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Why don't I feel like a musician?
- Thread starter WrapRough
- Start date
In September 2021 I will have been playing music in some capacity for 60 years. I've played 5 instruments in that time but I've played mostly bass for the last 50+ years. Unfortunately the effects on my right side of a minor stroke nearly three years ago prevents me from playing four of the instruments effectively but my recovery has permitted me to continue on bass from two days after the stroke. It's more of a chore with the impairments but I'm very grateful I can still play.
All I know is it's great fun for me to play music with others and for others. A feeling like no other. For me the work is worth it.
All I know is it's great fun for me to play music with others and for others. A feeling like no other. For me the work is worth it.
I've been playing guitar and bass since 1984, been in bands since '86, been in many bands and played countless gigs, and have never thought of myself as a musician. Probably because I have no interest in writing or recording. I laugh when people tell others I'm a musician. I try to correct them but can never really think of a better way to explain it. I usually say, "pfft, I'm just in a couple bands".
I've been playing for over 40 years, but still feel the same as you: not a true musician.
My positives:
- I have enough rep to play in a half-dozen regular bands: mostly covers, but also an all-original project
- I can quickly learn songs by ear: rock/pop format assumed (not referring to prog/jazz)
- I'm comfy with a variety of genres: funk, pop, country, blues etc (but I'm still a hack at jazz)
- I can listen, and adapt what I'm playing on the fly to fit what my bandmates are doing
- I know a large number of covers, and also have hundreds of Nashville-style cheat sheets* in my tablet (*my own shorthand that uses numbers instead of letters; isn't true NNS)
- Because of all the above I'm called on to do no-rehearsal sub gigs with new bands, including short-notice (even day-or-less, if it's the usual classic rock standards)
My negatives:
- Same as you, still working on soloing. I can throw riffs together, but have a tough time being melodic
- Can't sight-read music
- I'm not even very good at true charts, aside from simple AAB stuff
- I'm a hack at jazz
- I'm also a total hack at singing backups. Should have taken some vocal lessons to improve my marketability
I try not to beat myself up. Despite my negatives, I was still a busy semi-pro, pre-covid. Still, after 4 decades I feel I should have put more effort into my hard skills.
You mentioned soloing. I've always focused on support playing, which should be priority #1 for a bassist. That has helped my marketability tremendously. Even so, after all this time I should be able to play a melodic solo over chord changes (as opposed to a one or two chord vamp). To that end, I've been taking music theory lessons from my full pro guitarist brother whose primary income is from teaching. Wow... after all these years it's tough to teach this old dog new tricks, but I'm sloooowly getting better, and along the way I'm gradually picking up some music theory (though I'm still a hack at jazz).
TL;DR: Same as many others, I recommend theory lessons.
@WrapRough, Its great that you're getting back into the instrument!
About not feeling in control of the instrument:
IMHO, its the difference between understanding something (in your head) and being able to train yourself to do it (in your hands).
I have a lot of students that say, "yeah, yeah I get it". But they can't do it—repeatedly at different tempos. As one of my teachers once told me, "if you know it, you KNOW it." There is no middle ground. The real KNOWING comes from your practice time when you are the teacher—teaching your fingers and mind's eye how to move across the instrument.
What to do about the 'Gaps':
The best way to fill in those gaps is to study with a teacher that will give you a combination of Theory/Technique/Music. These teachers aren't always easy to find but well worth the search effort since they can enlighten you to all those gaps you missed in self-study—including putting all the information into context. So a lesson that includes "TTM" would cover:
You can study on your own, just try to include the three areas into your practice. This can be a challenging "chicken and egg" paradox if you don't know what you don't know.
Pick a topic to study:
When you run into a gap in your knowledge don't cut-corners or "skip-it". The Gaps are the thing we should be studying. Good Luck!
About not feeling in control of the instrument:
IMHO, its the difference between understanding something (in your head) and being able to train yourself to do it (in your hands).
I have a lot of students that say, "yeah, yeah I get it". But they can't do it—repeatedly at different tempos. As one of my teachers once told me, "if you know it, you KNOW it." There is no middle ground. The real KNOWING comes from your practice time when you are the teacher—teaching your fingers and mind's eye how to move across the instrument.
What to do about the 'Gaps':
The best way to fill in those gaps is to study with a teacher that will give you a combination of Theory/Technique/Music. These teachers aren't always easy to find but well worth the search effort since they can enlighten you to all those gaps you missed in self-study—including putting all the information into context. So a lesson that includes "TTM" would cover:
- understanding how things are constructed and used harmonically, (understanding theory)
- Learning how the theory "fits/lays" across the neck, (Scales/Modes, "pattern concepts", box shapes, style, etc)
- and then putting them in context. (Using songs you want to learn to illustrate the concepts)
You can study on your own, just try to include the three areas into your practice. This can be a challenging "chicken and egg" paradox if you don't know what you don't know.
