Feeling like its time to quit bass...

[totallyfrozen]

...then realized all of the "Berklee work" was keeping me from practicing (I did get "Dean's List" during my time there). So I dropped Berklee...

...and I did not drop Berklee out of that sort of motive. I was very fortunate to attend it, but I am not able to continue to pay for it after the two semesters I put in.

The idea to quit learning there was also not something I came up with. I presented my problems financially and time wise to a professor who helped me dramatically and through his coaching specifically I decided to follow the path of taking at least one semester off, with the intention to likely not go back...

is it just me or...?

 

[Machiavelli]

I spent all of high school playing bass. I didn't do exceptionally well academically because I was do so much music and everything surrounding it.

Youngsters....take note!

 

[Moley13]

playing with others is what inspires me most, and i also find it's what improves my playing the most.

gotta get playing with others, even if it isn't easy (at first).

+1, I get way better playing with others than practicing alone. Both are necessary, but playing with others (IMO) is way more time-efficient. Shift as much of your total time playing toward the "with others" as you can.

 

[Staredge]

Sell everything you own that won't fit in a cheap-@$$ POS car. Pack everything in it, and drive to Nashville. Live in the car. Find a crappy job somewhere, and save every penny you don't spend on food (get used to ramen noodles, although the Lipton packs are fairly cheap and satisfying. You don't need the milk and butter. Just use water). When you're not working or cooking, play. Carry a bass with you EVERYWHERE. Be that guy. Answer every Craigslist ad looking for a bass player, whether you like the genre or not. Make it happen for you.


Then remember, it may not turn out how you planned.......but it will turn out, good or bad. Don't be us old guys who DIDN'T do these things when we were young and are now too old with families to do it. Better to try and fail, and THEN get the crappy job than never to try and end up with the same crappy job.

 

[totallyfrozen]

I went through a highly regarded university music course here in Australia, and I can say I completely understand how you feel about it getting in the way of practice (in some ways). It's not about thinking nobody can teach us anything - quite the opposite! I got to work with some great, great musicians there, but I could never get right down to working on what they were giving me because it was time to go and hang with some other great musician! I did graduate, but I'm definitely going to need some serious time for it all to sink in, and to actually work through it all...

That's the story of EVERY college degree regardless of your major. ALL of them serve your education through a fire hose. You just grab what you can, meet the requirements to graduate, THEN learn the realities of what you were trying to study. Welcome to the real world, right? Every degree program is that way. Some of us had the added terror of having to take a licensing exam after being sped fed an education.

 

[Bluemoon4655]

First off, hopefully this is in the correct forum/thread if there is one for defeated rants.

Second, this will likely sound pathetic and rant-ish, so forgive me. I'm just feeling specifically low about my music/career path at the moment and could use some wisdom if someone in the forums would be kind enough to offer it.

Basically, I've invested everything I have into music. Time and money. I spent all of high school playing bass. I didn't do exceptionally well academically because I was do so much music and everything surrounding it. I played in orchestra, a couple of local bands, taught here and there, even played some musical theater gigs during senior year. I then moved from Atlanta to Boston to pursue Berklee College of Music, then realized all of the "Berklee work" was keeping me from practicing (I did get "Dean's List" during my time there). So I dropped Berklee, and am now studying exclusively under a mentor in Boston. I started practicing up to four hours a day (certainly not enough I'm sure, but for a start) and eat slept and breathed music. Yet here I am, feeling defeated to the point where I can't even pick up my bass anymore.

I've never gigged more than two or three times a year. I only had one good band, which kicked me out after a year because I was "just too good", and after a couple of years decided to just join a friend's terrible band so I'd have someone to at least play with. In three years I played about 4 or 5 non-high school related shows. That's about it up until this point.

At Berklee I only found one guitarist who I played with constantly, but he turned out to just be too flaky to deal with most of the time. I "jammed" with a few people and thought it went fantastically, but then I never heard back from anyone more than once. I'm very very humble, and I am typically extremely careful of over playing. I've even been told by a professional musician friend that I'm extremely personable and easy to deal with as a person. Its like I have every part of being a professional musician in the works, but yet nothing has come of it. I don't get any opportunities, and on the only time in probably a month and a half I've even had the chance to "jam", I just felt so awful about my playing and everything else that I didn't play well and got off on a typical blues, which I've been playing literally for 6 years now.

I've been practicing and playing more than ever in my life and yet I don't sound half as good as people who don't even practice regularly.

I signed up for an online music class while I'm home for the summer and have felt so horrible about the bass that I'm not even keeping up with that.

I have wanted to be a studio musician and gigging player in Nashville for as long as I can remember, and that's why I've done everything I've done. I wanted to play and teach and exist off of that. I moved to a new region of the country and even left college now to realize that dream. People around me in the same situations have all kinds of success and I have nothing.

I guess I feel like maybe being a musician isn't meant to be for me.

Hey dude, what I recommend is just chill. Take a little break, but dont give up bass. because someone is famous and in a band playing bass, doesnt mean they're good, they just got lucky and made it with a good group of guys. You sound to have plenty of talent.

