Playing again after a long time off

[waveform]

Just was wondering peoples thoughts on how long it might take to get it back after not playing for a year. Im embarrassed to now see my finger prints.

Got a "car" guitar now just set up and will start soon, cant believe its been 1 year...

[llew]

I've done that too in the past. I think you'll be amazed at how quickly it comes back. Having just gone through Hurricane Florence I find myself playing less for some reason? Maybe just busy with other stuff?

[rmgjsps]

I took almost 20 years off. Didn't take me more than a couple of months to get back to about 90% of where I was (darned Pareto Principle.). that last 10% was hard, but going beyond where I was 20 years ago took some study and has been very rewarding.

My advice is go easy until you get your basic skills and callouses back, then go for it.

[waco kid]

I started playing again after a 45 year break (6 or 7 years ago) My mind still knew what to do, but my hand wouldn't cooperate. For the first year I had to pry my fretting hand open every morning. I now play every day for about an hour with out any issues.......Bruce

[packmule]

I took a ten year break after 30 years of playing guitar - I was still playing fretted instruments in that time period though (tenor banjo and mandolin). When I picked the guitar up again it too about 3 weeks to start feeling comfortable on it again and by the 6 week mark I was flying. I play at least 2 hours a day so I'm sure that helped to get things back so quick too. Now, nearly six months in since picking it up again, I feel like I'm a better player now than I was 10 years ago.

One thing I did incorporate when I started back playing again was lots of scales and picking exercises as warm up - something I never did back in the day, but I feel like they really helped me get my fluency not just back, but better than my abilities would have been back in the day.

[vindibona1]

Originally Posted by waveform

Just was wondering peoples thoughts on how long it might take to get it back after not playing for a year. Im embarrassed to now see my finger prints.

Got a "car" guitar now just set up and will start soon, cant believe its been 1 year...

ONE YEAR is nothing. There are guys here who take 20, 30, 40 years off and bounce back very quickly with basic skills returning almost immediately. But it is an opportunity to play better than before. What a long break can do for you is let you put your ego in your back pocket and rebuild your skills, working on what might have previously been bad habits or technique or learning new technique because you cerebrally know you need to slow down a bit on re-entry. And what is in your "musical DNA" stays with you for life.

So just take it slow so you don't introduce sloppiness into your playing and you'll be surprised that in a month or two you'll be better than before. Good luck.

[rmgjsps]

Originally Posted by waco kid

I started playing again after a 45 year break (6 or 7 years ago) My mind still knew what to do, but my hand wouldn't cooperate. For the first year I had to pry my fretting hand open every morning. I now play every day for about an hour with out any issues.......Bruce

My big problem was my right hand. I always was a fingerpicker, and when I started back playing, my fingers just couldn't find the right strings at the right time. with the right force. Better now! I've been back at it for about two years.

[bufflehead]

Originally Posted by rmgjsps

My big problem was my right hand. I always was a fingerpicker, and when I started back playing, my fingers just couldn't find the right strings at the right time. with the right force. Better now! I've been back at it for about two years.

Same here. I took a three-year hiatus while I earned my PhD. At first the left hand was uncomfortable due to the lack of callouses. But those came back a lot faster than my right hand.

I also managed to forget the words to the second verses of half the songs I knew. Needed to take an iPad along whenever I jammed.

The most important thing I learned is that guitars are forgiving. You stray; you come back; there they are.

[Blueser100]

Originally Posted by rmgjsps

My big problem was my right hand. I always was a fingerpicker, and when I started back playing, my fingers just couldn't find the right strings at the right time. with the right force. Better now! I've been back at it for about two years.

Same here. I take lots of "breaks," many years, many weeks/days, etc. I too find that my fingers struggle to move to the right places. I have to remind myself that if I played more regularly it wouldn't feel like I was re-inventing the wheel each time.

[rmgjsps]

Originally Posted by packmule

One thing I did incorporate when I started back playing again was lots of scales and picking exercises as warm up - something I never did back in the day, but I feel like they really helped me get my fluency not just back, but better than my abilities would have been back in the day.

I started doing this too. I try to play at least 2 of my guitars each day. I have a warm-up routine of several scales, stretches, and, even though I mostly fingerpick, I also practice a little flatpicking on each instrument except the classical. I actually enjoy running scales as single notes, doubles, and triplets up and down; really limbers up both hands and makes transitioning between different nut widths easier.

When I started playing as a teenager in the 1960s, I was interested in the songs. Now I am interested in the guitar and it's potentials.

[TBman]

I had some health issues back in 2012 and took some time off until around 2014. It comes back.

[waveform]

Wow thanks folks. Some 40-20 year breaks in there for folks and shorter.

Good to hear your playing again. I like the mix of scales, picking etc, break it up a lot. Also scales I can give my pinky a break. Torn ligament and it turned into a lazy year off.

Custom Light Elixirs are a life saver, slide up and down the neck so easy.

Iv been trying to figure out this style where I use my 4 good fingers and some times the bad one (Bad finger, sounds like a rock group). But its kinda complicated, some times Ill jump up the neck Django Rindhart sytle to get the right note.

I just want to rock again...

[Tony Burns]

It wasnt that i forgot anything -just that my fingers were raw for a while .
But i took some advice and just played anyways -didnt take long .
Thou i did forget some of the songs i use to play -but its fun learning new ones from scratch, to do my own versions.

[Silly Moustache]

I woke up in January 1983 essentially paralysed. I'd developed something called sarcoidosis which affected my lymphatic system, which seized up my joints.
It took a very painful and exhausting ten years before I could consider getting the D35 down from the attic. (It was still pretty much in tune!)

My finger tips were soft and my hand muscles had weakened but it didn't take too long. More difficult was remembering how to sing! (My wife was very patient!)

[Johnny K]

Another member of the 20 year off club. I had been playing and for 15 years. After two years of playing everyday, I think I may be better (or more rounded) than I was before i stopped.