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ADD and Playing Bass
- Thread starter Dr. Cheese
- Start date
There is the outside chance you stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, within the last month, or so.
You gotta get diagnosed
as someone diagnosed at 6 With NLD
it got worse for me
I’m medicated heavy now but add is more then attention span
it’s depression, anxiety and fine motor skill issues
and really you won’t know unless you get a test
as someone diagnosed at 6 With NLD
it got worse for me
I’m medicated heavy now but add is more then attention span
it’s depression, anxiety and fine motor skill issues
and really you won’t know unless you get a test
I have a PhD (lead with strength!) and ADD and dyslexia. Never diagnosed until I was in grad school, and that was only b/c I had a buddy doing a clinical psych PhD who needed someone to be the subject all of the assessments he was learning. I sat for assessments in exchange for dinners. This is another amusing story. Until then I was stupid/lazy/weird K-12, but luckily went to an undergrad college that did not seem to mind too much. They liked my SAT scores.
Anyway... I have done pretty well. Yes I flip letters, sometimes transpose numbers, cannot write by hand in any way that people can read, terrible with arithmetic (but great with math). But I have maintained a good academic career jumping between 3 different disciplines (published lots, grants, etc.), interrupted by forays into consulting, government science policy and other work, a tech startup, raised a great son (also ADD) who has a MSEE in comp sci and works in crypto. I have a wonderful fiancée who is as ADD as me, but in different ways. We are happy.
And yea I play bass, Mando and steel guitar in my current band (classic rock & R&B covers), play 6-string guitar in a pick up band, still have a CD with an original band unfinished. I take courses in fine art photography. I can concentrate on something long enough to get it finished, but then I am done. I am a builder, not a manager.
I have learned to surround myself with people whose idiosyncrasies complement mine, or are at least tolerant. I tried the ADD medication route and found that it made me _too_ focused, uncreative, functional but joyless.
A few decades of this have taught me to not worry so much. Things will get done. There may be a few late fees involved, but that is OK. Smart enough to make things work? Probably. Never missed an important payment, deadline, event, whatever. But I did miss a lot of minutiae that was not that important as it turns out.
Making music has been a constant with me. Never mind the genre, instrument, venue. I have been everything from a punk rocker to a worship music director to a guy taking jazz guitar lessons to a bassist by necessity to a self taught mando and steel player. That has made the most sense.
Play on!
Anyway... I have done pretty well. Yes I flip letters, sometimes transpose numbers, cannot write by hand in any way that people can read, terrible with arithmetic (but great with math). But I have maintained a good academic career jumping between 3 different disciplines (published lots, grants, etc.), interrupted by forays into consulting, government science policy and other work, a tech startup, raised a great son (also ADD) who has a MSEE in comp sci and works in crypto. I have a wonderful fiancée who is as ADD as me, but in different ways. We are happy.
And yea I play bass, Mando and steel guitar in my current band (classic rock & R&B covers), play 6-string guitar in a pick up band, still have a CD with an original band unfinished. I take courses in fine art photography. I can concentrate on something long enough to get it finished, but then I am done. I am a builder, not a manager.
I have learned to surround myself with people whose idiosyncrasies complement mine, or are at least tolerant. I tried the ADD medication route and found that it made me _too_ focused, uncreative, functional but joyless.
A few decades of this have taught me to not worry so much. Things will get done. There may be a few late fees involved, but that is OK. Smart enough to make things work? Probably. Never missed an important payment, deadline, event, whatever. But I did miss a lot of minutiae that was not that important as it turns out.
Making music has been a constant with me. Never mind the genre, instrument, venue. I have been everything from a punk rocker to a worship music director to a guy taking jazz guitar lessons to a bassist by necessity to a self taught mando and steel player. That has made the most sense.
Play on!
Great players may play by ear, but they don’t play out of ignorance. Knowledge has never hurt me when it comes to playing.
ElMon, I appreciate what you have to say. I know you are in an eternal search for the groove, and that is truly a worthy quest.
That you are still searching/hoping to expand/grow shows you’re on a path too sir!
I’ve got local ear guys who are MONSTER soloists, and don’t read much beyond a Nashville chart, who lament that they never learned Jazz, and yet they get to those same sounds all the same.
And I’m not exaggerating about some of these church-only keyboard players. Playing extended #13/7b/inverted tripple lindy chords, and when the lost bass player asks what the holy hazel they’re playing, they’ll shrug. Younger cats seem to have both of those schools of approach down.
I actually strive for more chops/theory than I have, which is why I follow YOU on here. Always making me think outside the normal channels.
