In a funk (not the good kind, either)

Waspinators · #1 10-20-2010, 06:10 PM

I've picked up a bad habit of constantly comparing myself to other young bass players in my area. Whenever I go to a local show and see one of the better players on stage, I leave the venue in awe thinking "I've got to get on that guy's level!". Having never played a gig and being without a band, my only playing is in my room and the occasional jam with someone. So then I spend the next few days trying to push myself as much as possible on my bass and I end up feeling discouraged and uninspired, and basically just feeling like I'll never get to the point where I think I'm "good". I really wanna quit comparing myself to all the better players as it ruins my motivation and even makes me reluctant to play with other folks. I've been playing about 3 years with no lessons, but even some mediocre guitarists I know that picked up the bass for a month have managed to get gigs. Has anyone ever been in a rut like this? I'm just dying to find a band and put myself out there but besides there being no real bands around that need bassists, I just feel I'd be too inadequate to even get into one.

MUSHROOMSeAcOw · #2 10-20-2010, 06:14 PM

Form a band with some of your friends, if only to get better in a group setting. It helps tremendously and gives you more purpose when you practice, IMSE.

puddin tame · #3 10-20-2010, 06:17 PM

you've got to put in the time playing with groups to really be good, or at least backing tracks on your PC if that's really not possible. that might mean going out and being mediocre in a mediocre band you gotta start somewhere.

Also it would take some sort of superhuman to stay motivated to practice every day without a band or any upcoming performances. I see you're on 3 years - I played for 8 before thinking I might be good enough to be in a band, and I realise that I left it way too long for what is actually required by most bands - just play simple lines cause no one's listening to you anyway

kreider204 · #4 10-20-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUSHROOMSeAcOw

Form a band with some of your friends, if only to get better in a group setting. It helps tremendously and gives you more purpose when you practice, IMSE.

+10000000. My playing never progressed so well as when I was in bands or ensembles of some sort.

faulknersj · #5 10-20-2010, 06:29 PM

What are some aspects of your playing that you would most like to improve? I and other TB'ers are capable of offering advice and would be more than happy to help you get closer to your goal. Do you have any specific questions or areas that you would like to address? FWIW, when I see a guy that is way better than me, I am reminded that he got there by working harder than me and thus I am inspired to consistently work even harder to improve as a player. I am here for you and I can help!

**peledog** · #6 10-20-2010, 06:31 PM

Play with people. Practicing is good, but you have to be in a band setting. Interacting musically with other people helps you listen, play and perform a whole lot better.

**BullHorn** · #7 10-20-2010, 06:54 PM

+1 on all that.

And remember, making music is not a competition. You either enjoy making music or you enjoy the act of 'getting better'. I hear there are MMORPGs for that.

Waspinators · #8 10-20-2010, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by faulknersj

What are some aspects of your playing that you would most like to improve? I and other TB'ers are capable of offering advice and would be more than happy to help you get closer to your goal. Do you have any specific questions or areas that you would like to address? FWIW, when I see a guy that is way better than me, I am reminded that he got there by working harder than me and thus I am inspired to consistently work even harder to improve as a player. I am here for you and I can help!

Actually, I find myself mostly having trouble in these areas:
-Pinky strength; I find my pinky being rather weak at times which leads to sour notes and fobbed up timing.

-Hopping strings with the same finger: As in, if I play a line that goes from D to E, then back to D and then to A, I have trouble passing my index from the A string to the E string.

-When I'm alone, I can bust some cool fills, but when I'm jamming with a group, I'll usually just end up messing up the flow and awkwardly going back to the root.

-With fills, I find myself using the same ideas most of the time, and find it difficult to incorporate different runs into my playing.

-I have trouble with walking. When I jam to blues or country, I have the walking sound in my head but I can't get my hands to follow, so I end up just hopping from chord to chord.

