Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Well a mate of mine came round yesterday and he is a sh*t hot player so I had a go on his bass and when it was in my hands I could not think of one thing to play and then when I did think of something it sounded like my 3 year old was playing lol so I have decided to give myself a stern kick up the arse and try and play for an hour every day and keep a log of how I play and feel I am super critical of my playing anyway but as soon as I pick up my bass even in front of my Mrs it all goes to pot I do not know why but is really effecting my playing now and I suck lol I do have problems with my hands (long story) that bothers me when I play but I think I need to practice more as I never used to be liked this and quite often enjoyed a little jam now and again, I am not the most sh*t hot player at the best of times but am really gonna pump it up and give it some welly and play lots of new stuff in fact I am going to start again from page 1 of the learning curve and try and get my mojo back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Adams Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 You're not alone TBird. Time to fight back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Good luck with it, well done. It's a shame you live so far away really or I would come and kick you up the arse, too. Black and tort?? Edited February 15, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 That`s the main thing Paul, be as good as you you can be. We all have differing abilities, I`ll never be a virtuoso but I can do all I need for the music I play. Every now and then I`ll pick a song that I like which isn`t my natural style of playing and give that a crack - doesn`t matter to me if it takes a month so long as I nail it in the end. They`re not songs I`m ever likely to play live so the timeline isn`t a factor, it`s the learning something away from the comfort zone which extends me as a player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Lol shame I ain't still an Essex boy then that would of been closer for you Mark we could of done basses at dawn lol Good advice but you know me Lozz am Mr super critical of myself just need to get back in to a good state of mind and think that is half the battle think my mind's been else where you know Edited February 15, 2015 by Thunderbird Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Good luck with it Paul. It's good to be self critical but there is a fine line, it is quite possible to be overly critical to a point where you effectively depress yourself in to not playing at all I'm with Lozz on the advice front and infact I do the same. All the best mate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 Thanks Gary Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevvo66 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I played in front of a guy the other night who was a ex pro bass player,I am very self critical of myself with everything I do always have been . He liked our sound as a band so we can't be all bad ,so I'm sure your not as bad as you make out .just play what you feel is right then the rest will fall into place Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul S Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1423989940' post='2691115'] That`s the main thing Paul, be as good as you you can be. [/quote] +1000000000000000000000 Well put Lozz - whether bass playing or life in general - that is the very best philosophy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JapanAxe Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I never know what to play when trying out a bass, to the point where I have been known to write myself a list of bass lines to run through! But put me in a band and off I go. Does this ring any bells Mr Thunderbird!? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I always think I sound crap when I practice. When I get with the band I feel a bit better (mostly). I'm always surprised how good things sound wheneverI get recorded. It seems the more I practice the more critical I get. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mykesbass Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I've just started right at the very beginning of Ed Friedland's Hal Leonard Bass Method, a) to get reading bass cleff, and for discipline (no, not 50 shades)! Really enjoying doing this, and has already changed some of the way I play in my band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annoying Twit Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I find that it sets me back a bit to transfer to a bass that I don't know. Having said that, I aim for an hour a day myself, and progress results. You might want to learn a few tracks end to end even if you mostly practice. So that you have something to show off when you do play in front of others. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skol303 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) You are not alone! This is precisely how I feel. I'm determined to get some 'proper' practice in this year. Grrrr! [battle face]. Edited February 15, 2015 by Skol303 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horizontalste Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) Take a look at jazzadvice.com there's lots of inspiration there & you don't have to be a jazzer. The practice log is a good idea too, knowing what you want to improve on & how your going to do it are key to good practice habits. I hardly ever pick the bass up without knowing what I want to achieve beforehand & since I adopted this approach I've seen huge gains in technical ability. I'm always transcribing something too (although I never write it down so I guess it's not really transcribing) & me ear is coming along nicely. Edited February 15, 2015 by Horizontalste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 Get gigging. Turn up at some open mic nights and get up and play. There's nothing like the possibility of looking like a fanny in front of a pub full of people, to make sure you put the practice hours in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I tend to run through my set list songs daily if possible but lack any real structure to practice other things such as scales or chords.....personally i'm considering some lessons to give me a kickstart and some goal setting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gjones Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 (edited) [quote name='Number6' timestamp='1424002463' post='2691331'] I tend to run through my set list songs daily if possible but lack any real