OT: I think I may have lost my inspiration to play bass...

[nicjimbass]

I think I may have lost my inspiration to play bass. Not sure where it went.

Ever since my guitar player jumped on board, I've slowly come to the horrible realization that my skills are very much lacking. This guys basically spent all of high school playing guitar, knows alot of theory, and can play circles areound pretty much anybody. He's the best guitarist I've ever played with, with little doubt in my mind.

I'll admit it: I'm lazy. My gear is way too good for the level I'm at. I really feel like I'm a lead weight around his neck. I want to get better, but the more I think about getting better as quickly as possible, the less I feel inspired to do anything. It's almost like it's such an overwhelming task that I'm not sure what to do. I should be encouraged by his talent, but instead, I'm contemplating quitting being a bass player. I really don't know what to do. I may be alone in feeling this... but if there is anyone else who can give me some advice, please do!

I don't feel sorry for myself, no matter how much it sound like I do. I'm just really depressed and discouraged by my lack of 1) motivation to kick myself in the butt, and 2) the fact that I've wasted so many years doing nothing. I may be alone in this, but if anyone has any advice, I'd really appreciate it.

 

[petruccirocks02]

Nick, I had a similar situation to yours. I have played guitar for 9 years now and jsut a few months back I sold all my guitar equipment to start playing bass, because I was becoming uninspired with guitar. Sure enough a couple months after selling all my gear and buying a bass rig and 3 EB basses, I realized that I had made a very big mistake. I missed playing guitar, so sure enough I sold all my bass stuff, got a JP6, and a Mesa again and started playing guitar again. Maybe you just need to pick up another instrument for a couple weeks or something to get your inspiration back. Sometimes a change is all it takes, brother.

-Phil

 

[CW Zing]

Hey Nick,

Your guitarist friend is probably stoked that you're not to his level yet. A lot of bassists get canned for playing too many notes or getting too much in the way of the songwriting process. bassist or drummer is gonna say that all the guitarist/singer is after is songwriting credit in the end. That's my experience; in fact I've known guys who were obsessed about getting credit. Awful for truly good music making.

I was jamming with an excellent guitarist for about 6months, I was totally challenged and inspired by his depth of knowledge of music, but after a while I came to realize that he wasn't all that great a person to hang with 'cause his ego was so in the way of his being a cool guy... we needed an extra seat in the jam room for said ego! A guitarist can be well studied but is he/she a good hang? Maybe your not inspired because you haven't clicked personally with this person?

 

[Kristopher]

You aren't alone!

I share many of the same problems: lazy, a not so good 'skill' to 'gear cost' ratio, a lot of years since I started playing, and an unhappiness about the situation. Plus, I see from your myspace that you're just three years younger than me (I'm 30), and I bet that's weighing on your mind as well.

I've considered giving it up as well. At my age, the chance of "making it" is pretty slim (if nonexistent), and all the time my coworkers are asking me when I'm going to get married and start that family. It sometimes makes me wonder why I'm still messing around with this "hobby" of mine. If I was going to be the awesome bass player I've always wanted to be, it would have happened in my early 20s like all the other awesome bass players, right?

I've always hated practicing. Boring! Who the heck wants to listen to the 'tick tick tick' of the metronome or play sheet music that sounds like the equivalent to "Mary Had a Little Lamb"? And don't get me started on scales. Scales are for fish, not me! Besides, that Discovery channel special on outer space looks really interesting....

Despite all of this, I've recently (this past week) put a lot of effort into practicing. The turning point was when I was using a drum machine one day and decided to see how fast I could play steady eighth notes with my fingers. The next day I turned on the drum machine again and found I could go 5 bpm faster. Finally, progress! Measurable progress! For once I could see that my effort was actually doing something good, that what I was doing actually mattered and wasn't the waste of time that I always felt it was.

So my advice to you: don't just practice, but keep records so you can show yourself your improvement every day. This will tell you that what your doing is worth the time you're spending on it. You will see progress. You can even make lists of the skills you want, then check them off as you achieve them. It might sound corny, but it does work, and in the end you'll feel a whole lot better about yourself.

 

[TNT]

Nic,

Don't give up!! And, don't compare yourself with anybody. Keep practicing, take it a day at a time, things will get better.

When a was playing guitar early on, after a couple years of hard work it seemed like I was going know where, then I seen a video of a super hot guitar player in the music store; well instead of getting inspired at that point I wanted to quit.

So I walked around the music store seeing if anybody wanted to buy some "used" picks!! Lucky for me they didn't - so I kept playin'!!

Yessssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss

 

[boristhespider7]

Here's what helped me...Buy the latest edition of Hal Leonard's "Music Theory for Bassists: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know But Were Afraid to Ask (Bass Method)" Book/CD. It will inspire you and most importantly teach all of the stuff you're intimidated by. Quite frankly, that's often the problem, being intimidated by what we don't know and the effort it takes to learn it. Sometimes, it's hard to even find where to look to learn the stuff we should know. This book goes through it all and really teaches. Also, it explains, in no uncertain terms, that it will be difficult and it will take patience to get through the lessons. It will change your bass life.

