So embarressed...

[lloccmttocs]

So we had our annual jazz festival. I was pretty pumped, except I caught a pretty bad cold the weekend prior so I was fighting the sniffles and coughs. So we followed the best jazz band in the state (we were last since we were hosting) all went fine, the two pieces I played on string bass were perfect. Being a string bass player this is to be expected. But for the funk tune I pick up a electric bass. I knew it was going to be bad the second I played the first note of the song. It was wayy too low. I could bearly hear myself and I was sitting next to the amp. I kept looking for a signal from my teacher but he didn't seem upset. So I just carried on figuring it was just my imagination. 8 measures till my solo I can't get my pick out of my pocket, I tried playing my solo without my pick but it seems to be way too sloppy without a pick. Kevin just finished his mind bending guitar solo and I steppped up for my 8 measure bass solo. I screwed up. I got about 4 of the notes that I was suposed to play. It was so embaressing. I nailed the first measure then just blah. nothing. I couldn't believe it, I've never messed up like that, where it felt like there was nothing I could do to save it. I was so upset and sick and tired. Everyone was congradulating Kevin and TJ on their solos, I don't think people realized I had a solo...

[waltzfordebby]

hey man it's better than being railed for being too loud.
in those festival situations it's sometimes impossible to tell how loud your rig is. which festival was this?

[bassist1962]

Originally Posted by lloccmttocs

Everyone was congradulating Kevin and TJ on their solos, I don't think people realized I had a solo...

Ah yes, as embarrassing as it seems, this last bit is very typical. Welcome to the world of bass players!

[lloccmttocs]

Originally Posted by waltzfordebby

hey man it's better than being railed for being too loud.
in those festival situations it's sometimes impossible to tell how loud your rig is. which festival was this?

It was just this jazz festival thing where all the schools that want to come from across CT come it's like 9 hours long.

[Jason Sypher]

Hey man, that's just music. It could happen to anyone at anytime. When I get ready to take a solo I think of it as kind of "going to the well" or "checking the cupboard" to just see what's there and what isn't. Sometimes I'm surprised and sometimes I'm disappointed but what I do love is that moment of truth....what am I going to play? My advice is to get comfortable, even look forward to that moment and approach it calmly and as a "one time event". Clear the mind of all distractions, of past solos and of future solos. Be completely in the moment and never, ever be embarrassed about what comes out. You're putting yourself on the line and that deserves as much respect as a perfect solo, no matter what you play. I find if you do this, your solos will improve dramatically and almost always have at least SOMETHING to say.

[Marc Piane]

Also resist the urge to play over a ton of clapping and stuff. When this happens I will often leave a big space at the beginning of my solo, take a deep breath and just wait for the right moment to attack.

[Eli_Upright12]

And of course always remember( at least if its an improved solo) there are no wrong notes, just passing notes to the next note.

[Ben Rolston]

Originally Posted by Eli_Upright12

And of course always remember( at least if its an improved solo) there are no wrong notes, just passing notes to the next note.

While technically this is true, I feel that if you rely on this then you will not ever be able to make it as a musician.

[Silversorcerer]

Focus on the next thing you are doing. Particularly the part about learning finger-style. Live gigs, no matter how well planned, are frequently fraught with surprises and difficulties. Part of being a professional is learning to roll with the punches. Along the way, here are some of the rules I live by:

Don't rely on a pick (can't imagine how that would have helped on a DB solo anyway).

Always keep spare fresh batteries.

Whenever a battery dies in a piece of equipment during a gig, sell it, give it away, or throw it off the nearest bridge / cliff.

Don't buy equipment that uses a battery.

When offered the choice of a mic on your amp or a direct out, choose the mic unless you have a post EQ direct.

Memorize the music.

Make a pre gig equipment checklist. Tape it to the rearview mirror of your vehicle. Read it after you have packed the car while you visually confirm that what is on it is in your vehicle.

I can top your story. I drove all the way to a gig and left the bass at home!

[lloccmttocs]

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

Focus on the next thing you are doing. Particularly the part about learning finger-style. Live gigs, no matter how well planned, are frequently fraught with surprises and difficulties. Part of being a professional is learning to roll with the punches. Along the way, here are some of the rules I live by:

Don't rely on a pick (can't imagine how that would have helped on a DB solo anyway).

Always keep spare fresh batteries.

Whenever a battery dies in a piece of equipment during a gig, sell it, give it away, or throw it off the nearest bridge / cliff.

Don't buy equipment that uses a battery.

When offered the choice of a mic on your amp or a direct out, choose the mic unless you have a post EQ direct.

Memorize the music.

Make a pre gig equipment checklist. Tape it to the rearview mirror of your vehicle. Read it after you have packed the car while you visually confirm that what is on it is in your vehicle.

I can top your story. I drove all the way to a gig and left the bass at home!

Actually it was an electric bass solo, I thought I said that earlier. I would have put this in the electric section, but I am a DB player (perferably classical) and don't really enjoy playing electric bass really. But I had no choice of the matter. The solo wasn't improv simply because I don't really know how to improv when I'm not using a bow. I know it sounds odd but when I use a bow I seem to be able to make so many phrases and I can just improvise for ever. Sadly my jazz instructor is totally against the idea of me using a bow. I told him I could make it interesting and he said no. but anyway I didn't want to post this on the electric side because I like it much better over here.

