Stagnant Progress

[bluesparky]

Hi all,
I’m sure that this has been covered before, but I’m struggling with a lack of oomph.
The enthusiasm is there, and the mind and fingers are willing, but I’m just not playing like I used to.

Thanks to work, there is no possible way for me to have (regular) lessons, let alone be in a band and whilst I’m away from home I can only manage to squeeze in two hours of practice a couple of times a week, nothing like I used to / would like to.

As a result, when I do get a chance to practice, all I do is endlessly run over the same old scales, modes, arps and all the possible connotations and variations I know.
I play along with the same old tunes I know, transcribe another song in the long list of tunes I want to learn, quickly practice tapping, a token bit of slapping technique, plod through another few pages of sight reading and rattle through the fingerbusting work outs I’ve devised to keep myself nimble.

This is all very good and gives instant satisfaction to know I can still play etc.. but I’m certainly not progressing at all.

I’ve not really gotten any better for a couple of years now (I’ve noticed that not playing regular in a band certainly is a major factor).
I’ve done the music grades up to grade 8, which helped as it gave me a goal and something to work for.

It just feels like I’ve hit a wall and there is no way around it.

The things I am weak at are walking and soloing (well convincingly anyway!) and I get very frustrated at not being able to improve those particular areas of my playing with my limited practice / playing time.

A few years ago this amount of practice had me progressing in leaps and bounds, but I’ve definitely stalled and if anything, started to regress.

If anyone has any help, tips or goals to work towards then it’d be great if you could let me know (I’m sure this topic has been posted many times before!)..
Thanks,
Mark

[bubinga5]

[quote name='bluesparky' post='319235' date='Oct 31 2008, 05:47 PM']Hi all,
I’m sure that this has been covered before, but I’m struggling with a lack of oomph.
The enthusiasm is there, and the mind and fingers are willing, but I’m just not playing like I used to.

Thanks to work, there is no possible way for me to have (regular) lessons, let alone be in a band and whilst I’m away from home I can only manage to squeeze in two hours of practice a couple of times a week, nothing like I used to / would like to.

As a result, when I do get a chance to practice, all I do is endlessly run over the same old scales, modes, arps and all the possible connotations and variations I know.
I play along with the same old tunes I know, transcribe another song in the long list of tunes I want to learn, quickly practice tapping, a token bit of slapping technique, plod through another few pages of sight reading and rattle through the fingerbusting work outs I’ve devised to keep myself nimble.

This is all very good and gives instant satisfaction to know I can still play etc.. but I’m certainly not progressing at all.

I’ve not really gotten any better for a couple of years now (I’ve noticed that not playing regular in a band certainly is a major factor).
I’ve done the music grades up to grade 8, which helped as it gave me a goal and something to work for.

It just feels like I’ve hit a wall and there is no way around it.

The things I am weak at are walking and soloing (well convincingly anyway!) and I get very frustrated at not being able to improve those particular areas of my playing with my limited practice / playing time.

A few years ago this amount of practice had me progressing in leaps and bounds, but I’ve definitely stalled and if anything, started to regress.

If anyone has any help, tips or goals to work towards then it’d be great if you could let me know (I’m sure this topic has been posted many times before!)..
Thanks,
Mark[/quote]Hey i know how you feel.i think we all go through this..One question..do you love playing bass?? probably,.. if you have taken it this far..When you said you go over the same old tunes with the same scales, maybe you should try something different, different songs, different modes over chord progressions..Maybe take a break..sounds like you have worked hard, the level you are at.

I think playing any instrument is an endless journey..even th worlds best still have something to learn. I doubt you have started to regress if you still play..maybe slowed down a little.. keep the faith, like i said we all go through slow times in our playing, wether it be our state of mind, things going on in or lives..

I would say IMHO, set yourself new goals, keep playing live, meet new musicians, listen to something different..You havent lost anything in your playing im sure..


When you say that you havent played in a band for a while. that maybe it..There is nothing like other jamming with other people to get the spark back..

Remember you will allways have this great skill.. a fresh perspective is maybe whats needed..oh and keep on at walking and soloing!!!!

Good luck!!

Edited October 31, 2008 by bubinga5

[thepurpleblob]

set goals and pursue them. If you want to improve soloing them concentrate on that. Ask here, "how do I learn to solo?". (Don't ask me by the way, soloing is a mystery). IMHO, it's like any complex activity - when you start to flounder start planning and setting goals and objectives. You can get more help here if you are more specific too I would think.

Anyway, good luck, we all go through these patches.

[bass_ferret]

Dont take this the wrong way - cos I am not taking the piss.

Some people are happy spending all their bass career playing on their own, extreme bending, slapping like a c*** stuck in the '80's, two handed tapping, double thumbing, whatever. There will come a point, if you are a musician, when you want to stop w***ing and play with other musicians in front of an audience. If you dont have the time, commitment, whatever in a non judgemental way, to get a gig with a band, then look for venues that do open nights.

There will be one within driving, bus, train whatever. Go along and watch (they tend to be a bit jazzy), suss out the craik, go home and learn what you need to learn until you are happy to turn up with your bass and fill your boots.

Thats it.

[thisnameistaken]

JOIN A BAND

Or, more specifically.

JOIN A GOOD BAND

Bass player - band = bored musician. Or anorak musician.

Edited November 1, 2008 by thisnameistaken

[BigBadBassman]

As suggested elsewhere in this thread, get along to any jam nights in the area you are staying - check local press or ask at the local music shop. It may not be the sort of music you want to play but at least you are still playing

You also will get to play with other musicians you've not played with before - some good, some not so good but playing with new people in styles you're not used to can only help you improve as a more versatile musician.

