Mikey R Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Hey all, does anyone have off days / weeks / months? Like, practicing just makes everything worse and you just get frustrated? I feel like Ive been in this rut for a couple of months now, I thought I was just not practicing enough but practice just doesnt help. Got no control over the strings, my quarter notes are all different lengths, cant seem to hit the strings with the same velocity each note, the ghost notes dont sound, and I keep forgetting what section of the song comes next. Its like my muscle memory has gone to pot. Someone please tell me it'll pass some time soon cos Im really not enjoying it right now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Instead of trying to make it simpler, try to make it more complex. Set yourself a challenge. Even if you can't do it then you are more likely to progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus Lukin Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) - Edited February 16, 2022 by Jus Lukin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ahpook Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 [quote name='andyjingram' timestamp='1352114397' post='1858783'] I've actually found that playing too often with a shaky drummer can skew your timing a little. It's like your internal clock is trying to anticipate the beats falling in the wrong place. I start to doubt what I know to be right and I've had periods when playing with too many wonky drummers that I've even found myself pushing and pulling against midi drum tracks after a while. [/quote] i can agree wholeheartedly with this - i'm thinking of stopping in one of the bands i'm in as the less-than-perfect timekeeping of the drummer is a) making me a worse timekeeper and is driving me insane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey R Posted November 5, 2012 Author Share Posted November 5, 2012 I dont normally play along to a drum machine, maybe I should give that a try. Cheers for the suggestion. Our drummer is really good, and I think I play alot better when playing with the band, but you play differently with others as you dont have the time to be so self critical. Unfortunately, we're all grown ups so music happens only when a house isnt being built / someone isnt working out of town / looking after kids / on holiday - which means its already taken a couple of years to even get gig ready. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thurbs Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 [quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1352116916' post='1858825']Unfortunately, we're all grown ups so music happens only when a house isnt being built / someone isnt working out of town / looking after kids / on holiday - which means its already taken a couple of years to even get gig ready. [/quote]Wow, you have more patience than me! 3 months tops is my limit from joining to gig. This has been learnt the hard way unfortunately. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barefootbassplayer Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I get periods like that, sometimes it just a day or a week where I feel I'm fighting the instrument rather than playing it. Sometimes a bit of a break away helps, especially if I've been playing a lot and sometimes I forget about technique and everything else and stick on a few albums I love and just mess around playing over the top just having fun with it and seeing what flows. Only thing I know for sure is when I am having one of those days if I fixate on it it makes it a lot worse!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey R Posted November 5, 2012 Author Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) [quote name='Thurbs' timestamp='1352119750' post='1858883'] Wow, you have more patience than me! 3 months tops is my limit from joining to gig. This has been learnt the hard way unfortunately. [/quote] Its been my fault as much as the other two guys - we were all a bit surprised when going through the old emails to find the first set list really was a while ago... playing just hasnt been a priority for me and now I think Im starting to see the results of that. EDIT: speling Edited November 5, 2012 by Mikey R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 [quote name='charic' timestamp='1352114359' post='1858782'] Instead of trying to make it simpler, try to make it more complex. Set yourself a challenge. Even if you can't do it then you are more likely to progress. [/quote] Exactly right - nobody ever got better practising what they can already do. If you consider yourself a learner/improver/whatever I should think that not being satisfied with your current standard can be a positive thing. Apart from anything else it shows that you're learning to recognise that your playing CAN improve. Some people think that they're Geddy Lee the second they can pump out a root note - much better to learn to know where you are and where you want to be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Fretbuzz Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I had a day just like that yesterday ... Trouble was it was my Grade exam :-( Why couldn't it have been the day before.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Just a muse re. drum machines and metronomes........ Fine. No problem at all and better than nothing BUT...... I learned a lot from playing along to records (note to younger members - they were vinyl discs about a foot (sorry - 30frenchometres) across !!!). Anyway - being a child of the 70's most of what I bought and listened to wasn't as processed as these days and drummers were not inhumanly perfect in keeping time. I learned time - therefore - from the recorded performances of Carl Palmer. Don Powell. Cozy Powell. Bev Bevan etc etc. I think they were pretty good teachers for a youngster like me ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thumperbob 2002 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 We all have off days from time to time. Forget about it and try something else for a bit. Two years getting a set together- wow. You must all be saints or really enjoy being in a small room with other non- gigging musicians. Two practices like that and I`m out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpaceChick Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 On saturday I could not play for toffee... everything I tried I messed up on... even OH remarked that I was having an off day... it was soul destroying. Yesterday however, was a new day and I was happy with my playing and I sounded slicker. have no clue why it would be, it was just one of those things, and very very strange!