stuck in a rut?

[pie_man_25]

I'm kinda stuck in a rut in terms of practicing, I've been out of practice for about a year now, though I've been playing for four, and oddly enough, my skills still remain the same. I keep playing in bands and jam regularly (at least 1-3 times a week for about 3-4 hours). For some reason however, I can't seem to get back into rhythm, scale, and other technique exercises for at least 2 hours daily. Is this just a phase, or should I just force myself back into the habit?

also: I recently got an all-leather strap, and after about an hour and a half of playing while standing, my shoulder gets sore, my bass isn't heavy at all (just a fender jazz) so why is it that it keeps getting sore? It particularly happens more often when the strap is shortest (which is always, unless I'm standing in for a local punk band).

Any advice would be much appreciated.

[BullHorn]

I'm in a similar situation, due to my military service of the last 3 years I've only been playing with my band the same old songs with the same old crappy basslines and haven't progressed a bit in the last 3 years.

What I'm trying to do now is take a different approach to EVERYTHING. I play EXTREMELLY aggressive (like harder than Geddy Lee :X) so now I'm trying to learn the Floating Thumb technique and play lightly. I used to use tablature, now I use my ear and write tablature for others.

Try new things. The first thing I tried in 3 years of doing the same was... Buying a diatonic harmonica! It's absolutely different but it opened my ears to new things and my brain to theory and concept that I couldn't grasp before.

Good luck, man.

[MalcolmAmos]

".....For some reason however, I can't seem to get back into rhythm, scale, and other technique exercises. "

I relate to the same ole, same ole.
Play rhythm guitar in a Country cover band. We have been together for the last 10 years. We have over 200 songs in our gig book, but, we drag out 35 of them and play them to death.

My rhythm guitar is on auto pilot. So I took up keyboard, keyboard led to bass. There is a clarinet over in the corner with dust all over it.

Find something new, does not really matter what.

Good luck.

[ric3xrt]

When I'm in a rut, I go to the 1st muisc store I can find and buy some violin sheet muisc, anything any type and try to learn just a few bars a week.
It could be cello muisc Oboe what ever,..lady Gaga Piano anything outside of your norm.
Try it once and you'll be hooked

[pie_man_25]

that sounds good actually, trying something new
it's actually kinda funny, bullhorn, 'cause I started out with Rush, and The Who, and Pink Floyd, then started learning some earlier Maiden, Metallica, and other metal, then I got into a ska band, and started learning Streetlight tunes, reel big fish, The specials, then moved into punk, with CV/LoC, Rancid, even some pre-nazi OI! (I am a passionately anti-nazi skinhead, a member of SHARP).

I think I could use to move into some funk, or perhaps some jazz I've been trying to get into bluegrass a little bit lately too (even trying to get into trying to imitate rockabilly slap bass on electric bass), I dunno, I think getting some more lessons/ trying to learn to read might also help.

Thanks a lot guys (and girls)!!!