Think you've hit the limit then whoosh

[BobVbass]

It's funny - I've playing bass for lots of years, fingers and pick on my P bass with a classic smooth sound for probably 25 years now. For the last 5 or so I've been very comfortable with what I play, not particularly improving but I feel competent and relaxed gigging a huge range of songs.

Then about 2 months ago we started playing more disco stuff in the functions band - not that we weren't playing any at all before, we just added a couple of songs and for the first time in ages I sat down and really worked at them, I was at a loose end one Sunday afternoon. All of a sudden I feel like I'm on a massive leap upwards in skill and style again, I can play better, I think my sound is better and just more on the ball - its like I've woken up when I didn't know I was asleep - I've finally cracked how to put a bit of slap and pop in - I've even just bought myself a Warwick

Happened to anyone else? (not buying a Warwick the thinking you've reached where you need to be then suddenly finding a way to improve again)

Edited September 16, 2015 by BobVbass

[xgsjx]

It's good, isn't it.
Next you'll be double thumbing. Keeping your mind open to loads of genres of music will open you up to all sorts of things that you currently can't do so well on bass.

[FuNkShUi]

Kind of similar.
I had always played lots of different styles. The usual - Motown, Blues, Rock , Funk etc.
As you said, i think i just got comfortable.
Started playing a few disco numbers with our band a few months ago.
Shocked at how hard i found them to start with. All those octaves tested my little finger!!
All good now, but i had to work at it to get the muting between octaves. To play the parts as clean as i wanted wasn't as simple as i expected it to be.
Definitely made me think about how accurate the rest of my playing is and brought it up another level (IMO YMMV etc etc)

I've also got a Warwick

[FuNkShUi]

The one song which i initially struggled with was Gimme Gimme Gimme by ABBA.
Bit of a leveller that was!

[chris_b]

You're climbing stairs. Every so often you find yourself on a landing. Then you start going up stairs again.

Joining a good band, or buying a good bass, amp or cab can do the same thing.

You can also force the issue with lessons. A good teacher will open many doors to a player wanting to learn.

[gary mac]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1442387311' post='2866461']
Kind of similar.
I had always played lots of different styles. The usual - Motown, Blues, Rock , Funk etc.
As you said, i think i just got comfortable.
Started playing a few disco numbers with our band a few months ago.
Shocked at how hard i found them to start with. All those octaves tested my little finger!!
All good now, but i had to work at it to get the muting between octaves. To play the parts as clean as i wanted wasn't as simple as i expected it to be.
Definitely made me think about how accurate the rest of my playing is and brought it up another level (IMO YMMV etc etc)

I've also got a Warwick
[/quote]

Exactly the same experience for me over the last six months or so, since we started introducing more Disco.

Unlike you and Bob though, I've not yet bought a Warwick
I have lusted after a couple though.

[discreet]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1442387852' post='2866466']
You're climbing stairs. Every so often you find yourself on a landing. Then you start going up stairs again.
[/quote]

Good analogy - it's like the progress of evolution - which is not a gradual upwards curve over time, but a flat horizontal line interspersed with radical vertical jumps.

Edited September 16, 2015 by discreet

[FuNkShUi]

[quote name='gary mac' timestamp='1442388735' post='2866485']
Unlike you and Bob though, I've not yet bought a Warwick
I have lusted after a couple though.
[/quote]

Don't fight it. Nothing cuts through like a Warwick IMO YMMV and all that other jazz

[TimR]

[quote name='FuNkShUi' timestamp='1442387402' post='2866463']
The one song which i initially struggled with was Gimme Gimme Gimme by ABBA.
Bit of a leveller that was!
[/quote]

I think Iron Maiden nicked all their songs from ABBA.

[mrtcat]

I could have written the OP's post. I'm in exactly the same boat as him. All the members in our band have had a busy two yrs (I became a dad, guitarist toured heavily with Tony Hadley, keys player and I did Bugsy Malone in theatre etc etc) so the bookings were less than usual. This last two months we have decided to revamp, relaunch and go all out for a busy year in 2016. We've been recording some new demos and added a heap of new songs, mostly disco / funk and we just had confirmation that this lady www.bonitadelaney.com/ is going to join us and make us a male & female fronted act. Its obviously opened up loads of musical possibilities and as a result my playing has been totally energised. I playing slap loads more, nailing songs I used to be afraid to try and generally its all on the up.