Breaking out of a slump

kesslari · #1 08-01-2008, 05:07 PM

I feel like my playing is in a slump.
I recognize the cycle of growth periods and plateaus, and I'm definitely feeling the plateau phase.

So for the next week or so I'm going to work on my reading skills (which are lousy). I'm taking a week off to volunteer at a kids' summercamp (teaching archery) so I'm going to take my ABG and a couple of books and change my focus for a week or so.

Anyone else used a radical change of focus to break through a slump?

Thankful birds · #2 08-01-2008, 05:12 PM

Yep. I do two things to get out of a slump- I play in a different style than I normally do, or I buy a new bass. The first is an obvious solution; playing blues when you've been playing prog, or reggae from jazz, etc. will force you to learn new tricks and styles. The second I can't explain. Everytime I pick up a different bass I start to play differently. Never fails.

a-lenthe · #3 08-01-2008, 05:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thankful birds

Everytime I pick up a different bass I start to play differently. Never fails.

+1

El Bajo · #4 08-07-2008, 02:34 AM

I'm on a major downer at the moment. Completely lost interest in actual playing. Just seems like I've got to many other commitments and other things going on in my life.

+1 on changing styles. I did begin Ed Friedlands Walking bass lines but got side tracked with band stuff, the bands all but dead so I can get back into it, plus I've been listening to lots of Miles Davis (I'm a prog rock bassist but I'm thoroughly sick of it) so I'm gonna go down that route for a while.

fearceol · #5 08-07-2008, 03:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El Bajo

+1 on changing styles. I did begin Ed Friedlands Walking bass lines but got side tracked with band stuff, the bands all but dead so I can get back into it, plus I've been listening to lots of Miles Davis

Miles is a great choice. Great walking bass lines on his "Kind of Blue " album. Paul Chambers was one of the masters of this style.

winkytoot · #6 08-07-2008, 11:39 PM

Slump! Da#$% things! I have a few things to do whenever i get in one. 1: I remember what Joni Mitchel said when in the middle of a concert,someone asked her to play "Blue". She stopped, and said it was like asking to paint another "Rembrandt", man! ha ha. So the moral of that story is: Relax. Each sitting is Unique. Let it flow, or realize "it" doesn't want to, and find a different task (we all have Tons of 'em!). In other words, don't pick it up unless you feel like it. 2: Listen to Wayman Tisdale. If he can't inspire you, something is seriously wrong. Lastly: remember you are supposed to be having fun!

CDuff · #7 08-09-2008, 07:23 PM

Well, I make most of my music on the computer (Ableton Live 7). I do record some live instruments from time to time or make drum kits from sounds collected with a mic but a lot of it is purely digital.
I find the slumps much rarer with this process. It's easier to completely change direction from day to day. One day a bit Boards of Canada, the next day a bit Squarepusher, the following day more like múm or Amiina. Working digitally you can be truly random, it's so easy to just abandon ALL music theory and make weird noises for hours.
Don't knock it till you've tried it, it's a lot of fun and extremely liberating.

I know you can be random when playing the bass guitar to try and shake yourself out of a rut but that left hand has a great memory for theory and you inevitably make shapes that 'work' in the same old way.

A more practical sense in which Ableton has helped my bass playing is that I've written bass parts digitally that were more intricate and unusual than anything I'd come up with sitting with the bass on my lap. I then learned how to play these lines on the bass and it inspired further exploration along similar lines.
So.... there. For whatever it's worth to you, that's what's really helped me with creative slumps.

Reckless · #8 08-11-2008, 03:53 AM

I feel ya man. I believe I'm falling into one too. I pick up the bass and feel like something isn't right and end up messing with my tone more then I play. Kind of feel the same way on guitar and drums. Sort of feel depressed, which will only fuel the slump.

As for breaking out of it; well I used to just learn a new song, play a different bass or instrument, or work on some music book.