One from the archives

Here is a post I did a few years ago when “Rock and Roll does not take a vacation!!” was more of a personal blog.  I thought I’d repost it since a lot of you are new readers to RockGuitarLife.com. 

Step out of your musical comfort zone.

Posted by scottfrein on June 24, 2008

I got an e-mail from a drummer friend of mine on Saturday asking if I wanted to come jam. Sure, “who else is coming?” I asked. “Just Jeff on bass” he replied. Whoa, a three piece. Ok. I’m used to playing in two guitar bands. It has always been my preferred setup. It gives you the freedom to not play at times and gives you a little room to make a mistake or two.

Long story short, I played with these guys for three hours. It was a very eye opening three hours. I consider my self an accomplished guitarist but that experience as a three piece was almost like playing naked. Every note I played stood out, good or bad. It was also very challenging to fill the space with only one guitar. The choices in what chord form I used made a big difference. This got me thinking, how else can you step out of my musical comfort zone.

Play with more experienced musicians

Although a scary proposition, most musicians aren’t super judgmental. You will probably get some constructive criticism. (and take it as constructive even if it doesn’t sound that way. You will come away with some ideas on how to improve your playing and it’s just one more notch on your musical belt.

Play with musicians with different musical styles

If your a metal guy like me, jamming with a country player may seem like the last thing you want to do. Try to get past the whole genre thing and just have fun. A different style means a different approach to the instrument.

Play with a stripped down rig

If you play with a ton of pedals, try jamming straight into the amp. If you play through a Marshall stack, try plugging into a blues Jr. If you normally use a lot of gain, turn it down and try to work the notes without the crutch.

As musicians, we can find our selves with a false sense of security when we always play in our comfort zone. Try to challenge yourself by stepping out of that comfort zone and see what there is to learn about your playing in the process.