Stuck in one hell of a rut

[newbass1000]

Hey,
I've been playing just short of 2 years now and I've been practising strong 2-3 hours a night for the last 6 months,
But I feel like I'm not getting anywhere, I've learned every scale and arpeggio in countless different positions, practised fingerstyle speed for months, listened to a lot of bands, to gain inspiration
but I find it difficult to progress, I can't play fast, all the riffs I write end up being rage-esque minor pentatonic riffs, which quite frankly all sound the same, I don't feel like I'm really paying my load into my band, things made worse as it's only a 3 piece, I just don't know where to go, I can't slap, can't tap, can barely use a pick, I have no grasp of time signatures, just not sure what to do to improve,
Thanks!

[EdwardHimself]

If you can't slap, tap or use a pick then maybe it's time to relax a bit on the scales and finger speed front and start practicing that. The other thing i would say is that you've been playing 2 years; honestly, it's not very long at all. You can't expect to be perfect after that short amount of time. One thing that i find helps me with my music playing is just taking a break. If you stop pressurising yourself to be as good as you possibly can in the shortest time possible, once you come back to it you'll find that you've somehow improved and more importantly you'll enjoy it a lot more without that pressure.

Edited August 20, 2011 by EdwardHimself

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

See a teacher, or get an instructional dvd of someone who inspires you

[stingrayPete1977]

Have a bash at something totally obscure compared to your normal tastes, bit of Motown or country maybe and you will soon see how much more interesting your rage style lines sound mixed in with a few steady fifths or sliding bluesy things.

[lollington]

I've been playing for over ten years, don't know any scales, can't slap or tap, but I love playing, especially in my band. Don't worry so much about it. If you are a session musician this would be a problem, but if it's a hobby, just have some fun.

[funkypenguin]

+1 to seeing a teacher. I saw Scott Devine and its completely re-invigorated my playing. On the composition front, if all your grooves/riffs are turning out to be in minor pentatonic, force yourself not to use Minor pentatonic, maybe use modal or diminished flavours?

[thodrik]

Sounds like you are approaching the instrument in a very technical way, almost to the point that you are not having fun anymore. If you have learned a lot of scales and theory, then getting lessons for that and working on playing fast is almost needless if you are struggling with basic time signatures and struggling to come up parts you like.

Have you tried playing along to bands you like? I learned a lot just by listening to songs and trying to play along to the band and try to copy the basslines? Start with fairly easy songs that aren't technically difficult, but just try to keep time and lock in with the drummer. Over time you will just naturally pick up on the role the bass can play in a band and pick up ideas on what to play in certain chord progressions. Techniques such as tapping, slapping and 'playing really fast' can be learned afterwards.

It might be helpful get a couple of theory lessons, just to get a feel of melody and harmony and how songs and basslines can be written and adapted depending on what the other members of the band are doing. Playing in a three piece band is actually a good thing, as it really allows you to play off the drummer and guitarist and try out interesting ideas.

Many bassists in pop, rock and blues bands will never slap, tap or use double thumb technique in a band context, even if they have the techincal ability to do so.

[bubinga5]

[quote name='newbass1000' post='1346767' date='Aug 20 2011, 10:03 PM']Hey,
I've been playing just short of 2 years now and I've been practising strong 2-3 hours a night for the last 6 months,
But I feel like I'm not getting anywhere, I've learned every scale and arpeggio in countless different positions, practised fingerstyle speed for months, listened to a lot of bands, to gain inspiration
but I find it difficult to progress, I can't play fast, all the riffs I write end up being rage-esque minor pentatonic riffs, which quite frankly all sound the same, I don't feel like I'm really paying my load into my band, things made worse as it's only a 3 piece, I just don't know where to go, I can't slap, can't tap, can barely use a pick, I have no grasp of time signatures, just not sure what to do to improve,
Thanks![/quote]First off take a breather.. ive never had lessons and the best thing i ever did was listen to alot of music.. the more you listen the more it can inspire you.... my advise.. get a teacher.. a proper bass teacher, not a guitar/bass teacher... very few guitarists understand how to play bass properly imo....

your practice can be as boring or as exciting as you want.... learn bass lines from your favorite band...

[newbass1000]

I play along to a lot of music, my favourites tend to be the likes of zeppelin, rage, soundgarden, pearl jam, guns'n'roses, velvet revolver and tool
The main problem right now tends to be, I don't really have the patience to sit down and learn something complex like rush, and I can't write stuff at all.

[YouMa]

I could loan you the funk for a while if you want.

[ZMech]

[quote name='newbass1000' post='1346790' date='Aug 20 2011, 10:44 PM']I don't really have the patience to sit down and learn something complex like rush.[/quote]
Then learn something completely removed from your normal style. A bit of dub/reggae is always good. Give a listen to the album Below the Bassline, by Ernest Ranglin, I spent about ten minutes yester on just one phrase from a song, trying to get the note volumes nice and controlled. I'd advise learning about walking basslines too, it'll completely change your approach to writing lines. This last one will be greatly accelerated if you find any kind of local jam night (preferably jazz based, even if it's currently not your thing), as it'll immediately give you a great wealth of experience from playing with a multitude of people.

Edited August 20, 2011 by ZMech

[Al Heeley]

sounds to me like you're trying to force it. Lay down the bass for a few weeks. Don't touch it. Come back when your spirit is more positive, a rest is a good tonic and you can come back rejuvenated and motivated again.