-And of course I just have trouble with playing the faster, more complex lines without tripping up or having to simplify, but that's just from a lack of practicing the right stuff.

blues.bass · #9 10-20-2010, 07:04 PM

If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

faulknersj · #10 10-20-2010, 07:43 PM

Waspinators. Thank you for the details regarding the areas of your playing you would like to improve. It would be great if other TB'ers could chime in if they have good excersises that target these issues. I will do my best here:

What you can do slow, you can learn to do faster. If an excersise is frustrating and difficult...slow it down as much as needed and don't worry, you will get faster and faster if you put the time in. This will apply to all of the excersises you must do to create the coordination and muscle memory neede to improve these aspects of your playing.

1) The Pinky

- start with the index finger of your left hand on the 5th fret (A) on the E string. Play the 5th fret with your index finger and then the 6th fret with your pinky. Move down to the 5th fret (D) of the A string and repeat this motion, 5th fret with the index finger and 6th fret with the pinky. Repeat with index on the 5th fret of the D string and then down to the G string. Now work your way back up the 5th and 6th frets from the G string to the E string using only your index and pinky fingers. This will work out your 2 weakest left hand fingers and help you increase dexterity. Go really slow and your speed will gradually increase in the days and weeks ahead. If the 'action' on your bass is high, lower it. It will take less strength to push the string down that way.

* if you want to really take your playing to the next level in time, always alternate the index and middle finger on your right hand during excersises. On the above excersize, the index finger (I) on your right hand would always stroke the string along with the ring finger on your left hand, and the middle finger (M) on your right hand would always strike the string along with the pinky on your left hand. Down the road, the ability to alternate (I) and (M) on your right hand is literally the key to speed as you move forward as a player.

2) String Skipping

Can you give me an example of a particular bassline you are having this issue with. This will help me figure out a good excersise to recommend.

Take a bassline that highlights this dificulty, and slow it down to a speed where you can nail it. Go over and over and over it until your fingers are completely comfortable at that speed and gradually speed it up.

3) Bass Fills

Bass fills often require some knowledge of theory, usually the major and minor scale. When you are doing fills, how would you describe your approach? How would your rate your understanding of the major and minor scale? We need to start here.

4) Walking lines and blues.

Once again, knowledge of scales and patterns is key here. Your answer to theory question above will also apply here.

faulknersj · #11 10-20-2010, 07:49 PM

Waspinators. Thank you for the details regarding the areas of your playing you would like to improve. It would be great if other TB'ers could chime in if they have good excersises that target these issues. I will do my best here:

What you can do slow, you can learn to do faster. If an excersise is frustrating and difficult...slow it down as much as needed and don't worry, you will get faster and faster if you put the time in. This will apply to all of the excersises you must do to create the coordination and muscle memory neede to improve these aspects of your playing.

1) The Pinky

- start with the index finger of your left hand on the 5th fret (A) on the E string. Play the 5th fret with your index finger and then the 6th fret with your pinky. Move down to the 5th fret (D) of the A string and repeat this motion, 5th fret with the index finger and 6th fret with the pinky. Repeat with index on the 5th fret of the D string and then down to the G string. Now work your way back up the 5th and 6th frets from the G string to the E string using only your index and pinky fingers. This will work out your 2 weakest left hand fingers and help you increase dexterity. Go really slow and your speed will gradually increase in the days and weeks ahead. If the 'action' on your bass is high, lower it. It will take less strength to push the string down that way.

* if you want to really take your playing to the next level in time, always alternate the index and middle finger on your right hand during excersises. On the above excersize, the index finger (I) on your right hand would always stroke the string along with the ring finger on your left hand, and the middle finger (M) on your right hand would always strike the string along with the pinky on your left hand. Down the road, the ability to alternate (I) and (M) on your right hand is literally the key to speed as you move forward as a player.

2) String Skipping

Can you give me an example of a particular bassline you are having this issue with. This will help me figure out a good excersise to recommend.

Take a bassline that highlights this dificulty, and slow it down to a speed where you can nail it. Go over and over and over it until your fingers are completely comfortable at that speed and gradually speed it up.

3) Bass Fills

Bass fills often require some knowledge of theory, usually the major and minor scale. When you are doing fills, how would you describe your approach? How would your rate your understanding of the major and minor scale? We need to start here.

4) Walking lines and blues.

Once again, knowledge of scales and patterns is key here. Your answer to theory question above will also apply here.

