The Wall

[lola99]

I'm terribly sorry for this thread, as there are many others like it, but the problem is that people hit walls in different ways.
I can not afford a teacher--this is set in stone--so I am limited to practicing alone.

So anyhow, I look at my bass, and I find reasons for not practicing: I have to play with the kids, tile the bathroom, write a paper.

When I do get my hands on my bass, I practice, but not as long as I used to, and I do not like the sounds I'm making.

I've been playing since January 06, and I figure this is the wall. How does one get beyond it?

The bass is the first instrument I have actually liked to play--played the piano for many years, played the recorder, the guitar, the mandolin...unlike those instruments, I love my bass.

Any suggestions for kicking that wall down?

[Tony G]

How can you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?

[lola99]

Oh dear, xgabriel...now I'm terrified.

[FaithNoMan]

I listen to music that inspires me, and is in a totally different style that I play - such as composed ambient music found on internet radio(Stars of the Lid, for example).

[fcleff]

I have the same issues that you do: kid, work, etc. While I have been playing for 20+ years I still hit a wall every once in a while.

Start learning some songs. Learn all kinds of tunes. Begin learning tunes that are easy but ones you enjoy listening to. Play along with them. Heck, pretend you are in the band while you are playing. Just make it fun somehow.

If you have any questions about technique just post them here on TB. There are many teachers (including myself) who will offer you advice on how to solve your problem. Last I checked this is what TB was for.

[rainbownorth]

flceffs right. You need to find ways of making it something you enjoy doing.For me, I love just jamming along to a nice reggae or funky tune, and jamming with my friends. If i cant do those, id stop playing, it wouldnt be fun anymore, and im sure id stop playing.

[BobWestbrook]

Find a friend who plays guitar, about your skill level, and get together once a week or more just to have fun playing. Don't be frustrated if you aren't ready for the concert hall yet.

When I am by myself, I don't really practice "bass lines" or scales so much, I pick a melody, maybe an old hymn even, and begin to jazz it up a little. Little by little, it's amazing how the brain and the hands progress.

[cowsgomoo]

Originally Posted by lola99

So anyhow, I look at my bass, and I find reasons for not practicing: I have to play with the kids, tile the bathroom, write a paper.

I would suggest finding a different activity, one that you can't wait to get home and start doing...

you want something that you get engrossed in, that you forget to eat, sleep or go to the bathroom while you're doing it... you want something that you sit at work and find yourself thinking about, you want something you're almost infatuated with.. something where you pause from practicing, look up at the clock and it's 4 hours later than you thought it was

if that's not bass playing, then that's fine... the world doesn't really need too many more bass players anyway find something you're bursting to do, and your problem is solved

[BobWestbrook]

Originally Posted by cowsgomoo

I would suggest finding a different activity, one that you can't wait to get home and start doing...

I disagree - she wants to play bass, but is just at a point of temporary discouragement. And I don't think some of the the "no pain no gain" type comments are helpful.

[WillPlay4Food]

I'm in the same boat where once I get home, I have dinner or dishes, or tending to my son, etc., to take care of. My solution? I bring my bass to work and practice during lunch.

Speaking of which, gotta go, it's time to play!

[fcleff]

Originally Posted by BobWestbrook

I disagree - she wants to play bass, but is just at a point of temporary discouragement. And I don't think some of the the "no pain no gain" type comments are helpful.

+1 Discouraging her from playing is not good. She may just want to do this as a hobby and never play with a band. That's fine. Just play what makes you happy. Sometimes, when the weather is not 95 degrees at 9 o'clock in the evening, I will take my DB out on the backporch and practice for 30 minutes or so. This way I don't wake the little one and I can usually end the day on a good note. I also practice my BG unplugged at the same hour; it makes just enough noise for me to hear and won't wake anyone or bother anyone. This can go on for hours.

My point is, there are ways around it. Sometimes you only get 10 minutes and sometimes you get 2 hours. Sometimes the practice is good and sometimes it is bad. You just have to do what you can. Keep going and The Wall will come down (Tear Down the Wall, Tear Down the Wall!!).

[jady]

#1 Have your bass out, all the time. not having to pull it out and set it up will help

#2 This is the deal i have with my students. Take a 1 hour TV show. Have your bass next to you during the show. Whenever a commercial break comes on, run scales or exercises the entire time, NO BASSLINES!!!! Only play technical exercises.

