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Thinking about giving up (rythm issues)

#41
beyondthe48 said:
you either have rhythm or you don't. theres no way to learn to feel the beat.
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I respectfully disagre. There is music in everyone. It's just a question of how to find it and bring it out.

When I started (and I self-taught for my first 2 years as a musician) my mother told me I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.

Now I arrange harmonies in my head.
 
#44
Etienned said:
I'm maybe looking for tips or encouragement, but I also wish to vent a bit.

I've been taking private lessons (for 2 years), read alot here, practice at least 5 times a week (1 hour and more), got a metronome, drum machine software, books filled with timing exercises... and yet I still feel like I cannot hold rythm like a bassist should.

I'm struggling to either count or ''feel'' the rythm. Even simple 3/4 (such as https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yzj8U_TSBzg&feature=related) are bringing me to the border of despair. And I don't even want to talk about 16th or 12/8 (which ends up sounding like a sloppy and inconsistent swing). I practice at 60bpm and up, but listening to a recording of myself is saddening.

Lessons are costly and I'm wondering if I'm simply wasting my time and money by continuing since I'm probably rythmically (sp?) challenged (aka tempo-handicaped).

Anyone been there ?
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You need to get in a band and play music with people. Playing with yourself is limiting.
 
#47
Couple ideas... Recently I've tried to loose myself in the music whenever I'm practicing (both alone and with my band). It's sometimes not easy, especially for someone who is still not that advanced to play almost automatically or by instinct. I've found very, very useful to take a simple song (by simple I mean simple chord progression with a relatively low tempo and playing mostly root notes) and play it once as I normally would, then play it again with my eyes closed almost all the time. I also try to pick a catchy tune where rhythm is the key ingredient. I find myself rocking and feeling the song more often when I have my eyes closed. Not that you should do it all the time, but sometimes is good to just "feel" the rhythm.

On the other hand, you might be trying to become too precise and (I dare to say) a bit mechanical in your playing. My personal approach is to try to give the rhythm of a song my own touch, and that often means to just loose yourself in the song and come up with a rhythm that makes you move in unison, but that also serves the song. For that, don't mind complex fretboard work and pick simple but catchy tunes, and even dance or rock your body to it (or the head at least). Believe it or not, this might make your playing much more fun and thus, less stressful. Have you tried to be aware of your own body while your play? Perhaps too tense? How about the hands? Are you gripping the neck and fretting too hard, maybe? Just try to focus mostly on your hands, arms and shoulders. I've found in myself that those can easily build tension if I allow them to. Like Jack Black says: "Loosey goosey, baby". Oh, and try to make some dumb faces too, they are fun, they might make you laugh (and relieve stress) and you'll find that, soon enough, the faces are made at the right musical times too.

Hope this helps you too.
 
#49
Some one else in thi thread mentioned you might want to play with a band. I completely agree, especially with a drummer. I like to think i have pretty good timing, but i find playing a metronome very tedious and not that much fun. But playing with an actual drummer is such a better experience! I suspect it has something to do with the sound of the different drums (snare, bass drum, etc) combining to really allow you to feel the timing of the song.

I honestly dont count in my head anymore, I just listen to the drums and instinctively know where the tune is at based on what drum is being played. And because im not counting, i just play and its always alot of fun. So thats what i would suggest. Find a good drummer and just play along to his beat. You may very well find that you can keep a good rhythm just fine when playing with a drummer.
 
#50
Thrill-House said:
Some one else in thi thread mentioned you might want to play with a band. I completely agree, especially with a drummer. I like to think i have pretty good timing, but i find playing a metronome very tedious and not that much fun. But playing with an actual drummer is such a better experience! I suspect it has something to do with the sound of the different drums (snare, bass drum, etc) combining to really allow you to feel the timing of the song.

I honestly dont count in my head anymore, I just listen to the drums and instinctively know where the tune is at based on what drum is being played. And because im not counting, i just play and its always alot of fun. So thats what i would suggest. Find a good drummer and just play along to his beat. You may very well find that you can keep a good rhythm just fine when playing with a drummer.
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+1000 to that. I tried my first ever "drums and bass only" jam session today and it was awesome. But it was also informative of what both him (the drummer) and I still miss when locking together. And we both are willing to keep jamming on our own (aside of the band practice) to develop a mutual rhythmic understanding. Plus the guy is nice and is a good drummer. Maybe I'm just a lucky m-f'er.
 
#51
hey listen up.

dont you remember that you play bass because you ENJOY it?

this is what you need to do;

find a tune, in 4/4 with a piss easy bassline,and i mean easy, you could train a monkey to play this line,say a folk line. turn up the bass on your hi fi
and ENJOY playing this very easy line. if you stop worrying about your time,relax and ENJOY playing,then the groove will come and remind you that you love to play bass.

it really is that simple,trust me. you just need to forget about what you "should have learned by now" and all that ********,just ENJOY playing your bass and the time keeper awaits you.
 
#54
I want to second the suggestion to play with people. That's ultimately what it's all about, and you'll be surprised by how good you are.

Also, you'll start to see how the other players will also make mistakes, and aren't always perfect. You'll make mistakes, they'll make mistakes, but you'll learn how to roll with them, as opposed to getting hung up on every small thing.

It sounds like practicing by yourself the way that you are doing is keeping you from developing. That means it is time to shake things up, and I have found that the best way to do that is to play with different people.

Also, don't be embarrassed about CL. Most people on CL suck, and at least here in Chicago, competent bass players are rare, so you should soon find yourself picking between people to play with who all want to play with you.

And the most important thing, have fun!
 
#58
Don't give up, I had the same issue. In my case it was just an issue of trying to play more than what I was truly capable of playing. In other words, keep it simple.

Many times the issue has to do with technique, or lack there of. As someone said, find a simple tune learn it and play it to death.

But don't give up.
 
#60
beyondthe48 said:
you either have rhythm or you don't. theres no way to learn to feel the beat.
Click to expand...

I REALLY REALLY hate it when people say this....

There are probably alot of starting musicians that quit playing because somebody told them that "music/rhythm can't be learned, it should be a innate ability" myth.

Everyone has music in them, some just have to dig deeper than others, and everyone can learn rhythm.

People who say rhythm can't be learned probably spend years developing their rhythm sense and are now arrogant about it.
 

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