I started guitar about 4 years ago, I was 13. I fell in love with it and developed fast, I was playing rock music mostly and was learning how to solo using pentatonics. I started with an Epi Les Paul but when I was 15 I bought a guitar designed more for metal (an LTD F-250) because that's what I was starting like. Then it happened. I had a sort of break down. There were many things stressing me and one night I just seemed to panic and from then on I was really down and sad.

When I was 16 I had recovered slightly and started listening to some blues music, I switched back to my Les Paul and my playing style changed a lot. Earlier this year I discovered SRV and was touched by his music. I have improved incredibly since then, when I pick up my guitar I fire off the main riff of Scuttle Buttin' when a few years ago I would have tried some Iron Maiden or Metallica. I have come to the stage where I don't need to think much when improvising, I close my eyes and the notes just surge through my arms into the guitar and I feel totally at one with the guitar.

But if I hadn't broken down would I be learning to sweep pick on my LTD rather than putting every inch of my soul into string bends on my Les Paul? Would I be spending hours practicing 'shredding' on the 7 modes with .008s instead of practicing fiery licks on the 5 positions of the minor pentatonic with .11s?

I don't think I could bring myself to start learning sweep picking and metal techniques it just doesn't appeal to me now, I'm a true bluesman these days. But was it the depression or has my musical taste just 'matured'? Help out a confused boy guys.

RF, From your post it would seem you have genuinly matured. Nothing wrong with metal, but if the blues is really talking to your inner soul, then go with it. True Music comes from within and I don't think you can come any closer to getting those feelings out than by playing blues.

If the depression put you more in touch with your inner feelings then maybe that was part of the maturation process...so may be a combination and sounds like you have found a place that fits for you. I am happy when I play some blues and really nail it!

IMHO.

Oh and welcome to the forum...lots of great info here!

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

As you go along in life you will no doubt run across many things that aint cool. But blues ain't one of them. If anything, like they say, its a celebration of your music skills. It's the culmination of your feelings for music. when you put it all together it's what you have become musically. You could have easily developed a deep kinship with Classical, Flamenco,Country,Jazz, Bluegrass or Rock what ever you choose has little to do with a breakdown. Like the guy on the forum sais "The Blues Ain't Nothing But A Good Man Fealing Bad". Depression can be a serious thing and probably should be looked into by someone that knows there business, not us forum members. After all what do I know about that stuff I just sing? write? and play my guitar and harp. Try talking to your Parents, or counselor at School.
----Danny,

Great story RebelFalcon, it reminds me a lot of myself. I started playing when I was 13, and really got into hard rock and metal from the start. I had a lot of turmoil in my life when I was 14-15, my Mom was going through treatment for cancer. I listened to the heaviest, darkest sounding music I could find.

By the time I turned 16 I'd had enough of being depressed and with some help from family and friends I totally turned my attitude around (it was just normal teenager funk on top of the added stress of having to deal with what my Mom was going through). My Mom was healed and everything felt better. That's when I heard SRV for the first time and I immediately gravitated towards it. He went through some crap too (way worse than me actually) so I definitely felt a connection to his music.

In any case, after that I felt like I was learning guitar all over again and having a blast with it. I've had to go through more difficulties since then, mainly due to my Dad being unemployed last year, but I've never felt as bad as I did a few years ago. Music is kind of like therapy for soul (particularly blues IMO), and maybe now I'm just more mature about life too.

I'm glad you posted. It's always great to come across someone else who's a convert to blues.

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Play what makes you feel..............

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The blues ain't nothin but a good man feelin bad.

Thanks for the replies all thankfully I am no longer depressed. When I started playing the blues I felt like the sadness and frustration was flowing out of my body. I think it probably was a combination T2. I was maturing into different styles and the depression swayed me towards the blues..maybe lol I'm not really sure.

As I mentioned now Danny, I am out of the depression thankfully, I genuinely think the blues helped pull me through.

That is amazing texas, so similar to me. I like the way you say you felt like you were learning guitar all over again, I already had the basics but as I got into the blues my attitude towards the guitar changed. Even though I'm out of the depression I feel down sometimes but I just start playing the blues and I soon feel better

I also had to take most of my guitars into the shop to have them "un-metalfied". They were all set up for shred, I had to have the action raised.

