annoying kids

Mixmasta J · #1 07-09-2005, 09:00 PM

So I've been playing bass for about 1 or 2 years now and I'm getting pretty good. But I'm no wooten by any means. So I'm playing some simple slap lines in front of these non-musicians and everyone likes it. Next day at school, I am the best bassist in the whole school, and all these kids are challenging me to bass offs! (dont know what the heck that would be

)Anyways, I really don't care for this much because my skill is being blown out of proportion, and everyone wants to show me up. Has this happened to anyone? what do you do?

its really quite sad....

abngourmet · #2 07-09-2005, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mixmasta J

So I've been playing bass for about 1 or 2 years now and I'm getting pretty good. But I'm no wooten by any means. So I'm playing some simple slap lines in front of these non-musicians and everyone likes it. Next day at school, I am the best bassist in the whole school, and all these kids are challenging me to bass offs! (dont know what the heck that would be

)Anyways, I really don't care for this much because my skill is being blown out of proportion, and everyone wants to show me up. Has this happened to anyone? what do you do?

its really quite sad....

If I've learned anything in my 28 plus years of playing the instrument, it's that there is always someone better (technically, that is) than you. It's not about better, faster, etc. It's about playing the right line at the right time. I know guys who can out pop, out slap, out tap me. Who cares? What's important is what's useful in the real world. I mean, it's great if you can tap like Billy Sheehan, do chords like Stanley and Victor, and solo like Jaco. But if it doesn't fit what you're doing in the group you're with, it's completely irrelevant.

Now, should one aspire to attain those skills if possible? Sure. But they're only another tool in the arsenal, not the be all end all itself. Like any good craftsman, a bassist should pull the tool required for the job at hand out of the toolbox when needed. Being flashy, or "better" than someone else might be impressive, but it might also be useless in the context of the music being played.

For the record, I'm not a great popper or slapper, or tapper. I'm an average to above average (at times) player (or so I've been told). I just do what I do, and try to do it as best as I can. To those who might want to "out hot" you, I'd say go for it. In the end, if it doesn't pass the "so what" test, it really doesn't matter, does it?

Alan

geoffkhan · #3 07-09-2005, 10:53 PM

I hate it when people feel the need to know that they're better than you. What's this whole "better than" thing? Arg.

Osama_Spears · #4 07-09-2005, 11:05 PM

like 2 kids play bass in my school.

TheNerdBass · #5 07-10-2005, 12:46 AM

Yea, we were having a lock in at our school. I brought my bass, and so did everyone else! (I didn't know every teenager played bass, there wasn't a single guitar there) we were all sitting in this little room jamming away. I was teaching people what I knew, and they were teaching me stuff, and letting them jam on their amps.

Out of no where, the head guy wants to have a "best solo" competition, I know I would have gotten smoked, so I just left...

I don't think anyone has to compete to be the best.

Vysous · #6 07-10-2005, 03:13 AM

yeah, I know something like this... I play bass for 1.5 years now... And I don't think I am good (nobody can be good after 1.5 years).. but when we played on our school anniversary (60 yrs) everybody came to me and said I am the best bassist in area... I usually laugh, because I know I am not... But it really frightens me... I always want to stay as humblest as I can, but they make it really difficult to me.....

Joshi-kun · #7 07-10-2005, 09:14 AM

*laughs* Bass Off? I don't really see much of a point... I've found that bass is more about how you connect with the rest of the band as opposed to how fast your fingers move (although, strangely I can see a link...). I know plenty of bass players who try to do too much, including myself at times (not meaning to be big headed or anything, my bass tutor has stomped "you are terible" into me), if you were really going to try to do something like that I recommend... at a minimum, drums.

DrSmaggs · #8 07-10-2005, 11:20 AM

yeah, I get a kick out of people like that. I'm a very good player, IMO... but I have no desire to show anyone up.

I also love it when people think you're the best just because you can slap a little... it's no big deal, really!

Having fun, playing gigs and jamming out are what it's all about!

Vysous · #9 07-10-2005, 11:42 AM

I usually get angry! I play simple slap groove, really simple, and everybody says "Yeah, It's great, do it again!"... and when you hold 9 minute song with walking blues line, you end covered by sweat, with your hands hurting and totally exhausted, nobody even mentions there was a bass line...

DrSmaggs · #10 07-10-2005, 12:07 PM

another classic moment... I played a gig at a HUGE campground.... there were literally thousands of people around.

At the end of the gig, the guy running the show asked me if I was really playing, because I'm wireless.. me and the lead guitarist were running around in the crowd, near the stage.

