I am not very active on music these days. It started some weeks ago when I was finishing my instruction book on blues bass. Now I am only studying a book on walking jazz bass lines. It is good, it explains the concepts correctly but I find the exercises very repetitive. I only find fun with the bass when I work on new songs by ear and when I play in on-line collaborations.
The bass was my main instrument these 18 months and I don't know if I'm getting a plateau or something like that. I played or practiced every day if I had some free time these months. The acoustic guitar was my second instrument, I played it from time to time and practically I didn't learn new stuff (just some strumming songs).
Probably the problem is the lack of a good instruction book, a teacher or people for jamming. Perhaps I found my 'comfortable zone' with the bass although I tried to learn new stuff every week.
Perhaps it is time to get back to the guitar as main instrument and keep the bass for collaborations and ear training.
Please, give me an advice!
Thanks.
Nuno,
I know what you are talking about. The "comfort zone" can be a danger zone!
I got lucky recently; we found a backup bass player for our church band, and he has about 20 years more experience on the instrument than I do! So I have learned from him, and it has really helped my playing. If you can find a more experienced bass player to jam with, I would highly recommend it - even if you play guitar while he/she plays bass.
Also I started playing drums a little bit (my daughter is taking lessons, and I borrow her notebook to practice), and I think that has made bass more interesting too. Good to get a feel for other parts of the rhythm section.
Cheers!
"Everybody got to elevate from the norm."
Hi Nuno,
I think we grow in terms of plateaus. I do, at least. There will be a sudden leap in skill, then a long flat period, then another leap. The challenge is to keep marching along that plateau until you reach the next one.
I am terrible at this. Having more than one instrument available makes it easy for me to dodge the challenges. If guitar gets to be a problem, I have slide guitar, or the electric bass guitar, or the mandolin, as a means of escape. This is one of the pitfalls of playing more than one instrument.
The good part of playing more than one instrument is that each feeds the others. Playing bass will tell you things you didn't know about guitar playing. Mandolin will take you to an entirely different place, and it will make guitar/bass/whatever all the more interesting when you return to them.
It takes courage to march along the plateaus!
"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa
Thanks guys! :D
Yes, sorry, the "comfort zone"! I pick the book, I read the partiture or tablature and I play the song. Sometimes there is a tricky part, mainly with a rhythm, but I get it after some work.
I thought the jazz walking lines were more interesting but I am following a very basic book and it only uses a straight rhythm: always four notes for bar. In fact that is the basic for walking lines but sometimes I include some notes for changing the rhythm a little bit (embellishments?).
I met a teacher some months ago. He teaches guitar, mainly flamenco. Unfortunately I do not have time for taking lessons. We also said we could play together from time to time. They do a kind of charity jam sessions but I am always busy (usually on the morning and I am working).
I agree, the solution would be to play with more people. Bass is a social instrument!
Then, do you see a problem if I change to other instrument? Am I trying to avoid the problem with the bass?
Bass is a social instrument!
Nicely put. :wink:
Flamenco is the guitar's native language. If you have a chance to study with a flamenco teacher.... :!: :!: :!:
Some flamenco techniques translate well to bass guitar. I'd say don't worry too much about "avoiding the problem" by switching instruments. If one instrument or other demands your full attention, you will know it.
"You can't write a chord ugly enough to say what you want to say sometimes, so you have to rely on a giraffe filled with whipped cream." - Frank Zappa
I was in a couple of 'presentation classes' with him. They (the teacher and my friend) try to get people because part of the money is for a charity association for Angola. We were practicing some flamenco rhythms just by clapping our hands. Very, very tricky and I am get used to flamenco.
Yes, I agree, it would be a good thing...
(Thanks Laz :))
