breaking out of the doldrums

sleeplessknight · #1 01-19-2010, 07:39 PM

Since about December, I've been in a weird kind of musical limbo. I think I burnt myself out a little bit in the Fall, with a minimum of three long gigs EVERY. SINGLE. WEEKEND in October, and a big stressful push in November to record an album with my jazz band that ended up being not quite as good as I wanted it to be. Ever since then, approaching the instrument to even practice has been like pulling teeth. Don't get me wrong, I still get called for gigs and whatnot, and I make absolutely certain that my performance is 100% professional and what the bandleader expects from a bassist, but as BB King said: "the thrill is gone". What happened? It's been two months, I was kinda hoping this apathy would've cleared out by now. For you cats who've gone through something like this, how did you get out of it? Does it just go away on it's own, or is it something that needs a swift kick in the pants, or what?

MalcolmAmos · #2 01-20-2010, 06:22 AM

That's just life. Still have to get up and go to work. Get excited about a new project and you will be back to normal in no time. What new project? Can't answer that - up to you.

phatbass · #3 01-20-2010, 06:29 AM

Take a week off from music. Seriously. Go and look at some trees, animals, a lake, etc.

I find it really good to just not do music for a week or so once a year.

sleeplessknight · #4 01-20-2010, 06:51 AM

Heh, fair enough. My thing is, I *have* taken a week or so off from music. There was even a time of two weeks where I didn't even pick up my instrument *at all*! The crazy time (3x gigs/weekend) was October/November, and the rest of the stuff has been more like a sub gig here and a quick theater gig there. I'm hoping this musical apathy is just weather-related or something.

phatbass · #5 01-20-2010, 12:45 PM

Maybe it's time to do that Death Ambient Thrash Polka album...

MalcolmAmos · #6 01-20-2010, 04:23 PM

Always something new.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgr59RiYaq8