Distraught over boredom

[Jwar]

Hey guys! So this happens to me every once and awhile and lately, I've really been trying to analyze it and figure out what my issue is.


I have the perfect bass for me. Perfect amp. Perfect cabs. Lot of nice and fancy effects pedals. Yet I'm bored to tears when I play. I find myself not even wanting to learn anything new. I literally will play the same things over and over and over. Which sucks. It's not fun.

This isn't a new thing. It's something I've been struggling with for over a year or more now. I tried to switch up effects, playing styles, use a drum pedal, drum machines...etc. Nothing seems to work. I get a craving for the bass, but then I lose it.

I've been playing bass for 20 years now and I feel like I'm falling out of love with it. It hurts. It sucks.

Do I love music? Oh you better believe it! I find myself wanting to compose music though. I want to write beautiful things and feel extremely limited with a bass. Now I do have a guitar incoming, but I'm not very good at guitar either! LOL!! I've never had formal lessons and I don't even know chords really, other than a few.

So I feel stagnant. Almost depressed about it.

I've taken breaks, I've pushed through, I've switch shit up, bought and sold so many things it'd make your head spin. But I still find this emptiness when I play.

It could all be the fact that I've never had formal training? I don't know. When I listen to classical music, my heart sores with happiness. But I never find myself playing that. LOL! I'm too busy trying to grind.

What I guess my point is, I don't know what to do. Do I take a step back and reapproach shit later? Do I sell all my stuff and start over? Do I just move on and find another instrument? I don't know.

Help me friends! I need the passion!!! I need it!!! Music is one of my true forms of relaxation and I feel like I'm slipping off the edge of a cliff here!

[D.o.S.]

Instead of instrument-specific lessons, consider taking a class on theory or composition?

You can also teach yourself, if you've got the knack for that (some people do, some people don't).

[Jwar]

Instead of instrument-specific lessons, consider taking a class on theory or composition?

You can also teach yourself, if you've got the knack for that (some people do, some people don't).

That's a good idea. I've thought about doing this many times, but never followed through. Maybe it's finally time.

[D.o.S.]

I mean, it's fairly similar to what you do, as far as nutrition and personal training goes. The average health-conscious person can go "I know how to eat healthy and exercise, so I'm probably ok with my basic knowledge" and you're sitting there all like "bro you will have such a better time if you just let me fill in the gaps about the X Y and Z of it."

[Eivind August]

Yeah, there's loads of theory stuff on the internet for free. Just take a look, and if you feel overwhelmed you could seek out a teacher. Seems like loads of great players are doing lessons over skype these days, which might be cool.

[rustywire]

Perfect is the enemy of good. Also fun.
Try imposing some limitations on yourself. Perhaps "treated instrument" steez.
This is also an ideal time to take a break & pick up a new instrument. LEARN SOMETHING.
You've gotten too comfortable, too cozy, too controlling. Introduce some dynamic chaos into the mix.

Can you get into sports at all other than competitive bodybuilding?
Try watching tonight's Thunder @ Warriors game, western conf finals. It will be an intense rollercoaster of action. I find what really helps me out of valleys is to put on some NBA hoops; root for a team to win a game like I give a damn and watch along with instrument in hand, just banging around & making noise without thinking about it. Some riffs will emerge as well as incomplete mistake patterns which I'll work out until they sound...right using various effects combinations. Pedal pairings in particular.

Put together a lil grab'n'go board from effects not on your main board.... as if you had to run out of town on a moment's notice, for a week's worth of *super fun experimental gigs* joining whoever you'd want to play with most...while striving to "travel light"

[backwardsvoyager]

yeah i definitely think what you need is some kind of formal study. you seem like the kind of person who could really commit to a routine of it if you self-studied but at the same time it also sounds like you need somebody else to be throwing things at you that you might not have had the confidence to take on yourself. there's no reason you can't learn classical pieces, or compose in certain styles, or pick up an instrument that you like but have avoided because it feels too late to try something totally different. it's daunting but can be extremely rewarding depending on your approach and commitment.

between school, university and private tuition i studied music for about 12 years straight. the year before last i got absolutely sick of it and decided i didn't want to be in that kind of environment anymore, but I can most certainly say that it is what gave me the push i needed to practice, learn, develop, and diversify (in limited directions, but ones i wouldn't have paid mind to otherwise), so without it i don't think i would have been able to develop to the point i'm at now (in that i'm at least comfortable with myself and can pick up an instrument and play without feeling too terrible or held back by lack of confidence, ability etc).

probs what D.o.S. said, starting with a theory or composition class might be a good way to go (face to face would be best but whatever you can manage, really).
just go in with an open mind and realize that by learning the 'rules' you can also teach yourself how to break them, so knowledge can still be great even if it feels totally irrelevant at the time.