Also, imho, ditch one of the 5 strings and get a 4-string. I realized how much there is to master on a 4-string (watch Victor Wooten) and that I was "undeserving" of a 5-string. Put another way, the low B was unnecessary overkill for, imho, very little benefit. Get the book, the 4-string, and good luck.

 

[INMT]

Also, imho, ditch one of the 5 strings and get a 4-string. I realized how much there is to master on a 4-string (watch Victor Wooten) and that I was "undeserving" of a 5-string. Put another way, the low B was unnecessary overkill for, imho, very little benefit. Get the book, the 4-string, and good luck.

Why get rid of the five? Just don't use the 5th string for a while. I use 5 stringers all the time for jobs and just don't use the low B if I dont need it.
If you have trouble having a "practice time" just sit mindlessly playing on it while watching t.v. I used to do that for hours when I started out.
Play what makes you want to play. You will stretch out of your "comfort zone" without even trying.
Take a bass line you know and see what notes you can add/delete/change change around the note patterns (i.e split a whole note up a few diff ways).
Many things can be done with out doing to damn much.
I say again...play what makes you want to play. Next thing you know your playing everything with a new twist that you can change at your will.

 

[oli@bass]

Very good advice from everybody else here already... so I try to emphasize or add what little I have left to add...

to get your inspiration up, you could

• try a little bit of guitar playing yourself, just to get a new perspective of bass
• get a new bass that inspires your playing (maybe even something off-brand)
• check whether you're really happy with your tone, and try to get more out of your equipment
• start toying around with effects, which may give you new sound ideas

to tame your guitar player, while inspiring yourself you could:

• ask the guitar player whether he'd give you guitar lessons
• tell the guitar player to write some bass lines for his songs

I've had such a depression several times in my bass playing years.
The First time, I simply bought a guitar and started to teach myself playing guitar. Not a single lesson. Learned everything from watching guitar players and figuring out what makes sense. I even turned out to be a guitar player in a band for about a year, but simply didn't feel at home on the instrument during gigs. So I went back to the bass, and had some new ideas how to play.

Then over ten years ago, I had even given up playing bass for several years, but never sold my equipment because I knew I'd come back some day, maybe on a late weekend night, and then I'll be very happy to have my basses still around. When I came back, to it I started to look out for something new as well, and decided to take a chance with the fifth string.

The recent one was just this summer -- I was unhappy with pretty much everything regarding my bass playing, especially that I still didn't feel at home on the five string even after eight years of trying hard and decided that maybe I've to get a different instrument... tried a StingRay at a shop and immediately knew that was it! The feel, the easy of playing, the sound.

Inspiration can also come from musicians you wouldn't expect. To me it was our keyboard player, as well as listening to new interesting and challenging bands.


Oh, and talking about guitar player egos: Our current guitar player has ego for two, but he's also a real team player. He's a trained professional and teacher as well, so he critizises others a lot, but also offers very good advice. Though really getting on the neves at times, this is an inspiration as well.

 

[Psycho Ward]

... quit drinking?

 

[Big Poppa]

advice from Chuck..file under "do what I say, not what im not going to do!"


First off if you quit bass playing...

you will have to change your name here

You will have to find something else to tell the chicks about you.....I collect Lego toys is not nearly as enticing as "Im a bass player!

You will have to find something else to make time fly.

THose werre tongue in cheek but lets start at the root.NO pun intended.....Is bass playing the only thing that you lack drive in? DO you excell and hard charge at everything else? If the answer is yes to both sell your bass and duck hunt or whatever else you do exceedingly well at and are motivated to improve and excel.

I am going to guess that your issues with bass playing are not exclusive to your overall situation but the one that tells you the truth about yourself.

Every hobby or activity has it's cliches....the one from the gym applies here..."No Pain no Gain"
THe cup is half full or empty.....if its half full you are on a journey where you hit barriers and power your way through them with a feeling of achievement or you hit the wall and go bowling.

Tough love from the pops.....THe luckiest player is the one who gets to play with players better than them....Im president of that club.

 

[boristhespider7]

Why get rid of the five? Just don't use the 5th string for a while. I use 5 stringers all the time for jobs and just don't use the low B if I dont need it.
If you have trouble having a "practice time" just sit mindlessly playing on it while watching t.v. I used to do that for hours when I started out.
Play what makes you want to play. You will stretch out of your "comfort zone" without even trying.
Take a bass line you know and see what notes you can add/delete/change change around the note patterns (i.e split a whole note up a few diff ways).
Many things can be done with out doing to damn much.
I say again...play what makes you want to play. Next thing you know your playing everything with a new twist that you can change at your will.

I still own it, but just don't play it as often. I realized how much there is to master on the 4-string and that the low B was a distraction to me. Further, I spent a significant period of time with instructional videos working on my slap playing, and the low B got in the way for me. I know some people can slap well on a 5-string, but not me. Plus, I discovered the Sterling neck and it changed my life. So, not to disrepect 5-strings, but if this guy's in a rut, going back to the traditional 4 (which isn't listed in his collection) and using instructional books and videos including the theory book I mentioned may be one way out of it.

