I have just lost my will to play...HELP

Whistle
1

Hi All

I have not picked up a whistle in 8 months. I don’t know what happened. I just lost my will to play. It seemed like I was just stuck in one spot and not making any progress, the workshop I attended in Gettysburg in the summer was a discouragment, I am never going to play in a session and I have come to realize that the possibility of anyone in my family asking me to pull out the old whistle and give them a few tunes is never going to happen in my lifetime. I just got tired of sitting all alone and playing for myself. I started to feel really bad about myself and figure I am an untalented jerk who cant do anything. I sold alot of wonderful whistles which I regret due to this slump and I feel bad about that, altho I know they got great homes.

But it torments me. All the whistles just sit there and I feel so bad all the time. Iv’e tried picking them up on occasion but just put them down again. I had so much passion to start. Can anyone help me or give me some advice? Has this happened to anyone else?? Thanks

2

Having a spouse with severe clinical depression, it sounds to me as if your lack of whistle interest is merely a side effect. Getting a recommendation from your doctor for a visit to a psychiatrist might be a very helpful way to go. It’s obviously merely a guess (I don’t know you) but if your seratonin (sp?) levels are low, you might not be physically (chemically) able to feel as good as you used to or motivated to do much of anything creative.

3

Andrea,

You just got some good advice.

I remember you clearly from the workshop, and how excited you were to attend. I’m very sorry it has such an effect on you.

I’m sending you a private message.

Take care of yourself!

Marguerite

4

I am in the same situation as tommyk, and had the same immediate initial reaction as I read your post. It would be a very good idea to talk to a professional in case this is just a subset of a larger problem, as it sounds to us.

But just concentrating on the whistling part, why do you say you will never play in a session?

5

Yea, I’m in the same boat, but it’s mostly due to school driving me COMPLETELY INSANE. Thankfully, May is not too far away, I just hope I won’t have forgotten everything by then.

6

Marguerite,

Please check your PMs; I PMed you last week about the workshop.

7

Andrea, i’d love to hear you play a few tunes! Could you manage to send something to “Clips and Snips”?

8

I attended a workshop and I hated it. I came away discouraged too. I don’t think workshops are good for people who are sort of beginning/early intermediate. It’s too easy to get left behind. That happened in a writing workshop I attended. I didn’t write for weeks afterward (and the whole point is to be energised). I eventually started back and have been published etc, but I’ll not go to another workshop (whistle/writing) without knowing I can get out of it what I want to get out of it.

In terms of whistling goals, this is something I’ve been dealing with too. At first I swore I’d never play in a session, that I was just playing for myself. But that gets old fast, and my teacher said that I won’t really improves much past where I am now unless I start playing with other people. So I bundled up my courage and went to a ceili rehersal at an Irish club near me. I only knew 4 tunes but I played the hell out of those 4 tunes and they were glad to have me. No one heard my mistakes. And this week I found another place that does sessions and I emailed them and he was very welcoming. I plan on going there soon.

I can’t speak to the depression issue. All I know is workshops and whistles. And that’s my 2 cents

9

As a chronic sufferer of clinical depression myself, I second the recommendation to see your doctor. You’ve just described the exact same emotional situation I find myself in when I’m “back in the pit,” as I put it. You don’t have to suffer…depression is a medical condition, and is highly treatable. Please go see your doctor as soon as possible.

Redwolf

P.S. It’s one thing to be discouraged, but we’re talking about eight months here of not having the motivation to do something previously enjoyed, and that sounds like depression, not simple discouragement. Further, it seems to be growing, not abating.

10

Andrea,

I share your feeling that without the social aspect, the music is not The Music. It’s hard to make time for musical get togethers or going out to sessions; believe me I know. So it’s been a great pleasure to me to have correspondence and musical collaborations via recording with fellow board members. Lots of people who are regulars in the chat room do this virtual collaborating. We even tried a virtual session, sort of, each of us adding in another line on a recording of The Kesh that one of our younger chatters, energy, started on low whistle. And you are always welcome in the chatroom, where we occasionally even talk about music!

Take care of yourself!

Carol

11

Andrea, just yesterday, I wondered about your silence on this board, and missed you.

Indeed, serotonin may be a piece of the puzzle. In which case, this new Spring will contribute to help you out. The fact that you just were able to come and speak of yourself here is already a healthy sign. Stick around.

