Double Bass Player Losing Interest

[ZMom]

My son has been playing double bass for 6 years. He is a junior in high school. He has always loved playing bass, he also plays piano beautifully. He has always been competitive and has won many awards throughout the years.

Every since he got a new orchestra teacher last year he has been losing interest in playing bass. He had wanted to major in music, but now he is not so sure he wants to. He is coming up to the time to pick colleges and do auditions.

He complains about the music selections the teacher selects and that they are very boring. He doesn't like how the teacher interacts with him and other students.

I've talked to the teacher - very broadly (he hates it when I interfere) about him and his interest in playing bass, and my concern about his interest. I waited to see if anything would come of that. No luck.

I personally feel that teacher is annoying myself (personality I believe), but I understand everybody is different. I wish the previous teacher had not retired.

Any advice on what to do? How to keep him interested?

DBPlayerMom

[Ed Fuqua]

Geez, where to start? First of all, YOU can't keep him interested, he's got to keep himself interested. If I had an overwhelming desire to play bass, if that was the activity that coalesced meaning from chaos for me, it would take much more than a teacher with an annoying personality to make me "lose interest". It would make me lose interest in studying with that person, I imagine that they are not the only instructor of double bass in the state of Texas, however.

The other part of the equation may be inferred from your statement "He has always been competitive and has won many awards throughout the years", I've never been one to view music as a "sport". The only real competition doesn't give "awards", it's with yourself. Every musician has to eventually come to a point where they are inner directed and NOT outer directed or it just becomes a meaningless activity. There will ALWAYS be someone younger/smarter/faster coming along and if that's the milepost you use to judge yourself (gee what do YOU think about me) you're doomed to disappointment.

[John Sprague]

Unfortunately, a poor teacher does have the ability to suck the life out of a kid's desires. The up side is that he only has this director for two more years, a small fraction of a player's career. Does he have a private teacher to keep him challenged? Other playing opportunities, like school jazz band or community orchestra?

If the only thing he's doing is that orchestra, and it's a bummer, then playing will be a bummer in his view. Sometimes people just lose interest, that's not a crime either.

[theshadow2001]

Two things that I noticed. You say he is competitive and that he thinks the music selections are boring. Also you mention that he has won awards through out his years. Might it be simply that along with not getting along with his teacher he is also not being challenged enough with the music thats presented to him. Perhaps if he were to study outside of school with a teacher that could inspire him some way and present to him more engaging musical challenges and issues

[Ed Fuqua]

Originally Posted by John Sprague

Unfortunately, a poor teacher does have the ability to suck the life out of a kid's desires. The up side is that he only has this director for two more years, a small fraction of a player's career. Does he have a private teacher to keep him challenged? Other playing opportunities, like school jazz band or community orchestra?

If the only thing he's doing is that orchestra, and it's a bummer, then playing will be a bummer in his view. Sometimes people just lose interest, that's not a crime either.

I dunno, John, I had a martinet of a violin teacher yelling at me for the first year I owned an upright. Here we are 25 years later. Bottom line, if you want to bail it's easy to find a reason why or somebody else to blame it on.

[ZMom]

It is the only orchestra teacher in his school, so can’t change that. Yes, he does have a private bass teacher, but he hasn’t been having consistent lessons lately (was once a week).

By awards I was trying to keep my words simple. What I was trying to get across, without sounding too much like a “puffed up mom”, is that he is very musically talented. He makes the highest mark on solo competitions, always makes it to the highest orchestra class, and has made it into the region orchestra several times.

Yes, he does love sports too. He’s always been competitive in just about everything he does, including being first chair.

He is in the jazz band at school also, but he doesn’t talk about that much. They meet after school, approximately once a week. Orchestra class is every day.

I’ll see if I can start getting him to see his private instructor again, maybe that’ll rejuvenate him. And maybe I can get him to audition for the city youth orchestra. Although it may be too late for that, I think they are doing that this weekend and he may not be ready.

As a mom (and previous teenager myself) I know teenagers can be “wishy washy.” They need guidance.

Thanks for Advice.

DBPlayerMom

[Tbeers]

You can't force your son to be interested in anything, but I think parental encouragement makes an enormous difference.

One thing you could do....

Offer to send your son to a music camp or something this summer. An intensive experience like that will either revive his interest in bass playing, or turn him off completely. If it turns him off, then he probably shouldn't be a musician anyway.

[ZMom]

The summer music camp seems like a great idea. There are two universities near by that offer that. I'm going to check into that. Thanks.

[John Sprague]

Ed, I think you're absolutely right, if it isn't inside you, then it isn't inside you.

But, there is another formula that should be looked at perhaps. The decision making abilities of humans reaches a certain peak around 13 yrs old, then nose dives until about 20 yrs of age, where it gradually starts to make its way up to the realm of someone who can be trusted to feed himself without taking his own eye out with the fork. I fell in love with the drumset at age 6. At age 15 I met my first serious girl friend, didn't see the drums again til 25. Teens need guidance, otherwise they'll walk right into traffic I swear sometimes. I've got two at home, so none of youteens need to come at me cuz I've got evidence aplenty.

[mcnaire2004]

I had a verry unfun orchestra director at school for one year. She sucked the interest right out of me. I wont lie. If it wasn't for the fact that the other bassist was a good friend of mine and pretty competitive I would have probably stopped playing bass. I was on the school football team at the time and that was a huge focus of my life. But I thank the 1 or 2 other people that were friends of mine and interested in music. Without them I mite be talking about colleges for football around now rather than for playing bass.

I don't think it has anything to do with "whats in him". Don't push him, that will drive him away. Just maybe bring up music every now and then. I have honestly lost some interest in music at times. But, it usualy doesn't last more than a day or two. It doesn't happen anymore.

