Developing A Really Bad Habbit

[Stingray_EB]

Hey guys,

Im kinda worried about a habit I am starting to develop when playing live ( possibly due to nerves ).

When I play covers with my band its great everything is tight and in the pocket UNTIL the very end.

I seem to now have a mental block in my head that for the life of me will not let me end on a note without sliding up the neck.

For some reason I cant end on a low C tightly to end the song I have to slide up past the 12th fret and back down to the note I was meant to just stop on.

I know it doesnt fit in songs but I just cant stop doing it

Any tips ?

[4bpauly]

stop doing it...

... just know where the last note is and what you are going to do... and do it...

if you can't... i dunno... not so much a habit, as just maybe a case of not paying enough attention.

[kenlacam]

yes-go see a doctor about your OCD LOL

[Stingray_EB]

I think tbh its got alot to do with me getting over excited during a song, maybe more me being forgetful in the midst of my excitment rather than me not paying attention.

Either way, I think with alot of these kinda things just stopping it like that is not something that can be easily done. Bit like biting your nails.

[PBass101]

Everytime you know the last note is coming, stay conscious of it, and when you are just about to do your little slide...take your finger off the string and just move your hand up and down the neck without contacting the string against the frets.

I can see where something like this can get irritating both for yourself...and your band.

[khobrak]

Yeah I do that a lot as well especially when playing live. When it comes near the end you just gotta actively think about not doing it and usually it works even if youre really into the song and "feel" it would sound good.

I still do it every couple songs juste not all the time :P

[OtterOnBass]

Find other ways to end a song. Sliding up and down is one. The slowed hit duh-...duhn is another. Super fast runs up the scale is another. The slow fade is another. A big hit and twiddling the volume knob is another. Or invent your own. In my band we rarely do big endings, just a slower measure and then everyone hits together. At church we do big ending 3-4 times a day.

The point is, play what's appropriate to the song and the mood. If every song feels right to slide up and down, then there's no problem.

[greenboy]

Put the WIPEOUT mando-picked downward slide at the end of every other song. Then when you get beat up each time you can ask your bandmate assailants, "Was it for tacking on the upslide - or the downslide?"

After a number of beatings I suspect you will learn to find other ending devices as well ; }

[JimmyM]

Threatened beatings always worked for me, too

[greenboy]

The worst habbit was Golem.