Feeling lost. Have you ever...

[oddjob]

Long story short, it has been a long, rough year. I find myself playing out quite a bit (playing tonight actually) but I feel truly uninspired. I have changed my practice routine, tried listening to new stuff, revisited the old and still nothing. Love my basses, love my rig, love my sound... am not loving the playing part right now.

The last time I went through this I was 20 (am 40 this December) and I am feeling clueless. This happen to anyone else around here? Thoughts?

 

[Movielife]

Perhaps it's something else, I find if I dont enjoy work, I dislike practicing because work has tired me out.

Hope you sort it!!

 

[danny-79]

To much of a good thing,
Take a short/(some kind of) break from it cause if your not enjoying it then there isn't a lot of point to it.
An when you come back to it absence makes the hart grow fonder an all that, you will come back better than you were before, just slightly mad with your self for thinking 'why did i ever get board with this?'
Once that thought has gone an your mad rushing to catch up with missed practice hours that you realize that it has done you good

 

[Hellboy]

Long story short, it has been a long, rough year. I find myself playing out quite a bit (playing tonight actually) but I feel truly uninspired. I have changed my practice routine, tried listening to new stuff, revisited the old and still nothing. Love my basses, love my rig, love my sound... am not loving the playing part right now.

The last time I went through this I was 20 (am 40 this December) and I am feeling clueless. This happen to anyone else around here? Thoughts?

Indeed yes. Twice during my life. Solved itself the first time since I got a really great offer to play with some truly great musicians. Couldn´t stop laughing for a couple of years. The second time was some 5 years ago. Solved that by not practicing or playing for awhile. Just needed time off. I also met a very inspiring bass-player during that time that got me back on track. I have more fun playing than ever now.

A friend of mine is a very good luthier here in Sweden. He makes electric guitars. Fantastic. He closes his shop up every third year about and then he takes the worst job he can find and do that for some months until he can´t stand it no more. Then he goes back to building guitars again. He does that just to keep inspired and so he´ll never forget how fortunate he is. Works for him. Same thing with playing. One need to take a break every once in awhile. Good thing.

Sincerely//J

 

[DTG]

Wow that's pretty deep stuff, I have worked some really bad jobs in my life and played some really bad gigs but on any given day I would rather be in a bad gig then a bad job !

Dont know if I can say anything at all that might help you but I hope someone here can, I hope you find your love for music soon.

Peace
Dave
Ps on my worst job I got stuck in a lift with two dead bodies for 3 hours my worst gig I played to a bunch of people who had less life in them than the dead bodies !

 

[Big Poppa]

Just let it pass.....

 

[danny-79]

A friend of mine is a very good luthier here in Sweden. He makes electric guitars. Fantastic. He closes his shop up every third year about and then he takes the worst job he can find and do that for some months until he can´t stand it no more. Then he goes back to building guitars again. He does that just to keep inspired and so he´ll never forget how fortunate he is.

Thats what i was trying to say but just worded better, thanks man.

 

[tkarter]

Long story short, it has been a long, rough year. I find myself playing out quite a bit (playing tonight actually) but I feel truly uninspired. I have changed my practice routine, tried listening to new stuff, revisited the old and still nothing. Love my basses, love my rig, love my sound... am not loving the playing part right now.

The last time I went through this I was 20 (am 40 this December) and I am feeling clueless. This happen to anyone else around here? Thoughts?

There now. I feel like i have played every bass line that can be played. Even the 6 string seems ho hum.

I Know it will change. Just going to wait for it.

tk

 

[five7]

If you don't have any gigs, take at least 3 weeks off, if not longer. You need a new perspective.

 

[tkarter]

Personally I am listening to NIKJR with my grand kids. It makes me want to pick up my bass and play.

I think it is called old man syndrome setting in to be honest.

tk

 

[dedmouse]

When I start to feel as if I've hit a wall, I always say to myself "this too shall pass" and darn it if it eventually doesn't. Usually it means that something is about to change in my life, usually for the good. We (I) just get tired of "good enough" after a while and just need to press in, get past the wall and move on to better things. Hang in there...take some time off if you need to, learn a new skill, do something you've always wanted to do but have never been able to for one reason or another. Write a song. Some of the best music is written during these times of self reflection. Sometimes we need to take a break from our typical work-a-day life to get a different perspective on things...

 

[bovinehost]

I do not play salsa. I have never been asked to learn a salsa tune - and the truth is I kind of suck at it. In fact, I seldom listen to salsa.

So when I find myself uninspired by my usual fare (and no, I do NOT play my band's kind of music at home, nor do I actually ever rehearse it, which explains a lot, I guess) I pick out some hot salsa and have a go at it for a few hours.

Or some vallenato, although not the pure stuff - Carlos Vives, mostly. Something that doesn't follow the same rules that American/British rock and roll follow.

The important thing is to break the cycle. If you're play prog rock, pick up some Patsy Cline and play as few notes as possible. If you're playing country, try some old Genesis.

Or just put the bass down for a few days and then ask it what it wants to do, then do that.

 

[JayDawg]

I've actually been wanting to play more but the hard part is fining people to play with in the small town that I live in. I have a few friends that play but our schedules are so opposite that it is hard to get together.

 

[keko]

T
Take a short/(some kind of) break from it...

+1

I passed through similar situation twice in my semi-pro career!

Today I'm cured and full of positive energy!

 

[Colin]

Just let it pass.....

I remember when a certain big wig around here was feeling like he didn't want to play anymore, and his friends said lets go out and have some fun! I have some video of that guy jamming with Johhny Hiland and he was smokin! Maybe surround yourself with some good friends? I personally put the guitar away for nearly 2 years after I finished gigging and love playing everyday now. Set some new goals for yourself

 

[Hellboy]

Thats what i was trying to say but just worded better, thanks man.

Thank you. I often don´t understand what I myself write since english is my third language after swedish and german.

//J

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

Your English is better than a lot of English people!

I would also agree with taking a break. I find my bands often perform better after a long break. Sometimes it's easy to lose focus when you play too often.

 

[maddog]

not sure you've spent much time in the gym, on the court or in the saddle (biking), but your brain is much like your body, it requires rest or new stimulus at the appropriate time.

The key is knowing which and what time.

you looked at learning a new instrument to get a new perspective on bass lines?

 

[Kirby]

I agree with much of the above. I have been there recently in fact. I actually scheduled a couple of weeks off. I really think it helps to step away, I find I remember why I love playing so much and it rekindles the desire to play again. It may be time to take a long hard look at the playing situation you are currently in. Is there something there that is causing you to be bored, uninspired etc.? If you can find things in your current situation that may be causing this then ask yourself if it is time to step away. I have had to do this in the past and have found being true to yourself is much more satisfying than holding onto a gig just for playing sake. Good luck!

 

[cyoungnashville]

all of my frustrations with music manifested just about the time, no.... exactly the very moment i started using music to pay my bills. it became what i spent my whole life avoiding... a j-o-b. its taken me a long time to get the two concepts isolated again, and boy am i much much happier. i get to play now, not HAVE to play. im also a lot lighter because i cant afford food. so i got that goin for me, which is nice.