Plateau: the curse word for musicians

[Bit-Crusherrr]

4 years I've been playing now, seems short in comparison to the whole spectrum of things, and all of it was an accident after the band I started up when I was around 16 needed someone on bass. A friend of mine's mum just happened to have a crappy Encore and a huge Peavy 120 watt 1X15 sittin' about.

But now, it seems as though I'm hitting the proverbial wall, I'm practicing, and at least trying for half an hour around about 5 days out of 7 to maintain skills (life got busy the last while), but I don't feel as though I'm going anywhere when I get the full hour in. I always hear of guys maybe playing for up to four hours a day and I think, "WHERE do they get the time for that?!"

6 finger tapping, let alone 8, isn't going as forward as I thought. Sweeps are tedious as f***. My speed isn't what I'd like it to be, I mean I'm fast but I'd like to be faster. Chords are still foreign and I feel as though if I don't develop a better vocabulary in terms of theory and understanding the little secrets behind music and chord construction (A-Level music helped not one bit), I'll die on my feet and soon reach my peak, which would be a crying shame.

I get jealous of seeing all these skilled players and what they can do, and the dedication they have. However, no matter how great their technicality is, I still see some awesome virtuoso players who are poor at composing, which essentially it's all about, and something I have to remind myself to keep ego in check, that music is about creating to please the self. And I'm frustrated that I get jealous, as I know I shouldn't.

But for playing for 4 years, I feel I should be 10 times the bassist that I am. Granted, my genre of choice needs a technical player of a different kind, not so much chords as much timing, experimental timbres from the bass utilizing harmonics, dischords, tapped harmonics, mutes and slides. (www.myspace.com/thesearethecloudsband) So then I ask, will any new learning help this?

Have any of you ever reached the point where you feel as though you have to stop and think hard? I'm trying to get into the habit of reading about music when I'm not playing it, looking up new techniques, scales, chord passages, but I tend to become lethargic about it all as time goes on.

So to you all out there, what have you done to overcome your plateaus and your obstacles? What method of self-teaching worked, or what changes to your solid hour a day improved your playing tenfold?

Thanks guys

Edited June 13, 2008 by Bit-Crusherrr

[queenofthedepths]

For me, the thing to do is try something new or something I've not done for a while. Keep your playing fresh. Even if you want to play nothing but metal, learn some funk, some blues, some classical stuff! Fill out any gaps in your technique and theory. Learn stuff you've not paid much attention to before. You might find a use for it, and even if you don't, your fuller depth of knowledge should help you to move on.

[mcgraham]

Hmmm, well I've hit one or two major plateaus and a few more minor ones. However (IMO) plateaus are a sign of an underlying flaw in one's approach to the instrument/practice.

The key (again IMO) is to:
(1) - identify what you want to do - this is usually something qualitative; lets take an example, playing fast... that ain't exactly quantifiable or measurable;

(2) - set a long term goal associated with that - going with the example, lets say 2 finger playing of 16ths @ 200bpm;

(3) - then break that down into clear short term goals - following the same example; find several exercises that cover all aspects of 2 finger playing (e.g. string crossing, string skipping, starting on either finger, number groupings on different strings, arpeggios, double 'picking' etc), get them under your fingers and work up to first goal of 16ths @ 100bpm, then a second goal of 16ths @ 150bpm, a third of 16ths @ 180 etc.

Following this method, you have identified your aim, set a long term goal that would help you to measure that goal, and set achievable short term goals to help measure your progress, and give you something realistic to shoot for each day.

HOWEVER, make sure you do something musical every day, otherwise you run the risk of burning out and/or losing the desire and passion to play, i.e. split your time into some fraction of practice and [i]playing[/i].

Make sense? I hope that helps.

Mark

[Bit-Crusherrr]

Thats a big help bro, thanks. I mean I wish I was gettin' into my composition again, I wanna do everything from do some electronics (as EVERYONE seems to wanna do these days) to some orchestral arrangements, and I mean my MP3 is permanently on the go in my ears so I'm never far from gathering new influence and ideas.