You and that Janek Gwizelda feller. Still need to get through some of his books.
My favorite practice method of late:
Spotify random playlist, me with my bass, and without pausing/rewinding I try to get as much as I can by ear. Did the same thing in the 90’s with the jazz on The Weather Channel.
Never boring. ALWAYS frustrating. Always makes me better.
Putting aside the ADD stuff … which is fascinating to read … what player/style/technique do you find yourself chasing and/or being ‘haunted’ by?
I got frustrated, like you seem to be indicating, measuring myself against some more chop-heavy guys around town, but then realized I didn’t really want it.
In my case, I was a bit too influenced by Bass Player Mag cover bassists, even though the (again, IMO) ‘musical athletics’ trend in instrumental music didn’t really knock my socks off compositionally.
I found that my ‘thing’ was/is absorbing/immersing myself in the FEEL and the rythmic language of various genres.
Full confession: want to ONCE play a smooth, feels-good slap solo like Marcus. Been chasing it for years now.
I got frustrated, like you seem to be indicating, measuring myself against some more chop-heavy guys around town, but then realized I didn’t really want it.
In my case, I was a bit too influenced by Bass Player Mag cover bassists, even though the (again, IMO) ‘musical athletics’ trend in instrumental music didn’t really knock my socks off compositionally.
I found that my ‘thing’ was/is absorbing/immersing myself in the FEEL and the rythmic language of various genres.
Full confession: want to ONCE play a smooth, feels-good slap solo like Marcus. Been chasing it for years now.
I don’t think ADD is officially a thing anymore, only ADHD. I think you can have attention issues without a full blown disorder.
However you wired - you are loved!
Wishing you the very best as you seek a new perspective on old problems.
Get after it, Doc!
Wishing you the very best as you seek a new perspective on old problems.
Get after it, Doc!
So much useless knowledge!!! But sometimes some of it ends up being useful. And the rest of the time, you have an advantage that regular know-it-alls don't have - at least your useless knowledge is knowledge!
i didn’t know I was diagnosed. My parents never shared that when I was home and found out from my neighbor years in my early 40s.
I only knew school was dang difficult. And there were words to describe it, lazy, and unmotivated to name a couple. They didn’t realize just how long and how much effort it took just to get through and understand one paragraph.
Give this gal 20 minutes and see if it hits home with you.
You can take the same profiling tests online that your professional will use to assess your condition.
But you won’t get a rx at the end if you just ace the online test. Got to go see a pro for that.
Lots of super bright add kids fly under the radar. Schools fail them in so many ways.
Meds work for some folks, diet, exercise, and some form of meditation for others. Yoga can work wonders. (ADD folks suck at sitting still)
I think ADD can get even worse as you age and no longer feel the need, or desire to concentrate on playing the games society wants us to play. You just run outta give a .....
Good luck.
You can take the same profiling tests online that your professional will use to assess your condition.
But you won’t get a rx at the end if you just ace the online test. Got to go see a pro for that.
Lots of super bright add kids fly under the radar. Schools fail them in so many ways.
Meds work for some folks, diet, exercise, and some form of meditation for others. Yoga can work wonders. (ADD folks suck at sitting still)
I think ADD can get even worse as you age and no longer feel the need, or desire to concentrate on playing the games society wants us to play. You just run outta give a .....
Good luck.
I've struggled with learning my entire life but as I have gotten older I changed my attitude about studying. Something that challenged me was the confusion on how to get started, or preparing to learn. When I tried to learn the bass guitar, I took the path as many, bought beginner books, and talked with active bass players, but all of the information made things even more confusing. It was like getting directions to the store but you get 100 different ways to get there, which one do I take, which one is the best, am I taking the wrong route?
This is a bit of the paralysis by analysis that I fall into. I think I was stuck on which book or video do I follow for months, kept overthinking the learning process, and going over books only to switch to another a month later. What helped with learning bass (in my case) was actually learning how the components worked together and how this created music we hear today. An example of this learning scales is often a beginner assignment, but it's not clearly defined why and where to use these. My instructor explained this and the pieces started to fall in place.
With other subjects, I felt it's the same way, I try to learn a new skill, get frustrated on the simplest starting point and either give up, or learning "incorrectly". Now I try to break down the simplest steps of learning, not focusing on the details (which book or video), and just get started. I can't say that I have ADD but it's greatly helped me learn better over the years and reduced the churn of two steps forward, one step back issues.
This is a bit of the paralysis by analysis that I fall into. I think I was stuck on which book or video do I follow for months, kept overthinking the learning process, and going over books only to switch to another a month later. What helped with learning bass (in my case) was actually learning how the components worked together and how this created music we hear today. An example of this learning scales is often a beginner assignment, but it's not clearly defined why and where to use these. My instructor explained this and the pieces started to fall in place.
