Thinkin' about bailing out...

[skychief]

then quit.

But keep the axe.

After a while, you'll come to to one of two realisations:

1) you miss playing music and want to start playing again

2) you did the right thing by quitting playing bass and are now the the owner of a vintage Alembic worth alot of money.

At this point, you can:

1) resume your musical ambitions

2) sell the bass for a huge profit.

Either scenario, at least you wont be kicking yourself in the arse for dumping your gear.

[BassChuck]

Whats the least likely thing you'd expect to hear a bass play? Figure out how to play it.

Take the parts you're playing as ask yourself, how would this be different if Frank Sinatra was the playing this bass, or Morgan Freeman, or Vladimir Putin? Play your part that way.

Music isn't boring. But there are many ways to play it so that you or the listener can be bored. Put something new in the equation, and make it musically viable.

Humans have been making music for centuries. Sadly we only know what's been going on for the last 500 years, but reach back and see what your fellow musicians and bass players were doing. What was it like to play bass in 1917? 1890? 1803? 1685? There's some interesting things from back then...and a lot of it we're still doing in some way or another. Find out what that is.

[tycobb73]

Take some time to think about it. But I wouldn't put the bass in the closet. If you truly need a brea and your bass isn't super rare and you love it, sell it. It is a piece of wood that can be replaced.

[Dr. Cheese]

Originally Posted by mjac28

I agree take some time and leave it alone for awhile that Alembic might be harder to get a second time around.

By all means, keep the Alembic! I was just looking at an Alembic Essence in the classifieds that is going for $1,900. I bought one for $900 in 1992 that I loved. I traded the thing in for a Steinberger like an idiot!

[brianerwin]

Lot of good advise here. I have been playing music for 33 years now. Never quit playing but take short breaks. If you have some time off, listen to music... A LOT of music. Don't dismiss it as just noise or trash.. Really listen, some of it will keep you interested, some will bore you to death. Listen to all parts, hear how it all comes together and is entwined together. You will find yourself being more interested, if not ...check your pulse.

[StayinTime]

Originally Posted by bluewine

Maybe this is just not for you.

I would bet you have other things going on in life to keep you busy.

I'll be 60 in February still gigging every weekend and have the same enthusiasm for music and playing as I did when I started playing at age 12.

I like some new music, but admittedly am not familiar with all the new genres and bands.

The local music scene is tough and sometimes not pretty. However , I'm engaged in it , I study it and analyze the trends from a booking perspective. As a band were surviving.

Blue

I think its quite the opposite. I think the bass is for you. It is just time to take a break. Hang in there Chef.

[inthevelvet]

You don't have to play anymore, but everybody goes throught those kind of times.......with everything.

It definitely happens with this and other hobbies. I used to be into hunting big time. Pretty much year 'round my buddy and I were either hunting or prepping or scouting or something every weekend and majority of our vacation days. Went to Alaska every year and spent 3 weeks out in the bush. Then one day it turned from fun into work for me. I struggled a bit cause it was such an obsession for probably a good ten years, so now I'm mostly taking a break from it. I go deer hunting for a week in Nebraska, which consists of mostly riding around in the truck with the ranch owner and shooting the breeze, and having a few beers at the cabin every evening. And while I've always messed with playing guitar and bass, that is now my obsession an dtakes most of my free time. 10 years from now maybe it will be something else.
As far as no good music these days, every generation says that. There is plenty of fantastic music being made right now of every genre. I don't know what type of music you're into, and taste is subjective, but Derek Trucks/Tedeschi Trucks band is just one that I'd say would be hard to call "crap". Sure a lot of what you hear on top 40 radio is garbage, but that's always been true.

[spectorbass83]

At the end of the day it really depends on what your goals are.

I'm 29 and already find it difficult to have the motivation. I used to be in several original rock bands that had a decent following locally. I was heavily involved in the local music scene and really wanted to "make it". I recorded several original studio albums, spent a lot of money, even more time and frustration trying to "make it". The older I got the more jaded I got and the more I started to hate the local music scene, local promoters and just the music industry in general.

This is why I stopped caring about all of the BS and just focused on creating music. As some have already said - you really need to find some good people to jam with and just have fun with it. Even if its just once a week.

While I don't necessarily have the same drive and devotion as I did when I was in my early 20's I am also a lot wiser now and have learned just how difficult it truly is to "make it". I have seen so many bands devote their lives to independent touring, funding everything themselves, trying to make it and all it ever got them was more debt.

Music has taken a little bit of a backseat in my life as I have grown up, but I can't see myself ever giving it up completely.

