I think sometimes you just need to stop

[Geepers]

I play bass for hours a day, pretty much every day. I’ve decided I need to stop for a week. And on day one of that week (today) it’s pretty disturbing. I feel lost. It’s a similar feeling to when I quit smoking. I feel “naked”. This strong reaction convinces me all the more that this is something I need to do. Put the instrument down and just re-evaluate everything. Why really do I play? What really am I wanting to achieve? Are the groups I play with really where I want to be? Where do I want to be a few years from now? Am I sure the sacrifice is worth it or will I in fact regret it? What am I missing out on in life due to the time I put into music? That last one alone is a biggie. Hmm. Maybe my week off needs to become two …

 

[Killing Floor]

Yup. That’s why athletes plateau and peak and take advantage of off seasons. You can’t get better every day unless you can reset once in a while.

 

[red_rhino]

There's really no need to overthink it. Play when you want to, don't play when you don't want to. Playing an instrument should be a joy, not a grind. If your focus on playing is getting in the way of life's other aspects, go focus on those things for a while. Musical inspiration does not come from playing an instrument; it comes for your life experiences.

 

[DrBnz]

Taking a break is great. But you can't stop playing without having something else to occupy that timeframe. Besides sitting there thinking about playing. Go do things you've been putting off or don't like to do. Like go visit family... hahahaha.... But you need to fill that timeframe that you just voided. Hopefully you'll find something constructive to do.

 

[Clark W]

I play bass for hours a day, pretty much every day. I’ve decided I need to stop for a week. And on day one of that week (today) it’s pretty disturbing. I feel lost. It’s a similar feeling to when I quit smoking. I feel “naked”. This strong reaction convinces me all the more that this is something I need to do. Put the instrument down and just re-evaluate everything. Why really do I play? What really am I wanting to achieve? Are the groups I play with really where I want to be? Where do I want to be a few years from now? Am I sure the sacrifice is worth it or will I in fact regret it? What am I missing out on in life due to the time I put into music? That last one alone is a biggie. Hmm. Maybe my week off needs to become two …

You can't base your progression on the projects you are involved in. Example: a cover band that does mostly 70s rock. What do you do once you have that covered? Keep playing 70s rock and leave it at that? I look for something new to challenge me almost every day of the week. I learn it regardless of if I think I'll actually use it. Cause even if I don't use it, chances are it still makes me a better player.

 

[MrAB4003]

You can't base your progression on the projects you are involved in. Example: a cover band that does mostly 70s rock. What do you do once you have that covered? Keep playing 70s rock and leave it at that? I look for something new to challenge me almost every day of the week. I learn it regardless of if I think I'll actually use it. Cause even if I don't use it, chances are it still makes me a better player.

This is really good advice! For example, I'm making another heavy metal record, so it would make sense for me to practice metal songs. But I don't only practice metal because there are so many influences from other genres of music. That applies to all genres, not just metal.

I play bass for hours a day, pretty much every day. I’ve decided I need to stop for a week. And on day one of that week (today) it’s pretty disturbing. I feel lost. It’s a similar feeling to when I quit smoking. I feel “naked”. This strong reaction convinces me all the more that this is something I need to do. Put the instrument down and just re-evaluate everything. Why really do I play? What really am I wanting to achieve? Are the groups I play with really where I want to be? Where do I want to be a few years from now? Am I sure the sacrifice is worth it or will I in fact regret it? What am I missing out on in life due to the time I put into music? That last one alone is a biggie. Hmm. Maybe my week off needs to become two …

I agree that you need to take some time off to rest and reflect. That's very important for balance in life. You'll feel better mentally, especially if there's some bass line, hook, or part in practice that you're obsessing over and can't quite seem to nail. Resting will calm your mind down and you'll get that part once you start playing again.

I'm also a swimmer when I'm not playing bass. I took a rest from swimming for about 2 weeks because of various life issues. When I got in the water this morning, I broke a personal record on my first set! Sometimes life is just like that.

Yup. That’s why athletes plateau and peak and take advantage of off seasons. You can’t get better every day unless you can reset once in a while.

This is also really good advice. Proper rest is just as important as proper practice. We're bassists, so our hands, shoulders, backs, and arms are bound to start hurting. This is doubly true for those of us who have health issues (a common, but very valid complaint here on TB).

 

[Pyrrho Epoche]

I take a week off from the gym twice a year. If I don't go about everyday, I feel like garbage. Even if I don't go, I still walk and stretch out.

Wait til you get old and your knees hurt too bad to stand and play bass, because you stood too long the day before.

Play as much as you can while you are young. It goes by quickly.

 

[Lance Bunyon]

Keep singing the notes. When you pick the bass back up there will be new notes and patterns to supplement the old ones.

 

[RattleSnack]

When summer comes and it's time for vacation, I never take bass guitar with me, even if it's prolonged stay away.
I always liked the reset it brings. My focus on technique and equipment diminishes, but focus on music and ideas enhances.
I feel a bit more mature as a musician after those brakes every time...

