Percentage of self-listening

HolyGrowl · #1 01-22-2010, 05:41 PM

Hi Justin,

I just wanted to have your personal opinion on the listening part of music playing.

In a live situation, where interaction with other musicians on stage is key, at what percentage would you say you listen to what you're playing / how you sound versus listening to the rest of the band and what's happening on stage musically? In the sense that do you tend to listen to the whole band as if you were listening to a cd even though you're directly implied live into what's happening or are you a bit more conscious of your playing while remaining all ears to everything else?

I've asked myself this question and asked it to other musicians as well and find that it tends to vary a lot.

There is of course no right or wrong answer to this, no better way to approach one self interaction with music as long as it works for that particular person. But i'm still curious about how different musicians feel about this. And in that sense, other readers, feel free to answer to this as well.

Thx!

Mark

JimmyM · #2 01-22-2010, 10:21 PM

may i butt in and ask how you can separate yourself out of the experience to think of it in those terms?

jmjbassplayer · #3 01-22-2010, 11:59 PM

This is an intriguing question, and difficult to answer. So subjective. I find that I listen to myself less as the years go on. My focus shifts over to others more and more, though it depends on how much I need to pay attention, based on the relative difficulty of what I'm playing. Can't put a number value on it.

When I'm playing, things are very elastic and fluid, that I'm often not really self-aware...I think less, and react more. Part of that process, for me, is immersing myself in the creative manifestations of those around me. And a huge joy in what I do is propping up the other players in the band...for real. I love the feeling of having the other musicians "standing on my shoulders", so to speak.

Best,
JMJ

kevbass5 · #4 01-25-2010, 04:06 AM

a great bassist named rufus reid suggests that when you play, 75% of your concentration should NOT be on you...

this is a very difficult mindset to actually achieve during performance, and needs to be practiced like anything else. but for me, just trying it during a gig or rehearsal really brings dramatic results.

i talked to a drummer i'm pretty close with about this, and for a while he and i both focused specifically on concentrating on the rest of the band. what happened was really almost magical...our playing was immediately quieter, more sensitive, and we played far less notes. the pocket had a whole new quality to it. it's almost like your subconscious takes over and it feels like you can't play a bad note.

jmjbassplayer · #5 01-25-2010, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kevbass5

a great bassist named rufus reid suggests that when you play, 75% of your concentration should NOT be on you...

this is a very difficult mindset to actually achieve during performance, and needs to be practiced like anything else. but for me, just trying it during a gig or rehearsal really brings dramatic results.

i talked to a drummer i'm pretty close with about this, and for a while he and i both focused specifically on concentrating on the rest of the band. what happened was really almost magical...our playing was immediately quieter, more sensitive, and we played far less notes. the pocket had a whole new quality to it. it's almost like your subconscious takes over and it feels like you can't play a bad note.

This is amazing. What a great example of this whole subject.

Simonsimone123 · #6 01-26-2010, 05:33 AM

Hmm..... I have a question that in a way is related.

How much time have you spend critically evaluated your own playing in the studio? Have you ever fooled around with a song, laying down some bassline, to get a grasp of where your 'feel' or 'musicality' as supposed to just 'going with the flow' when jamming/recording/touring.

And if yes, is it like 'here im behind the beat, should be on top' or what is it?

I know people who do lots of this, and some who do almost none. Very interested in hearing your thoughts.

Sisi.

jmjbassplayer · #7 01-26-2010, 12:38 PM

It is project dependent. Some projects require intense scrutiny. Others are go with the flow. It's not something that I maintain as a constant approach, I adapt it to the circumstances of the particular session. Some clients really want me to get in there and take it apart, others want a much more relaxed vibe and want your first couple of takes, then it's time to order dinner and shoot the ****.

One thing that is constant is that producers tend to rely on me increasingly to do my own comping/editing/marking spots for punching. That's been an interesting shift over the last, say, 7 years, I've noticed.

JMJ