How do you get out of a musical rut?

Well I have to be honest here. I usualy am always giggin, that means I don't really have time for study. Havin gigs every 2 days is fun, but playing the same thing every time, can be boring, and I feel the routine big time!

what I really do now is... try to live with that, and to be better in my routine.
I study eights, trying to maximize the groove, and the sound that comes from my right hand. I try to get the best out of the equipament I use. I learn now to play with pick, actually I am in studio right now, playing the first time in my life on an album with a pick :-)
 
Honestly, whenever I've been in a rut, the best cure for me has been to spend a few days (up to a week, maybe) NOT TOUCHING A BASS. I mean, not even taking it out of the case. Then, I listen to music that doesn't feature bass playing at all. Maybe I start fooling around on other instruments.... play some piano, some drums, some (gasp!) guitar... not that I'm any good at these, but it makes music fun again when you're not approaching it from such a learned perspective. I usually come up with some fresh ideas this way, and then when I go back to the bass, I'm not playing things my hands have already learned... I'm teaching them how to play the new ideas I've developed in my head and on other instruments. Sometimes that involves playing in an entirely new way, sometimes I'll retune the bass to get new intervals (and maybe tune it back to standard and re-learn the idea again), sometimes it means figuring out how to imitate a salsa-piano...

So, Thumbin... next time you feel this way, instead of heading to the music store and picking up a bass... head for a different department entirely. :D
 
mala said:
When I'm sitting in front of the TV I usually have my amp turned on and try to play along to the music. It's such variety of music so you get new ideas all the time. Cheers / mats
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Cool idea. +5
 
Look, I've asked a similar question, on my forum. Mr Adam Nitti Gave us a really nice reply to that.
 
mala said:
When I'm sitting in front of the TV I usually have my amp turned on and try to play along to the music. It's such variety of music so you get new ideas all the time. Cheers / mats
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Hehe, me too! It`s just too bad they don`t send Baywatch and Derrick anymore.... :?
 
That Nitti link is an article he wrote a few years back, I suppose he must get asked this type of question heaps from all different types of players, I used to have it but very useful indeed. Makes me rethink my practice style a bit.. I try to mix mine up as much as possible, seems to work too.
 
thumbin wrote:
I'll go back to how I began learning. Some Bach I guess... And possibly some new excersies/techniques... I'm working on the double thump with an added pop in there at the end... Posibbly some double thump Bach :P
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If u are serious 'bout wanting to do that u might as well check out Mr. Wootens "Classical Thumb". That will do just the trick for ya. Good luck
 
Indianerdaniel said:
thumbin wrote:
I'll go back to how I began learning. Some Bach I guess... And possibly some new excersies/techniques... I'm working on the double thump with an added pop in there at the end... Posibbly some double thump Bach :P
Click to expand...

If u are serious 'bout wanting to do that u might as well check out Mr. Wootens "Classical Thumb". That will do just the trick for ya. Good luck
Click to expand...

Its "Thump" not "Thumb". Just gotta let the tail go limp on the b there...
 
Indianerdaniel said:
thumbin wrote:
I'll go back to how I began learning. Some Bach I guess... And possibly some new excersies/techniques... I'm working on the double thump with an added pop in there at the end... Posibbly some double thump Bach :P
Click to expand...

If u are serious 'bout wanting to do that u might as well check out Mr. Wootens "Classical Thumb". That will do just the trick for ya. Good luck
Click to expand...

Yep... I can already play quite a bit into classical thump.... It's not too hard until he starts doing the open-hammer-pluck-pluck.
 
Just started playing "U can't hold no groove", man that song is so beautiful, adorable, ingenious... learning double-thumbing is almost like learning a new instrument
 
The Insane said:
Just started playing "U can't hold no groove", man that song is so beautiful, adorable, ingenious... learning double-thumbing is almost like learning a new instrument
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I can't figure out the rythm for that one...
 
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