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Yeah when I got into the blues I regretted buying the LTD and wished I had bought a strat instead. I still haven't got myself a strat but I'm very close, I have a thread in the strat section for that though.

hearing your young age and the wizdom of your explanation of how your feelings influenced your guitar playing style made me think ....wow at 45 im old..lmao but that you are on it 100%. i play blues music to cleanse my soul....purge my body of ill sadness and sorrows ...its crying with strings... very powerful therapy tool. use it whenever you like, develope the skill of what it is to play without thinking...but play by pure feeling. welcome to the blues, dont forget , you can play fun blues music also... rock me baby...comes to mind.

The Teen years...
Where you are old enough to know better but too young to do anything.
I remember that my teens were a challenge, but I was lucky, I had traveled quite a bit by the time I was 12, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Holland, Belgium, born in France then immigrated to the USA, I found fitting in quite difficult, not in the sense of making friends but rather in which quadrant do I belong.
It really is the inverse of being from a small town or city and having to adapt once you move away.

Objectivity is key, understanding that there are always less fortunate than you and there will always be more fortunate than yourself. No one is below you for everyone has an interesting story to tell and no one is above you. Or to put it simply treating others as you'd like to be treated is key, but at times a very tall order.
Finding common ground with people has always opened avenues for me.

As for being depressed.... Is it a clinical observation.. I would be very cautious in this respect and seek sound medical advice.
I still like some metal amongst many other genre's, though I find the messages disturbing and am not convinced that everyone understands it is entertainment first and foremost and not the reality.
I understand that there can be parallels in lyrics and your life, but the lyrics in a song never change, never evolve, they will always be static.
Quite unlike yours or my life or anyone else's for that matter. Our lives change, expand, good times, some not so fun times but tomorrow is another day.
( I'm retrospective today because I have had a challenging and frustrating day as this morning was bad. But tonight is much better and tomorrow should be even better. )

Whenever your mood is negative, force yourself to change your outlook by doing something completely different than your routine.
It doesn't have to be anything big or cost anything, it sometimes just takes opening the front door and focusing on events that you wouldn't normally observe....You never know....

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"C'est parti mon Kiki "

That's just such a great story.... i mean...I am sorry you were depressed...As people we all go through it, You went through it young, I didnt go though it till late twenty's when i realised i was still carrying on like a kid and i should grow up. "still battling with that" The growing up not depression. That is just so mature of you to find blues so young. I personally think you are so lucky. After my younger guitar years being half blues half rock i wish i had of matured as young as you. You will absolutely destroy the blues by the time your prime and ready to be on stage all the time...Good for you.... Put every piece of your soul into every note younin!! Have a ball!!!

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Thanks people, all your replies mean a lot to me. I will check out that song bootyblues but its 12:30am where I live so it will have to wait until tommorow. Your right 53magnatone, little changes in my life helped a lot. I started playing football (soccer) and other smaller changes helped. I always gave myself a target and something to look forward to.
Ozrv your post is a huge compliment to me, probably more so than you think I am starting my first blues band soon with me as front man because I sing and play. Pride and Joy by SRV is my favourite to sing and play.

Awesome RF....You'll kill it!!! Rock out mate!!!

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real depression sucks, it can make you a better blues player, if you survive it. if you had real depression you know that it is an every day struggle it keeep it off yourself. i didn't know you had to have a spesific guitar to play blues music, just a nice "sunday go to meetn'"suit. i don't mean to compound your "depression" but it gets pure crazy as you get older. on the bright side you will always have insparation for some good blues songs. bet you can't wait to get older now.

i think so. i think that alot mental illness's (mostly depression) spark creativity. i'm 15 (nearly) and have post stroke deppresion mixed with bi polar disorder (thats what the doctors say anyway), i find that when i'm really down the songs i write then are much better than the ones i write when i'm in a normal mood. i have been close to suicide once, when i was 13 and a bit, and the songs i wrote then were some of my best IMO. so its kinda like a double edged sword for me.
when i am depressed for weeks on end i feel as if my playing comes alot more from the soul, has alot more emotion in it. when i'm in a normal mood i'm just more having fun when i'm playing than expressing myself.

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riley