[Lozz196]

[quote name='newbass1000' post='1346790' date='Aug 20 2011, 10:44 PM']I play along to a lot of music, my favourites tend to be the likes of zeppelin, rage, soundgarden, pearl jam, guns'n'roses, velvet revolver and tool
The main problem right now tends to be, I don't really have the patience to sit down and learn something complex like rush, and I can't write stuff at all.[/quote]

Try listening to The Stranglers, and The Jam. The bass is very prominent in both of these bands, and forms a great part of the melodies of the songs. Quite easy to pick up as well, but the style as well as melodic, is also very percussive. I`m sure Duff McKagan got a fair chunk of influence from these two bands.

[Highfox]

Not every song needs to be filled with as many notes as you can get into the bar. You can be melodic with just selective notes as well. Sounds to me like you need to step back and try and get into the groove of what your playing a bit more.

[Bilbo]

Learn to read music.

[lojo]

[quote name='newbass1000' post='1346767' date='Aug 20 2011, 10:03 PM']I can't slap, can't tap, can barely use a pick[/quote]

I'm not suggesting I'm the standard and I hope you aim way higher, but I've enjoyed playing mainly fingerstyle bass for over 20 years , I regularly gig with a number of bands. Slapping, tapping etc are all great but just focus on the basics of being a bass player, being solid with standard fingerstyle, playing in a covers band will teach you so much, and allow you relax and become confident with what you can do, rather than focusing
What you can't , you can then build whatever you wish onto that

[leschirons]

A trip to a good teacher who can properly assess your level and ability and suggest the best way to move forward after finding out what you'd actually like to achieve.

Edited August 21, 2011 by leschirons

[hillbilly deluxe]

Put the radio on,play along to that,loads of different styles.Motown as mentioned before,loads of infectious bass grooves.Put the T.V on,suprising amount of background music is solo bass.Most of all enjoy it,it will all make sense at some point.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='Bilbo' post='1346907' date='Aug 21 2011, 08:48 AM']Learn to read music.[/quote]

Not worth the arguement I guess but I agree on this too, The OP stated he has trouble with time signatures etc nothing will tighten your playing like reading even if its bah bah black sheep as it transfers to Kings of Leon etc just the same, but we have been down this road before usuall outcome (me included) ends with people saying they should of done it twenty years earlier which falls on deaf ears, some of them tone deaf and out of time ones

[wez]

Get some different styles and speeds of drum backing tracks, play along to them and dont push yourself too hard to get it right first time just feel the rhythm and play whatever feels right.

Edited August 21, 2011 by wez

[chris_b]

[quote name='newbass1000' post='1346767' date='Aug 20 2011, 10:03 PM']....I've been playing just short of 2 years now and I've been practising strong 2-3 hours a night for the last 6 months,
But I feel like I'm not getting anywhere, I've learned every scale and arpeggio in countless different positions, practised fingerstyle speed for months, listened to a lot of bands, to gain inspiration
but I find it difficult to progress, I can't play fast, all the riffs I write end up being rage-esque minor pentatonic riffs, which quite frankly all sound the same, I don't feel like I'm really paying my load into my band, things made worse as it's only a 3 piece, I just don't know where to go, I can't slap, can't tap, can barely use a pick, I have no grasp of time signatures, just not sure what to do to improve...[/quote]
Can you play Respect Yourself, What's Going On or Street Life like the originals?

Learn to properly play the numbers in the Funk and Groove thread. None of these numbers have fast or complicated bass lines but they are all about feel, groove and the spaces.

[steve]

[quote name='lojo' post='1346911' date='Aug 21 2011, 09:03 AM']just focus on the basics of being a bass player, being solid with standard fingerstyle, playing in a covers band will teach you so much, and allow you relax and become confident with what you can do[/quote]

this

[BottomE]

2 Years! And you have been doing all those scales, arpeggios etc. You should give yourself a pat on the back as it took me at least 10 before i even thought about doing the theory stuff. My loss but i wouldn't change anything.

The key to being a good bassist IMHO is feel, groove, connectivity etc. Yes, theory is important but you apply the theory to get the groove and feel. Playing fast is rarely important in most band situations. Speed will come. Technique and knowledge will improve. It all takes time but as a famous chinamen once said - its all about the journey and not the destination.

[icastle]

Two years is no time at all to master an instrument in.

With anything that requires a degree of skill to master, there are always going to be a number of plateaus that will be hit.
You will struggle to get past that plateau and onto the next learning curve - perserverance is the only answer to that and there are no shortcuts.
As you hit the end of the next learning curve you'll find... another plateau.
It's the way that 'learning' works.

Being less than two years in, you really won't have developed a style of your own yet and slapping and tapping may not be as important as you seem to believe they are.
If it makes you feel any better, I learnt how to slap back in the mid 80's as a matter of course because everyone else was doing it.
By the beginning of the 90's I'd more or less stopped slapping and now, 20 years later, I can count on one hand the number of times I've used it in a serious musical setup in the last few years.

Speed of playing is something that comes with time - it sounds to me as if you have become a little bit fixated with LH scale techniques at the expense of letting things 'flow'.
So my advice would be to stop learning scales and master the one's you've already got - there will be plenty of time to learn obscure scales in improbable neck positions later.

[newbass1000]

Some interesting stuff here, thanks guys, Probably gonna have to think less about all this theory shizz, writing is my biggest problem, but listening to so much rage/audioslave tends to mean I can only write like that. I'll try listening to some funk/motown see where that gets me, I don't know if this helps, but the bass i'm playing on I feel really uncomfortable with, I'm buying a fender jazz next week, along with a better amp, see if that gives me some creative sprirt.