Sometimes you don't feel like practicing is getting you anywhere ...

IotaNet · #1 05-02-2007, 05:48 PM

I have definitely been there. You shed and shed and shed and sometimes get totally frustrated.

Today, I had one of those mements that made me realize that, Yes -- it DOES make a difference!

I want you to think about the Stevie Wonder tune, "I Wish." If you know the tune, you know that the bass line is the glue to the entire song. Pretty much eighth notes for the entire song. A bear.

When I first picked up bass, I was intimidated by the song. Couldn't make the damn think work to save my life. To top it off, my instructor and I went out to a club to listen to a band he knew. They invited him to the stage to sit in and the tune they called was "I Wish."

He proceeded to play it flawlessly -- and that night, they decided to play it down a half-step from normal. One second, he's sitting with me, shooting the breeze with a drink in his hand, and the next, he's on stage playing his a$$ off!

I was totally like, "Damn -- I'll never get there."

The months go on -- I practice, get better, get a better feel for the instrument. I decided to work out the song note-for-note and try to get it under my fingers. After a while, I got the notes but still couldn't play it in good time. FRUSTRATION

More time passes -- I get to the point where I can play it in pretty good time but by the end of the song, I've stopped once or twice because my hands (or my concentration) had run out of gas.

Today, I happened to play the song and magically I was totally in the pocket with it! Don't get me wrong -- I still have to concentrate on it -- it's that kind of song. But as I was playing, my fingers and my brain just kind of connected and before I knew it the song was over. For you long-time players, this may not seem like much but to a relative newbie, it was a major accomplishment!

That is nothing more than a testament to muscle memory, comfort with the instrument, and endurance -- all of which comes from practice!

I just wanted to post this for the benefit of the players are shedding hard but feeling they aren't getting anywhere. Hang in there -- it really does get better!

Bass Mule · #2 05-02-2007, 06:10 PM

+100
Completely agree with everything you've said. Who's your bass teacher?

IotaNet · #3 05-02-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bass Mule

Who's your bass teacher?

Well, at the time it was George Moye (www.georgemoye.com). Great guy, helluva player (just plain nasty on bass!) ... so-so teacher.

Now my teacher is Ian Allison -- Great Guy, helluva player ... and an AWESOME teacher. His Talkbass handle is "Artiseasy"

DocBop · #4 05-02-2007, 06:38 PM

Have to go Zen on you.

"When you don't care about something, you usually do it better."

Ever be doing something and not paying attention thinking about something else and then notice you did better than before. Concentrating too much can cause errors, once you know the movements then have to start letting flow. Like when you work on a song for a long time and never quite get it. You move on to other things, then a month or so later you try it again for grins and its is better than before.

BassChuck · #5 05-03-2007, 04:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBop

Have to go Zen on you.

"When you don't care about something, you usually do it better."

So true, so true, so true. I love that line in "The Last Samari" when the Tom Cruise character is trying to learn sword fighting and getting his a$$ handed to him. One guy runs up and says, "Too much mind".

And, as a word to all you young monks out there.... try your best to get to that state of mind without chemicals. It just works better if YOU are the one doing it and not something you ate.

markjazzbassist · #6 05-03-2007, 08:23 AM

Yeah i go through periods where i plateau too. I'm in one right now. I practice and practice and can't seem to get above where I'm at. It's all right though, I know that in a couple weeks I'll start getting better again. Sometimes you just plateau, it's just like athletics.

DocBop · #7 05-03-2007, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by markjazzbassist

Yeah i go through periods where i plateau too. I'm in one right now. I practice and practice and can't seem to get above where I'm at. It's all right though, I know that in a couple weeks I'll start getting better again. Sometimes you just plateau, it's just like athletics.

The better we get the longer the plateaus become. When we start we see ourselves climbing constantly and start thinking that is the way it will always be. As we get better we plateau for long periods, but when we do go to the next level it is usually a leap in knowledge. Also as we go on it take more for us to feel we have made progress. Playing everyday and searching for new ideas and exploring them is progress in itself.

Deacon_Blues · #8 05-03-2007, 11:11 AM

I recognize myself in your story, but I never had problems with I wish.. Could play rather decently before I heard it the first time. I've struggled in the same way as you with some Jamiroquai songs like "Canned Heat", "Love Foolosophy" etc. I never tried to learn them exactly like the originals but I can play them quite well now although it took a couple of years...

I have also noticed that you can improve also by not playing at all for a few months. Then you (or at least I did) listen to more interesting music, you collect a lot of musical ideas and inspiration and then when you start again you make a real boost in your playing almost instantly! It's because you've developed your "musical knowledge". That is at least as important as the technical ability of playing an instrument. I hear drum patterns and grooving basslines all the time in my head, and I think that's why I can play basslines that groove too. For drums, I only lack some technical ability... should work on that.

But I have no drum kit

I don't want to encourage anyone to leave the bass in its case for a few months, but to listen to more music of different styles. And in case you have to leave it for a while, listen to lots of music and when you start again you might get a nice surprise as I did.

K9Jay79 · #9 05-03-2007, 11:46 AM

That's very cool. It's nice hearing stories like that. It helps keep you motivated... especially coming from a southsider! Go Bears/Bulls/Sox!

dulouz · #10 05-03-2007, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBop

Have to go Zen on you.

"When you don't care about something, you usually do it better."

Check out the book "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Werner.

Deacon_Blues · #11 05-03-2007, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dulouz

Check out the book "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Werner.

+1. I've read that. It's really worth reading!

DocBop · #12 05-03-2007, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dulouz

Check out the book "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Werner.

Victor Wooten turned me on to that book, it is great.

A couple others...
The Zen of Guitar
Free Play
Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain (its on art, but still applies)
Victor's book The Music Lesson
Kai Eckhart told me to check out Drumming at the Edge of Magic by Mickey Hart.

All good books on developing creativity and letting go and letting the music happen.

Have to say Victa, Kai, and other greats are so cool about replying to email. They are always willing to share their insights.

dulouz · #13 05-12-2007, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocBop

A couple others...
The Zen of Guitar
Free Play
Drumming at the Edge of Magic by Mickey Hart.

I have read all of these, and they are all amazing!!!