 

[Abiatha]

I have the same exact problem as you, often playing with musicians WAY out of my league.
My ego suffers terribly from it, and I have quit great bands over my feelings of inadequacy.
(Although I was daunted by the material more than the players:
Steely Dan and Gentle Giant covers, songs about Swedenborg in multiple time signatures, etc...) I was foolish, and regret it now.
Being forced to hold your own, as uncomfortable as it makes you feel is really GOOD for you.
You just have to keep your ego strength up and do the work.
I am the laziest bassist EVER, but the awesome folks I play with, (some who play bass better than I), appreciate my ability to FEEL.
Always had it, always will.
(Just gotta get off my ass and LEARN the stuff the rest learned years ago.)
If you have good feel, and good time, you're better off than a lot of folks.
The rest, learning technique, theory, harmony, etc., can be done.
Children do it all the time, then abandon it because they aren't musicians at heart.
Music does come from the heart as well as the mind. Remember that: the HEART
That is something you can't LEARN.

 

[Abiatha]

PS
I also want to get a 4 string to kick-start my development.
Always played 5s, and I feel that I'm neglecting open position note choices, and I can't make myself NOT grab the note on the B.
It couldn't hurt...
Besides, when I sit in w/o my instrument, I'm sunk when the bass is a 4:
I jump all over trying to find notes, the result of not really knowing my instrument well enough, but there's always hope!

 

[AnthonyD]

It is a blessing to play with folks that can teach you something.

Music is not a competition - if you enjoy playing bass you should continue playing bass. If you're over it then that's a different story.

The only person you should comparatively measure your skills against is yourself.

 

[nicjimbass]

Thanks a bunch to everyone who responded thus far. I'm definitely more encouraged tonight than I was last night. Had a good day with my SR5... man I love that bass... it just feels like home to me. Swapped the pickguard, so now it's black w/ mhs and black pearloid pg... it's pretty much the Punisher bass from now on...lol.

BP, I really want to thank you for chiming in, not only because of your advise/ words of wisdom, but for taking time to actually respond to a discouraged sack of crap like myself. I've been a lurker for a while, and have seen you do the same for others, but it's definitely nice to get some personal attention at a time when I felt like poo. And, BTW, it is something that is not exclusively attached to bass playing. My whole attitude toward things sucks, bad. Circumstances growing up have steered me one way, when I need to be going another way all together. As I grow older, and hopefully, wiser, I realize more and more what my shortcomings are, and I'm constantly trying to reverse things that are not so great in my life. Thanks for pushing me further in the right direction BP. It means alot.

 

[SharonG]

All great words of wisdom. If you love it, you should play.

I gave it up for 14 years, and it almost drove me crazy. Picking it back up, I missed all those years I could have spent learning. I have kids, a job, a million things that keep me from putting in time to get better, including finding the energy.

But it all comes down to feeling good. I have always had the good fortune to play over my head with people much better than me. I can keep a good feel going without getting fancy, and that lets them do their thing. There's something to be said for just getting in the pocket! And every now and then, I pick up a little something that I can add to my playing.

But really - if it feels good, don't worry about being a star, just play!

 

[Big Poppa]

Thanks a bunch to everyone who responded thus far. I'm definitely more encouraged tonight than I was last night. Had a good day with my SR5... man I love that bass... it just feels like home to me. Swapped the pickguard, so now it's black w/ mhs and black pearloid pg... it's pretty much the Punisher bass from now on...lol.

BP, I really want to thank you for chiming in, not only because of your advise/ words of wisdom, but for taking time to actually respond to a discouraged sack of crap like myself. I've been a lurker for a while, and have seen you do the same for others, but it's definitely nice to get some personal attention at a time when I felt like poo. And, BTW, it is something that is not exclusively attached to bass playing. My whole attitude toward things sucks, bad. Circumstances growing up have steered me one way, when I need to be going another way all together. As I grow older, and hopefully, wiser, I realize more and more what my shortcomings are, and I'm constantly trying to reverse things that are not so great in my life. Thanks for pushing me further in the right direction BP. It means alot.

Hey I actually understaqnd because I have been around a hell of a long time and what you are going through can be fixed and more im portantly the bass can be the best way to judge your real life progress....We all have a lot more control over our lives that we want to admit....It is just how much you want it....

 

[mobass]

The best thing you can do is to stop comparing your self to other people. It will only give you a headache. Also, there is no "best" player in the world. No one has mastered it all. Just be the best you can be and have fun.

 

[KennethB]

Music does come from the heart as well as the mind. Remember that: the HEART
That is something you can't LEARN.

I disagree.

If you understand what makes up the heart and feel in music, then you can also learn how to get there. It's a skill that you can work at. It's not magic........(most of the time).

Glad you're feeling better, Nick.

 

[thunder]

don't play to be skilled. play because you enjoy it. thats whats important.