As for your practicing. Practice for about 2 hours instead of four. I think i was watching Nathan East on a video, who said to not go over 3 hours.

You have to have a yin and a yang balance in your life. You have to much music going on, so no wonder your getting fed up with it. Take a little break (a week or 2) then come back to music with some other hobbies and other things to do. I know for a fact that Victor Wooten said travelling and experiencing the many aspects of life is what contributes to great musicianship.

Keep searching for a band in the meantime, or try assembling one. Try putting your best stuff up on YouTube, you never know who might stumble upon it...

good luck!

 

[totallyfrozen]

So, here's the stuff as it's reflected in my life. From where I sit, all the musicians I know are jaded. Anyone who plays professionally in my area knows the difficulty of scoring a decent paying gig, within a reasonable traveling distance. Most gigs are in tiny little restaurants where music was an afterthought, so you're playing in a booth, or corner of a room somewhere. So that's frustrating. Then, you spend hours honing your craft, only to find that your audience could give a crap less if you're any good. As long as they can get drunk and sing along to crappy cover tunes, they think you're the best band in the world, regardless if you have any talent whatsoever. You spend tons of money on gear, getting the best instruments and amps and strings and preamps and effects you can afford, but nobody cares if you play through a behringer or an ampeg. They always tell you you sound great, if you play that Skynard song they requested...

 

[Eric_71]

I went through a highly regarded university music course here in Australia, and I can say I completely understand how you feel about it getting in the way of practice (in some ways). It's not about thinking nobody can teach us anything - quite the opposite! I got to work with some great, great musicians there, but I could never get right down to working on what they were giving me because it was time to go and hang with some other great musician! I did graduate, but I'm definitely going to need some serious time for it all to sink in, and to actually work through it all.

I gig all the time. On Bass. Wanna know a secret..... My degree was in trumpet. I studied trumpet. Yep.

I had some really serious struggles in my later years on trumpet. It tore me down academically, and mentally too. I'm still working through it. Bass IS my "happy instrument". It's also the one which pays the bills. I easily do 10x more gigs on bass than trumpet. And I'm a way better trumpet player than bass player. Bass brings me nothing but joy. Why? Because it doesn't matter to me (/my ego) how "good" I am on it. I'm a "trumpet player"! While you might think I was a bass player looking over my finances, I don't tie my personal worth to my bass skill. Now, attaching your personal worth to your skill in any field is really unhealthy, but that can be harder to undo.

My advice? Play keyboard. Or guitar (boo, hiss). Jam. JOIN A BAND ON GUITAR. Wouldn't that be a laugh! Who's "too good" now!
I think you'll quickly realise how much you love playing. But something's wrong... you still love bass more!
By this point, though, you'll have networked more, put your head back in the right place, and found some supportive musical mates.

Additionally, there's an amazing book called Effortless Mastery which addresses a lot of the powerful negative emotions we can fall prey to as musicians. It sounds perfect for your situation. It was recommended to me by several friends, and at first I was skeptical (it reads a little too much like a self-help book at the start, but read on, it's worth it), but it really did address a lot of things I was feeling/thinking.

Shoot me a PM if you need any details.

I don't need to read any more of the thread -- this guy has it down. Exactly my thoughts.

I really do think you care too much about the bass. As counter-intuitive as it seems, I think you should set it down and pick up another instrument that you can play with some emotional detachment. It's the best way to reconnect you with music and to use the skills and knowledge you've acquired. I'm the same way as Moley13, just with a different instrument and with no official or academic qualifications. But I understand the concept.

Best of luck with everything though. I really do hope you stick with music and find something you don't have any ego with. It's a weird dynamic involved with music and instruments. I think that idea of identity and ego is present in the rest of life, but music is like a crucible for those emotions.

 

[savinggrace]

Sell everything you own that won't fit in a cheap-@$$ POS car. Pack everything in it, and drive to Nashville. Live in the car. Find a crappy job somewhere, and save every penny you don't spend on food (get used to ramen noodles, although the Lipton packs are fairly cheap and satisfying. You don't need the milk and butter. Just use water). When you're not working or cooking, play. Carry a bass with you EVERYWHERE. Be that guy. Answer every Craigslist ad looking for a bass player, whether you like the genre or not. Make it happen for you.


Then remember, it may not turn out how you planned.......but it will turn out, good or bad. Don't be us old guys who DIDN'T do these things when we were young and are now too old with families to do it. Better to try and fail, and THEN get the crappy job than never to try and end up with the same crappy job.

You might not have to go to such extremes, but willing to do so is key. Staredge's general overall message is golden.

It is funny but I spent many years trying to find the perfect band situation, and when I finally realized that even though it might be more difficult or not ideal, I just needed to work with what I had in front of me so I could make SOME sort of progress. I couldn't find a vocalist to do what I envisioned so I started to do vocals and play bass. However, I REALLY despise doing both at the same time and now have the keyboardist handles some of the bass parts and another person in the band picks up the bass on other songs. Sometimes there simply is no bass at all. I still play bass for probably 50% of the material (sometimes just sections of songs, sometimes whole songs and sometimes not at all in other songs). The point is, do not have what you lack to be be the reason you stop. Be a two piece Motown band (even if it has to be instrumental). Play shows solo. Why not? Work with what you can or have available. Once you do and play out with, lets say only you and a drummer, or you and a guitarist, or just by yourself, then other people will find you and approach you. Use the seemingly limitations of flack of other instruments to your advantage. Just start doing it and it will become easier.

