Musicians Block

[quale213]

Hey Guys,
I have started my solo playing around town recently (last 6 months) and have received super positive response so far. The problem is, that I have run out of material!!! I only play 4 string, and use no effects or loops, and people love the fact that there is such a full sound with only 4 strings.
My question is, what do you do when "you hit the wall", and become stuck on writing music. I have like 4 different "works in progress" and seem stuck on all of them.
Pretty much just curious how you both, and anuone else for that matter, overcome dreaded musicians block (or maybe you have never had it, which is why your are pros)

Thanks for the listen

 

[SmittyG]

I'm just now getting into the solo thing and I play a standard jazz bass. I've toyed with six strings and even tried a fiver loaded with a high-C, but I just didn't have the comfort factor I have with my trusty four-banger. I am also toying with the idea of getting into the effects/looping game (I have a Zoom B2.1u that I never use) to add more flavors to my performances. However, in the end, I just really like my basic, clean sound. Of course, my first gig with this material is a few weeks off so I have yet to find if my audience will agree with my assessment.

As for the musician block thing: It helps me to keep things going in a lot of directions at once. I'll work on compositions that are not finished; I'll just noodle around on random stuff to see what happens; I'll try some strange Indian scale studies to see if something jumps out at me; and, finally, I listen to a lot of very, very different music. Eventually, the block crumbles and I get on with making music.

 

[derrenleepoole]

I would say but the bass down and go for a walk... seriously, get out there and see what other people are doing creatively. You'll find inspiration in the most unlikely of places, some of it not even music related, when you least expect it. You'll be surprised at how invigorated you can get from the most unlikely of sources. Speech patterns on the street, rhythm in urban machinery etc, conceptual ideas in art and other fields of thought.

 

[quale213]

Thanks for the advice, I actually got throught the block thankfully. I just tried to take a step back, stop listening to it asking "where should this be going" and relaxed.
Thanks again for the advice