**Staccato** · #12 10-20-2010, 08:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MUSHROOMSeAcOw

Form a band with some of your friends, if only to get better in a group setting. It helps tremendously and gives you more purpose when you practice, IMSE.

A competitive outlook should be tempered with realistic expectations given your three year of experience.

Have fun with your playing, and consider new ways to practice/play as you continue developing...

kckc · #13 10-20-2010, 08:05 PM

Waspinator,

You're hooked into a great community here! Listen, "lick" and learn. I've been where you are now! I learned to take a different perspective after many years. For me, I stopped looking at guys/gals as better or worse but instead as what they are "groovin" on is cool and that great for them!

As folks have said above, playing with others is the best practice there is! Sometimes a rock solid, non-flashy bassist is what the band/song needs!

For me, I learned it wasn't the number of notes I played/measure it was how I played those notes in the measure.

Good luck,

KC

ac11367 · #14 10-20-2010, 08:09 PM

To the OP, these bass players whom you envy probably have, at some point in their early career, had the same envious feelings about others as you do about them.

puddin tame · #15 10-20-2010, 08:09 PM

By string skipping i'm guessing you mean 'raking' as it's commonly called?

Opus Pocus by jaco is a great song for this with the long runs he does, it will be a while before you can play it at full speed but start slow and it will be effortless by the time you're done

manbass · #16 10-20-2010, 08:11 PM

Choices I have tried for you already and am here to tell you they work:

Dude, find a Church band and volunteer your playing. Seriously. You will thank them and me in a year. Worship Band live playing experience has launched a few thousand pros careers.

On your next week off, plan in advance to attend PSOM One Week Intensive in Florida. Guys better than you (and me) fly into work with them from all over the planet. Guaranteed rut eliminator.

Attend a local Bar/Nightclub "Jam Nite". Notice I said attend......Just put your bass and a cable in your car and go. Leave the bass there for the first night, hear what is being played frequently (Blues are likely). If you know you have one of those tunes already in you....get up and play for one song and try. Feel not Ready on the first night?....go home and practice 4 or 5 tunes you heard...(they will be played again)...go back the next week and play one or two and you will be lifted, no doubt.

bass.monger · #17 10-20-2010, 08:16 PM

Haha, i have the same problem, ill start comparing myself to people and get rather disappointed in myself. ill want to get into a band, but ill second guess myself and get really rather awkward around people hoping i dont make a mistake ... thanks for the advice forum

it was rather helpful

faulknersj · #18 10-20-2010, 08:44 PM

Manbasses suggestion of attending an open jam is spot on if you are 21+. I started attending blues jams, and open jams about 1 year ago and they have had a profound effect on my playing. The real value comes when you get home from one of these jams and figure out how to correct the mistakes you made during the jam. I literally go there with the intent of putting myself into situations that will force me to make mistakes...and believe me I do. I wish I could use being a 3 year newbie as an excuse man...think about how I feel... making mistakes after having had a record deal with a major label + I currently play music 5 nights a week for a living!

faulknersj · #19 10-21-2010, 12:03 AM

Let us know how we can help bro. Feel free to PM me for lessons or advice regarding anything.

Waspinators · #20 10-21-2010, 12:15 AM

Thanks for the replies folks, very appreciated.

faulknersj, to be honest, my knowledge of the major and minor scales is EXTREMELY lacking. I've been trying to search for a website that lists all of them in each key but no luck. I'm pretty much ignorant of all scales besides the G and E. And I have two examples of songs I'm having trouble with. One is Sublime's Pawn Shop, where I have trouble playing the main lick in D the second time. Another is Bill Withers' Lonely Day, where string skipping isn't the issue, but getting to a certain fret in time is (second to fourth fret on the A string). I'm trying to finally ditch tabs altogether and learn songs by ear, even if it takes slowing them down, but at times I have trouble finding which fingering of the notes is best for the song. Thank you for your suggestions, I'll definitely try the pinky exercise.

Also, I'm only 18 but I've sat in at a few open mic jams and had planned to start getting up there and doing my thing; unfortunately the regular open mic night at the bar was shut down a couple months after it started.