 

[Clark W]

Yup. That’s why athletes plateau and peak and take advantage of off seasons. You can’t get better every day unless you can reset once in a while.

Reset? What is that?

I wish I could reset, especially from my job. Heck, playing bass is my reset.

Now that I think about it, I'm going to take the day off. We're slow at work waiting on parts anyway. We already bumped our start time back an hour.

Time to reset my butt back to bed

 

[Ritter667]

How about not brushing your teeth for a week?

You really learn how to appreciate fresh breath that way...

And you think of stuff like what am I missing out on all that time I use to brush my teeth, it adds up to quite a bit through a whole life.
And really who need teeth?
You can get some perfectly functioning prosthetics these days.

I tell you music.... and teeth.... are The Devil's work!

And all that time completely wasted on learning new skills and stuff, or communicating with people for that sake, or just about everything, really, when we are all ultimately are just going to die anyway!

 

[Polfuste]

Music is a healer. I need my hour/day to feel good, whatever form it takes. The more often is bass, but sometimes i'm working on band tunes, sometimes i compose things, or transcribe things, working on reading skill i try to develop, etc.. Sometimes it's acoustic guitar and singing. Sometimes it's reading a book about music. (these days i've started a book about Mozart life, and it's very interesting) ..
Perhaps you need to explore other musical territories ?

 

[H K]

I also do powerlifting, and one very very important concept in PL is to yes, follow the progression, but also take out atleast like, a weekend a month with no lifts. This isnt to allow the muscles to recover, but the brain. In that way it's very similar to playing bass, it's mostly muscle memory and neural pathways.

That being said, have you ever had trouble with addiction? This sounds pretty textbook to me. I have a personality who gets easily addicted aswell, and I'll pick up a hobby and dive into it with every fiber of my being. Then a few months later I'll abruptly lose interest, and find myself in your position, not remembering how I used to spend my time and bored AF.

Everything in life is about balance. Practice is good, but if you practice until your fingers bleed, you wont be able to play again the next day.
If you play a few hours a day, you enjoy it, and youre progressing, thats fine. If you play a few hours a day and suffer through it, feeling unmotivated and stalled in your progression, it might be time for a mental change of scenery..

Do what you feel is right for you buddy, best of luck

 

[Killing Floor]

This is really good advice! For example, I'm making another heavy metal record, so it would make sense for me to practice metal songs. But I don't only practice metal because there are so many influences from other genres of music. That applies to all genres, not just metal.


I agree that you need to take some time off to rest and reflect. That's very important for balance in life. You'll feel better mentally, especially if there's some bass line, hook, or part in practice that you're obsessing over and can't quite seem to nail. Resting will calm your mind down and you'll get that part once you start playing again.

I'm also a swimmer when I'm not playing bass. I took a rest from swimming for about 2 weeks because of various life issues. When I got in the water this morning, I broke a personal record on my first set! Sometimes life is just like that.


This is also really good advice. Proper rest is just as important as proper practice. We're bassists, so our hands, shoulders, backs, and arms are bound to start hurting. This is doubly true for those of us who have health issues (a common, but very valid complaint here on TB).

It’s not just physical. Your brain that controls all those fingery digits also plateaus. There is a point at which you will no longer improve even if you work harder. Best to ease off a while. And when you return in a week or so you’ll be ready to start from your previous base and elevate. Mental reset.

 

[mambo4]

Neural pathways reinforce during sleep.
We don't just learn by doing
we learn by doing, then resting

 

[brstma]

If you enjoy it, do it. Don’t need to justify that!

 

[Nev375]

Weird that you feel naked by not playing. I have to take off my clothes to get that sensation.

 

[KevInDaBassment]

After my 20s, I learned to just roll with something if it makes me happy...as long as it isn't hurting someone else, obviously.

Should watching Ocean's 11 after a crappy work day make me as happy as it does? How about the specific combination of Red Baron french bread pizza and Arizona Fruit Punch putting me in a good mood? Who cares? (well, maybe my liver does on that last one).

Healthy habits aren't bad, but if you feel like you can't function if unable to engage in said activity...that could be a problem. I saw this a lot with people obsessed with exercise/fitness at a previous job, where they'd have a nervous breakdown if unable to exercise that day.

As far as what's a good use of time, nobody can answer that but you. I do think about the money and time spent on bands, rehearsal, and "making it" sometimes. At the time, I was happy doing it, so IMO it was money/time well spent

 

[Bass4ThePublic]

Sometimes I take a break from music/life to go visit family and stuff. Nothing more than a week, but I find when I get back to playing bass I absolutely play better than where I feel I left off. It’s a cool feeling.

 

[MrAB4003]

It’s not just physical. Your brain that controls all those fingery digits also plateaus. There is a point at which you will no longer improve even if you work harder. Best to ease off a while. And when you return in a week or so you’ll be ready to start from your previous base and elevate. Mental reset.

You're absolutely right! The mental side of it is just as important as the physical side.