structure to practice other things such as scales or chords.....personally i'm considering some lessons to give me a kickstart and some goal setting. [/quote] I recommend Scott's bass lessons. I've learned a lot from just his free videos. [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/"]http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/[/url] Edited February 15, 2015 by gjones Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I don't play bass unless I'm learning or rehearsing songs for a set. I don't play it solo, it seems a bit pointless. Bass is not a solo instrument in my view and those who make it so do it very deliberately and are generally good at it. I'm not such an animal - I'm a team player me, and I don't think a bass fulfills its proper potential unless it's heard in the mix, as has been said in another thread. I'm not a fantastic technical player - I do what I need to get sounds I think are good - but the most important thing for me is to play to support the song and do as much as possible to enable everyone else in the band to come across as best they can. This is a totally different skill from practicing scales and so forth. Practice scales if you want to be good at playing scales and play in a band if you want to be good at playing in a band. Though they're not mutually exclusive of course. All IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 15, 2015 Author Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1423996327' post='2691216'] I never know what to play when trying out a bass, to the point where I have been known to write myself a list of bass lines to run through! But put me in a band and off I go. Does this ring any bells Mr Thunderbird!? [/quote] Sure does but some times I draw a total blank like I dont know one end of the bass from the other I just totally forget what to do I can sit on my own happily chipping away at bass lines and get them perfect funny old game innit Thanks for the kind words and support all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Number6 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1424002655' post='2691332'] I recommend Scott's bass lessons. I've learned a lot from just his free videos. [url="http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/"]http://www.scottsbasslessons.com/[/url] [/quote] I tend to struggle a little with online learning and books as quite frankly i need someone there in front of me saying.....no you're playing that wrong! I feel i would benefit more from meeting up with local bassists to exchange ideas and practice routines and to just jam ideas but it's difficult to know who is local to you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='gjones' timestamp='1424001538' post='2691314'] Get gigging. Turn up at some open mic nights and get up and play. There's nothing like the possibility of looking like a fanny in front of a pub full of people, to make sure you put the practice hours in. [/quote] This is a massive help for me. If I'm doing a gig I'll put the practice in beforehand. I'll run through our set list (half a dozen original songs in a semi-acoustic band) a few days in a row before the gig and I'll do warm up exercises on the day too. Also, I tend to try and learn something a bit above my level too so that I can settle back into the comfortable territory of our songs much more easily. I played a set once, thought I did terrible and played without a lot of confidence and I had a double bass player (I always look up to double bass players) come up and say, "nice playing mate". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nicko Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1424003280' post='2691345'] I don't play bass unless I'm learning or rehearsing songs for a set. I don't play it solo, it seems a bit pointless. Bass is not a solo instrument in my view and those who make it so do it very deliberately and are generally good at it. I'm not such an animal - I'm a team player me, and I don't think a bass fulfills its proper potential unless it's heard in the mix, as has been said in another thread. I'm not a fantastic technical player - I do what I need to get sounds I think are good - but the most important thing for me is to play to support the song and do as much as possible to enable everyone else in the band to come across as best they can. This is a totally different skill from practicing scales and so forth. Practice scales if you want to be good at playing scales and play in a band if you want to be good at playing in a band. Though they're not mutually exclusive of course. All IMHO. [/quote] I think thats what I meant to say! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1424003280' post='2691345'] I don't play bass unless I'm learning or rehearsing songs for a set. I don't play it solo, it seems a bit pointless. Bass is not a solo instrument in my view and those who make it so do it very deliberately and are generally good at it. I'm not such an animal - I'm a team player me, and I don't think a bass fulfills its proper potential unless it's heard in the mix, as has been said in another thread. I'm not a fantastic technical player - I do what I need to get sounds I think are good - but the most important thing for me is to play to support the song and do as much as possible to enable everyone else in the band to come across as best they can. This is a totally different skill from practicing scales and so forth. Practice scales if you want to be good at playing scales and play in a band if you want to be good at playing in a band. Though they're not mutually exclusive of course. All IMHO. [/quote] Precisely, and that's why I don't practice at all as I've currently got no songs to learn at the moment...and it gives me more time to add to my GAS list Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roger2611 Posted February 15, 2015 Share Posted February 15, 2015 I tend to pick up the bass for at least a few minutes every day and just play a few lines from either the covers set list or our originals set list, I really try not to be critical of my playing especially when it comes to practice, I am working on a version of Soft Cell's Say Hello Wave Goodbye with a Pino esque frettless bass line, that has inspired me to go back and play the Paul Young stuff again and hence improve my frettless playing again. I don't think I would bother practising if I were just going to be unhappy with the results, think positive you are a far better bass player than most people in this world! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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