Discouraged....

[Trailight]

Just got back from a jam with a band that contacted me to see if I can be a good fit. I totally feel that my membership at the crappy bassists with expensive gear club is well deserved!!

The scenario:
Me: average bassist at best, self taught, no scales, no notes nothing but ear. Some say I've got "the chops". I write my own music and play everything, Bass / Guitar and Drums. Moody rock, groove, good ambiance type of thing.
My thought about music is that a musician should learn to play anything and get as much experience as possible in playing different styles so, I decided to give this one a shot!
The Band: Technical metal. Crazy riffs, really tight stuff, all grand musicians.
I feel that my ability was WAY over estimated on that one, (I was referred to them through a friend) I left feeling pretty discouraged overall, like my time that I've spent practicing and writing my stuff is worth crap. .

It almost feels like I should pull out a lesson book or DVD and start chopping away at it bit by bit, but my ADD won't keep me focused for more than 3.5 seconds on something like learning scales....dang.

Anyway........Kinda bummed out.

 

[spaz21387]

dont give up you will find a band that fits your playing style eventually.

 

[ShredderMaximus]

Have you played much metal beforehand?

 

[Depth_Charge]

It almost feels like I should pull out a lesson book or DVD and start chopping away at it bit by bit, but my ADD won't keep me focused for more than 3.5 seconds on something like learning scales....dang.

Yeah its always a bummer when there is a huge skill gap during auditions.

Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to write this post?

 

[JEDI BASS]

Not everybody likes that kinda metal.... like ME for instance.

Keep playing and learning.

 

[warwick.hoy]

That doesn't mean there isn't something out there. Just gotta find a

Moody rock, groove, good ambiance

band.

 

[T-Bird]

Hi.

We all have different goals and ambitions, and a reality check like yours is often a painful reminder that we might not be as good as we thought we were.

Those painful reminders won't get any less painful in the future if You care about what you're doing. Think of them as a kick in the butt to become better.

Regards
Sam

 

[::::BASSIST::::]

Just keep practicing bro. If your ADD gets in the way perhaps now is the time to get serious about getting it under control and focus on bass. I am a teacher and I work with kids with learning and behaviour differences (un-pc disabilities). The kids on medication who have ADD do MUCH better. When they dont take their "chill pill" its glaringly obvious and they have a rough day as a result. Medication isnt the only answer though. Diet and regular exercise can help a great deal.

The most important thing is to keep your chin up and self-confidence high. Practice bass at least an hour a day, everyday and you will see an increase in your ability. I guarantee it!

 

[Deleted member 92857]

Which bassist is best for metal? Not me.

Before you get too depressed, they didn't show up one day out of the blue and play those licks cold either. I'm not making reasons not to practice though, it never hurts to practice and learn more.

 

[Trailight]

A big thanks to everyone!!! And every post here is bang on.
It was indeed a kick in the ass and it also told me that as much as I want to learn how to play everything, not everything is my style.

Feeling better Back to it now!

 

[Trailight]

Out of curiosity, how long did it take you to write this post?

That almost made me choke on my breakfast from laughter! Well done sir

 

[rayzak]

I can totally relate. I've been playing for just over 10 years now and have recently pulled out some old lessons material out. I tinker way too much. Time to get serious again.

My son has ADD. I often wonder if I do too and it's just gone undiagnosed. I have concentration issues myself. Just ask my wife... *yawn*. Seriously though.

 

[Trailight]

ADD coupled with Dyscalculia which I didn't mention, doesn't make a good combo!
Trying to learn anything with notes / time signatures...OH BOY!

Dyscalculia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But hey, I enjoy playing music the way that I do and am capable of. Thanks again for the good words!

A good friend of mine told me: "The number one rule in music is: There are no rules!"

 

[HeadyVan Halen]

You are lucky. Blast beats are scientifically proven to kill IQ points.

And yes, they're are some rules to music, but you can only break'em when you know'em.

 

[B String]

There is no substitute for knowledge. Sitting on the edge of your bed and playing licks all day is like eating every meal at Burger King. It will fill you up with nothing.

I've had students come to me who had been playing for 20 years and couldn't understand why their band was going to fire them. It was obvious after 1 minute of hearing them play.

Don't be discouraged. Find a "good" teacher who's a good musician. He can teach you bass AND music theory. You can apply that same music theory to any instrument, and you can start writing music as well.

The more you understand, the more you can enjoy.

 

[Lazarus.Bird]

Are you a big fan of tech death metal? Have you been playing it much? A lot of dedication goes into being able to play that stuff. I used to play in a pretty highly technical band, but since I've joined a stoner rock/doom band that focuses more on groove, I know I would really suffer trying to go back and play some of those technical songs because I haven't worked on keeping up my extreme chops. If it's something you want to play, then work for it. If not, don't expect to just be able to play it