Moderate vs. Good player

[DaDrew2112]

I feel very mediocre. I'm wondering what separates the good players from the ok ones

[lowfreqgeek]

A good sense of time. Nothing else matters more than a (very) good sense of time. The other stuff is just icing on the cake. Took me a long time to really figure that one out...

[Sonicfrog]

Sense of timing.... Good feel of pocket / grove... That sort of thing. The better players listen to what the other guys are playing and adjust accordingly.

Also, understanding that, with bass playing, less is often better than more. I'm from time to time guilty of adding a fill to show off where one is not needed. But sometimes... I just can't help myself!!!!

Oh, and DON'T get drunk before / during a gig! I HATE IT when I go see a show and the musicians are sloshed and can't play for crap.

[snyderz]

Sense of time is cool, but you might want to play in the right key too.

[Phalex]

Question asked, question answered!

I have great timing and little else. For that reason and that reason alone (Because quite honestly, it's the only reason that makes any sense) players with MAJOR chops tell me they appreciate what I do.

Guitar players love me, drummers love me, bass players compliment me...... I can't imagine they're all blowing smoke up my......

[Sonicfrog]

Believe it or not, the very fact that you feel very mediocre about your playing is a good sign. It means you are conscious about what you're doing.

Let me ask this - Do you feel mediocre because you hear other players who sound so much better that you think you do? I had that problem for a very long time. It held me back because I was always focused on what I couldn't do, instead of what I could. People would tell me I am very good and they really liked what I was doing, but I didn't believe them because so-and-so plays so much better than I do. I only broke out of that mind-set when I realized this - Music is NOT a competition! There is always going to be someone better than you. And it took me a long time to break out of that competition habit. It held me back for many a year. I didn't try things because, in my mind, I wasn't talented enough to pull it off.

Though I've been playing for over 25 years I recognize I have my limitations. There are things that I hear other people do that I can't get my head around. But I've come to recognize I can do things too. I have a unique voice in the4 bass playing world. Yeah, I still get a little jealous when I hear someone with chops that blow me away. But I appreciate what they do, and I try to focus on some aspect of the other guys playing... so I can maybe bag it and use it in the future!!!!

[Lucky Strike]

Lowfreq is right, timing is a big part of it. I'll add one thing to timing, and thats feel. You can play on time but lack a sense of dynamics. Even in the simplest of bass lines you can be on time yet lack the right touch and feel.

Listen to the way that Pros play on simple songs, there really isnt anything simple about it. Learning to play 'simple' means focusing on dynamics, feel, timing and timbre.

Then, think about the impression you give off when you are playing with people for the first time. Is your bass line saying "Look at me! Im Great!" Or does your line serve the song by focusing on good time, feel and dynamics?

Lots of guys feel they need to make a good first impression by being impressive. But seeking to be impressive doesn't serve rule #1, which is serving the song!

Think holistically about the song, not your bassline. Be a good listener, try to hear what the song is calling for. Chops, licks, fills and all that good stuff are icing on the cake. Don't worry about those until you have your solid foundation; then use fills sparingly. Remember that "discretion is the better part of valor"!

If you understand these principles, then people will be impressed at how good the song sounds, and ultimately with you as a conscious player. I think that is the difference between a pro and a mediocre player. There's tons of guys on youtube and in guitar center who can slap and play zillions of notes, but understanding how to be a conscious player and a good listener are what separate the pros from the joes.

[mellowinman]

Being a good bass player often means nobody notices you. They just think the band sounds good.

If the band sounds good, you're a good bass player.

I've been playing three years, and my first time playing out in front of a lot of people, I had been playing for a few weeks. I can watch that tape back, and laugh now. I really sucked BAD. Thank God for alcohol, because nobody really noticed.

Now I play GREAT! Does my technique rival that of the Gods of Bass Guitar? I doubt it. Can I play lightning fast runs up and down the neck? Hell no! Do I mute the strings as well as I should, and use the correct fingering on runs? I would be surprised to find out I do. But I practice the heck out of every song, and I listen back to tapes and videos, and I critique myself mercilessly.

And guess what:

I'm good! Because I love the song, and I have an ear, and I have a heart, and a soul.

Play the song like you care about it, and you can't go wrong.

[Darth Handsome]

I can do a lot of things well, but I won't consider myself a good player until my ear gets better.

[jmattbassplaya]

In my experiences, a good bass player is one who can pack a dance floor when he plays.

[mellowinman]

Originally Posted by jmattbassplaya

In my experiences, a good bass player is one who can pack a dance floor when he plays.

I don't see how he can do that, unless he has a good drummer.

[bass12]

Originally Posted by snyderz

Sense of time is cool, but you might want to play in the right key too.

Yes, this is important. Good timing, for me, is a given. So is feel. You also need to be playing the right notes at the right time. Most good players have a reasonable sense of what they're doing in terms of outlining the chords/playing chord tones. There are guys out there who are fantastic bassists and couldn't tell you what notes they're playing but those guys are becoming increasingly rare I'd say. A little bit of theory goes a long way. If you don't know a major third from a minor third then chances are you're not going to make it onto too many people's "good" list.

[stepswork4me]

It's been said but.... Good timing and a strong sense of dynamics. I'll add, a good sense of musical texture. To me, unless the bass line actually adds to the tune it's not being utilized.

[rockosocko]

Timing, feel, technique, good ears.

[Fergie Fulton]

They make better choices in everything they do, from what to play, how to play, the work they do the gigs they take and the players they play with....in every way we are defined by the choices we make, good players make good choices, great players makes great choices, and of course bad players make bad choices.
Mediocre is no different other than making safe choices.

[BlackRussian]

No disagreement, but how does one learn to make the great choices ? I say, experience. I'm sure there are a tiny number of "born great", the rest of us are made. In other words, going from mediocre to good or even great is a learning experience. Dues must be paid, unless you're in that tiny percentage that's great from birth. Some may choose not to pay the dues, in that their beds are made.

[seanm]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I don't see how he can do that, unless he has a good drummer.

Try it some time. I used to play a lot without a drummer. You can still pack the dance floor

[devilock76]

With bass it is the little things. But in addition to timing I will say touch. A player with great dynamic control in the fingers with no need for compression. Those two will show case you very well as an accurate and solid player and will be the tools needed to make the flashy worth doing.

Ken

[grass132456]

Haha I feel beginner-mediocre because I play like one note at a time, but with decent timing? I can't tell, but I just play when it feels right.

[pogipoints]

Originally Posted by mellowinman

I don't see how he can do that, unless he has a good drummer.

IMHO, that's why he's good, he elevates the other band members' playing. And even when they stop and the bass keeps going, the urge to dance shouldn't stop either

Also, these points everyone's mentioned are the same things that make a good musician, not just a bass player.