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. 

[Al Krow]

On 02/01/2026 at 07:52, warmnotes said:

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.

 

Sounds good! Be great if you can make that happen this year!

 

What genres of music are you into and what's the live music scene and opportunities for getting involved in that in Chelmsford?

[80Hz]

Bass hopes for this year:

 

1. Increase the rate at which I pick music to learn - it's easy to have a set of tracks in rotation and keep going through familiar material expecting it to get better

2. Try to nail down why when I attempt slap all that comes out are harmonics and other strings ringing 

3. Do more sight reading, get back to reading music other than my own transcriptions

4. Always know what note is under my finger across the fretboard rather than relying on ear and relative intervals/spatial relationships.

5. Practice always with a metronome 😄

6. Possibly take a few lessons to get some outside perspective on what to focus on

[xgsjx]

My goals for this year is to get my new band gigging & release an album. 
Over the course of the latter half of last year, we’ve almost finished writing 6 songs & have a good number of ideas ready to write some more. 
We’re a 3 piece electronica outfit. I do most of the synths and play bass on some of the tracks (others are synth bass), with an edrummer who does some synth stuff, and a very talented female vocalist brings us all together. 
 

For now, we’re called Euphon8. I like it, but sometimes think it sounds a bit like Euthanate. 🤣

[Al Krow]

50 minutes ago, xgsjx said:

My goals for this year is to get my new band gigging & release an album. 
Over the course of the latter half of last year, we’ve almost finished writing 6 songs & have a good number of ideas ready to write some more. 
We’re a 3 piece electronica outfit. I do most of the synths and play bass on some of the tracks (others are synth bass), with an edrummer who does some synth stuff, and a very talented female vocalist brings us all together. 
 

For now, we’re called Euphon8. I like it, but sometimes think it sounds a bit like Euthanate. 🤣

 

Sounds like a fab project! What "kit" is the edrummer using? You guys got any live footage / preliminary promo material?

[Mrbigstuff]

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

What are yours and why those particular goals? What do you see as the main hurdles to achieving them? 

Same as every year; hope that the opportunity comes up to purchase my dream bass. The big hurdle is it’s too nice for the owner to sell 😉

[Al Krow]

10 minutes ago, Mrbigstuff said:

Same as every year; hope that the opportunity comes up to purchase my dream bass. The big hurdle is it’s too nice for the owner to sell 😉

 

Aha! Are you going to let on what your 'dream bass' is? Who knows - if you make an offer the seller can't refuse, he might just not be able to refuse? 😊

[AndyTravis]

Dare I say it…

 

I need to get better at guitar…

 

I’m actually pretty adept. But I forget things - muscle memory is natural on bass…

 

And an album. By the end of the year.

[Mrbigstuff]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

 

Aha! Are you going to let on what your 'dream bass' is? Who knows - if you make an offer the seller can't refuse, he might just not be able to refuse? 😊

It’s one you know very well!

[PaulHornBass]

Every year I tell myself this is the year I will focus on fretless.

 

My realistic goals are repertoire based: consolidate by ensuring the core band setlist remains committed to memory, and add to this the less-called songs so that I don't have to wing it when the band leader throws them in on a gig. 

[Al Krow]

57 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Dare I say it…

 

I need to get better at guitar…

 

I’m actually pretty adept. But I forget things - muscle memory is natural on bass…

 

And an album. By the end of the year.

 

Hey Andy, have you found a particularly good way to motivate yourself? I dunno, maybe by setting some specific targets like: "I will be able to play these particular songs in six months, and these others by year end" or doing grade X of a guitar course exam?

 

For me, I always find having a general goal like "being better" ends up in the "must try harder" bucket, which inevitably gets kicked down the line! But I appreciate there's not one right answer or magic bullet here!

[AndyTravis]

16 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

 

Hey Andy, have you found a particularly good way to motivate yourself? I dunno, maybe by setting some specific targets like: "I will be able to play these particular songs in six months, and these others by year end" or doing grade X of a guitar course exam?

 

For me, I always find having a general goal like "being better" ends up in the "must try harder" bucket, which inevitably gets kicked down the line! But I appreciate there's not one right answer or magic bullet here!

I need to practice more - that’s all it is. 
 

I should also stop identifying as a bass player with a guitar; I’ve actually played guitar in some form or other as long as I’ve played bass…but now I’ve taken on the guitarist role.

 

I need to practice or write down what works for solos. 
 

To inspire me further…I did this

[12stringbassist]

My main aim for this year is to get a decent number of gigs done with the new line-up of the band. We have a month off in February when our guitarist expands his family and I intend to have an album of my own either ready to go on CD at that point, or to get an amount of it recorded in our down time (more likely). Whether it sells any copies or not..... I'm not deadly bothered about that. I also want to get a bunch of instruments sold off that aren't getting used.

I have published part one of our Slade discography book just before Christmas. Part two is out in February and we have another book due in April which I need to get back into working on - lots of tedious image restoration work is involved. And a publisher has asked us to do a Slade book for them and I need to read the contract and map that out.

Busy busy.

Edited yesterday at 00:51 by 12stringbassist

[Kiwi]

If I have time: 
1) Learn how to use all the gear I have including the Polyend Mess and the Akai MPC1 that has been sitting on my desk unused for the last 2.5 years.
2) Get the fingerboard replaced on the Vigier
3) Finish building the strat that was tone chasing Phil Collen's rather more exotic and expensive Jacksons.
4) If economic conditions pick up, sell more stuff.
5) Set up the bass pedalboard for the arpeggiation and manual bass synth lines...I will need a second bass synth pedal for that.

 

I have BC, Aurok, study for a PGCE and a social media channel to take care of plus a day job...

[Bagman]

I'm thinking  Fretless 5 string  - hopefully a Stingray 

 

continue my seemingly lifelong quest of blues in any key , minor blues in any key , rhythm changes in any key etc 

 

Piano Practice

Ear Training 

Transcribing (dedicated listening) 

get a couple of promo videos done and get my music online 

[Bagman]

this a tune I wrote that has been sent to an arty film guy 

the trumpet player on this track is very good 

Edited yesterday at 07:12 by Bagman
spelling

[dmccombe7]

9 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I need to practice more - that’s all it is. 
 

I should also stop identifying as a bass player with a guitar; I’ve actually played guitar in some form or other as long as I’ve played bass…but now I’ve taken on the guitarist role.

 

I need to practice or write down what works for solos. 
 

To inspire me further…I did this

So you're more a musician than any one specific instrument.  👍

Dave

[dmccombe7]

2 hours ago, Bagman said:

this a tune I wrote that has been sent to an arty film guy 

the trumpet player on this track is very good 

 

Nice song, enjoyed that.

Dave

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, Bagman said:

this a tune I wrote that has been sent to an arty film guy 

the trumpet player on this track is very good 

 

 

Very nice!

 

Your point about getting a promo video done - can't recommend doing this strongly enough! In my experience it can be one of the best investments to getting more work, certainly for covers bands which is my particular niche.

 

 

[xgsjx]

17 hours ago, Al Krow said:

 

Sounds like a fab project! What "kit" is the edrummer using? You guys got any live footage / preliminary promo material?

Hardware wise, he’s using a mix of Roland TD30 module, SPDSX Pro, Yamaha DTX 12 & occasionally pulls out a rather nice kit of triggers that look like maple drums.

We both use Logic to host our software. My MacBook is running the bulk of the synth stuff & we slave his Logic to mine (I hit play, his runs in sync). 
 

I’ve no recordings of our stuff with the singer that I can share as yet, but I’ll try & get something up soon.