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Razgriz Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Some of us have off days think its just part of playing I'm like that last time i was sitting trying to learn an Ingested song and just got nowhere with the chorus despite the day before getting the intro and verse down without much effort. Think its just basically part of playing my bass playing ability seems to differ from day to day, i tend not to perform as well at night unless im at a gig i'll play out my skin and go as mad as possible hahah seems to be my little trait now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) Funnily enough I had an 'off day' too on Sat at a gig in Knaresboro. Dropping notes everywhere - licks and runs not coming off - right hand going for strings and missing them etc etc. Things is - I've been gigging for 35 years so have the experience to not panic and 'style' my way out using skills I've learned like simplyfying lines , playing more 'within myself' than normal and getting out of trouble without the punters even knowing. It's a confidence thing really. Yesterday - gig in Doncaster - was different again - everything I went for came off - all the tricks and show offs etc etc. Killer runs dreamed up on the spot - the works. I guess the real lesson I've learned is that the real me has a consistant skill set somewhere between the two examples above and that's all that can be relied on. The ups and downs are the top and bottom 15% - not the consistant 70% in the middle. I'm happy with that. I'm human. I'll continue to try and improve the quality and content of that 70% and that's all I can do. That's what matters. Edited November 5, 2012 by Dr.Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dingus Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 (edited) I find that when I pick up my bass and discover that I am having an off-day the first port of call is to make sure I go through my warm up exercises just to get my fingers limber and my hands used to doing what they should. I have got a selection of patterns that I play up and down the neck that get me loosened up and they don't half make a difference to how soon I can get in "the zone" and start enjoying myself. I find that a 15 minute warm up gets me as loose as two hours playing, so it's well worth the effort , and you can watch t.v while your doing it. I like to think of myself as the bass guitar equivalent of a footballer doing those stretching exercises on the pitch before the match starts. It makes me feel quite professional. Edited November 5, 2012 by Dingus Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rogerstodge Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Does Geddy Lee ever have an off day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Floyd Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 Playing along to something fast and repetative like Running Down a Dream, Tom Petty, helps me. I find it's good for stamina and timing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 [quote name='rogerstodge' timestamp='1352135655' post='1859198'] Does Geddy Lee ever have an off day? [/quote] I guarantee that if you asked him he'd say 'Yes , of course' - though the nearest actual evidence I have for that was a Neil Peart sleeve note on one of the live albums where he says that many recodings were unsuitable because ' we forgot how to play'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 [quote name='Mikey R' timestamp='1352113186' post='1858761'] Hey all, does anyone have off days / weeks / months? Like, practicing just makes everything worse and you just get frustrated? I feel like Ive been in this rut for a couple of months now, I thought I was just not practicing enough but practice just doesnt help. Got no control over the strings, my quarter notes are all different lengths, cant seem to hit the strings with the same velocity each note, the ghost notes dont sound, and I keep forgetting what section of the song comes next. Its like my muscle memory has gone to pot. Someone please tell me it'll pass some time soon cos Im really not enjoying it right now! [/quote] is this you? [url="http://youtu.be/9DbUPjEbIvA"]http://youtu.be/9DbUPjEbIvA[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blademan_98 Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 I have off days but I also have on days when I play better than I am usually! As others have said, challenge yourself and you will get over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted November 5, 2012 Share Posted November 5, 2012 We all have off days. Don`t get too hung up on it. Try something different mabye a different style of music than you usually play. Some days I play like Geddy Lee and some days I play like Wy Ken Lee who I used to hang around with and couldn`t play bass for sh*t. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey R Posted November 5, 2012 Author Share Posted November 5, 2012 Cheers guys! Bit of background - Ive played bass for around 18 years now, played in a number of originals bands when I wa'a lad, ran open mic nights at uni, those kinds of things. Bass has always been there for me when I needed it, which is why Im feeling a little lost now Im in this low spot. Im going back to basics, practicing scales and so on. I have no doubt this low spot wont last for long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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