Music goals & ambitions for 2026?

[bassbiscuits]

I’d like to develop the acoustic guitar playing side of things more.
 

I play bass with three bands but my acoustic guitar playing is only ever part of my solo gig stuff.
 

A while back I worked up a load of really nice grooves just experimenting with a basic looper pedal, and I’d love to develop those ideas into something for a duo that’s completely different from the other stuff I do. 
 

Edit: I’m summary I’d like to have the confidence to try out these original music ideas live!

Edited Thursday at 19:39 by bassbiscuits

[javi_bassist]

I already shared my goals, but I saw this image and I laughed because it could be me

Edited Friday at 14:56 by javi_bassist

[JapanAxe]

I don’t do New Year resolutions as such but I do review my goals periodically in my Bullet Journal. This will require some reflection, which I have yet to do because of (1) NYE gig, (2) house guests. However I have sacked off the predictable pub covers gigs to leave space for:

(1) Bowie tribute;

(2) Glam covers startup;

(3) Rockabilly/country covers/originals;

(4) Anything else that seems fun and/or interesting.

[warmnotes]

My goals this year are the same ones I wanted to achieve last year but never followed through. Learn a bit more music theory so I that I have a better understanding of the fretboard and can improvise over chords with different scales and arpeggios and not just stick to the one mode. 

Would also like to play music with some other humans and not just my computer or looper.

[Al Krow]

On 01/01/2026 at 19:43, javi_bassist said:

I already shared my goals, but I saw this image and I laughed because it could be me

 

I think there's a whole 'nother thread specifically with you in mind! The "Gear Absinthe 2026" thread, or something similar...

[SumOne]

On 30/12/2025 at 16:41, Al Krow said:

I'd be happy to get the ball rolling!

 

My main music goal is actually the same both for me personally and the band I'm in: I'd like me and my crew to get "off book" so we can all play our rep without needing to look down at tablets or notes! I'm sure that this will improve our on-stage performance no end in terms of being engaged and communicating with each other, and equally with our audiences?

 

Main hurdle: we've got about 6 hours of material, which gets rotated to keep things fresh for us and our audiences. Where there's a melodic element to a bass line or many chord pattern variations that actually seems to be quite a challenge, certainly for me! But I'm guessing making this a priority and maybe aiming to get chunks of sets off-pat will be a do-able way of getting there?

 

The second goal for me, as band leader, is to add another 5 function gigs to the 15 or so we managed to do this year. For this one, the main "hurdle" is getting our 2025 showreel finished - and that's on me to finish up the video edits, and then getting signed up with a couple more agencies.

 

 

Similar for me: The band needs a showreel and I'd like it if everyone could get off their notes/tablets. Although saying that, I think that particular band I take it for what it is and my ambitions are limited. It's fun but I'm not particularly inspired to do much more than turn up and play the set list (which I don't really need to rehearse anymore). 

 

My music ambitions are now mostly Piano/Organ stuff and to do formal lessons and exams. Me (possibly on bass, or keys), a drummer, and a keys player have a vague plan to put together a live band playing 90s sort of house music.