In a standard 1 hour TV show there are 5 commercial breaks @ 2-3 minutes a piece. lets be consevative and say 2 minutes. 2 x 5 = 10, thats 10 minutes a day of just scales and technical exercises. 10 x 7 = 70 minutes = 1hr and 10 minutes of scales and exercises a week x 52 = a little over 60hours and 40 minutes in a year of nothing but technical exercises.

imagine how much that will improve your playing over a year!!!
All by jst playing during a few comercial breaks where we would be sitting around waiting for the show to come back on.

[BobWestbrook]

TV is your enemy. Ok, so that's a little extreme, but it can suck up a lot of time that one could devote to whatever active pursuit one wants to become skilled at, whether it's bass playing, learning a foreign language, mastering the Bible, ship building, whatever.

[rainbownorth]

+1 about the discouraging comments. Ive been the same with other activites. I do calligraphy as well, and for a long time I just couldnt be bothered to practice or write anything, despite still loving to do it. You just need to find a way to keep it interesting, thats all.

With regards to the tv show thing, tv can be the worst distraction of all, but it depends very much on what you watch. For me, I have all the episodes of Top Gear on my computer (if youre american, think car show meets comedy - but with class!). I watch an episode, and just practice scales and whatnot. It helps a hell of a lot. But thats sort of beside the point. The point to this thread is that lola needs to find a way to keep herself interested in her playing. I highly suggest just finding a friend with a guitar, or any other instrument for that matter, and just invite them over to play. Btw, im entirely self taught as well, im a poor student, its never really held me back. You just need to have the discipline to learn as much of the right stuff as you can. It can be hard, but you get to go at your own pace.

[tr68gt]

I don't watch much TV myself, but my wife does. We live in a small apartment, so my bass and the TV are fairly close together. I'll keep it low and practice while she watches her show, and then when a commercial comes on, I try to play along with it. I'm not very good at it yet, but it's helping me develop my ear to a lot of music I've never heard before, and it's kinda fun.

[lola99]

Oh this is so sweet! I left the thread thinking that no one would comment on it, and here's so much help, thank you! Yes, I DO want to continue playing the bass as I love the sound of this instrument, and I was thinking that if I had a bass ready at hand then I would be able to grab it and play, and to hell with whatever else was happening in the house (kids can take care of themselves for a while, fires can burn for a minute or so unattended ).

So I ordered Dean Playmate, which 1. put me in more debt than I want to be in 2. was too wide for me--The Dean will have to go back home, I fear.

Anyhow, the sheer shock of spending my kids' food money on a bass pretty much jolted back into playing. I also found a bunch of different materials to play, so...thank you so very much for all your help!

Btw I'm thinking of buying an OS 100...I figure that will not be quite as deep as the Dean, and I will be able to just grab and play it.

And yes, I do want to continue playing, and it would be quite helpful to find someone who was willing to play with me, so it might be time to start asking around here in the great state of Wisconsin.

Thank you again!

[fcleff]

If you can, get a teacher and take a lesson once in a while. This will help A LOT. If you can't get a teacher, many of us here on TB who teach will freely offer advice. Just ask (though it is not quite the same as having the interaction with a teacher).

[rainbownorth]

Originally Posted by fcleff

If you can, get a teacher and take a lesson once in a while. This will help A LOT. If you can't get a teacher, many of us here on TB who teach will freely offer advice. Just ask (though it is not quite the same as having the interaction with a teacher).

Like I said, I dont have a teacher, and cant afford one. But dont undersell yourselves! The forums and the people who write in them have helped me progress dramatically in the last couple of months.If nothing else, it's helped point me in the right direction; which is all I can see myself getting from a teacher anyway. If you cant afford a teacher, dont get one.

[lola99]

Joshua, I do have that scheduled. I practice, pretty consistently. Even when I am most discouraged I end up putting in 30 minutes a day, which is not enough.

The problem is that I am starting to feel like I have stopped improving. I am not going faster, I am not sounding cleaner...don't like how I sound, which is pretty depressing.

I think a teacher or a partner is a really good idea. As it is, all I have is my 11 year old daughter pointing out imperfections which I knew already!!!!

Anyhow, I'm taking too many courses trying to get a teaching certificate, commuting 150 miles a day, taking care of two lively kids...oy.

The damned bass is the only thing I do for myself!

[rainbownorth]

I still recommend finding someone else to jam with...It can just help with inspiration and creativity to have someone you can try out ideas on.