[Jwar]

Soooooooooo you guys don't think I should go full crazy and smash all my stuff while tearing my hair out?

Good suggestions here! I like it!

I'm also thinking of fucking around with more sequenced stuff. Playing with the Dream Sequencer, has really made me love making noise again and twisting knobs. Perhaps it is time to step into modular.

I still am going to do the classes though. I've got to. I want to progress. I feel that's the only way.

[lost in music]

I'm currently in a boring spot myself. I have very little time to play/practice, which limits what I'm able to do. I went through a really big phase in the last year or so where I made some big improvements at learning other people's songs by ear.

Late last year I started writing/recording little riff ideas and trying to piece them together into songs, which is what I'd like to be doing, musically. But the computer I was using for that died and I haven't had the money/time to try to salvage the hard drive from that. I've got a new computer, and sure I could record on my phone, but something about the whole ordeal just put a fucking damper on things. I've just felt myself slowing down since then.

I went to the public library last week and got out a couple instructional jazz guitar books. I don't listen to jazz music or want to play jazz (haven't since high school), but I hope that doing something different will somehow light a fire under my ass.

[Jwar]

See I bought some instructional books just like that a few years back because I thought they would teach me shit. Turns out because I don't know how to read music, they are worthless! LOL!!! I know there are so many famous artist out there that can't read music and are great still, but I really, really wish I'd have done it when I was younger.

It makes me want to try and get my kids interested in music like this so I can learn with them.

Hey...that's an idea! Fuck why didn't I think of that before! Gotta convince the wife then make a Partridge family band!!! LOL!

[backwardsvoyager]

I went to the public library last week and got out a couple instructional jazz guitar books. I don't listen to jazz music or want to play jazz (haven't since high school), but I hope that doing something different will somehow light a fire under my ass.

jazz helps eeeeverything. you tend to pick up a lot of chords that might not seem interesting within the context of the jazz piece you're playing but then when you plop them into another musical context they stand out magnificently. also with stuff like creating more distinct registers in your playing, staggering harmonic progressions without shifting a whole chord at once, etc etc..
i used to do a lot of jazz, classical and blues pieces/exercises, and the jazz stuff was infinitely the most transformative.

See I bought some instructional books just like that a few years back because I thought they would teach me shit. Turns out because I don't know how to read music, they are worthless! LOL!!! I know there are so many famous artist out there that can't read music and are great still, but I really, really wish I'd have done it when I was younger.

yeah there are tons of great artists who don't know shit about music theory and still churn out amazing stuff.
i used to get really depressed about that sorta stuff, because most of my favourite artists are/were like that, and i thought that having drilled music theory into my head from a relatively young age i'd totally destroyed my chances of having that kind of free attitude. started tuning my guitar to a fucked up mess so i wouldn't be able to recognize notes even if i tried
sucks, but it's pretty pointless to compare yourself to others, gotta find what works for you.

[goroth]

Instead of instrument-specific lessons, consider taking a class on theory or composition?

You can also teach yourself, if you've got the knack for that (some people do, some people don't).

That's a good idea. I've thought about doing this many times, but never followed through. Maybe it's finally time.

Luc Lemay from Gorguts did this. Put the band on ice for a decade, did a degree in composition, did cabinet making (I think) then when it felt right started the band up again and killed it.

Also if you are tired of electric bass get lessons on an upright and join a swing band/big band.

[jamesmikelly]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mVCc0LLeaCg[/youtube]
If you end up diving into theory and learn some basic stuff (or you want to try to jump into the weird) I really recommend this channel. I'll be nice and describe the guy as quirky but I really think it's some of the better instructional content on youtube because it wastes no time. Hell, you may even just want to learn some out there scales and chords for looping.

[Jwar]

Subbed!! Thanks man!!

[D.o.S.]

I mean the 'bullshit' about jazz musicians holds true, insofar as the thoughts (or the development of the musical ideas, I guess) that inform the performances tend to be so far beyond what you'll usually find in other forms of music that it's kind of staggering to think about.

That doesn't make it intrinsically enjoyable to listen to, of course, but it is impressive.