Looking for some new material(hit a wall)

[smittybass33]

So I have hit a bit of a wall with my lessons with my private instructor at my school. We just aren't sure where to go next with our lessons and what I really need to be focusing on. We have been doing lots of transcriptions and working on tunes and such.
Here's the real issue, these lessons are general 'Jazz' lessons as my applied study and my instructor is a saxophone player. Its been great studying with him but it seems like we both don't know whats next for me. He gave me the task to search for new material to challenge me and push me. I'm looking for ideas, books, applied bass syllabuses.. whatever that you could do to help would be fantastic.

Thanks in advance!

[campersand]

Is this college or high school? Either way my suggestion would be to find an actual bass teacher. I know that's not really directly answering your question but really, if you want to develop as a bass player you're gonna have to learn from someone who knows that instrument.

[Mayers]

Originally Posted by campersand

Is this college or high school? Either way my suggestion would be to find an actual bass teacher. I know that's not really directly answering your question but really, if you want to develop as a bass player you're gonna have to learn from someone who knows that instrument.

Learning from another bass player is good if you want to learn some technic proper to bass player like slap. Otherwise it is just music, any decent musician with a deep knowledge in theory will do the job.

[MalcolmAmos]

Finding something to spark new enthusiasm depends on what lifts your kilt.

Try Country, or Folk, both lend themselves to vocals, perhaps playing and singing at the same time will excite you.

Once you have the fundamentals down lessons in short spurts, (3 to 6 months) makes since to me. When I need to reach another level I go back for more. Sounds like it's time for a break. Take on a new project. Which one, the one that excites you.

Good luck.

[whitefuneral]

Join a band!

[251]

How about a new paradigm? See if you can develop this to the point where you can comp in duets or incorporate it on the fly, into improvisation?
{Edit 11/17/11 2:30PM}http://www.melbay.com/product.asp?ProductID=20845BCD

FWIW, I 1st approached this, some time ago with my music tutor using Mike's 1st edition of The Chordal Approach. It's still a work in progress. It did/does keep my interest alive! LOL

[Duckwater]

Originally Posted by whitefuneral

Join a band!

This

[Mike Dimin]

Originally Posted by 251

How about a new paradigm? See if you can develop this to the point where you can comp in duets or incorporate it on the fly, into improvisation?
Amazon.com: michael dimin
FWIW, I 1st approached this, some time ago with my music tutor using Mike's 1st edition of The Chordal Approach. It's still a work in progress. It did/does keep my interest alive! LOL

Wow, $15.59 from Amazon. I cannot even sell it for that

[251]

Originally Posted by Mike Dimin

Wow, $15.59 from Amazon. I cannot even sell it for that

Apologies Mike. I edited the post with the Mel Bay URL. Feel free to do the same.

TB readers - if it only costs a little more, support independant musicians who are part of this community. 8-)

[Mike Dimin]

The Art of Solo Bass, The Chordal Approach Book/CD Set - by Michael Dimin - 20845BCD | Mel Bay Publications, Inc.

you can see the TOC and examples here

[smittybass33]

To answer some questions here:
I'm a college student and its my fourth year. I play in many groups already as well. I am in the big band, combo 1 and my own prog metal band on the side.
This isnt a real issue of losing interest, its more of a finding new material that will challenge me or expand on what Ive been working on.

I am currently in search of an actual bass teacher right now and have plans to study with another one during my winter break from school. Also, I cannot stop the lessons I am having with my applied instructor because it is a requirement/class for my degree so thats not an option.

Ive been working on tunes(jazz standards), walking lines and feels, transcriptions(lines and solos from both bassists and horn players), and most recently chord melodies where I am playing the bass/melody/comping/soloing.

thanks again guys!

[campersand]

Originally Posted by Mayers

Learning from another bass player is good if you want to learn some technic proper to bass player like slap. Otherwise it is just music, any decent musician with a deep knowledge in theory will do the job.

I agree that you can learn about music from someone who doesn't play the same instrument as you but when I think of private lessons, I don't think about just learning theory. I think about learning about your particular instrument, which means studying with someone who knows your particular instrument.

Smitty, thanks for the clarification. It sounds like you're on the right track with looking for a bass teacher. Just curious, how did you end up taking lessons from a sax player? Does your school not have any bass faculty?

[smittybass33]

Originally Posted by campersand

Smitty, thanks for the clarification. It sounds like your on the right track with looking for a bass teacher. Just curious, how did you end up taking lessons from a sax player? Does your school not have any bass faculty?

Ya, I thought about it afterwards and realized that it was a little vague on key details once the replies came in.

The school I go to is small; a CSU. I'm concentrating in Jazz studies and the way it works for us is that the first two years we take lessons with the applied classical instructor for our instrument and for the next two years we study with the jazz studies professor as our applied lessons. He just happens to be a sax player, the guy before him who i studied with was a piano player. I really do like studying with him, hes a great teacher and I feel like I have grown more this semester than the previous ones
The bass teacher that's there is terrible and I was just hating life when I took lessons from him. If he wasn't such a terrible teacher, I would definitely be hitting him up for additional lessons and materials.

[cire113]

listen to indian or african music or some anime... play listen and learn styles you never ever played before