Best musical advice you ever got

[Kmonk]

Just play what's right for the music.

You are not doing the audience a favor by showing up and playing. They are doing you a favor by showing up and listening.

And one that is a quote from a movie "Don't worry about being good enough, just go out there and play it the best that you can play it".

[lmfreeman9]

As a beginner with no confidence I was told to join a band. I got fired for the first one but I learned and have been in bands since.

[noisetherapy]

never compare yourself to someone else. the only competition you have is against yourself.

[gkbass13]

"the space between the notes you play is just as important as the notes themselves"

"make love to the notes, don't **** them"

pretty solid pieces of advice that have stuck with me over the years.

[LeoSash]

So far its: "make anything you play musical"

a funny one for me though is: "Play louder!" I play too soft

[Max Chevalier]

One of the most important things my teacher told me was:

''Make your practise time effective. Sing the notes you play, that way your comprehension of the music is complete: You read, play, sing and feel the note.''

Also, I live by these quotes:

''Human beings have nothing to do with music. Music is in the air, you just have to pull it out.''
-Jaco Pastorius

''The bass shouldn't go back into case it's until you can say you've learned something from this practice period.''
-Ron Carter

[Ozonbass]

"No college? You're wasting your life playing music!" -Mom ( I went and I remind her from time to time to call me Dr.)

and as I subbed at the last minute for a certain clean cut 50's crooner (this in the '80's):
"Don't **** up."

[AndreyR]

Arthuro O'Farrill said, "when its time to solo and you're like 'uh oh'... play a melody!"

[nitetrane98]

Play for the song.
Play every other note that you think of.
Play like you have something to say, not like you have something to prove.

[pringlw]

You know, this must be the longest running thread I'm subscribed to. This May it will be going on 5 years!

Which takes me to my best advice; my old granpappy always used to say;

"Nuttin worth sayin ever took 5 years to say it"





Ok, he never said that.

[Rageadon]

"Dont go back and try to correct your mistake, just keep going and have the rock face on!"
- some dude...

[smither12]

It is not what you play that matters, but how you play it.

[kevteop]

"Smile".

[Bassmansc]

I need to quit making excuses not to practice.

[tomilchik]

Play relaxed, minimize amount of movement that goes into your playing.
Best illustration of this: a Youtube video I saw once, of Gary Willis playing his rendition of Jaco's Chicken. Gary is the Master and the King of playing economically, when he plays - his hands seem like they hardly move at all! And then someone's comment to the video, that went something like this:
"I saw this vid a year ago, and was - ***, he's lazy, what kinda playing is that?! Now, a year after - my God, how wrong I was!.. That's the way to play"

[Superbadbrad]

Pack up! :-)

[Mr_Music90]

Just let your emotions do the work..

That's something someone told me years ago, when it comes to making new music and / or improvise. It's a good advice since you can get the most awesome bass lines that way

[zfunkman]

Learn to play as many songs as you can.

[lokikallas]

Sometimes it's about the notes you don't play.

[name44]

The notes you play are just as important as the notes you don't play.