Just do something to keep music in his life. Take him to see a quality bassist like Edgar Meyer or something. I'm sure he'll come around.

[Aaron Saunders]

Originally Posted by John Sprague

Ed, I think you're absolutely right, if it isn't inside you, then it isn't inside you.

But, there is another formula that should be looked at perhaps. The decision making abilities of humans reaches a certain peak around 13 yrs old, then nose dives until about 20 yrs of age, where it gradually starts to make its way up to the realm of someone who can be trusted to feed himself without taking his own eye out with the fork. I fell in love with the drumset at age 6. At age 15 I met my first serious girl friend, didn't see the drums again til 25. Teens need guidance, otherwise they'll walk right into traffic I swear sometimes. I've got two at home, so none of youteens need to come at me cuz I've got evidence aplenty.

I'm on the mid-outward way of that dark tunnel (19, turning 20) and you're entirely right.

IMO, offering to send him to a music camp is one of the best things you can do for him. The number one cure for losing interest in ANYTHING is seeing something or someone really great at the art. There were times when I almost left music this year (not due to a lack of interest, but other personal reasons) but every time I saw a really amazing musician at a club, heard some crazy cat practicing in a classroom, or even had a really great jam, every desire I ever had to play music was reaffirmed. There are times when you've worked so hard and you wonder what it's all for, and the most validating thing ever is hearing beautiful, inspired music.

I'd also encourage him to go to a music school if only for one year. He'll know by the end of that year if he wants to keep doing it. There were a lot of people in my program who decided that music wasn't for them and left throughout various points in the year to pursue other things. Some people may see this as a waste of a lot of money (college ain't cheap kids!) but IMO, I see it as a priceless experience. I'd rather be out a couple grand, have had some pretty amazing experiences, and have learned a LOT about myself and what I want to do than look back 30 years later and wonder what would've happened if I'd chosen the other path.

You can't put a price on that.




EDIT: As far as the high school thing goes, why hasn't he been studying consistently with a teacher anyway? I've encountered a lot of bad teachers and my own equivalent "orchestra class" was an f'n drag in high school. A junior = 11th grade, right? 10th? It may seem like an eternity until he's out from his perspective, so a change of pace might be what he needs.

[BenderR]

A couple of thoughts come to mind. Interest in music is not always constant, it waxes and wanes a bit, at least for some folks. A sub-optimal teacher in a school program can take the joy right out of playing. I had one in high school that I still despise 37 years later. He was pompous, obnoxious, supercilious . . . and he had "short man's syndrome", so he berated everyone and gave only left-handed compliments. He slowed me down, but he didn't stop me, two years later I was teaching a handful of students on my own and I had progressed far bayond caring what this pompous little jerk thought of me. Now, in my 50s, I'm still musically active and it still enriches my life in spite of this one bad apple.

If your son truly loves music (and it sounds as though he does) he'll stick with it and find a way. The important thing is for him to continue to express himself through music and to continue to grow in his skills. Even if he chooses another field in which to make a living, his base musical skills will help him in many ways.

As I see it, the immediate challenge is to find something that challenges him for the present. Summer music camp might just be the ticket. As much as I'd love to suggest taking it up with the instructor or the school administration my common sense tells me that this is a dead-end road. For whatever reason, your son's teacher isn't doing the trick for him and short of a miracle you probably won't change anything. Music camps, or other extra-curricular challenges are probably going to be where it's at for your son. If you are fortunate the current teacher at your son's school might blow out on the same wind he blew in on, but either way your son needs a challenge now.

[Steve Swan]

If this kid is very competitive and is used to getting a lot of awards and acccolades for his efforts, maybe a more out-front instrument like piano is a bettter fit. By its very nature the bass is a supportive and team-oriented instrument. I get more instant attention and louder applause for singing, but I get a deeper, richer satisfaction from contributing to the group sound on the bass.

[Sam Sherry]

Bring your kid(s) to see as much live music as possible.

There is no substitute for direct exposure to excellence.

And it tends to show the forest to youngsters who are stuck in the trees.

[Damon Rondeau]

Right on Ed and Sam.

Ed's absolutely right about motivation. Music is hard. This instrument is real hard. No way you'll do either of them for the rest of your life -- for money or for pleasure -- if you don't have the inner motivation to make music. Every real musician has to discover this motivation or it simply will not happen.

So do you give up, Mom? Hey, if an inner fire is what's needed, then build the kid a stack of kindling and give him access to matches. If he wants to make fire, he will. There will be no way you can stop him. If this fire doesn't come until later, not to worry -- all the early music training kicks in and gets used one way or another.

[CT DB]

Originally Posted by ZMom

Every since he got a new orchestra teacher last year he has been losing interest in playing bass. He had wanted to major in music, but now he is not so sure he wants to. He is coming up to the time to pick colleges and do auditions.

Ever cross your mind to let him make up his own mind?

[MT Spaces]

Originally Posted by ZMom

My son has been playing double bass for 6 years. He is a junior in high school. He has always loved playing bass, he also plays piano beautifully. He has always been competitive and has won many awards throughout the years ....

For what it is worth, here's a quote from:
http://www.jeffnet.org/~addicott/quotes.html

"It's been my experience that great musicians become great not because they want to beat other musicians in popularity contests, but because they want to satisfy their own aesthetic standards. I've also found that those motivated primarily by competition tend to limit themselves artistically - and they tend to become obnoxious." - David Hungate
Nashville Session Bassist, Bass Player Magazine Columnist & Poll Winner
From his column "Nashville Notes", Bass Player Magazine, February 1997