Any tips for structuring a solid hour's practice and what to do when not, an away from the bass?

[The Funk]

It sounds like your technique is heavily influenced by 80s metal guitarists. How about trying something else? Try stealing some of the rhythms that Gene Hoglan & co. knock out on drums.

Then look outside of metal, like others have suggested above - and see what you can steal from keyboard players and horn players in jazz and funk.

[Mikey D]

[quote name='Bit-Crusherrr' post='218583' date='Jun 13 2008, 09:48 PM']So then I ask, will any new learning help this?

Have any of you ever reached the point where you feel as though you have to stop and think hard? I'm trying to get into the habit of reading about music when I'm not playing it, looking up new techniques, scales, chord passages, but I tend to become lethargic about it all as time goes on.

So to you all out there, what have you done to overcome your plateaus and your obstacles? What method of self-teaching worked, or what changes to your solid hour a day improved your playing tenfold?[/quote]
I have been there many times.

As you say you get frustrated. You need to learn not to (easier said than done) and accept what you can do. It's probably better than most but you are blinded by the fact you feel you should be better.

Accept the fact that it is not a competition and it has nothing to do with time. As has been said above, make yourself some achievable goals and work towards them. If you don't make them!? So what, its not the end of the world, frustrating yes, but you aren't going to die (even if you feel like it sometimes).

Stop and think why you actually play bass. For me it is because I enjoy improvising. And it wasn't until I stopped and changed my way of thinking that I felt improvement.

One book I would recommend is Effortless Mastery by Kenny Werner. He deals with basically everything you have said in your post. You can normally pick it up quite cheap on ebay, or your library may have it.

[urb]

+1 on Effortless Mastery - it's a great book.


I think one way of getting through 'blockages' like this is to see a good teacher - while they won't fix things overnight they will hopefully, be helpful in identifying your strengths and weaknesses - I'm sure you have some positive aspects happening in your playing too, in spite of your obvious frustrations.

The way I progressed, especially in the last few years is by balancing technical skills against musical ones - so I worked on my ear, alongside my chord knowledge, I also found recording myself a lot and listening back really helped to highlight what was working and what wasn't in my playing.

Also what you might deem your technique - as in finger picking, scales etc - can undoubtedly be improved further, if you are brave enough to unpick what you already know and re-learn it, you will be a better player for it after. I know it sounds awful to consider, but I've done this a few times over the years, like learning new scale fingerings, and cleaning up my picking technique, and strengthening my time feel, rhythmic knowledge has all helped me become a stronger bass player.

But find a good teacher, take a couple of lessons, but most importantly, become more self-aware as an individual, then you can more effectively teach your self. And lastly, get with some good musicians and just PLAY... you'll learn a lot of subconscious stuff that is just as valuable as all that home study will ever teach you.

Mike

[Bit-Crusherrr]

[quote name='urb' post='219172' date='Jun 15 2008, 12:10 PM']+1 on Effortless Mastery - it's a great book.


I think one way of getting through 'blockages' like this is to see a good teacher - while they won't fix things overnight they will hopefully, be helpful in identifying your strengths and weaknesses - I'm sure you have some positive aspects happening in your playing too, in spite of your obvious frustrations.

The way I progressed, especially in the last few years is by balancing technical skills against musical ones - so I worked on my ear, alongside my chord knowledge, I also found recording myself a lot and listening back really helped to highlight what was working and what wasn't in my playing.

Also what you might deem your technique - as in finger picking, scales etc - can undoubtedly be improved further, if you are brave enough to unpick what you already know and re-learn it, you will be a better player for it after. I know it sounds awful to consider, but I've done this a few times over the years, like learning new scale fingerings, and cleaning up my picking technique, and strengthening my time feel, rhythmic knowledge has all helped me become a stronger bass player.

But find a good teacher, take a couple of lessons, but most importantly, become more self-aware as an individual, then you can more effectively teach your self. And lastly, get with some good musicians and just PLAY... you'll learn a lot of subconscious stuff that is just as valuable as all that home study will ever teach you.

