Weststarx Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) Hello All, Something that gets me down a lot whilst playing bass or guitar is the constant feeling of not feeling 'good enough'. I always look at other players, whatever style they play even if it doesnt interest me and get down about not being able to do a certain technique or song very well. My problem is my fustration and impatience with practice. All it takes for me is to play one bum note or dead note and thats it.... I'm seriously angry at my fingers, swearing at myself and wondering why I even bother. My biggest barrier from improving is myself, maybe writing this down and admitting this to myself will help me realise I've got to push on with it and stop being a idiot about it. Is anyone else the same, and does anyone have any idea's how to cope with it? Edited July 15, 2014 by Weststarx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
r16ktx Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Just keep in mind that you do it because you enjoy it (I hope) and how way better you are than the guitar hero game types :-) oh and there is always someone better, but that's also something new to try and learn, that even if you don't get will still have moved your playing on (I hope) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norris Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Chill out and accept that there's always someone faster, more creative, better looking, etc., etc. On the flip side, you can *always* improve your playing with practice no matter how good you are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 When I make a mistake, I don't punish myself over it. That's the current mrs discreet's job. No-one sprang fully-formed from a riven oak one stormy night and was immediately able to play bass flawlessly, all the time. The road to great bass playing is paved with mistakes, self-doubt and lots and lots of practice. Well I assume it is, anyway... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
leftybassman392 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Simple answer: chill out and join the club; we've got jackets. ... and hats. Oh, and look on the bright side - this feeling indicates that you have a desire to improve. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KingBollock Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 One of the biggest blocks to improving is feeling that you are "good enough". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='KingBollock' timestamp='1405427923' post='2501786'] One of the biggest blocks to improving is feeling that you are "good enough". [/quote] This is true. It didn't bother Sid Vicious though, did it? Mind you, that didn't turn out too well... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405427542' post='2501780'] When I make a mistake, I don't punish myself over it. That's the current mrs discreet's job. No-one sprang fully-formed from a riven oak one stormy night and was immediately able to play bass flawlessly, all the time. The road to great bass playing is paved with mistakes, self-doubt and lots and lots of practice. Well I assume it is, anyway... [/quote] Nice, very literary... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Highfox Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='Norris' timestamp='1405425486' post='2501752'] Chill out and accept that there's always someone faster, more creative, better looking, etc., etc. On the flip side, you can *always* improve your playing with practice no matter how good you are. [/quote] +1 I have often felt not good enough as a player, over the years I have managed to carve out my own style and sound and now I just think f-it, this is what I do if you play better good luck to you. Coming across a difficult piece of music and trying to master it can be frustrating, I find if I'm struggling I leave it and come back another time and more often than not I'm then able to crack it. As another poster suggested you should be enjoying it at the same time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Adams Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 A very honest topic getting some very honest replies. I'm rubbish, but then again I seldom practice and I don't do theory. You only get out what goes in. My skills are in balance with my effort. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) [quote name='Marvin' timestamp='1405428320' post='2501792'] Nice, very literary... [/quote] [size=4][quote name='Phil Adams' timestamp='1405428800' post='2501797'][/size]...I seldom practice and I don't do theory. You only get out what goes in. My skills are in balance with my effort. [/quote] Yes. There's little point learning modes and practising slap until you can play like Wooten if you're only required to cover 'Mustang Sally' once a week. And so on. Edited July 15, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I have found myself playing with some very talented musicians the past few days. It has given me a crisis of confidence, but the work I have put in since Saturday has been more than I have in the last 3 or 4 months if I'm honest. I had become complacent and meeting really talented new people has stuck a rocket up my backside to up my game. Improving is entirely within our own control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Whenever I hear anyone else playing bass - especially through my gear - it seems that they have a better touch and more power. Yet I always get asked to play bass in bands. So I can`t be that bad after all. I think this is just one of those things where someone elses style always seems more proficient than your own. As KingBollock says, One of the biggest blocks to improving is feeling that you are "good enough". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1405429162' post='2501800'] I have found myself playing with some very talented musicians the past few days. It has given me a crisis of confidence, but the work I have put in since Saturday has been more than I have in the last 3 or 4 months if I'm honest. I had become complacent and meeting really talented new people has stuck a rocket up my backside to up my game. Improving is entirely within our own control. [/quote] There's nothing like playing with people from a higher league when it comes to improving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1405427542' post='2501780'] No-one sprang fully-formed from a riven oak one stormy night and was immediately able to play bass flawlessly, all the time. The road to great bass playing is paved with mistakes, self-doubt and lots and lots of practice. [/quote] It's worth bearing in mind that this is true of any endeavour. I'm very much in the OP's shoes - I feel I should be a much better bass player than I