12

Andrea, I have a slightly different perspective on this which isn’t meant to nullify the comments of those who’ve suggested you check out depression. I think that what you describe is, to some degree or other, experienced by perhaps a majority of musicians from time to time, from beginners to not just professionals but recording stars. Some musicians want to destroy their instruments and give up playing when they hear someone who can play things they can’t, even though what they do play is thoroughly worthwhile. Other pros just find the frustrations of the business periodically get too much for them and they have to take a holiday from it. The holiday might extend for anything from a few weeks to over a decade. And I’m talking about very accomplished musicians here.

So, regardless of your level which really doesn’t matter for what I’m saying, frustration and lack of motivation can kick in and overwhelm you. This isn’t unusual, it is very common. Music should be fun and it is a shame when it isn’t. It can be fun for the person just stumbling through their first tune. But it is frustrating for everyone. I myself take the occasional holiday, usually not for long. But I don’t really worry about it or try to analyse it; one day a few days or weeks later I just feel like playing, I pick up an instrument and off I go.

Good luck, but however you tackle this, don’t feel that this is a personal failure and don’t feel that you are alone. I could astonish you by listing some of the high-profile musicians who have suffered from just this problem, but I don’t really feel free to make names public. Oh, just one example which is on the public record; Paddy Keenan tells the story of trying to pawn his pipes and when offered an insulting amount for them being on the verge of throwing them in a dustbin. A friend intervened, bought them for less than they were worth, but with the promise that he’d sell them back for the same price later when Paddy felt ready to play again. We all know how this story ends.

13

I agree with Wombat. I was obsessed with the whistle and Irish music for nearly two years - then suddenly didn’t pick up a whistle for months. I’d completely lost interest. I started becoming more and more involved in another artistic endeavor. Then a couple of months ago I went through another period of immersion in ITM and the whistle - listening to CDs, playing tunes, and enjoying it thoroughly. Once again it subsided and I haven’t picked up a whistle in a couple of weeks now. I too have been very tempted during these times to sell off my whistles…but have decided this is an interest that’s going to wax and wane…and I’ll just hold onto them until the next time I feel like playing. Keep a couple of Generations on hand and they’ll be there when you need them!

Susan

14

I think that during their lives every human being gets to where you are now. There is life and joy on the other side of this. I know I’ll bug some people by suggesting this, but try reading the book of John in the Bible. If you are not religiously inclined, think of the reading as a sort of mantra for clearing the mind. Whether you feel the events described ever happened or not, that book has a built-in spirituality that (in my own words) re-aligns the brain neurons towards peace. (Again in my own words) it gets the brain polarity pointing in the right direction. The person who wrote that book had profound depth of spirituality and understanding that just flows from the pages. To me it’s like listening to great music. It changes me inside.
I think I speak for everyone on this board when I say that our hearts are with you in this.

15

Andrea,
Feelings of helplessness, hopelessness and loss of interest in things or people who used to be very important to you, that have lasted longer than two weeks, are symptoms of depression. If you add problems sleeping and weight changes the diagnosis is very probable. Going to a psychiatrist or psychologist won’t hurt and may very possibly help you very much. Take the initiative and make the call. You will never regret it.
Mike

16

andrea,

maybe you just need 2 totally different instruments, when you get tired of one, you take the other.
what about a button box? http://www.buttonbox.com/newba.html#but3

17

I’ve had the same problem. I’m not depressed, I just suck at music. After practicing a tune over and over I get tired of it and don’t want to play it anymore. It takes forever for me to learn a tune.
My best tune, Merrily Kissed The Quaker isn’t particuarly difficult in other peoples terms but I play it only sub-par, I’d be torn apart by the average 7yr old Irish kid.
The only advice I could give is don’t play music if it upsets you. I’d still keep instruments around in case you change your mind, maybe you’ll be ready to return with a different outlook. I’ll never play sessions either but I hope to one day be able to play well enough to entertain the uneducated masses :laughing: .
You’ll make the right decision.
Take care, Johnz

18

Listen to some of the rubbish that I’ve sent into ‘Clips’-if you don’t think that you could do better than me,then you MUST be depressed! :wink:

19

so many thoughts…

First, I agree, please do check out depression. It happens. It is treatable.

