How did YOU do it?

[brekfustuvluzer]

hey justin. i have an issue i am trying to work out and i am a big fan of your playing, so i figured id see if you could offer any advice. i have been playing bass for 10+ years and i have seemed to level off in that no matter how much or little i play, i dont really get any better or worse. i can play any line you throw at me, and it will be 95% there, but as we all know it is that last 5% that makes all the difference in the feel of the music.

so do you, or anyone else reading, have any suggestions on how to start progressing again? i feel like i am at the precipice
of being a really good player, but how does one become truly great? how do i make my playing have all the subtile nuances and overall feel of a great bass player? or am i overanalyzing my playing and should i just realize that where i am now may be as good as i will get and just enjoy playing? thanks in advance!

[Pirkka]

Have you recorded yourself practicing and playing? That really helps finding those nuances, note lengths etc.

[jmjbassplayer]

Listening to yourself recorded is great. But I think you're perhaps overanalyzing a bit....let me answer your question with a question:

What musical scenarios are you involved in? Bands? Recording work? Singer songwriter(s)?

Do you do a range of styles, or do you find yourself doing one or two things for the most part?

Also: what is the caliber of the musicians that you are playing with? That might be the most important question for you to answer.

Best,
Justin

[Vic Winters]

Play different genres with different musicians.

[Bloodhammer]

You can't tell how fast your hair is growing if you look in the mirror twice a day.

[jmjbassplayer]

Wisdom!!! Props, guys.

[Ewo]

One thing I'd add is listening deeply for the subtleties that make great players great, in their recordings.

Yeah, like JMJ's stuff with Beck, for instance.

And when the subtleties are in your head/ear, they'll start to come out your hands.

[brekfustuvluzer]

Originally Posted by jmjbassplayer

Listening to yourself recorded is great. But I think you're perhaps overanalyzing a bit....let me answer your question with a question:

What musical scenarios are you involved in? Bands? Recording work? Singer songwriter(s)?

Do you do a range of styles, or do you find yourself doing one or two things for the most part?

Also: what is the caliber of the musicians that you are playing with? That might be the most important question for you to answer.

Best,
Justin

ok, i mainly do session work, but i really miss playing live. i am just waiting for the right gig to put my energy into. that causes me to play a fairly large range of styles, but mostly i end up hovering around the rock end of the spectrum (at home, its all beatles, beach boys, and motown). as far as caliber of musicians, it varies, but i would say better than average with a few exceptions. every once in a while ill get a doctor's kid with the cash to do an album who is not up to par, but you know...

You can't tell how fast your hair is growing if you look in the mirror twice a day.

as someone who sports long hair, i get what youre saying!

One thing I'd add is listening deeply for the subtleties that make great players great, in their recordings.

Yeah, like JMJ's stuff with Beck, for instance.

And when the subtleties are in your head/ear, they'll start to come out your hands.

yeah, true. i have a good ear for really focusing in on a part and hearing little things that some people would miss, but its not coming out in my playing as much as id like. take something simple: from beck's "paper tiger" after the first line of the first chorus (about 1:00), jmj does this really funky little line that i love. it's less than 10 notes, and nothing particularly difficult, but i cant seem to cop the feel. now i know this isnt something that should happen over night, but i have been playing for close to 15 years. in that time i have really developed my ear, have learned the fretboard well, come up with my sound, and have learned to adapt to new musical situations very quickly, but technically i still feel like i am where i was 7 or 8 years ago.