Mike[/quote]

That itself is a great idea, I mean I got lessons before, but when my teach was just teaching because he had a grade 8 certificate on his wall, (I was playing grade 8 standard within 2 years of playing, not to blow my trumpet but to show the level of the teachers) I realised I would learn nothing, as to be honest, I didn't. I've been self taught nearly always, and the closest aid to music I have is a session sax player doing a jazz degree, who's played for Van Morrison, Tom Jones etc. I think ear-training and theory studying is definitely on the agenda this summer.

I love the idea of playing with musicians who are at your level or better, as that way you sometimes HAVE to become better, having to do that reading or extra hour a night of practice and things like that. But, (and it's maybe a lame excuse to some) I live in Northern Ireland, a tiny country, full of hicks, and even worse, if your doing guitar orientated stuff, 90% they'll only play indie or (sub-standard at times) black/death/thrash metal. If you check my bands myspace, you'll see why I would find it hard for a teacher to help me improve in that style. I'd need the bass player from Psyopus or someone similar to help me, as it's that tapping/atonal style that I'm having to use in the band, as well as helping direct melodic content (I've written guitar riffs for us T_T). The style is a rarity where I live, and I'm in Belfast, if I don't find 'em here I probably never will!

Since however, I'm more focused on developing like a guitar player, should I find a guitar teacher even though I'm on bass? For example, I couldn't care less about not being able to slap, it's redundant in my musical style, however, massive scalic passages, sweeps, tapping, that's all what I'm into. I'm happy just with finger-style and the odd slap or pop, but not a lot of bass players here use that sort of approach. Most like to w*** the frets like Flea or Mark King, and as much as it can be awesome, it bore's me if they don't take it to good use.

I may have to check this book thats being mentioned also.

Thanks for the advice all, anyone else any other little hints?

[bubinga5]

"I couldn't care less about not being able to slap"

Maybe you should, learning things that you dont usually do, or dont want to do, some times opens up different avenue's in your playing that you wouldnt expect...Play as many different styles as you can..Mikey may have been correct in saying that you may be sh*t hot, but you cant see it..

Do you know, or can you watch any other players who have been playing the same amount of time as you?? At the end of the day i wouldnt get too worried about how many different techniques you can pull off because a band you admire are doing them...some of the best bass players i know dont know dont know any techniques..slap tapping, nowt. there just very musical..and that came from listening and being patient....

I know how you feel, i been there. Try different musical styles and approaches. And also get a good teacher.(i think this is really important) They will help structure everything, so your learning will improve and grow!!

Good luck!!

[urb]

[quote name='bubinga5' post='220527' date='Jun 17 2008, 12:33 PM']"I couldn't care less about not being able to slap"

Maybe you should, learning things that you dont usually do, or dont want to do, some times opens up different avenue's in your playing that you wouldnt expect...Play as many different styles as you can..Mikey may have been correct in saying that you may be sh*t hot, but you cant see it..

Do you know, or can you watch any other players who have been playing the same amount of time as you?? At the end of the day i wouldnt get too worried about how many different techniques you can pull off because a band you admire are doing them...some of the best bass players i know dont know dont know any techniques..slap tapping, nowt. there just very musical..and that came from listening and being patient....

I know how you feel, i been there. Try different musical styles and approaches. And also get a good teacher.(i think this is really important) They will help structure everything, so your learning will improve and grow!!

Good luck!![/quote]

+1 - learn to play great with just two fingers and you'll be 99% of the way there - the times I've 'tapped' on a gig are almost exactly nil... I still like to slap a bit in the right context - and use the ole 4 finger plucking (sparingly) but it's index-middle, index-middle most of the time... that's what will pay the bills anyway.

M

[mcgraham]

[quote]+1 - learn to play great with just two fingers and you'll be 99% of the way there[/quote] +1. There is nothing more impressive (IMO) than being able to play cleanly, flawlessly, creatively, and totally unimpeded with two fingers. Fingerstyle is the way!

Mark