Stuck in particular keys

[charic]

Hey guys,

Hoping someone here will have some suggestions because for whatever reason I seem to get stuck playing in the same set of chords whenever I sit down at any instrument. Not as bad on bass/guitar as it is on keyboard to be honest. I think this is because bass and guitar is much more playing by instinct for me in comparison to playing keyboard. This is most probably down to the fact that I have been playing keyboard for... 18 years (im only 23!).

Does anyone have any suggestions? Its not as bad when I am playing with someone else who is writing however whenever I sit to write by myself I seem to get stuck in the same position everytime.

So yeah... HELP!!!

[Prime_BASS]

Go back to the begining and learn yourself the basics.

I always try learning songs in as many keys as possible to to help
broaden my music "library" if you want.

Although I'm surprised that you get stuck if you've played keyboard for that many years. It may help to think of the bass/guitar as a keyboard, I tried playing some piano pieces from nobou uematsu, note for note and in the same sort of pitches, and I ended up all over the fretboard.

[charic]

Happens more on keyboard than guitar/bass lol. I think it is purely because these are my particular favourite chords and I love the sounds of them together. As soon as I stray from them on keyboard though I struggle to get inspired.

[RockfordStone]

just do what i do and use the same chords but play them in different strum patterns, order and tempo's

[essexbasscat]

there is always the option of studying an instrument and taking a Royal Schools of Music grade. Not sure if it's the same now, but the earlier grades when I took them studied in keys of C, G, F and D.

T

[samkeen]

Hi,

Something that helped me was to look at chord progressions (not the root notes of the chords, but the relationship between them) , i.e. going "ok, this is a 2, 5, 1 progression" rather than "ok, this is D minor, G7, C major progression". It means that if a tune I know is given to me in a different key, it doesn't matter so much, I just need to do a little bit of fingerboard readjustment rather than spend most of my time staring at the sheet in front of me!

It also means you can think "I like the sound of a root chord moving down to the chord over the major sixth" or whatever, then use it when you're noodling. Start to think about more complicated chord progressions, play around them and see what you come up with.

Also, just enjoy yourself. If you're worrying that your chords are always the same whilst you're playing, you're probably not having as much fun as you should

[XB26354]

What are you getting stuck playing?
I hesitate to suggest learning some jazz, but, maybe learn some jazz?
The reason is that the familiar chord changes are there, but substitutions and variations introduce chromaticism, which may get you out of your rut.
Try learning tunes like Body and Soul and Chelsea bridge, as they're in tricky keys for piano. Or even So What (Eb minor is always a blast on piano).
Then there is the old adage of playing everything in all 12 keys - perhaps take things you know and transpose them round the cycle of fourths (that is C-F-Bb-Eb-Ab-Db-Gb-B-E-A-D-G and back to C in case you don't know).