How long till you forget how to play...

[Jimi75]

Imagine you'd lay down the guitar today, what do you think how long it takes until you lost the ability to play? I think things like chords will remain forever in our brains, but how long 'til the barré chord is difficutl again or until you forget the second position of the pentatonice scale?

For me I think I could buffer 4-5 years until rust settles on my fingers and guitarbrain. Still knowing all theory though.

[tot_Ou_tard]

You have to have it to lose it. I'm still working on the first part.

If I move on to work on something new: A new song or new technique I can go blank on what I previously had down in a week. Of course it only takes a moments work to get it back.

I'm like Hansel & Gretel dropping bits of songs & guitar moves on the path blissfully unaware that a species of wild-throated note-snatchers are native to my brain.

[Andy]

I put it down for nearly 5 years after band/recording burnout, my playing suffered immensly.

[mrmudcat]

TOUGH question to answer at this time for me:thwap:

[bigoldron]

I don't know how long it'd take, but I quit for almost 20 years and I basically had to re-learn everything all over again. It does come back, but sometimes it's slow and sometimes not. I'm not good by any stretch of the imagination, but I am playing better than I used to - maybe it's maturity, age, practice or maybe just listening and trying to play good instead of loud.

[Geraint Jones]

Look at Peter Green , I remember an interview with him where he said he`d had to completely relearn everything {after he`d cut his fingernails of course}

[Rocket]

Huh... what was the question?

[warren0728]

Look at Peter Green , I remember an interview with him where he said he`d had to completely relearn everything {after he`d cut his fingernails of course}
of course he had way more issues than just not playing for awhile...

[Robert]

Jazz musician Pat Martino lost almost all memory of his family and his career after suffering a brain aneurysm in the 1970s. But he was able to reverse much of that loss by studying his old recordings and re-learning to play the guitar.

From http://www.musicianguide.com/biographies/1608001192/Pat-Martino.html:

Martino battled his seizures until 1980, when a severe seizure landed him in the hospital. A brain scan revealed the source of his problems: the doctors discovered a cluster of blood vessels in his brain on the brink of bursting. They told him he had only one more day to live. He returned to his hometown of Philadelphia and immediately underwent brain surgery. Although the operation was a success, Martino completely lost his memory, and it took two more years for him to fully recover.

----------------

There's a film made regarding this that would be really interesting to see. Read here - http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30681

[peachhead]

You have to have it to lose it. I'm still working on the first part.

Considering I've been doing this less than a year, I would say it would be probably easier for me to lose it than others. But yeah, it helps if you have it first.

[Katastrophe]

I played only sporadically for a few years (about 8) in the 90s. All my theory went away. The scale patterns and chord shapes remained, however. It just took a few months for me to get some dexterity back.

The bad thing was that all of my speed was gone, too. It forced me into an entirely different way of playing, which has become more expressive, at least to my ears.

To some, it sounds like cats fighting.:thwap: :D

[rugbynyc]

I am in this exact position so I hopefully can give you some insight...

I took lesson from the age of 14ish to 18...played daily and was IMHO a pretty good player, by no means would I think I was great or anything, but I was getting to the point where I didn't have to think about what I was doing I could just go and let the spirits take me wherever.

From the time I started college until now(14 years) I have played very infrequently. For some extended periods no playing whatsoever.

I am making an effort to relearn now and have committed myself to playing again. That being said, I can still pick up a guitar and remember most of the technique and chords and whatnot, actually getting my hands to do them though is a different story. Also, I have to really think about what I am doing now and my memory of songs is greatly diminished. My ear is still very good, I can still basically quickly tune a guitar by ear if you gave me a E or A pitchfork. I think that if I didn't make any effort to relearn I would stay at the level I am at now for the rest of my life.

But I would say overall ability wise I would compare myself to someone who started playing 6 months ago.

I would also say that my ability to stand and stare at a wall full of guitars at GC with my mouth watering is as strong as ever...

In some respects though, relearning is a far more frustrating experience then I remember learning the first time to be. My sessions now are peppered with a lot of "Sh!t, I used to be able to do that!".

Back to the original question though, I don't think someone who seriously played could ever completely lose it to the point where you have the same ability as someone who has never played, I think you will always have the ability to pick up a guitar and play something and not sound terrible, even if it's just vamping on an A chord and playing Magic Bus until you pass out...

[WindyCity100]

I'm with Tot...still learning stuff to forget