When practice goes wrong...

[Accurmi]

Hi all,

This is something with which every musician ever can relate (I would hope). When practice goes wrong! I've had a few days in a row now where I finish up a practice session feeling less than satisfied, shall we say (that's putting it lightly). Lots of simple mistakes made over and over, struggling with bass lines I've known backwards and forwards for awhile, missing the string when I go to pop, etc.

I'm curious how other bassists handle this. What do you do when you are in a slump?

 

[saabfender]

I woodshed the songs that are giving me problems. My flubs come from not knowing the material well enough. Always.

 

[lowphatbass]

It's either a slump or there's more to the story. I'd tweak something.

 

[BurnOut]

I'll tell you my non bass, voice story.
Over 1 year ago I started taking voice lessons with a professional opera/theater teacher. At first I was rough, learning how to sing properly. After a month or so seemed to be getting good at it. Kept improving, could sing things I never imagined singing. Then almost a year into it, the simplest scales were kicking my butt. The fancy stuff was going great, simple warm up scales became a difficult chore. I didn't understand what was happening, still don't fully understand. I seem to do way better when I don't think/over think it. I would worry about the note, if I was hitting it correctly, the next higher round coming up.
When I just come in and do it, I'm ok, if I start picking it apart, thinking about it to much, it goes bad.
Just relax, and do what you know how to do and it will flow.

 

[fearceol]

Just relax, and do what you know how to do and it will flow.

+1 to the above.

We all get these slumps from time to time. Worrying about, and analysing them is counter productive. I would suggest either taking a break from practicing (perhaps a few days to a week) or just practice for small amounts (fifteen minutes) at a time. If you feel frustration setting in, cease the practice, do something else, and come back to it. In time the slump will pass.

 

[biguglyman]

Sometimes a good nights sleep helps. I've had that happen to me. I'll sit there and struggle trying to learn a part. I finally give up and go to bed. The next day, it seems easier. I think the act of sleeping lets the subconscious part of your brain work on it and when you go back, you do better.

 

[Old Blastard]

I sometimes switch to guitar or cello for a few days, keeping my hands and ears and mind working but in a different mode. Other times it's a day or two off.

 

[BassChuck]

Slumps happen. Take a little break from the music that's kicking your butt and play something different. If you can read music, download some pdf's of cello, trombone, or bassoon music. If you're an ear-only player, do songs from TV commercials, or kids songs or anything else. Mix up some styles (how would Billie Holiday sing the 'Jeopardy' theme song?)
Sometimes time off works as well as anything else.

 

[JRA]

What do you do when you are in a slump?

i take to the bottle and bawl.





it happens. two steps forward, one back = progress! good luck understanding your learning curve!

 

[mambo4]

Some times you practice and things just go badly.
Just do what needs to be done regardless,
buckle down, slog though the exercises, and execute the material.

It is practice for times when you gig and things go badly.

 

[RustyAxe]

I'm curious how other bassists handle this. What do you do when you are in a slump?

I don't really just practice much anymore (plenty of playing time with several gigging projects), but when I'm having a hard time (usually just a brain fart) I just walk away. For a few hours, or even days. There's more to life than music.

 

[SteveC]

Take a break. Best advice. Come back to it later.

 

[StyleOverShow]

It's all relative right? Some days you can't do wrong....other days are more complicated.

The harder ones are performances that went south without explanation, the mojo just left the room

 

[lz4005]

Lots of simple mistakes made over and over, struggling with bass lines I've known backwards and forwards for awhile, missing the string when I go to pop, etc.

I'm curious how other bassists handle this. What do you do when you are in a slump?

If you've known them backwards and forwards for a while, why are you still practicing them? Sounds like you need to be playing more challenging, or at least different, material to keep on your toes.

 

[pacojas]

most of my slumps happen when i switch to basses with different strings spacings, ugh!!

 

[bolophonic]

In a situation like that, I usually lighten up a little and spend a some time jamming out on something else. Maybe put on a CD and challenge myself to learn a new song.

 

[Runlikegregg]

Maybe you're overplaying?
sometimes you need to just take a break for a few days.
If you're messing up songs you know really well, it's probably that you aren't concentrating.

 

[Joe Nerve]

Any time I make mistakes, I go over the mistake and silently affirm that THAT mistake will never happen again. It works. For me, anyhow.

 

[mrcbass]

I'm in the take a break camp. Some days your just not into it. That's OK.

Depending on how much I'm not into it, I might just put stuff down and come back tomorrow; other times I'll just put on Pandora and jam to one of my stations (typically in another genre than I am practicing).

If it's something I know backwards and forwards, I don't sweat it too much - I'm usually just running through it to keep it fresh and making mistakes can help one focus on those issues when playing it "when it counts" (remember to get into position before this section, don't rush the break etc).

 

[Squixter]

Sometimes a good nights sleep helps. I've had that happen to me. I'll sit there and struggle trying to learn a part. I finally give up and go to bed. The next day, it seems easier. I think the act of sleeping lets the subconscious part of your brain work on it and when you go back, you do better.

No kidding. The subconscious helps me all the time. I'll practice of the evenings sometimes and wind up playing something ten times better the next day on top of what I was having difficulty with the day prior.