lowdowner Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I had a bass lesson yesterday. Nothing unusual in that I guess, but it's after two weeks of just not being 'into' playing my bass. For well over a year now i've played my bass every day, and loved every moment of it - couldn't get enough of it to be honest; but two weeks ago I suddenly couldn't really care less. Apart from pre-booked gigs, I didn't bother and went out and bought myself a drum kit and booked my first two drum lessons. Talk about mid life crisis! I'm loving the drums - i've always wanted to try them - and I'm going to continue playing them, but yesterday's bass lesson came and went and I realised that all I needed was a break and a bit of 'bass-down-time' Just wondering if anyone else had been through the same kind of feelings during their bass playing history? How long did it last? Has it happened more than once? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 [quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1350674129' post='1842262'] Just wondering if anyone else had been through the same kind of feelings during their bass playing history? How long did it last? Has it happened more than once? [/quote] I've been playing for over 33 years & this has happened to me several times. What I've usually done is gone off & played another instrument for a few years & have always come back to bass, though I haven't been "passionate" about the instrument for a good 15 years. One of the reasons I originally joined Basschat was I once again found myself at a point where I didn't know what to do: I felt like knocking it all on the head but due to the amount of time I'd invested in playing over the years I felt pretty weird about stopping. I now find myself once again turning my back on bass - I've sold pretty much all my gear (the last of my Zons goes on Sunday) & the idea was to use this money to get some other instruments. Now I've got that money in my hand however I find myself thinking there's just no point in wasting any more money or time on music: the music I try & write is bloody awful clichéd & formulaic stuff, I have no desire to play covers & I find the whole "being in a band" thing unbelievably stressful due to the fact that I'm a bit of a loner & hate having to interact with people any more than necessary. I find that I don't even enjoy listening to music anymore, which I honestly never thought would happen. I guess everything has a finite timespan & quite simply my time as a "musician" has run it's course. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I played with a very hard working band from '92 til 2002 constant gigs/tours world wide, i quit and thought " right that's it im having 5 yrs off," 6 months later i'm out gigging again, yep i missed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pinball Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Does iyt matter as long as your enjoying yourself? I travelled in the other direction. I play guitar and picked up a bass to record stuff at home and love it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted October 19, 2012 Author Share Posted October 19, 2012 Well, two weeks doesn't seem so bad then - I'm well back into bass so it's probably just a wimpy couple of weeks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xgsjx Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I've had a few of them. Put the bass down many times & usually for a few months at a time. As I'm currently bandless & struggling to find any local musicians, I've had that feeling since @ March. Considering going back to keys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I have 2 guitars and a keyboard for a change of scenery every few weeks. When I come back to bass its like home again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Rich Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 Pretty much the same thing. I fished out my drum machine to have something to play bass along to, but programming a drum machine is a pain. So when I saw a rubber electric kit I decided that was the way forward and got so into learning to play the drums.... I didn't pick up a bass for ages. Then I eventually got the urge to play bass again and the drums have taken a back seat for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoVeryTired Posted October 19, 2012 Share Posted October 19, 2012 I've not been playing bass long enough to have taken an extended break. I suppose I'm fortunate that I do other thngs within the churchband, so although I mainly play bass I could be playing lead or rhythm guitar or singing from one week to the next. That way I never get stale. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGreek Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 I stopped playing bass for about 15 years when I got my dog. I took up playing saxophone for a few years later. When he died I felt a huge hole in my life which playing the Sax wasn't filling - my true love has always been bass so I traded the Sax in and bought a bass - that's when the GAS began.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamd Posted October 20, 2012 Share Posted October 20, 2012 Gave up for few years after moving towns. Couldn't stay away for long though, and appreciate it now more than ever. The break did me good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.