In a Rut

[Mike]

HI Steve,

Yeah,I'm in a bit of a rut/creative stalemate. What do you recommend to your students when they've hit a wall like this and what do you do when you're in one and just can't seem to come up with anything new? I'm sure even someone like yourself feels like he's going through the motions every now and then rather than doing something he enjoys.


Thanks you.

[Steve Lawson]

there are a few things you can do. the principle is one of changing the routine - try playing with new musicians to get some new ideas. Put an ad in your local music shop to find others in the same boat

Buy a new CD and learn something in a new style - if you never have, get a Bob Marley album and work on the sound and feel that Family Man Barrett got - that'll get you miles away from where you are if you've never played Reggae before.

New sounds can help - try new effects, delays, looping - i always find new sounds and ideas that way. Even changing string guage can inspire new ideas. Retuning is another fun one - drop D, tune in 5ths... etc...

try working out parts played on a different instrument - that may send you off on a new tangent.

turn the volume down on the telly and soundtrack whatever you see - that's a great idea I stole from Dale Titus at Bass Player magazine...

and finally - try writing a solo bass piece - trying to think of your bass part as the whole tune can lead you down some unexpected paths...

i hope that helps - let me know how you get on...

steve
http://www.steve-lawson.co.uk
http://www.solobassnetwork.org.uk