Good (bass) intentions you didn't get around to during lockdown

[Al Krow]

Lot's of good intentions to get to grips with bits of kit that have been lying around for a while, but it's still not happened!

If it didn't happen during lockdown, when many of us will have had some spare time on our hands, is it worth finally admitting that it's not ever gonna happen - in my case PC editing of multifx / quasi multifx pedals (Helix, Source Audio) and it's time to bite the bullet and get some of this waiting-to-be-used kit moved on? 

The flip side, I guess is that maintaining motivation has been harder than I thought with no gigs in sight! Started well, but it's definitely got harder to stick at it as the lockdown months have continued.

Any of you guys feeling the same, or are we giving up on good intentions too easily? Or are some of you in the opposite camp and have been able to make great use of the extra time to get better as bass players - if so, what's been your secret?

PS - mainly thinking about bass related stuff rather than off-topic, but feel free to share whatever!  

Edited July 4, 2020 by Al Krow

[dmccombe7]

Did all the things i wanted to do and needed to do around the house with the exception of a few loft repairs where the internal chipboard is splitting. Its not a big issue and is very common but thought i would try and support the boards before the fall off. I started getting the wood i needed but still to get in the loft and sort it.

Wanted to wash and polish both cars but just managed the washing parts.

Other than that its all sorted

Dave 

[chris_b]

2 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Wanted to wash and polish both cars but just managed the washing parts.

I was going to do that, then it rained and I didn't need to. I knew if I waited long enough it would get done without me.

[dmccombe7]

Just now, chris_b said:

I was going to do that, then it rained and I didn't need to. I knew if I waited long enough it would get done without me.

yep i washed the cars and when i went to polish them the sun came out and it was too warm.

HONESTLY it was sunny up here that day.

Dave

[bassbiscuits]

Homeschooling the kids. Had the best of intentions. Never happened tho.

 

[Trueno]

Learning Spanish... or rather learning more Spanish. I decided I'll have forgotten it all by the time I get to Spain.

[Roger2611]

Improved the set up on most of my basses, sold a number of guitars off (and brought more basses of course!) set about learning a couple of bass lines I always wanted to learn....and then, bang, hit a wall, no motivation to play or practice at all and I am really struggling to overcome that now!

[Lozz196]

Was going to go on the exercise bike and lift dumbbells every day, use the opportunity to maintain fitness.

Instead I ate half a pack of dark choc digestives every day leaving me with indigestion and half a stone to lose.

They were nice biscuits tho.

[dmccombe7]

I did manage to learn Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick. Hardest part is the hand stamina required and remembering what bit comes next.

Then moved on to @Bilbo music sheets for Jeff Berlin. Picked a really hard one that kind of dampened my enthusiasm for doing it so gonna have to pick an easier one to get a feel for his style of playing. 
 

Polished all my basses with Briwax on the Warwick Thumb NT and Dunlop polishes on all the others. I could have used the Carnauba wax on the Thumb but i prefer the Briwax which was recommended by Chris from McIntyre guitars in Edinburgh.

Built all the plastic model kits i've been gathering from Xmas pressies over the past 10 yrs. They are almost all done. 2 more to finish.

Dave

[gary mac]

7 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Was going to go on the exercise bike and lift dumbbells every day, use the opportunity to maintain fitness.

Instead I ate half a pack of dark choc digestives every day leaving me with indigestion and half a stone to lose.

They were nice biscuits tho.

Same here Lozz, in fact I'm sitting here reading this, with a coffee and a dark choc digestive

[Owen]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

PC editing of multifx / quasi multifx pedals (Helix, Source Audio) and it's time to bite the bullet and get some of this waiting-to-be-used kit moved on? 

That thing. Right there. 

[Al Krow]

Just now, owen said:

That thing. Right there. 

I'm forming a bass luddites' club for folk who find themselves capable of only doing the basics, like playing the bass 😁

[chris_b]

43 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

Instead I ate half a pack of dark choc digestives every day leaving me with indigestion and half a stone to lose.

I discovered Dark Galaxy bars yesterday. Wow are they good.

I have to lose half a stone to get back to my Covid starting weight, and I was trying to lose half a stone at that point. With this new discovery I'm not sure I'm going to make it.

[dmccombe7]

Just realised its all bass related items. Apologies @Al Krow for going off topic.

Dave

[chris_b]

4 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Just realised its all bass related items. Apologies @Al Krow for going off topic.

You kidding? Al can send his own threads off topic at the drop of a hat!

[Burns-bass]

I wanted to kickstart DB again, which I finally did at the end of May. This coincided with a decision to drink much less during the evenings. While I love a glass (bottle) of wine, I realise as soon as I’ve had a glass or two I won’t practice DB because of the hassle. It’s either booze or bass!

[Al Krow]

18 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said:

Just realised its all bass related items. Apologies @Al Krow for going off topic.

Dave

Well the original heading was defo ambiguous, so I've tried to steer it back onto bass stuff (otherwise it properly belongs on "Off Topic"), so no need to apologise! 

11 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I wanted to kickstart DB again, which I finally did at the end of May. This coincided with a decision to drink much less during the evenings. While I love a glass (bottle) of wine, I realise as soon as I’ve had a glass or two I won’t practice DB because of the hassle. It’s either booze or bass!

Sounds like a win-win. Good for you.

Edited July 4, 2020 by Al Krow

[krispn]

What do folks think the impediment has been to committing to a new routine/practice schedule/learning a new skill? I know having an end goal in sight, usually to meet a performance deadline etc. is a big motivator but for instance the OP mentions learning how to PC edit multi fx. @Al Krow will tell you I’ve been encouraging him/pestering him to just get on with this for years but deep down he’s probably just an amp/cab player. I’d imagine if post Covid all his band members were suddenly self sufficient and you only needed to bring your own gear you’d probably not make any major changes to your gigging set up? 

I often find that unless I’m learning something for a specific purpose my interest can drop off and since I’ve been working away over these last few months I haven’t had the same ‘down time’ as it were to commit to a new routine. I’ve had lots of mates wanting to commit to something new but they really haven’t been able to sustain it for what ever reason- mainly that they thought that they should do something rather than wanting to do something.

What I have been doing... I recently moved to a new flat and as the beach is now 10 mins away I try and get into the water for a swim as often as I can - tides and work permitting, usually 3 times a week. It’s been rather enjoyable (always cold but that’s half the point) and that helps! I had some notion to ‘learn more’ bass related/music related stuff but the ‘reward’ compared to other things I could be doing just doesn’t seem worth it. I think I know my ability is where it is and while I can ‘improve upon it’ I’m unlikely to really gain from the effort down the line. I mean I’m not gonna be joining a West End theatre band any time soon!! I have been adding small incremental changes week to week in other areas and I believe that’s a big part of maintaining consistency. And with that high tide is at 14:24 so I’m away for a dip!