I've been playing guitar since I was in kindergarten, been in a band since middle school. My one band played bar gigs enough that I didn't need to work through high school and was an excellent supplement while in college working part time. I wrote alot of music back then helping me navigate mental health issues and young teen drama. I "retired" when I joined the workforce due to being on call 24/7 with my job. It was a nice break to be fair but I always felt there was an itch to be scratched so I would still practice here and there. But that itch tends to be fading more and more over the years and as much as I'd like to write a song or 2, there's just nothing creative coming out of this mind anymore. I don't know if I'm still experiencing burn out or if I just need to accept the fact that this old hobby of mine just isn't a part of my life anymore. Anyone else experience a 5-10 year drought and pick it back up? Or even hang it up altogether and just enjoy watching others make music?
I faced the same dilemma, but I was never good enough. So to me it's way more fun to watch others make music. I can't stand listening to mine. But if you were able to express some universal teenage angst you might be able to use that music in some ways. Get someone else to record it or buy it, or try booking some venues where the people can relate to your music. I guess you'd need to put together a band again though, which could be reviving for you. You don't say how old you are, but if you're too old to relate to those who buy music, best to get someone else to play/record/buy it.
Maybe you should take lessons from someone well versed in a different style. Back in the 1980's, I took Classical Guitar lessons ( because of Randy Rhoads / Yngwie Malmsteen ) and it inspired me to keep playing and it also increased my two handed tapping and broadened my playing abilities and increased my Musical Knowledge.
I keep playing and wanting to self record, but I'm my biggest critic. Back in the 60's when I first started playing, our lead guitarist, was a fanatic about getting everything right. We would take one song and play it over and over, till he felt it was perfect. Stop and Start, over and over again. So, I grew up wanting or needing perfection. Well, now at 72, left hand problems, I can't execute like I use too. So, I get disgusted, because wanting it to be perfect. I keep telling myself over and over, at 72, nothing is perfect, at least not for me. I'm just a majority would not hear the mistakes, but I do... It's like going to open mics now. I have to use a tablet, for lyrics and chord changes. Simple 1-4-5, I have no problem with except the lyrics. Many times, I've had to repeat the first verse a few times. So, I feel bad using the tablet, since most of the younger musicians go from memory, like I use to do. Somedays, I just want to hang it up, but I keep going back and strumming a few...