Pick a topic to study:
- learn how its built (Theory)
- practice it around the neck (Technique)
- use that new information in your song (Music)
When you run into a gap in your knowledge don't cut-corners or "skip-it". The Gaps are the thing we should be studying. Good Luck!
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I've been looking at the materials offered on Carol Kaye's website. She offers a full curriculum on learning how to play bass. I've not used the materials, just something I've been looking at in the hopes of gaining a rounded education.
Carol Kaye Store | Page 2 | Carol Kaye Store
I've been having Skype lessons since lockdown 1 and it's fine. A good teacher is a good teacher, even online. Carol Kaye's been doing it for years! There's a few things which might be easier f2f, but otherwise I've made big progress over the year. Can't wait to get out and show it off in public now tho!
Have you seen this? It's very relevant to your situation.
Why comparing yourself to other guitarists is bad news for your playing, creativity and mental health | Guitar World
I had a lesson on Monday. It was great, even remotely. Took away some great things to practice and was pleased to know I knew more than I thought I did. For the last few days I've been doing lots of arpeggios in the circle of 4ths over some jazz backing tracks and analysing simple songs trying to understand the chord progressions. Also doing some sight-reading. I'm lucky I can do about two hours practice a day at the moment so can really work on things.
I'm still amazed at some basslines though. I know that's the creative genius side of music, quite apart from technical or theoretical proficiency. But I do marvel at what some people can create...
I'm still amazed at some basslines though. I know that's the creative genius side of music, quite apart from technical or theoretical proficiency. But I do marvel at what some people can create...
Not sure there's any concrete answer to that, but for the simple fact that as "life got in the way", as you put it, coming back to it simply felt "fresh"...too fresh to where you have to take baby steps...after the time off you have a new perspective and you don't have the musical prowress...(>gulp<) and the desire is shuffled off to one side...
Don't overthink it, just let the feeling come back to you.
I went through the same thing when I started working on guitar kits in fall of 2019 thru now, as COVID struck (putting many non-essence workers at home... I for one...) to stay at home. Thru all that time, I learned I needed to become one actually playing them. I'd been a non-player, save the occasional picking a working guitar up, flicking around a few licks and chords, putting it back into the case.
It'll come as to why you're there...
That's a great article man. Thanks for sharing. Lucky I don't do social media or I'd probably feel even worse!
I absolutely have felt like that for years. I was a "performer" more than a musician. I guess what helped me through that is I started writing my own songs and putting what was in my head, into a DAW. I generally write on guitar and then do a bass line, but sometimes I'll start with a cool bass line and then do guitar. I just feel more like a musician by doing my own thing. I played covers for years and years, but the originals are truly my creation, which I guess makes me a musician.
Suggest you pick up a copy of Ed Friedland's "Building Walking Bass Lines." IMHO, great for developing technique and helpful regardless of what kind of music you play.
It sounds like you're not having fun. You gotta find the fun in it. There was a time when I felt like I wasn't a musician until I played with some arse kicking cats that played my type of music. Everybody should at least once play in a band with outstanding musicians where everybody is good and tight. What a beautiful feeling.
O
On I'm having fun. How can you not have fun playing Earthquake?
But when I'm having fun I'm not learning and getting better. In my opinion, proper practice should suck for the most part as it's challenging. This is the trap I fell into before where I just wanted to have fun... Now I want to take my playing to another level I need to park the fun until the end of the lesson and focus on the challenging stuff that sucks.
I agree about the band, we had great times. Hopefully i can find some cats to play with again in the future or do a few open mic jam sessions
On I'm having fun. How can you not have fun playing Earthquake?
But when I'm having fun I'm not learning and getting better. In my opinion, proper practice should suck for the most part as it's challenging. This is the trap I fell into before where I just wanted to have fun... Now I want to take my playing to another level I need to park the fun until the end of the lesson and focus on the challenging stuff that sucks.
I agree about the band, we had great times. Hopefully i can find some cats to play with again in the future or do a few open mic jam sessions
Try www.talkingbass.net. Mark is a great musician, bass player and teacher. His courses are excellent; well put together (Based on solid learning principles) and sensibly priced. There is also a great support community. Lots of great free material also.
Mark is an amazing teacher. I have a few of his courses, and I am currently studying the simple steps to sightreading... I also have chord tone essentials and the ear training course. I'd say he is one of the best of the online bass course teachers. His song breakdowns are amazing, too. yeah, lots of time for Mark!
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