Second, as a teacher (dulcimer, not whistle) it really REALLY bothers me to hear that you were so discouraged in a workshop. I hope no one ever feels that way in ours. Even if we have someone in a workshop for more “advanced” players that isn’t up to that, while I don’t bring the workshop “down” to their level (cuz that wouldn’t be fair to the others) I still try to give them something of worth to take with them.

I agree with the comment about trying another instrument, or at least trying different types of music. No where is it written in stone that the whistle can only be used for Irish traditional. If it’s your taste, dig out some Jethro Tull and play along with the flute parts! I particularly like the whistle with slower songs in Em. Find any CD’s and try to play along with them - you don’t need to “go out” for someone to play with!

Also, don’t feel that you must limit your participation to “sessions”. Take that whistle to ANY music festival! Old time, blue grass, folk, whatever. Sit on the outside of a jam circle, and find some accompanyment notes or something. Take a tape recorder so you can have these songs for reference later (most jams don’t mind you recording them for personal learning).

Hopefully you won’t feel that you can’t play for too much longer. Loosing a player, of any instrument, is a shame.

Missy

20

RE Workshops -waste of money and time. Your ANS has a clock of its own and that is what is controling your porgress- IOW 10 minutes every day is better than 365 every year.

RE The rest
Sometimes folks just get wore down at sessions and such so they quit or stop circulating.

First off - I began playing Irtrad as a kid - hard to believe today - but on a Harmonica. We used do Wrendays every year and I knew but a few tunes; hey, they were the best danged tunes in the universe to me.

So even if you get stuck don’t let that bother you. Later I learned lots of other things including the weaselshtick and that seems to have taken a long time because when I used get stuck - my fingers would not want to learn - I would give up.

Ok so I knew a few songs and things but a reel in G was impossible for me— till I met an older man who grew up in Co Sligo and learned both Fiddle and Flute there, though he played mostly on the whistle when I ran into him.

Anyways when I was fiddling along and listening to the conversation between my friend and some young TW players, he would go over it again and again about ’ put your feet on the floor’. Later asking what that all meant he showed me how he began playing tunes.

You have to sit on a high stool - pretend you are a leprechaun- then with solid soled shoes - he suggested ’ hobnail boots - just reaching the ground you practice making a deliberate loud slow stomp - like a slow blues -. When that is automatic then you take up a TW and playing the first few bars only of a reel - I chose Ms Mc Clouds first 2 bars -
When I did this the first time I could not get it right because I was not ‘huffing’ the onbeats - (Huffing = say huh but dont let the voice box sound!) Also dont ‘tounge’ the tip until your Huffing is solid and easy to turn on or off as you need!. Now go over your first DANCE piece until you are crosseyed.

It would be an idea to take a jig and do the same.

The idea is to make one play DANCE music from the start. So when playing tunes IF you mess up then you are always keeping a rhythm.

Essentially this is how some of the old time Irish players progressed - and it is fun as well.

Things to avoid like the plauge - fast sessions, egojacks in sessions, other people who insist on playing fast.

Things to embrace - slow sessions - slow players and if possible try some other instrument - I personally like mandoline or tenor banjo.
= if you would like I can send you some audio clips of Wrenday tunes :0)=

You need get a metronome if you dont have one so -
Tempos for fun practicing

Beats in a tune are the top number in the Time Sig - Jig 6 eigth notes
so there are six beats to a bar no matter what kind of notes are written there.

Reels are always 8 beats to the bar, with a metronome I half that to ignore the offbeats and get the ONbeats exact; so, one develops personal style as well.

Settings

Jig 60 ish BPM 3 beats to each click
My regular speed is about 85 BPM 3 beats to the click- hey I enjoy the sceenery and racing at my age is dangerous!
Sing this ‘de deedle de deedle …’

Hornpipe 90-111 BPM 2 beats to the click
I dont bother much with them but if people do play them fast I butt out and giggle - nobody can dance a Hornpipe @240 BPM
Sing the song ‘The Little Beggar Man’


Reel 120- 139 Two beats to the click -
Sing ‘Be deee Bed daaaah Be deee Bed Daaaah’ Notice that Polkas and reels have a similar rhythm so you can learn a Polka with the same tempo. Hint they are reels with lots of notes taken out.

Tip listen to old recordings of The Tulla Ceili Band, the more recent recordings of Miko Russel.


Tell me please that they play fast ! You will be as surprised as can be when you get what this stuff is all about!

Search for CCE slow sessions