Hitting a mental block with practicing

LowEndMan2112 · #1 07-02-2011, 02:43 PM

Hey everybody, lately (since I've gotten out of school for the summer) when I've been doing my daily hour + of practicing it's like my focus is gone and I tend to just start aimlessly noodling. It's kind of like writer's block when I practice

Its only been about a week and I'm almost sure it won't go on too much longer, but do you guys have any tips for preventing this now and from happening again?

phoenixgraves · #2 07-02-2011, 02:46 PM

Getting laid works for me

kb9wyz · #3 07-02-2011, 02:51 PM

Yup. Play with someone. Jam. Even just a little. Worked for me in my time of practice funk.

**251** · #4 07-02-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kb9wyz

Yup. Play with someone. Jam. Even just a little. Worked for me in my time of practice funk.

+1. Sounds like solo practice is not satisfying. Organize a jam session & find new challenges.

Chef FourString · #5 07-02-2011, 03:02 PM

Spend some of your practice time learning theory. 1/2 hour on the books, 1/2 hour on the bass. It's easy to get burnt out by playing by yourself. Take note of what the other guys are saying; jam with some buddies. It's the best way to shake off the funk.

LowEndMan2112 · #6 07-02-2011, 03:07 PM

Im in a pretty serious (for a highschool group) band and we actually havent played together for a few weeks, that could be it!

Quote:

Spend some of your practice time learning theory. 1/2 hour on the books, 1/2 hour on the bass.

Good idea, at the moment I do 30 minutes of the Bach cello suite Im working on and 30 minutes technique .. suggestions for theory material to look at/work on?

atheos · #7 07-02-2011, 03:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowEndMan2112

Im in a pretty serious (for a highschool group) band and we actually havent played together for a few weeks, that could be it!

Oh, don't worry, I'm in a metal band and we haven't played in months!

I do a lot of "shuffling", i.e. I fire up my iTunes, shuffle all songs (I have about 9,000 songs in my library) and play along over anything I can. Sometimes I try to learn the bass lines, sometimes I just make up something. Mostly something in between the two.

**pacojas** · #8 07-02-2011, 03:45 PM

went a hit a block, i borrow a Left-Hand bass and play everything i know in the same formations. if that doesn't work, i get laid. if that doesn't work, i circum to over-eating and depression until i blow by the plateau. gl.

john grey · #9 07-03-2011, 10:29 AM

LowEndMan2112:

You are discussing something almost everyone has experienced at one time or another; you're certainly not alone.

I'm not sure if there is ONE answer for that "writer's block" in a creative endeavor because it's so personal. The fact that you are aware of it & want to circumvent it is perhaps the most important thing. Realistically all anyone can say is what they personally have done and you pick what think will work for you.
I actually slow up. I pick up the bass and relax after having warmed up. One thing I've done is play scales as a warm-up. So I break the scale down and just allow myself the freedom to get creative. However I have not been one to learn songs from other bands repeatedly as a way of practice. IF I did follow a great deal of song emulation I would most likely try a different genre', etc.
But I found that relaxing with the instrument helps a lot.
I don't put pressure on myself to create something new overnight. I DO relax enough to enjoy very simple things which eventually branch into newer areas (like harmonics or different techniques; pick, tap, slap, whatever).

You know what you're taking about is not odd or unique. It's part of the process. So in a sense, it's your own creativity telling you it's time for growth.

LowEndMan2112 · #10 07-04-2011, 07:23 AM

Thanks John, I don't practice along to songs or anything like that and the only time I'm emulating pieces is with the Bach I play. Though, that (IMO) is quite creatively engaging and often relaxes me! Unless I have a deadline like a performance or something I usually try not to pressure myself, but I could be better with that.

Fergie Fulton · #11 07-04-2011, 09:39 AM

Is it a mental block or boredom?

They both can feed of each other, with completely different outcomes. Boredom will pass when a new focus is introduced, the effect of the new focus will be positive in stimulating positive responses. Where as a mental block can manifest under the guise of boredom, so when any new focus is introduced it is seen as another problem.....a negative response.

