HElp! I'm in the..

[Suckbird]

.. "i'm the worst bassist on earth"- period, what to do?
I'm failing in every way, i cant do anything anymore.
My fingers are slow and frozen, it feels like it's super lim on the string. It feels like i wanna end playing bass and start playing rythm guitar or something but not.
Have you guys ever felt like this?

[the ombudsman]

Rhythm guitarist = Failed bassist ???

How's that for a change?

You probably just need something to motivate you. Time for a new bass?

[buzzbass]

just put your head down and work through it. You're now experiencing the "bad times", which will help you appreciate the "good times" that much more when they arrive. Trust me, it'll get good again. Now get to work

[baba]

quit or practice. no whining allowed.

[Jace The Bass]

Originally Posted by baba

quit or practice. no whining allowed.

I agree

No harm in quitting or turning to our cousin the rhythm guitar

[Tyler Hole]

When I feel I'm in that period, I just put the bass down for a day or two and listen to music. Then I go and pick it back up and I'm good to go.

[JAL]

Sometimes that happens to me. Two things word for me:
1)Ice cream, then play a guitar and realize how much better bass is ;-).
2) Listen to your favorite song, and with your EQ turn the bass freq. off. Then you realize how a bassist pulls EVERYTHING together. Motivates me...
Or play rythm guitar ;-)

[Stephen Soto]

Everyone has to take a break. Fiend on some videogames or something for a few days.

[embellisher]

String your bass up backwards, or tune it in fifths.

[FenderHotRod]

whooo hoooooo!!! I thought I was the worst player.

I still have my old guitar instructors comments stuck in my head when i practice. "your rhythm sucks" sorry but im just not that good with fast, moderate syncopated rhythms. I think that's what keeps me from practicing as much as I need to is his voice in the back of my head. So I am ether afraid of failing or success just really don't know which.

[vegaas]

Keep playing, you will get through it. Then it will return, then you will get through, then it will return, etc......

Just the way of life for me as a musician. There are times when I really appreciate what I am able to do on the bass. Then, just when I am feeling really good about myself, I will get frustrated by not being to do something as well as I would like to.

So goes the bass playing life.

[Suckbird]

Originally Posted by Stephen Soto

Everyone has to take a break. Fiend on some videogames or something for a few days.

Too bad my gta:sa only lasted for 3days and my socom doesn't work and i haven't got my central station code yet, i've been waiting for 2-3months for it

Also, my cheapo bass bridge was screwed up when i restringed my bass, now i can only have 3strings...

Time for a new bass!

[IvanMike]

don't give up. a good bunch of us felt like that at one time or another. I'm not one of those that had a realy hard time learning how to hold the bass or press down the strings correctly, play fingerstyle correctly, etc. But I've hit a wall every once in a while with my playing that left me distraught. Always a good idea to take a bit of a break. One of the things i always do when i'm feeling rusty is play scales and arpeggios really really slowly, concentrating on my technique, the note names, the # of the note relative to the scale, etc. I don't let myself speed up for a good long while. Then i go back to what ever it was that was aggrivating me (if it was something specific) analyze the whole thing (no matter how long it takes) figure out what arpeggios and scales correspond to that bass line (if applicable), play those scales and arpeggios, then play the line or part slowly as above, gradually letting myself build up speed. Take at least a half hour (preferably an hour+) doing all this. You'll feel much better.

[Tym2cu_bass]

Originally Posted by Suckbird

.. "i'm the worst bassist on earth"- period, what to do?
I'm failing in every way, i cant do anything anymore.
My fingers are slow and frozen, it feels like it's super lim on the string. It feels like i wanna end playing bass and start playing rythm guitar or something but not.
Have you guys ever felt like this?

I went through that same thing. Except.. with.. trombone. What i did was i continued playing trombone hard, but, i just started playing bass . So maybe you need to start another instrument, something that you can really take at your own place, that's completely different than bass, so... maybe a wind instrument. I'm happy that i didn't quit trombone now... and i've gotten pretty good on bass too, so... that worked for me, maybe it'll work for you. i find that most musicians go through a phase like this, the real musicians make it through the phase. You're at the filter, i hope you make it through.

[RicPlaya]

Get an instructor.

[odie]

Dont listen to anyone here....do this first. CHANGE your name. It is SUCKBIRD!!! Its a curse.

[Squidfinger]

I was going through this EXACT same period a few months ago. Then I decided to give up fingerstyle and become a pick player. Now I'm much happier with my playing.

All I can say is learn basic music theory and learn music by ear as much as possible. It only takes practice .

[geoffkhan]

Listen to whatever music inspires you. For me, Victor Wooten, or one of those slap bass greats. Maybe put down the bass for a few days until you're really horny to play bass.

Above all, remember to love every sound that comes out of your instrument. You know how when you play an instrument that you don't know, like drums or something, and after playing for half-an-hour, you think to yourself, "Man, this is really easy! I'm getting really good at the drums!" Learn to have that attitude with your main instrument. I guarantee success. (read Kenny Werner's book, 'Effortless Mastery' for more detail about what I'm talking about)