Improving creativity

yamark · #1 10-17-2010, 04:37 PM

Hello all,

I'd consider myself a mediocre bassist. Maybe low mediocre. I am very well versed in music theory as I was Jazz trumpet trained for years and years.

Give me some music and some time to practice, and more than likely I'll be able to play it.

However, I am in an all original alt-county trio of sorts. I have a hard time coming up with creative lines and rhythms. Really, at times I feel like I am really bad at coming up with my own rhythms.

Whats the best way to improve on this?

1. Listen and practice rhythms that have been used?
2. Play along with backing tracks?
3. Find a good teacher?

Basically, I can practice an hour or so a day. How would I best spend that hour?

One Bad Monkey · #2 10-17-2010, 05:05 PM

I sing basslines to songs in the car, while driving. It can be the bassline of the song, or something that may work in its stead. I have found that it helps me create lines that I wouldn't normally do, mainly because I don't have a bass in my hands to fall back upon my usual bag of tricks.

You can do this without taking any time away from your regular practice. Do it for a while, and you will find it working itself in.

yamark · #3 10-17-2010, 05:06 PM

Good point-I have found if I sing the line first I am much more creative. But I rarely put 2 and 2 together. Hmmm.

One Bad Monkey · #4 10-17-2010, 05:13 PM

That would be a way to incorporate it in your practice time. Sing something simple, and then try to play it. It's good ear training too.

faiz0802 · #5 10-18-2010, 08:10 AM

Boss RC-2 and Boss Micro BR. Tanke your pick, or take both. great lil things.

mambo4 · #6 10-18-2010, 01:17 PM

One Bad monkey's Advice is great. In addition to that, I would vote for # 1, learning what has been done before. Learning what past masters have done in various styles just adds more tools to mix together in your creative toolbox.

mikerophone · #7 10-20-2010, 10:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faiz0802

Boss RC-2 and Boss Micro BR. Tanke your pick, or take both. great lil things.

i use a boss loop station to come up with different parts. i will play along with a loop for HOURS (because it's fun), just doing different things. of course, then i fall into the trap of over-layering parts.

i also think it's interesting how differently i write, depending on the bass i use and whether or not i use a pick.

One Bad Monkey · #8 10-20-2010, 05:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mikerophone

i use a boss loop station to come up with different parts. i will play along with a loop for HOURS (because it's fun), just doing different things. of course, then i fall into the trap of over-layering parts.

i also think it's interesting how differently i write, depending on the bass i use and whether or not i use a pick.

I absolutely LOVE using my looper (DigiTech Jam Man Stereo). I've really learned a lot in regard to layering parts and how four sparse parts combined can form a very rhythmic groove. It's been having me approach the bass more like a percussionist would approach their parts.

Andrew Jones · #9 10-20-2010, 06:00 PM

Steal,,,,steal,,,steal.

s_mcsleazy · #10 10-20-2010, 06:04 PM

if your feeling creativly dry may i sugest listening to a completly diffrent genrae of music

for example when i was getting bored in my ska band at the time i started listening to noise/alt/experemental bands and it helped alot

the downside is i randomly burst into feedback solos all the time

Skitch it! · #11 10-20-2010, 06:17 PM

I studied together with a great guitarist friend of mine at a Guitar Institute for 2 years. We were/are very competitive with our playing/learning with others.

At the time we both worked as pro while studying, through the right connections we had work to back us up. I rested on the money and shedded stuff, he did the same but attended informal jam session's that didn't pay much if anything beer maybe, because of this freedom to express he found his 'voice' a lot quicker than I (17 years later still working on that one).

He applied all the stuff we were learning in an unpressurised fun environment, experimentation yes, mistakes yes, care no, not anyone, improve through freedom to explore, he certainly did, that's for sure. My 2 cents, I wish I'd dropped the 'work ethic' and saw the sense in experimentation in that free environment ; )

M0ses · #12 10-20-2010, 06:27 PM

Sit down and learn a whole bunch of McCartney lines.

mikerophone · #13 10-22-2010, 03:16 PM

sometimes i'll write out a song in a sequencer (these days i use Reason, but many years ago i used a demo of a tabbing program called Guitar Pro) and play with my rhythm that way. the visual medium sort of separates me from the feel of playing, and i don't feel as stuck in my normal patterns.

it also helped me improve my technical skills, in that i could write a bass line that was hard for me to physically play. i'd practice it as i'd written it until i could do it well, and i come out with parts i couldn't have written otherwise.