Which pieces of musical advice do you wish you'd known earlier?

Fassa Albrecht · #1 08-04-2007, 04:43 PM

Simple really....if you could travel back in time and speak with yourself when you were beginning bass, what would you say?
It can be anything bass-related or music-related!

Mine would be

-Learn more by ear, not from tab.

- Don't try and jump straight from playing bass to trying entire songs. I tried to play Muse off the bat and failed.

- Wear your bass higher- I now suffer from wrist problems as a result of playing with a low-slung bass.

Any more?

Dave · #2 08-04-2007, 04:48 PM

+1 on bass being higher. I wear mine up at my chest now. I used to try and wear it as low as I possibly could while still being able to reach the strings.

One more thing. Crazy boosted bass and no mids or highs sounds really bad (to my ear).

keyboardguy · #3 08-04-2007, 05:15 PM

1. Keep practicing !!!!!

2. Listen and play ALL STYLES. Even though you may never play a particular type of music, you will always LEARN. So, turn on your radio and dial in to that country, latin, Japanese, etc. station and play along.

Mike

tplyons · #4 08-04-2007, 06:43 PM

More basses doesn't make you better.

More effects doesn't make you better.

I covered up my tone so much over the years and wasted far more time finding "my sound" before I sold everything except one bass and one amp, and found my sound.

Matt Till · #5 08-05-2007, 01:41 AM

I wish I wouldn't have put so much effort into learning to slap. Now I'm a decent (ha, sorta) slapper, and everything else I do sucks

leanne · #6 08-05-2007, 04:52 AM

Messing up (even REALLY screwing up) isn't the end of the world...

nipperooney · #7 08-05-2007, 05:55 PM

I wish I'd got the number of that fit brunette girl who waited for an hour and a half for me to pack up my gear after a gig, but the guy who was driving us didn't want to hang around so we just left her sat there looking shocked and stunned as we sped off into the night....

The other is to listen to the advice of others when it comes to buying gear. I've sought advice, and then completely ignored it and lived to regret it as I've ended up spending a fortune on gear that wasn't as good as I thought it might be.

bassman275 · #8 08-05-2007, 06:01 PM

I would say the one thing is,make sure YOU are fully into a project(group)before You commit to being a member.Also,+1 on learning by ear.

peaveyuser · #9 08-05-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nipperooney

I wish I'd got the number of that fit brunette girl who waited for an hour and a half for me to pack up my gear after a gig, but the guy who was driving us didn't want to hang around so we just left her sat there looking shocked and stunned as we sped off into the night....

Dude I would of stayed, imagine how noble you would have looked.

Petebass · #10 08-05-2007, 06:49 PM

I just received an email about this recently. It is of course tongue in cheek, but there is some truth in here too............

"MUSICAL ADVICE

*Never start a trio with a married couple.

* Before you sign a record deal, look up the word "recoupable" in the dictionary.

* No one cares who you've opened for.

* A string section does not make your songs sound any more "important".

* If your band has gone through more than 4 bass players, it's time to break up.

* When you talk on stage you are never funny.

* When a drummer brings in his own songs and asks to perform one of them, begin looking for a new drummer IMMEDIATELY.

* Never enter a "battle of the bands" contest. If you do you're already a loser.

* Learn to recognize scary word pairings: "rock opera", "white rapper","blues jam", "swing band", "open mike",

* Drummers can take off their shirts or they can wear gloves, but not both.

* Listen, either break it to your parents or we will: it's rock 'n' roll, not a soccer game. They've gotta stop coming to your shows.

* It's not a "showcase". It's a gig that doesn't pay.

* No one cares that you have a web site. Yes this includes Myspace...........

* Getting a tattoo is like sewing platform shoes to your feet.

* Although they come in different styles and colors, electric guitars all sound the same. Why do you keep changing them between songs?

* Don't stop your set to ask that beers be brought up. That's what girlfriends are for.

* If you use a smoke machine your music sucks.

* Remember, if blues solos are so difficult, why can so many 16 year olds play them?

* Do not wear shorts onstage. Or a suit. Or a hat.

* Rock oxymorons; "major label interest", "demo deal","blues genius", "$500 guarantee", and "Fastball's secondhit".

