IN A RUT.... can't get out....

[lang]

hey anyone ever get in a really bad rut? where they feel like everybody else is passing you by? well i'm in one and i can't get out. i'm starting to feel like i've lost it.... can anyone give me some really cool riffs and licks maybe some crazy jazz runs just to get me kick started again maybe.... just to get me doing something different that i haven't played before, i'm always going after those same old runs and scales and stuff, does anyone know what i'm dealing with? thanks

[FaithNoMan]

This probably would do 100X better in General instruction....

Riffs are great, but I would try something you've never done before...there's gotta be something that you can think of - thinking of that alone may start getting the creative process moving again..

[jzucker]

transcribe

Victor Wooten, Gary Willis, Tony Grey, Marcus Miller, Jaco, Coltrane, Bird, Miles, Vai, etc.

Do some tapping, learn some solo arrangements of tunes, work on groove, slap, motown, latin.

There's so much music out there. If you're in a rut, look in the mirror at your practice habits, your motivation, your desire.

TURN OFF THE COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!

[Murf]

Originally Posted by lang

hey anyone ever get in a really bad rut? where they feel like everybody else is passing you by? well i'm in one and i can't get out. i'm starting to feel like i've lost it.... can anyone give me some really cool riffs and licks maybe some crazy jazz runs just to get me kick started again maybe.... just to get me doing something different that i haven't played before, i'm always going after those same old runs and scales and stuff, does anyone know what i'm dealing with? thanks

I hear ya dude...firstly try listening to different styles of music ..eg if your into punk listen to some funk etc. also listen to other instruments besides bass..(especially for soloing).

I wouldnt dismiss playing "those same old runs and scales and stuff)...try playing them again but change the rhythms and your attack.

eg: here is the basic c major scale

-------------------2----4--5--
---------2-3---5--------------
---3--5-----------------------
------------------------------

now, try this..

-------5--------------5----------5-----------2--4--5---
---------------2--X------2--3-x-----3--4-4-------------
---3-----3--5-----------------------------------------3-
--------------------------------------------------------

(where X is a dead/ghost note)

similarly with octaves

--------------------------------------------------------------
-------7-----7-----7-----6-----5------5-----5----------7-----
--------------------------------------------------------------
---5------5-----5-----4-----3-----3-------3----3--4--5-------

or

--------------------------------------------------------------
------7-7---7-7---7-7---6-6---5-5----5-5---5-5--------7-7--
--------------------------------------------------------------
---5------5-----5-----4-----3-----3-------3----3--4--5-------

add the fifth

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------7-7----------7-7-----------7-----6-----5-5------------5-5----------5----6----7-7
------------5-5----------5-5-----------------------5-5------------5-5-------------------
---5-------------5-------------5-----4------3--------------3------------3----4----5-----

etc etc

hope this helps

[FaithNoMan]

Originally Posted by jzucker

TURN OFF THE COMPUTER!!!!!!!!!!

This can be one of the biggest crutches of all...although there's great advice on here, there's nothing like sitting alone with your bass, and playing the "bad notes" in order to get to the good ones...

[Rick Brienzo]

I was talking to one of my budies about this problem one time and he simply told me to sleep in my socks. What! I did not get it untill i did it. It made me realize that living my life a little out of the norm put a different spin on my day and my playing.

[lang]