The other option is to get a travel bass and a Tascam bass trainer that you can take with you and pick tunes that you wouldn't necessarily choose to stretch yourself. Even if you only get to pick it up for 10 to 15 minutes a night it will help.

I share your frustration as life has a habit of getting in the way of the things we would actually prefer to be doing. It's also a problem if your significant other dosen't share your view that practice is a productive use of your time or that rehearsals are not social occasions

So good luck and don't give up - there's always a solution somewhere,

Tim

[Kiwi]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='319433' date='Nov 1 2008, 12:50 AM']JOIN A BAND

Or, more specifically.

JOIN A GOOD BAND

Bass player - band = bored musician. Or anorak musician.[/quote]
+1 join a band that pushes you. Not excuses for not being motivated if you risk public humiliation

[bluesparky]

[quote name='thisnameistaken' post='319433' date='Nov 1 2008, 12:50 AM']JOIN A BAND

Or, more specifically.

JOIN A GOOD BAND

Bass player - band = bored musician. Or anorak musician.[/quote]
oh how i'd love to, unfortunately i'm away with work up to 9 months a year.
The best i can do is meet up with mates when i'm back, and have a practice every now and then..

Thanks for the advice, the frustration of not progressing in intense.
I'm not after playing a gazillion notes per second or being able to tap with all ten digits at once, i'll leave that to those who feel that it's for them.
I just want to be able to get that little bit better every now and then and, yes, be able to turn a few heads every now and then when i do play.

I work around bands all the time and i'm continuously envious of people who play every day.
Lucky buggers!

I guess variation in my practice regime is the key, but it's just trying to think of what to do, when, and how to structure it all in the limited time i do get to play.

I keep meaning to get the occasional lesson when i can, just so an outsider can use their point of view and put their spin on it.

Cheers.

[ARGH]

Wheres work taking you..trust me,Ive met mates that have been to jam nights in UlaanBaatar....Lima..Anchorage..you name it,people play music EVERYWHERE..They even have 'Musical' nights on that Antarctic US base,whwere anything goes..get a cheesy Hohner headless and pack it with you when you go off,unbolt the neck,bung it in the bag along with your pants and socks,and hey presto!!


No excuse,join a band.

[Russ]

OK, here's a few suggestions:
Lessons. Good to get an experienced teacher's take on your playing.
Open mic nights. Playing with other people makes you a better player and you might just meet suitable people to collaborate with.
Playing along with the TV - just play something that feels like it goes with the show you're watching.
Internet radio - it's amazing some of the stuff you'll hear that you'll never hear anywhere else.
Other instruments - get a guitar, keyboard or something other than the bass and stick with that for a while, then take that new experience back to the bass.
Home recording - you have a computer, put it to use and write and record your own stuff.

[Guest]

I recently spent some time without an electric bass, although an upright will be unpractical for you it did change my playing, it forces you to REALLY listen to what you play and gets you away form playing tired old pattens based around frets so perhaps a fretless or even one of those Ashboury rubber band basses might give you a new perspective?

[Lemuel Beam]

..and as for improving your walking bass lines, transcribe the greats - Paul Chambers, Ray Brown spring to mind. As others have said, Jam sessions, especially with musicians you've never met before, are great for inspiration.


Mick


[quote name='steve-norris' post='320007' date='Nov 2 2008, 10:36 AM']I recently spent some time without an electric bass, although an upright will be unpractical for you it did change my playing, it forces you to REALLY listen to what you play and gets you away form playing tired old pattens based around frets so perhaps a fretless or even one of those Ashboury rubber band basses might give you a new perspective?[/quote]

[Faithless]

Despite not talking about the same problem, that I actually have, I wanted to ask, what the [i]real[/i] purpose of sight-reading[if you know, what I mean], so...

Should I take quite fair amount of material, and play it as i'm reading it over and over, ooooooor, should I take a small 'picture', do it till perfectly [in memory, timing, positioning cases..] and only then go on to another...?


Sorry, if this sounded stupid, but I just want to make sure..
The variant I'm currently doing is second one, btw, buuut, then again, why I'm doubting, is because it's called [i]Sight[/i]-reading..

Edited November 2, 2008 by Faithless

[Lemuel Beam]

The 'real' purpose of sight reading is to acquaint you with music you have to play in order to get paid.. Sight reading as a skill in itself is useful if you do a lot of last minute dep jobs with charts..and like any skill, practice will improve your ability to nail a chart first time; good readers are looking ahead so they know what's coming 3, 4 or more bars down the line.

However, in my experience, reading jobs nearly always have a rehearsal element built in, so the ability to sight read perfectly is not essential (hell, if it was I wouldn't get half the jobs I play on).
If you want to improve your sight reading, read as much music as you can and make the mistakes. Don't get bogged down perfecting a chart - that's "rehearsing" - not reading..

Cheers

Mick


[quote name='Faithless' post='320291' date='Nov 2 2008, 05:03 PM']Despite not talking about the same problem, that I actually have, I wanted to ask, what the [i]real[/i] purpose of sight-reading[if you know, what I mean], so...

Should I take quite fair amount of material, and play it as i'm reading it over and over, ooooooor, should I take a small 'picture', do it till perfectly [in memory, timing, positioning cases..] and only then go on to another...?


Sorry, if this sounded stupid, but I just want to make sure..
The variant I'm currently doing is second one, btw, buuut, then again, why I'm doubting, is because it's called [i]Sight[/i]-reading..[/quote]

[peted]

Do you always practice in the same room? It can be quite refreshing to move your practice to another location. Try turning on the TV or radio and play along to whatever happens to come along. This can be quite a challenge and will mean that you're not in control of what you are playing. Just a couple of ideas.