[Marc Piane]

Unless you are playing heavy metal leave the pick at home. It is the wrong sound for funk.

[Silversorcerer]

Originally Posted by lloccmttocs

Actually it was an electric bass solo, I thought I said that earlier. I would have put this in the electric section, but I am a DB player (perferably classical) and don't really enjoy playing electric bass really. But I had no choice of the matter. The solo wasn't improv simply because I don't really know how to improv when I'm not using a bow. I know it sounds odd but when I use a bow I seem to be able to make so many phrases and I can just improvise for ever. Sadly my jazz instructor is totally against the idea of me using a bow. I told him I could make it interesting and he said no. but anyway I didn't want to post this on the electric side because I like it much better over here.

I like it better over here too, BTW. But we got to work on your instructor. We need to lock him up for a week or two on the the TBBG forum until he says "Uncle" or his head explodes. He definitely needs to let you take solos with the bow. What is he, some fusion nazi die hard? Hasn't he heard any Slam Stewart? Next time you get an opportunity show up with your DB & bow, tell him the electric bass is in the shop to get the pots cleaned. Take the solo anyway. I can't believe he won't let you do an arco solo, but some instructors! Oh well, at least you won't be under him forever.

One tune I really like arco is Footprints. Drop the tempo and use the low G for the pickup note. I use a 5 string so I've got the G up next to the heel on the B string. It's a really spooky sounding Footprints. If I could do it, I'd play all the jazz pieces arco, but I'm not that good with the bow yet. But I persevere and the bowed solos in jazz to me are the highlights. On the electric side I prefer my fingers although I just started figuring out the electric slap technique. I have no idea what I'll use it for. I play electric in a Grateful Dead cover band. Not really a good set of tunes for slap, but just in case.

[txstatebass]

Sounds to me like this director is more concerned with his poorly pre-conceived notions of how HIS band should sound and not with your personal development as a musician. God I love music education in America sometimes . Keep at it, mistakes are unavoidable, losing your cool is unacceptable

[bassist1962]

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

I can top your story. I drove all the way to a gig and left the bass at home!

That's funny, I did the same thing a couple of times. Well, when you are in a hurry to get to the gig, you don't need a pesky thing like hauling your equipment slowing you down any.

[mccartneyman]

Originally Posted by fingers

Unless you are playing heavy metal leave the pick at home. It is the wrong sound for funk.

I think Carol Kaye might disagree with you.

[Marc Piane]

sigh.

Of course there are exceptions and we can argue this all day. As advice to a young player unfamiliar with playing funk I would NEVER suggest they use a pick.

First, you have to learn how to use a pick. Carol Kaye also plays a pretty great guitar I've heard. The OP is coming from DB with mostly a classical background.

Second, while there are exceptions, I can think of many more fingerstyle funk player than pick players. To me fingers are the sound of funk especially jazz tinged funk like a big band might play.

There are no rules of course. Can Steve Swallow play jazz with a pick? Yup, but there is no way I would suggest that to a young player.

[rdwhit]

i saw carol kaye playing jazz gutiar on pbs last week. it looked perfectly natural for her to transfer that to the bass. i also read in an interview that she came to electric bass via bebop gutiar- with a pick.

[Eli_Upright12]

Originally Posted by Silversorcerer

forever.

One tune I really like arco is Footprints. Drop the tempo and use the low G for the pickup note. I use a 5 string so I've got the G up next to the heel on the B string. It's a really spooky sounding Footprints. If I could do it, I'd play all the jazz pieces arco, but I'm not that good with the bow yet. But I persevere and the bowed solos in jazz to me are the highlights. On the electric side I prefer my fingers although I just started figuring out the electric slap technique. I have no idea what I'll use it for. I play electric in a Grateful Dead cover band. Not really a good set of tunes for slap, but just in case.

In A Sentimental Mood is also a very good bowed piece, Is there some psychological thing that your having trouble transfering with out the bow, because I solo with and without bow and Yes at times I feel its more melodic and traditional horn solo like with the bow, but at the same time you can learn to channel more of a rhythmic percussive solo with Pizz that I think is just awesome. I had to play in a Jazz ensemble in my school with an Electric player and he flaked on a Concert in which he had a solo so I had to fill in and I only knew the chord changes just threw something in sounded pretty crappy to me but everyone clapped just the same, its part of learning I guess, Everyone has there horror story.

[Bruce Lindfield]

Originally Posted by fingers

Also resist the urge to play over a ton of clapping and stuff. When this happens I will often leave a big space at the beginning of my solo, take a deep breath and just wait for the right moment to attack.

I know that in theory this should be good advice - but there were so many times where I have seen inexperienced players come to their solo - take a big breath, wait for their moment and then proceed to play their solo as if the chord sequence just started at the point they have arbitrarily chosen - while the rhythm section is 3 - 5 bars down the road !!

So the next soloist is then in a complete quandary as to who to go with, everybody is throwing dirty looks at each other and it is a guaranteed train wreck!!

[rusty66]

My favorite music teacher once said, "if your gonna make a mistake (and you will), Make it loud & proud! And for your own sake, dont get down on it, laugh & learn from it". Its the one piece of advice I have never forgotten, and it has served me well all of these years & I play bass for some pretty big names here in Aussieland. And of course you can use a pick in funk! Cheers, Rusty