am, but I've never been booted out of a band for being a poor player and people ask me to play bass on their recordings now and again, so I can't be awful !! I'd say don't try an be 'a better bass player' - try and be good at one thing at a time. Choose a song you like and think is challenging (one of those "I'll never be that good" tunes), and learn it. Learn it inside out. Then think about what you just did....you taught yourself a tough song - one that impresses [i]you[/i]. You're now a more impressive player [i]by your own standards[/i]...have a break, enjoy your success and then move onto the next tough tune, or bit of technique. Edited July 15, 2014 by ahpook Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scalpy Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1405431823' post='2501834'] There's nothing like playing with people from a higher league when it comes to improving. [/quote] Absolutely. It's amazing in this situation how much advice get, how much better at listening you get and how much you develop the mental capacity to play better. Not saying I get it right all the time or that I'm pino mind! But you have to have the resilience to put up with mistakes and manage your expectations about how fast you can actually progress. Much as it pains me to say it I've had to establish a slow and steady academic practise regime of scales and metronome work and it over time it's working. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KevB Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) +1 for playing with other better players. Before I started doing the regular local jam sessions I thought I'd pretty much peaked but after doing it regularly, particularly in stints with the resident house band, someone mentioned to me one day how I'd improved over the last year or so. I didn't really see it myself but it was someone who sees live acts all the time as a self employed ents manager so had to take it on board. The other real wakeup call was going to my first ever bassworld gathering in Northampton years ago and seeing the standard of the guys there, just other forum members mostly doing it as a hobby. I was close to jacking it in completely but gave myself a kick up the backside and came to a compromise of amount of work i was prepared to put in compared to what I was getting back from performing. Edited July 15, 2014 by KevB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
No lust in Jazz Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I've found that with structured practice I get better, will I ever know that I'm good enough? - doubt it. I can play pretty much anything I want to play but there's always something to work on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 i always feel less than anyone else when it comes to my playing. every time i watch another band i always rate the bassist higher than me... especially if they play through my amp, it just sounds better than me... i've learnt to ignore this part of my mind more now, i'm never short of offers if im looking for a band so i can't be that bad. thing is, none of us will ever be perfect, there will always be areas for us to improve. just keep practicing and keep your chin up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzodog Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 Like others have said you just have to sit back, relax and enjoy playing. You will find its the worrying about it that is part of the problem. At the first gig with my latest band I totally cocked up Modern World by The Jam and now a fair few gigs later its still my nemesis as I panic when playing it, even though I know it and its fairly easy. Used to be the same when I was a solo singer. If I ever forget the words to a song on stage it would take me ages to build the confidence to sing it again. Just don't be too hard on yourself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julietgreen Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) I play bass in a band where at least 3 of the other musicians would probably be more skilled at it than I am, but they're playing drums, guitars or keyboards. I have sometimes had those crises of confidence and wonder how I can keep fooling people into thinking I'm 'the bass player', but I took it up for fun, and occasionally the punters (yeah, ok, what do they know?) come up to me after a gig and compliment me, so I know I'm fooling some of the people some of the time... Oh yeah, and I bought myself some rock cuffs. That's helped! Edited July 15, 2014 by julietgreen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pete.young Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 We all make mistakes from time to time, however long we've been playing and however much we practice. I find it helps to recognise that, not to dwell on mistakes, just let them go, smile and move on to the next phrase, keep the disruption to a minimum. If it pigeon craps on your head, there's no point reaching for the toilet paper - it'll be miles away before you can wipe it's bum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I get very annoyed with myself if I make errors purely because, If I make a mistake it shows I hadn't rehearsed enough, I expect the rest of the band to have rehearsed properly before a gig and I do the same. My ethos has always been "just because we are not professional musicians there is no reason why we should not have a professional musicians attitude" I think it is good to be critical of your playing it should drive you to be better but also remember you are up there doing it which is a lot more than most people manage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddy Le Cragg Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 I'm crap and I know it. But I LOVE IT!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted July 15, 2014 Share Posted July 15, 2014 (edited) [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1405431823' post='2501834'] There's nothing like playing with people from a higher league when it comes to improving. [/quote] Plus about a billion. Nothing gets you up to speed quicker. And you can only play one bass line at a time. Work at that one line until it's right then move onto the next thing - when you've learnt all the lines you need to (and don't try to jam or improvise), you'll be doing a pretty good impression of a halfway decent bass player. If you never play anything you don't know in public, who can tell?? [quote name='Freddy Le Cragg' timestamp='1405449444' post='2502021'] I'm crap and I know it. But I LOVE IT!! [/quote] See, that's where we're different - because I'm bloody great, me! [size=4] [/size] Edited July 15, 2014 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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