A true mental block is just that....mental. So the cure for it comes from a change in the thinking process, not from anything physical.
The reason for this is that any physical situation can be viewed as a positive one or a negative one, so the introduction of new or different ones is pointless until the mental process is changed.

For a player it comes down to certain cognitive responses that they evaluate and then justify their action to suit what they have decided. So change the justified decision and you can change the actions.
In music practice this can be sees as effort justification as in
"i am good as i need to be for what i do so no need to practice".
this is all well and good, but nothing ever stays still, so further down the line a problem will occur. Maybe the band breaks up and as it turns out you cannot play for others because you are not good enough, so now you have to practise even more. But the justification for actions may be "can i be bothered as i have other things i can do" so now the thinking is leading decisions based on "Effort Justification".

Again all this can get complicated and deep and it is very personal to the person dealing with it.
Mental blocks stop because of a change in thinking, so change your thinking and it will change your response to noodling.
If you have a positive attitude to your playing you will not tolerate noodling as it is a waste of your valuable time, time better spend moving your playing forward...in other words you will justify not noodling.

Ric5 · #12 07-04-2011, 09:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 251

+1. Sounds like solo practice is not satisfying. Organize a jam session & find new challenges.

+1

Get out and play with different people

kander · #13 07-04-2011, 09:47 AM

Playing bass for an hour is not the same as practicing for an hour. Playing is easy, practicing takes discipline. When I practice I always focus on one specific thing. After I do this for several days I usually see a huge improvement in the technique I was working on. Once I get it down I move on to playing music with it.

LowEndMan2112 · #14 07-05-2011, 09:32 AM

Update ... I jammed with my band again Sunday and we've now set up two days a week for rehearsing, since then I have been more focused on my usual practicing routines. You guys were right, the group jam was stimulating and seemed to engage my drive all over again!

Quote:

If you have a positive attitude to your playing you will not tolerate noodling as it is a waste of your valuable time, time better spend moving your playing forward...in other words you will justify not noodling.

Fergie, your entire post was very helpful! The quote above is what hit me most, and I will definitely try that attitude more often.

Quote:

Playing bass for an hour is not the same as practicing for an hour. Playing is easy, practicing takes discipline. When I practice I always focus on one specific thing. After I do this for several days I usually see a huge improvement in the technique I was working on. Once I get it down I move on to playing music with it.

I often split my practicing into two sections (as mentioned farther up in the thread) one being learning whatever classical piece I am working on, ex. marking down fingerings, working out the dynamics etc. Secondly, I work on technique which I approach a lot like it sounds you do, I work on one technique (lately it's been 3 finger picking) and after a while when I can see an obvious improvement I then try to work it in.

As to just playing, I often do that when Im learning covers for the band, but even then I dissect tougher parts and work them out, or just jamming with others.

mpdd · #15 07-05-2011, 09:53 AM

one thing i do that is kind of fun is to listen to some of my more pro freinds' cds or youtube clips and make up my own bass parts, it's like playing with your friends anyway, and then if we have the opportunity to jam i show them the parts i made up and we go over them and have a few beers nothing too serious

BassChuck · #16 07-05-2011, 10:10 AM

Any practicing without a goal is dangerously close to wasted time.

LowEndMan2112 · #17 07-05-2011, 11:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassChuck

Any practicing without a goal is dangerously close to wasted time.

Agreed. Without a goal noodling is so tempting, everybody should always set goals for their practicing time, I try as best I can to do this.

Chef FourString · #18 07-05-2011, 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LowEndMan2112

Im in a pretty serious (for a highschool group) band and we actually havent played together for a few weeks, that could be it!

Good idea, at the moment I do 30 minutes of the Bach cello suite Im working on and 30 minutes technique .. suggestions for theory material to look at/work on?

Grab a Theory for Dummies. It will cover all basic theory in a pretty short amount of time. There are also many online sources for learning theory. I believe teachbass.com is the name a of a good one.