I think I'm done

[SteveXFR]

Last January I sold my gear and gave up. This Christmas I bought myself a new bass and tried getting back in to it but just not enjoying playing along to songs, no good at solo noodling and can't find other people to play with. I'm not happy with how I play. I think I've reached the end.

Bummer

[tegs07]

I get it. I only really pick up a bass now when I need to work out a song as my kids are learning.

 

I had plans to get back to playing with other people for the first time since uni but never quite managed it.

[Beedster]

8 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

Last January I sold my gear and gave up. This Christmas I bought myself a new bass and tried getting back in to it but just not enjoying playing along to songs, no good at solo noodling and can't find other people to play with. I'm not happy with how I play. I think I've reached the end.

Bummer

 

I've been there, I came back. Getting out for a while was good for me, coming back was even better, enjoying it more than ever now 👍

[Stub Mandrel]

5 minutes ago, SteveXFR said:

Last January I sold my gear and gave up. This Christmas I bought myself a new bass and tried getting back in to it but just not enjoying playing along to songs, no good at solo noodling and can't find other people to play with. I'm not happy with how I play. I think I've reached the end.

Bummer

 

Try this. Put on a favourite radio station and between two ad breaks, see how far you can get busking along to the songs.

 

Stop before you get bored. If all you can do is work out the key or a signature riff, that still counts as a win.

 

Plus go to open mics/jam sessions. Always more guitarists and vocalists than bass players.

 

Don't set false barriers.  If you have to play mustang sally to get a jam, do it. Next time it will be something better.

[SteveXFR]

6 minutes ago, Stub Mandrel said:

 

Try this. Put on a favourite radio station and between two ad breaks, see how far you can get busking along to the songs.

 

Stop before you get bored. If all you can do is work out the key or a signature riff, that still counts as a win.

 

Plus go to open mics/jam sessions. Always more guitarists and vocalists than bass players.

 

Don't set false barriers.  If you have to play mustang sally to get a jam, do it. Next time it will be something better.

 

I'm a metal player and jam sessions local to me seem to be jazz or folk so I just don't understand the music at all.

I've tried jamming along to songs, I usually get the chord pattern quickly enough but soon get bored. 

What I loved was playing filthy riffs at ridiculous volume with mates and coming up with cool stuff together. Unfortunately, that's gone now and not going to happen again.

[80Hz]

Metal is a tough one. It’s kinetic. It’s hard to do without proper practice space and being somewhere you can play loud.

 

Hope you live somewhere that you can still get to shows and find other ways to be enthusiastic about the music. If so you might circle your way back into playing.

[Harryburke14]

I packed up bass about 5 years ago because I was bored of it. Started learning guitar, joined a band as their guitarist, and now after some rejigging I am the bass player. The first time I have played bass in half a decade and also the most excited I've ever been to play music.

 

Maybe, like with me, it's a new outlet that you need to start enjoying it again.

[Boodang]

I had this where after decades of playing I’d reached the end with bass… but not music. I took up drums. Then about ten years later bass entered my life again and I play in bands doing both. 
so maybe a change of instrument is in order?! 

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I'm a metal player and jam sessions local to me seem to be jazz or folk so I just don't understand the music at all.

I've tried jamming along to songs, I usually get the chord pattern quickly enough but soon get bored. 

What I loved was playing filthy riffs at ridiculous volume with mates and coming up with cool stuff together. Unfortunately, that's gone now and not going to happen again.

 

Cast your net as wide as you can. I kjw at least on jam near me where things can get quite heavy (musically).

[itu]

Take a rest. Repeat ad lib. Come back. We will be here.

[Lozz196]

Yeah no need to force it, if it’s not hitting the spot put it to the side, it may come back it may not.

[mep]

Steve, whatever you decide to do, don't give up biking too. 

[SteveXFR]

4 minutes ago, mep said:

Steve, whatever you decide to do, don't give up biking too. 

 

Its all good there. I'm actually looking at buying a third one, a Honda CRF250L or for green lane riding

[dave_bass5]

3 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

Last January I sold my gear and gave up. This Christmas I bought myself a new bass and tried getting back in to it but just not enjoying playing along to songs, no good at solo noodling and can't find other people to play with. I'm not happy with how I play. I think I've reached the end.

Bummer

I felt exactly like this during lockdown. Brought a keyboard and found happiness again. 

[tauzero]

Cast around for open mics. I've encountered a wide variety of them, from being almost the youngest and rockiest there at one to being the oldest and folkiest at another.

[miles'tone]

Maybe get a looper pedal to have something to play off?

[Phil Starr]

12 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I'm a metal player and jam sessions local to me seem to be jazz or folk so I just don't understand the music at all.

I've tried jamming along to songs, I usually get the chord pattern quickly enough but soon get bored. 

What I loved was playing filthy riffs at ridiculous volume with mates and coming up with cool stuff together. Unfortunately, that's gone now and not going to happen again.

Reading between the lines it sounds like the mates and working together was a big part of the fun, being creative too. So far you haven't mentioned gigging.

 

I've never been a bedroom player so I get that playing along with records or acquiring new skills with no end point doesn't work for you. No judgement on bedroom  players there, I've friends with way more skills than me who love nothing better than to go off on their own and improvise over increasingly complex chord sequences. Playing alone just isn't for me, it's the joint enterprise and playing for an audience that hit's my particular spot. If I'm 'between' bands the enthusiasm evaporates and my personal practice time just withers away.

 

If metal is the draw for you there are loads of sites where people are looking for metal players. You need new people to go with your new bass. Or you might find that the band itseelf is the stimulus you need, the joint enterprise, the shared feeling. maybe try joining a band even if it isn't playing exactly what you want and trying that on for size for a few months.

[binky_bass]

13 hours ago, SteveXFR said:

 

I'm a metal player and jam sessions local to me seem to be jazz or folk so I just don't understand the music at all.

I've tried jamming along to songs, I usually get the chord pattern quickly enough but soon get bored. 

What I loved was playing filthy riffs at ridiculous volume with mates and coming up with cool stuff together. Unfortunately, that's gone now and not going to happen again.

If you're anywhere near local to Essex, come to mine for a jam. I love a filthy riff and making stuff up on the spot - sometimes it's absolute crap, other times it turns into a giant beast of a song! I've got plenty of amps, basses, guitars, drums, etc. so there's plenty of room to stretch and have a good old fashioned noise making sessions! If you're anywhere near, let me know - you can just bring yourself and we can make some disgusting noise! 

Edited 8 hours ago by binky_bass

[SteveXFR]

36 minutes ago, Phil Starr said:

Reading between the lines it sounds like the mates and working together was a big part of the fun, being creative too. So far you haven't mentioned gigging.

 

 

I had a very up and down relationship. When it was good, it was the best feeling. There's nothing like having a room full of people headbanging along

to your tunes. Playing to a room with only three old blokes who wanted classic rock, not sludge metal was just depressing. 

I have looked for bands but the ones playing interesting stuff want someone under 35 (I'm a lot older) and the ones my age seem to all play 80's style metal which just doesn't do it for me at all