HAHAHA... it was fun though... we got free drinks and everyone had a blast... I'm playing that gig again in August... second saturday in August, should be a blast

Audiophage · #11 07-10-2005, 12:11 PM

This reminds me of when someone asked me how fast I could play. I replied with "fast enough".

Tbirdbassist · #12 07-10-2005, 04:01 PM

I hate it when people find out I play bass then ask me if im good or not. I dont wanna sound like I'm an elite and say yes, but yet I cant say no... Meh, Usually I just tell them how long Ive been playing (4 years)and tell to decide.

What I really hate is these people who come into GC and see me playing and then sit down at the biggest rig in the place, then turn the volume all the way up and try to outplay me. I usually just turn up so I can hear myself better and keep on playing. I hate it when people make playing a competition, Especially when bassist do it, We need to stick together, Since guitarist are "every man for themselve's" and what not.

tplyons · #13 07-10-2005, 07:33 PM

Nothing worse than non-musicians judging skill. They're always impressed by the wankers who just slap as fast as they can or play something really fast that has no redeeming value.

According to them, Jamerson was nothing.

Stanley Design · #14 07-10-2005, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tbirdbassist

I hate it when people find out I play bass then ask me if im good or not. I dont wanna sound like I'm an elite and say yes, but yet I cant say no... Meh, Usually I just tell them how long Ive been playing (4 years)and tell to decide.

I just say "I try my best" and smile, and really, that's all that matters is that you try your best.

DrSmaggs · #15 07-11-2005, 12:06 AM

I'm far more impressed with players who can be in the pocket... that IMO is a very challenging thing to pull off in some cases

violatedppl · #16 07-11-2005, 01:12 AM

last time I was their they just got in a mea big block 750 and a power house cab, I walk into the little room that set up just for bass stuff and turn it on. and I was amazed it was actually hooked up (they have had a 400 that has been in their forever and never pluged in

) so I grab a jazz bass plug in and with the gain at 1/4 and the master a .5 that wall were shaking and I was getting funny looks

than the regional manger comes in and tall me "crank it up" and I thought this had to be a dream they never say turn it up so at half volume the lights where shaking and the guy behind the counter came in and told me to turn down

and I did so and after playing for about 30 minutes I walked out with a big smile on my face and realized I need to save up around 2 grand working at 7.50 and hour( this will take me forever) And this story had no real value to this thread but I thought I was share my one really good GC experience

MazeMouse · #17 07-11-2005, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrSmaggs

I'm far more impressed with players who can be in the pocket... that IMO is a very challenging thing to pull off in some cases

I actually managed to play gigs where I got more attention than the guitarist because of the way I was just simply grooving without going all out on the insane stuff. Hell, it was a basic blues where I just locked in with the (random) drummer to make everything easier on the rest of the group. Jam-session thingy with random guitarist/singers and even a saxophone player and a mouth-harmonica.
If I ever manage to get my hands on the recordings from that night I will surely post them because it was one of those nights where everything worked and everything went well even with musicians I didn't know and never played with before that time.

And if people tell you you're great, smile and say thank you.
(and if they ask me if I'm any goodI always tell them to ask someone else. Why? Because if I say yes they will think I'm arrogant and lose interest and I would feel like I'm lying. And if I say no they will think I'm lying OR believe me and lose interest...)

DaveDeVille · #18 07-11-2005, 09:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

Nothing worse than non-musicians judging skill.
They're always impressed by the wankers who just slap as fast as they can or play something really fast
that has no redeeming value.
According to them, Jamerson was nothing.

yeah , it's usually some half drunk wannabe who says he's got all
these great connections , and how he's gonna hook you up to
all theses great gigs ...

i always smile , say "thanks", and turn around to continue what i was already doing...

sorry if that sounds jaded on my part ...

DrSmaggs · #19 07-11-2005, 11:00 AM

HAHAHA, that just happened to me almost two weeks ago. Two DRUNKEN people offered to front money to get us a CD made. After a lot of whining and fighting, I finally told the lady that in order for me to even hear her out, she would have had to been sober in the first place. She was pissed LOL, but I don't know why. Maybe she knows how to rip artists off?... oh well

tplyons · #20 07-11-2005, 12:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MazeMouse

And if people tell you you're great, smile and say thank you.
(and if they ask me if I'm any goodI always tell them to ask someone else. Why? Because if I say yes they will think I'm arrogant and lose interest and I would feel like I'm lying. And if I say no they will think I'm lying OR believe me and lose interest...)

Exactly. I do my job, and thats it. If you like it...