Maybe instead of selling it all, just pack everything up and put it out of sight for a few weeks. Put it in your mind that the gear isn't there anymore and see what happens
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Can a new/different bass re-ignite the "passion?"
- Thread starter FishDub
- Start date
I am in tune with how I want stuff.
Cars, guns, musical gear, a global public facing application stack.
When things don't work the way they should, I fix them then beat on them....I mean load test.
Something as simple as ripping out an MEC preamp while discussing building info bots to smooth out my buddy's workflow gets the ol juices flowing.
Cars, guns, musical gear, a global public facing application stack.
When things don't work the way they should, I fix them then beat on them....I mean load test.
Something as simple as ripping out an MEC preamp while discussing building info bots to smooth out my buddy's workflow gets the ol juices flowing.
Ive been playing a long time..since i was 13 and im much older now (51)..i sold everything off twice and just quit playing for 2 years each time,,if you need a break from it take one,it wont kill you and it can reignite why you started playing in the first place..4 years of breaks out of 38 is still a lot of playing time.
I immediately responded by saying yes because i finally reached a point in my life recently where I was able to acquire the basses and gear I have been wanting for a long time. I thought about how much it reinvigorated my desire to play with my band and also go out and start up a new band, a classic three piece that I have been wanting to do for a long time.
But i thought about it and I want to modify my answer. It isn't just getting a new bass and having that new bass smell that reinvigorated my passion for bass. It was getting the RIGHT bass(es). (And rig).
Having the equipment that you need makes bass playing so much fun. Being able to hear yourself just how you want to sound and being able to sit in a mix just how you want to and having that bass that sounds, looks, and plays just right is what reinvigorated me, not just having a new thing. Trust me, all those years (20) of playing the same bass and barely adequate combo amp, I had plenty of time to daydream about the perfect gear. It's not just having new stuff, in fact I can't wait for that newness to fade. It's having the RIGHT gear that reinvigorated my passion for playing bass.
But i thought about it and I want to modify my answer. It isn't just getting a new bass and having that new bass smell that reinvigorated my passion for bass. It was getting the RIGHT bass(es). (And rig).
Having the equipment that you need makes bass playing so much fun. Being able to hear yourself just how you want to sound and being able to sit in a mix just how you want to and having that bass that sounds, looks, and plays just right is what reinvigorated me, not just having a new thing. Trust me, all those years (20) of playing the same bass and barely adequate combo amp, I had plenty of time to daydream about the perfect gear. It's not just having new stuff, in fact I can't wait for that newness to fade. It's having the RIGHT gear that reinvigorated my passion for playing bass.
Life informs music. Try your hand a another interest for a minute. As you become inspired by your new interest, that inspiration will help inform/spark new passion for your music.
Spot on. Find something that excites you, challenges you, & rewards you musically.
Yep. It'd be foolish to sell everything and starting again if you've got the RIGHT gear.
Loss of interest does not involve a new toy, especially if you are getting the sound and feel you like from your current ones.
Lack of interest for me usually comes from outside interests and you can either just take a break for a while or challenge yourself by learning something or technique on the bass. That will usually refuel my interest. My biggest issue is time.
There isn't anything wrong with taking a break for a while. I've been there. Honestly, I've just started a new day job, so the only time I'm getting to play is on the weekends doing gigs. Once my life gets settled back in, I will get into practicing again. It's all good
Lack of interest for me usually comes from outside interests and you can either just take a break for a while or challenge yourself by learning something or technique on the bass. That will usually refuel my interest. My biggest issue is time.
There isn't anything wrong with taking a break for a while. I've been there. Honestly, I've just started a new day job, so the only time I'm getting to play is on the weekends doing gigs. Once my life gets settled back in, I will get into practicing again. It's all good
Just changing things up a little can do a lot, but it doesn't have to be expensive. New strings, setup changes, maybe pickup changes... or, get a cheap project bass and experiment with it. I find lots of joy this way...has nothing to do with music per se, but it's bass related. I'm just tinkering and exploring new sounds, and I find it fun.
Another inexpensive (or less expensive) way to add some seasoning are effects pedals. Again, totally new sounds, and countless combinations.
Slightly more expensive, but really just on par with a new bass, is a new instrument altogether. Guitar, keyboards, drums, whatever...
The thing is, such things can inspire you musically. While typically I say get the tools you need for the vision you have, I know sometimes you get new visions by messing around with different toys
and if not, it's been a fun journey!
Another inexpensive (or less expensive) way to add some seasoning are effects pedals. Again, totally new sounds, and countless combinations.
Slightly more expensive, but really just on par with a new bass, is a new instrument altogether. Guitar, keyboards, drums, whatever...
The thing is, such things can inspire you musically. While typically I say get the tools you need for the vision you have, I know sometimes you get new visions by messing around with different toys
and if not, it's been a fun journey!I have had periods where I had everything I wanted, and the itch just left for a while. After my initial round of Puritan guilt for not playing, I decided, hey, I just ain't feeling it right now. And that's fine. I developed other interests, got out, saw new things that had nothing to do with music, and it felt great. And eventually I came back, and was better as I now looked at old problems differently, and was easier on myself for not grasping them earlier. The really screwy thing was that really tricky technical tunes I'd had all kinds of trouble getting my hands around, after the break, they just fell into place unconsciously. Nuts !
Maybe you need new songs to learn? New music to enjoy? Do you lose patience with the time it takes to learn a song? Do you Rocksmith?
This is what I wish I had done last year, instead of selling it ALL.
Unveiling some of those items again after a few months would have been like getting new stuff.
Michael Schreiber
Commercial User
It might be your too much into it; my advice: Stop thinking about it, and stop being a bass player for two weeks; go for a walk into nature; makes you relaxed, gives you new energy, and drive. That helps me - and I do need that from time to time.
Good luck and don't fret it too much - have fun! \m/
...it can, although I'm not sure that's the healthiest habit(or the cheapest. With a full time job, kids, etc, this has happened to me often over the years. Here are a few tips I've learned, and likely already mentioned.
. With a full time job, kids, etc, this has happened to me often over the years. Here are a few tips I've learned, and likely already mentioned.- Listen to new music, outside your usual comfort zone. Jazz, neo-soul, older rock, anything. (Check out The New Mastersounds)
- Playing with other musicians in a live setting. Find an open stage night, jam session, etc.
- Simply take a break, go do something else, read, check out nature.
- Read "The Music Lesson" by Victor Wooten. It fairly insightful and has an inspiring message.
I should clarify to everyone that I do not play in a gig or with a band and haven't in years--too many kids activities. Diet, exercise all in check so maybe I will have some fun with shopping..
I like the response...and it wouldn't cost anything should I shop around because 3 basses would be sold to fund..
Maybe need to learn some new material, but I also fool around with my Flamenco guitar which seems to stare at me lately lol