But I digress, I think those that have mentioned that you follow your true desire (as in - GO TO NASHVILLE!) are dead on. As Staredge mentioned, things might not work out as planned, but at least you won't regret it later on when you THINK it is too late ( or due to other life commitments, it really IS too late).

 

[bass81800]

Practicing four hours a day, or even 10 minutes a day, without the prospect of gigs, or at least playing music with others is depressing to me. I went through a recent funk, and had just finished some non-music projects, and I realized I had to do something to get myself out there and playing. I signed up to be part of the house band for a jam; did a gig, even though it was not the perfect situation; by doing this gig, someone else thought of me, and asked me to join their group that plays out twice monthly; and then I was inspired to call up a guitarist I barely know to come over the jam bass & guitar duo. Then my other band started rehearing twice a month. Really, my passion just reignites when I am doing gigs or at least interacting with others. I just think you may feel better getting out of the shed and at least going out to some jam sessions.

 

[REMBO]

I don't usually talk on here about anything BUT bass.....but, now is the time!! I am a Prison Guard in a maximum security prison....nothing hurts more than to see a man stare back at me that has all the talent in the world...but can no longer use it. there are many artists and musicians locked up with far more talent than i will ever have!! and, they will never see the street again!! they are gonna die in prison! and, if they only HAD a chance they'd give anything to gig 5 nights a week at a local dive to be free! .....so, play your bass with passion....have FUN....dream BIG...and don't take it too seriously!! BUT, NEVER QUIT!!!

 

[NOVAX]

Nashville session bassist? Don't David Hungate, Mike Brignadello and Roy Vogt have all those gigs sewn up? Seriously do you plan on crushing LeBron James in a game of one on one? Or leaving Michael Phelps in your wake in a swim race? Set those sights a little lower. You can always quit music- Only question is will the music quit you? Good Luck and Peace. -Novax

 

[Fluid Power]

Welcome to the club!
1) You moved out of your enviroment (Atlanta to Boston) Big Change!
2) You need to walk away and do something else for a while, called take a brake and recharge!
3) Stop all the damn learning and lesson stuff and go an play with people and in front of people. It will make you feel better. Should help you gain more confidence.
4) Pick out music YOU like and find someone else who does as well and learn it and play it (best to do what you like best)
5) Everyone gets down go back to #2, 3 and 4
Then check back often to TalkBass and read what others are doing as well, called a fresh perspective.
Last Good Luck!
Now get out there and DO IT.
Jam On!

 

[Robus]

You are practicing four hours a day, not gigging at all, worried that you are not practicing enough, thinking about taking an online course?

It sounds to me like you have some OCD going on there bro. Practicing music has become a substitute for playing it.

In all likelihood you are good enough to be gigging. Find a way to make that happen. Play out as often as possible with as many different people as possible. That will build your self confidence and get you out of the box you're stuck in.

 

[Fluid Power]

I thought a bit about it some more and do believe you need that degree. It will change everything for you. Maybe not today but later it will, don't quit it. After the 5 step program listed above is underway, go back to school and finish!
Now Jam!

 

[Jason Hollar]

I'm not sure taking a break is the answer. I think you need to get a gig - or several of them. You need a place to grow and develop as a player - and to put all that practice time to good use.

 

[HolmeBass]

Sure it can. His life's not over yet so as far as we can tell, he's been feeling like giving it up for about an hour now.

Wow, are you psychic or something to know the OP has only been thinking of giving it up for an hour? You really are super-duper amazing and helpful, especially with all that warm support you offered the OP in your original post. You really are special!

 

[totallyfrozen]

Wow, are you psychic or something to know the OP has only been thinking of giving it up for an hour? You really are super-duper amazing and helpful, especially with all that warm support you offered the OP in your original post. You really are special!

Psychic? No.
But I can read and I simply checked the date/time stamp of his post against the clock on the wall. It's pretty simple stuff...if you know how to read and tell time.

Don't know how much "warm support" I offered but I didn't suggest he has psych issues or depression. Don't see how suggesting that to a discouraged person is warm or supportive either.


Sent from my iPhone 5c using TalkBass mobile app

 

[ShredderMaximus]

I think very little of being a profesional musician is actual musician is musicianship.

Also, I'm guessing that you're into country music and whatnot, is Boston really the right scene for that?

 

[zontar]

One thing about this thread I need to comment on is that apparent connection some posts make between giving up aspirations of a music career ad giving up playing an instrument
If a musical career is not in the cards, you can still play for fun.

I've moved on from having a musical career, but I still play guitar & bass, till take the time to learn new things, etc.
Sometimes I play with others as well.

And I am having more fun with it than ever.

I can't imagine not playing guitar & bass, although it is highly unlikely I'll wind up making my living playing them.