Keep your bass. It may just come in handy one day.

[cbrophy]

Bye!

[morgansterne]

i swore that when I turned 35 I'd hang it up. Nothing sillier than middle aged dudes trying to make it in the biz opening up for 16 year old kids (was my line of thinking).
I got a call from a drummer I knew who asked if I could come help out his cover band as their fill in bass player was so busy. I came out and it turns out they're really good, so I decided to give it a try. A year later, we're going strong (five gigs this month, new record for us).
My dad does poetry readings and he would ask to me to play some trumpet or bass behind his poems. Two more musicians joined us for this and a few years later we've made a really cool jazz/poetry CD and do a couple performances per year.

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/dansmithandthedeepclevel

keep your mind and ears open. something may come along that sparks your interest again!

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by spectorbass83

At the end of the day it really depends on what your goals are.

I'm 29 and already find it difficult to have the motivation. I used to be in several original rock bands that had a decent following locally. I was heavily involved in the local music scene and really wanted to "make it". I recorded several original studio albums, spent a lot of money, even more time and frustration trying to "make it". The older I got the more jaded I got and the more I started to hate the local music scene, local promoters and just the music industry in general.

This is why I stopped caring about all of the BS and just focused on creating music. As some have already said - you really need to find some good people to jam with and just have fun with it. Even if its just once a week.

While I don't necessarily have the same drive and devotion as I did when I was in my early 20's I am also a lot wiser now and have learned just how difficult it truly is to "make it". I have seen so many bands devote their lives to independent touring, funding everything themselves, trying to make it and all it ever got them was more debt.

Music has taken a little bit of a backseat in my life as I have grown up, but I can't see myself ever giving it up completely.

Keep your bass. It may just come in handy one day.

A lot of us are older still gigging in good bands and having a great time with no drama, with no intentions on making it.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I'm starting to see a trend where the originals band route has left a lot of bass players disappointed and stepping away from the business
Blue

[spectorbass83]

Originally Posted by bluewine

A lot of us are older still gigging in good bands and having a great time with no drama, with no intentions on making it.

Blue

That's awesome to hear and gives me motivation to continue jammin

[bluewine]

Originally Posted by spectorbass83

That's awesome to hear and gives me motivation to continue jammin

You just need to do your homework on the people or band your going to play with.

Stay away from flakes

Blue

[kbakerde]

yeah, I get it. You end up with a lot going on, you can definitely drop a ton of cash on the hobby. And from what little experience I have and what I have read, the music scene and band dynamics can be a pain in the butt.

So take a break, maybe look to scale down your gear if you want but I would advise against just bailing. I feel that most hobbies we do for large periods of time end up coming back to us. We just need time to recharge, to want to do it again.

Take a break, pack the stuff away. You might find yourself trimming the fat of your gear. If five years goes by, you haven't played, and find your stuff and say, wow I am happier than ever NOT playing. Then bail entirely. But mark my words, you WILL be back. Regardless of skill, experience or gear we have all decided to quit, gotten frustrated only to look at a big ass stack at Guitar Center and think, "oooo, that looks nice!!"

[bluewine]

The local gigging rock band scene is not for everyone.

I say, if you know what you want out of a band experience, define your own personal requirements a do your homework on any band you might join, you can mitigate the chances of having a bad experience.

I'm in the minority of guys that have to be in a band.

I have a friend who is a class "a" rock guitarist. He's coming up on 2 years of being bandless and it doesn't concern him at all.

Blue

[chef wong]

Much appreciated. Thanks to all.

[klejst]

Perhaps just take a break from playing for a little bit or just play as a more hobbyist, but don't sell your gear. Just keep the option that you can go back to it at a later when when you are ready to.

[ntenny]

Originally Posted by tycobb73

Take some time to think about it. But I wouldn't put the bass in the closet. If you truly need a brea and your bass isn't super rare and you love it, sell it. It is a piece of wood that can be replaced.

I dunno. You see a lot of people say "I wish I still had that instrument", but not so many saying "I wish I didn't still have this instrument". To me that suggests something...maybe just that we're a bunch of pack rats!

-NT

[oniman7]

If you feel you must return the alembic, at least pick up a Squier and keep it in your closet. It sounds to me like you enjoy what you're doing but have a hard time rationalizing it. Keeping a cheap bass will allow you to have one when the time comes without the potential guilt of being expensive.

[chef wong]

Eh.what was I thinkin' yesterday? I've been at it for over 21 years now. Giving up would be like losing an arm at this point.

I'll be looking for a good, used 300 watt combo amp very soon.