* 3 things that are never coming back:

a) gongs,
b) headbands, and
c) playing slide guitar with a beer bottle

peaveyuser · #11 08-05-2007, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Petebass

"MUSICAL ADVICE

Hmm well lets see which ones are just bull, true and debatable.

Quote:

*Never start a trio with a married couple.

True

Quote:

* Before you sign a record deal, look up the word "recoupable" in the dictionary.

True

Quote:

* No one cares who you've opened for.

Very, very False but it depends on the band

Quote:

* A string section does not make your songs sound any more "important".

debatable, maybe not "Important"

Quote:

* If your band has gone through more than 4 bass players, it's time to break up.

True

Quote:

* When you talk on stage you are never funny.

False there are some who can pull this off

Quote:

* When a drummer brings in his own songs and asks to perform one of them, begin looking for a new drummer IMMEDIATELY.

Matters the drummer and how big of a Prick you are

Quote:

* Never enter a "battle of the bands" contest. If you do you're already a loser.

False your a loser if you pass up a chance to get some good publicity

Quote:

* Learn to recognize scary word pairings: "rock opera", "white rapper","blues jam", "swing band", "open mike",

meh

Quote:

* Drummers can take off their shirts or they can wear gloves, but not both.

hmmm matters on the drummer, who cares?

Quote:

* Listen, either break it to your parents or we will: it's rock 'n' roll, not a soccer game. They've gotta stop coming to your shows.

True

Quote:

* It's not a "showcase". It's a gig that doesn't pay.

True

Quote:

* No one cares that you have a web site. Yes this includes Myspace...........

If you don't suck they should, better publicity and they get to listen to more tracks. A band equivalent to a "resume"

Quote:

* Getting a tattoo is like sewing platform shoes to your feet.

False

Quote:

* Although they come in different styles and colors, electric guitars all sound the same. Why do you keep changing them between songs?

Very false

Quote:

* Don't stop your set to ask that beers be brought up. That's what girlfriends are for.

meh debatable

Quote:

* If you use a smoke machine your music sucks.

Debatable

Quote:

* Remember, if blues solos are so difficult, why can so many 16 year olds play them?

Matters the solo but in general yes

Quote:

* Do not wear shorts onstage. Or a suit. Or a hat.

Shorts-Dimebag Darrel

Hat-Slash

Suit-Chuck Berry

Quote:

* Rock oxymorons; "major label interest", "demo deal","blues genius", "$500 guarantee", and "Fastball's secondhit".

------

Quote:

* 3 things that are never coming back:

a) gongs,
b) headbands, and
c) playing slide guitar with a beer bottle

Debatable

dinghy · #12 08-05-2007, 07:21 PM

Pretty much agree with peav.

Petebass · #13 08-05-2007, 07:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dinghy

Pretty much agree with peav.

So do I. I wasn't stating gospel, it was meant as a bit of fun with a little bit of an education in there too.

owensea777 · #14 08-05-2007, 07:28 PM

Why is "blues genius" an oxymoron? I happen to think BB King is very real.

Petebass · #15 08-05-2007, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by owensea777

Why is "blues genius" an oxymoron? I happen to think BB King is very real.

Yes. He sure is. Now if we could all just lighten up a little?

fenderhutz · #16 08-05-2007, 07:42 PM

Marketing and Networking trumps playing out twice a week.

Jazzdogg · #17 08-05-2007, 09:49 PM

Protect your hearing; you'll miss it when you're my age

Rattman · #18 08-06-2007, 01:53 AM

It time travel were possible... I'd tell myself at 16:

- no picks.. use for rare occasions only

- don't dig! a 'soft touch' goes further

- keep everything much cleaner.. lasts longer!

- turn off the TV.. do more scales, modes

- learn basic luthier skills immediately!

- replace all cables with the best available

- go watch more veteran players more often (remember!!)

Lazylion · #19 08-06-2007, 11:04 AM

Not to be a wet blanket, but...

If at all possible, go to college, stay there & graduate!

Seriously.

Baryonyx · #20 08-06-2007, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fassa Albrecht

-Learn more by ear, not from tab.

- Wear your bass higher- I now suffer from wrist problems as a result of playing with a low-slung bass.

IIRC I have given you these pieces of advice a million times!