With other subjects, I felt it's the same way, I try to learn a new skill, get frustrated on the simplest starting point and either give up, or learning "incorrectly". Now I try to break down the simplest steps of learning, not focusing on the details (which book or video), and just get started. I can't say that I have ADD but it's greatly helped me learn better over the years and reduced the churn of two steps forward, one step back issues.
I can relate to this.
Do you have periods of intense concentration? Do you go through large chunks of the day and not remember parts of it, the stuff that is just baked into your routine? Misplace keys, cellphone, wallet often?
That's what it's like for me.
We have a lot in common with our approach to dealing with the affliction. School was a huge drain on me as well. There areas where I excelled were where the underlying logic was easy to understand, and using intuition carry me through. But counterintuitive things, like investment options for one, or rebalancing ten of million dollars in investment portfolios for instance drove me up the wall. Fortunately I survived. Actually. I’m more thrilled my client survived me working with their money..LOL!!!
Music for me was alway very easy to understand, even back when I was a preschooler.
I’m trying to read thru this thread, but I just keep getting distracted. Wait… what are we talking about? Oh, right, basses. Isn’t there a Dr. Cheese video in here? I think I forgot to unplug my bass. I like jazz basses. 
I’ve made peace with my approach to learning and playing music. It may not be as disciplined and methodical as everyone’s, but it works for me and makes me happy. Nothing else matters.
Absolutely! And it’s not just the subject matter, but how it’s presented. I got a lot of grief in grade school for constant daydreaming. I didn’t realize until years later that I was just bored AF. When I stumbled into software engineering, I became completely obsessed and stayed lazer focused in college while I made the career change.
I’ve made peace with my approach to learning and playing music. It may not be as disciplined and methodical as everyone’s, but it works for me and makes me happy. Nothing else matters.
I really admire Anthony Jackson. The man really knows how to play bass in an ensemble maybe better than anyone else. If I could get anywhere near what he can do, I would be a very happy bassist.
Math and physics did something similar for me. That was before "software engineering" was a recognized field.
OP, if you suspect, get diagnosed and treated. Or at least read up on it and get some pointers on coping strategies ("Driven to distraction" by John Ratey I found very enlightening, and I've been recommended Scattered by Gabor Mate but never got around to it).[/QUOTE]
@sotua, this might help. Get bits and pieces in your car.
edit - In typical ADHD fashion, I read that wrong.
"Driven to Distraction" I've read. "Scattered" I've not. I thought you said "You Mean I'm Not Lazy Stupid or Crazy?". Thus the YouTube link. 
Nevertheless, it's an excellent read/listen.
@sotua, this might help. Get bits and pieces in your car.
edit - In typical ADHD fashion, I read that wrong.
"Driven to Distraction" I've read. "Scattered" I've not. I thought you said "You Mean I'm Not Lazy Stupid or Crazy?". Thus the YouTube link. Nevertheless, it's an excellent read/listen.
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I had a neuro-psych evaluation done for myself last year as I was wondering if my struggles completing tasks had anything to do with executive functioning difficulties (e.g., planning, executing, completing). It was really helpful and I was glad I did it.
I hope you get some useful information too @Dr. Cheese.
I hope you get some useful information too @Dr. Cheese.
After 20 or so years of my mom, my sister and various girlfriends begging me to get some help, I was, at 52 years old, diagnosed with ADHD. Like @ficelles on the cello, I went on a year of reading about it. Read both books mentioned by @sotua. They don't call it ADD or ADHD in the DSM anymore. It's all ADHD, either mostly hyperactive, mostly inattentive, or combined. The pairing with dyslexia seems accurate to me. My brother was diagnosed "hyperactive" (that's what they called it back then)as a child, and is also dyslexic. I believe eventually they'll change the name of it again. I could write a looooooooong post, but I'm supposed to be in bed.
@Dr Cheese, the one thing I will bloviate about is make sure you go to a psychologist or psychiatrist that, for lack of a better term, specializes in ADHD/Spectrum disorders. There are butt loads of uninformed and misinformed medical professional out there. Make sure your shrink knows what he's talking about.
God bless you, Doc. Qapla!
@Dr Cheese, the one thing I will bloviate about is make sure you go to a psychologist or psychiatrist that, for lack of a better term, specializes in ADHD/Spectrum disorders. There are butt loads of uninformed and misinformed medical professional out there. Make sure your shrink knows what he's talking about.
God bless you, Doc. Qapla!
