Is this odd or is it me?

[Lowner]

My friend's brother is in a band and they gig regularly. He has one bass and one amp which he keeps at the place where his band practices and he never plays bass except at band practice. He has even admitted that the strings on his bass are the ones that came on it. He even plays without effects. I asked him if he ever just plays through the scales to keep his chops up and he says he dosent need to practice scales and stuff or change strings on his bass or have more than one bass. He says there is no point in it. Yet he is a great bass player.

[gottawalk]

What kind of material do they do? Some stuff just seems to come naturally to some players and not much "practice" is required. It's not that they're "virtuoso's" by any means, but they have a natural talent and feel for bass and the bass lines that go along with the style they play and it comes naturally without much thought. Unfortunately, some, or most of those type of players won't ever get any farther than that point because they're not working the technique to make it grow any farther or their imagination and style to diversify to other styles.

As far as the "I never have to change strings, or anything else on the bass" goes; that's his sound and even with dead strings, he's got his amp set to the sound he likes and he lives with that. Someday one of those strings will eventually wear out and he's going to have to make a decision on a new set...
If he's sounding good, playing well, enjoying himself and the other band members and audience are satisfied with the product, then I say, "More power to him"!

[superbassman2000]

Originally Posted by gottawalk

If he's sounding good, playing well, enjoying himself and the other band members and audience are satisfied with the product, then I say, "More power to him"!

+1
if he is happy with where he is, then i dont see it as odd...if he wanted to get better and he didn't practice, then i'd think its odd, but if he's just having fun, let it be

[hartke20g]

i actually almost always play with the stock strings (mainly cause it's already got great action and i don't want to possibly ruin that with a different string gauge). and i almost never play with effects, so i don't find anything strange about that. i do, however, find not practicing strange.

[Lowner]

If anyone is wondering his band plays only their original material. No covers.

[gottawalk]

Originally Posted by Lowner

If anyone is wondering his band plays only their original material. No covers.

Then my guess is that his "input" is his original basslines and that he's got those down right away and that's that. It's coming straight from inside him and that's really cool. Try doing some "covers" and see if he needs to take the time to work on them and "practice" some...

[ddnidd1]

I wonder why this hasn't caught on. A 'musician' that doesn't need to practice.

[Blueszilla]

Yes, it is odd.

[d8g3jdh]

Define 'great'.

[morf]

define great, and tell us how long hes been playing

[ddnidd1]

I missed the part about him being great.

Given his dedication to his instrument and his attitude, I feel pretty safe in saying 'he's not great and further more he doesn't have a clue'.

[Fro0d]

I sense jealousy..

[ddnidd1]

Hardly.

The rest of the musical world's competent players have a dedication to their instrument and practice on a regular basis as in perhaps every day. They hone their chops and work to advance their understanding of music in general - theory, etc.

Anyone who only touches their instrument at rehearsal and doesn't even bother to bring it home, doesn't bother to practice, sees no point in advancing his understanding of music, doesn't bother to ever change strings and has an attitude about it all.........well I think ODD is the most diplomatic description possible.

[JOHNNY CHINGAS]

Maybe he's a Ninja, and he doesnt want the rest of the world to know that he has to practice. Takes away from the Ninja mystique.

[LarryO]

I wouldn't call it odd. I'd call it ego or "big headed" no matter how good, smart, fast strong...etc you are you can always improve.