Mandatory introduction thread.

[MakeMyself]

Hey everyone, thought I'd introduce myself, right etiquette, yeah?

I'm called Ali, from the north east of england, made this account ages ago and like enver got round to using it.

Anyway, back to the point. About 5-6 weeks ago I had to undergo surgery, a heart valve replacement, so obviously with a massive wound on my chest I was put off playing bass, not permanently, but just it was uncomfortable to play, and gave myself a week or so of Ps2 to let it heal a little, bearing in mind that the wound had got infected and burst at the top, which meant it would take even longer to heal properly. (ffxII is absolutely class mind you).

So after that I'd started playing again, but never for more than around 20 mins, and not learning any new pieces, just playing parts of pieces I'd learned previously and noodling. Very frustrating, since I've been taking my playing seriously, I had a practise schedule, it only ever lasted an hour or two, but still, my playing was quite routined, so I did get a lot done in those one or two hours. I've only been playing for about a year and a half, and started to take my playing seriously in the last 8 months, but still, I really enjoyed progressing with my playing.

Now I'm finding it very hard to get motivated enough to do the schedule and therefore progress, and I'm stuck in quite a big rut, my technique is shot and getting worse still, yet I still never manage to play for more than half an hour. I know it's like my own fault, but has anyone experienced anything like this? If so any advice?

I always sound overly formal in these things, btw...

[AG]

Find a band/Go to jam sessions/rearrange one of your favourite songs?

[MakeMyself]

I got given a grade six book and bought bass for dummies and going through them seems ok, it's just getting used to playing for so long again.

Practically answered my own question there, but any advice helps a massive amount.

[BassVirtuoso]

What kind of valve was it? Aortal?

/future med student

[MakeMyself]

yeah, had a metal/carvon one put in, about three years ago I'd had an aortic root replacement and the surgeon repaired the valve but it didn't hold out.

sh!t happens though, still, atleast I'm all fixed now.

[BassVirtuoso]

I remember watching a video about how they could take some cardiac muscle cells, and systematically make those cells grow into a heart valve exactly like the one the person has over the course of a few months.

[MakeMyself]

they'd need to replace that every 10 years or so though, yeah?

[tomtom]

some advice with the practice, don't force it. easy as that. but i find it's helpful having my bass in plain sight, cause i'll walk passed it, pick it up and play for a bit, then put it back down and continue with what i was doing.

schedules never really worked for me. i can only play if i'm in the mood, and with a schedule, it only takes one off day, and the rest will go down hill ...

also consider trying guitar as well, it's a good outlet, and is something different. also helps with writing, cause you don't have to get a guitarist over with every idea you have.

[livefastdieyoung]

You're right, FF12 rules :)

[Dyslexic Magician]

ff12 is fun but its so hard to get into it

i recently got it, im at the part where i have to go around townt elling people ron von botsneburg (SP) is still alive, and they caught me and put me in the castle with some othre knight dude so i have to sneak around infared lasers and what not.

oh yeah bass rocks keep on playin the lowsound

[Polyamarous]

Every bass player (probably musician) on these boards and maybe around the world go through the same thing (being stuck with no motivation, not heart surgery!). they key is to find something that motivates you, may it be becoming so good you get to sleep with that girl you fancy, or joining a band with some good friends and enjoying yourself.

[MakeMyself]

Hey, thanks for all your replies, greatly appreciated!

I've got my first bass lesson, since before the operation, on monday so I'm sure I'll probably get into again soon enough. But like Polyamarous said, everyone of you can understand how frustrating it is to get set back. The fact I'm doing A level music and have been set back in that aswell is quite frustrating too.

There's an upside though, I got to trade in my crap second hand Dean Edge for an Ibanez BTB.

FF12... I've spent far too much time on that, clan marks ftw.

[livefastdieyoung]

ff12 is fun but its so hard to get into it

i recently got it, im at the part where i have to go around townt elling people ron von botsneburg (SP) is still alive, and they caught me and put me in the castle with some othre knight dude so i have to sneak around infared lasers and what not.

oh yeah bass rocks keep on playin the lowsound

I thought it was easy to get into...the bosses are damn hard though :mad:

And yeah, clan marks rule :thumb:

[museic]

hey man welcome... glad your recovering well..

to get motivation back i sometimes go to some local gigs or listen to a style of music i might not usually listen to.. finding other like minded musicans always helps as well as they spur you on and give you inspiration

[MakeMyself]

hey man welcome... glad your recovering well..

to get motivation back i sometimes go to some local gigs or listen to a style of music i might not usually listen to.. finding other like minded musicans always helps as well as they spur you on and give you inspiration

hey, thanks man.

I've been listening to new stuff and it does seem to be helping a lot. It's helping sort my technique out, just need to save for a set-up and new strings for my new bass, and I should be back to normal in no time, just that first month or so is very awkward to get over and get back into things.

[One Groovin Clown]

some advice with the practice, don't force it. easy as that. but i find it's helpful having my bass in plain sight, cause i'll walk passed it, pick it up and play for a bit, then put it back down and continue with what i was doing.

schedules never really worked for me. i can only play if i'm in the mood, and with a schedule, it only takes one off day, and the rest will go down hill ...

also consider trying guitar as well, it's a good outlet, and is something different. also helps with writing, cause you don't have to get a guitarist over with every idea you have.

That's how I act as well.

Normally when I pick up my bass ill sit for an hour or so noodling and just messing around. I stay motivated because I love playing the instrument. New music helps as well.

[Seeders]

i usually get better in plateaus. just keep playing dude, and soon you'll be playing something and you'll realize "holy crap im getting better!"

[Dyslexic Magician]

listen to extreme ammounts of blood sugar sex magik and force yourself to play for adequet time everyday.

[bottlerocket]

Wow, what a story. Glad to see you're well, though!

What really got me back into music when I'm in a rut and/or have no motivation is to check out as much new music as possible. Someone or something will spark your interest and you'll want to jam in that new genre.

[Pluperfect_Arson]

Man, FFXII was not all that great and the battle system upset me. My sisters took it out of the PS2, though, and, when I went to play it, it was scratch to hell and my dog licked it to death. I have not attempted to see if the disk still works. The game was not all that great, anyway.

.hack//G.U. Vol. 1: Rebirth is an awesome game, though Haseo, the main character, looks as though he is sulking everytime he runs/walks. I cannot wait for Vol. 2 to come out. :D

Also, my playing has been about the same for about the last year. I hardly ever have any of my basses at my house, and, when they are there, I do not practise, at all. Ruts are good to go through, every once-in-a-while.

[MakeMyself]

Wow, what a story. Glad to see you're well, though!

What really got me back into music when I'm in a rut and/or have no motivation is to check out as much new music as possible. Someone or something will spark your interest and you'll want to jam in that new genre.

Yeah, the new music thing is really helping, the fact that I'm actually stepping outside my comfort zones is a great thing in itself and that I'm very selfconscious (sp?) about my playing and picking up on what's sloppy etc. that I wouldn't of picked up before is a good thing too.

Suppose being set back a couple of months is going to make me a much better player, sham heart surgery is what it took to start it off for me though, :smash:, haha.

As for Dyslexic's BSSM comment, as much as it pains me to say it, I'm a Mothers Milk man, haha.

Thanks for all you're continuing advice though :chug: !

[reidster90]

when I get in a rut I just try to find a new kind of music to get into( like peo0ple have been saying it really is the way to go). It helps a lot. Like i wasn't very inspired awhile ago but then I went to Puerto Rico and a band played in our hotel every night so I bought a puerto rican music CD and I'm still learning stuff on it because I love it so much.