Stuck in a rut

[EatADeadGoat]

Basically, I feel stuck in a rut as far as my bass playing goes. I appeal to all of you to help me find a spark.

I've been playing for 2 years, have a decent-ish understanding of theory, decent finger speed and accuracy, all that stuff. I can tap a bit, slap is a no, blahdeblahdebla

I think my main problem is connecting all my various riffs I write in a manner that is actually a song, and sometimes I'm too thrashy and pay no attention to melody. So I churn out a cool riff but don't know where to go from there.

So, any and all advice for practice habits, altered scales, chord positions, whatever you think would be helpful is welcome.

[Ivan M]

Man Music is infinite, i was in your shoes a few months back, went to my teacher and told him and he laughed. We started working on chord scales which i thought i knew until he started doing them BACKWARDS, boy did i feel like crap, here i was thinking i was the man, until he really showed me. After that my rut was over. I recently started to work on learning songs and we are working on Jamiroquai "virtual insanity" Try to learn that song or any song that interest you, that bass playing fire will come right back. Hope this helps.

[MalcolmAmos]

Originally Posted by EatADeadGoat

..... I think my main problem is connecting all my various riffs I write in a manner that is actually a song, and sometimes I'm too thrashy and pay no attention to melody. So I churn out a cool riff but don't know where to go from there.

I bet you made those riffs from a scale, correct?
Think of your riffs as a little scale. Like Eat A Goat # 27 or Eat A Goat # 63 So a riff of R-5-6-6-5-8-3-5 which contains only notes from the major pentatonic scale could be used over any major chord. Play your riffs like you have been playing your pentatonic scales.

A minor pentatonic riff of say - b3-4-5-8-b7-5-b3-R
could be used over any minor chord.

Play your riffs the same way you would use one of the pentatonic scales. See if that opens some doors. That is basically what Scott has been saying in his latest video. Check it out. http://scottsbasslessons.com/using-pentatonic-scales-3

All that scale degree stuff works best with the major scale box, in case you need it.

Major Scale Box. 

G|---2---|-------|---3---|---4---| 1st string
D|---6---|-------|---7---|---8---|
A|---3---|---4---|-------|---5---|
E|-------|---R---|-------|---2---|4th string

Good luck.

[germ_77]

I have the same thing right now so I have really been cracking down on practicing my timing, scales, and learning the circle of fifths/fourths.

What always seems to get me out of those ruts is random youtube browsing until I find something I really like that inspires me to learn again.

I think it will be different things for each person, I love playing thrashy stuff too but I like a bit of everything, those 80s thrash band bassist still amaze me, wish I could play like those guys.

These arent thrash at all but are 2 of the videos that have really motivated me to start learning new techniques that I never really used much of before like tapping and actually learning what notes to tap.

Both are metallica inspired solo bass arangements and both make me drool wishing I was that good and make me realize if I dont get off my ass and do it then I never will be.

Cliff Burton Tribute - Bass solo (To live is to die) - YouTube

Nothing Else Matters Solo Bass Arrangement - YouTube