the piano and think to myelf "wow, i cant play the piano for my life" and eventually i crave the guitar.
Try it out.

You think you're stuck in a rut? Ha ha! Look at the name of my town! I "LIVE" there! Rut-land!

Wow, that's a ton of good info there, Niki. Thank you!!
I'll definitely buckle down and work on the subject that's been troubling me, which is Algebra. As a matter of fact, I think we have a quiz as soon as we get back on Tuesday....crapola. I better start studying for it now....

Haha, listening to a different radio station will help me out a ton, I think. I'm getting really tired of all the same songs being played on Q104.3. Maybe some Spanish music or some rap will do the trick....

Oi, scales and arpeggios couldn't BE more boring if they even TRIED. I just make myself do them because I know it's good for me. And, obviously, they've helped me out a great deal, because my guitar teacher said that he hasn't had any other young student that has as much finger agility as I do. SO, I guess it's helping....

:oops: I'm so sorry,lol. I have two daughters myself so your plight makes me pull for you that much more. You be strong and just switch those boy sentences with girl sentences,lol. I was reading some other posts after yours and got them confused when someone was talking about some girl that they didn't get to go out with.

Khashoggi

You can overdo finger excersizes. My personal advice is not to practice them for more than 5 minutes a day.

What are you like on slide?
Pinch harmonics?
Trem useage?
Vibrato?
Bending to pitch?

Theres loads of things you can focus on instead.

rap isnt really my cup 'o tea but there is some that i like...... try anything Run DMC, Big Pun (The Punisher), and most Eminem..... Boomerang by Big Pun is epic

Khashoggi

You can overdo finger excersizes. My personal advice is not to practice them for more than 5 minutes a day.

What are you like on slide?
Pinch harmonics?
Trem useage?
Vibrato?
Bending to pitch?

Theres loads of things you can focus on instead.

It takes me about ten minutes to run through all of 'em!! And that's if I'm feeling flippant that evening. Usually, with me getting fed up and frustrated, it takes about an hour or so to get through them all.
....
Jeez.
I really need to change things up.

The list you gave me:

1. I don't even own a slide, but I've been wanting to get into slide playing, so I'll try and get my hands on one soon.

2. Tried doing pinch harmonics, but don't really get them. Or, maybe I do. Uh. I need to work on them.

3. Trem work is pretty good, I think.

4. Vibrato is also pretty good, but I always like to work on improving it.

5. Bending to pitch is also pretty good, but I still think it needs some work.

try the v pick slide ive heard its really good (i dont own a slide either but i want one so i can play stormy may day by AC/DC and let it slide by Mudhoney )

Sweet! I'll definitely check it out whenever I get the chance to go slide shopping.

Oh, and I'm lovin' the siggy, Floyd.
SO TRUE.