The Mediocre Bassist Club, pt. 4 - We can count to four!

[Adam Bomb]

Originally Posted by tomnomnom91

This seems like the club for me! I've recently come to the realisation that I'm nowhere near as good as I should be. I've been playing for 8 years, and I like nothing more than bashing out root notes and playing Blink-182 songs. I can't really slap, I can do fingerstyle but I don't have a great deal of stamina, and it doesn't really bother me. I did recently learn YYZ in full, but it's taken me 6 years to get it down. I'm good in my band, but I can't solo, nor would I particularly want to. Can I have a number please?

Happy new year!

And to you. “And it doesn’t really bother me” is where it’s at.

Originally Posted by OneAri

my first post as a TB member and I use it to hereby pledge to mediocrity, number please...

In Soviet Russia, mediocrity pledges to *you*!

Originally Posted by TwentyHz

I also wish to be a card-carrying tower of mediocrity. I can noodle, thump, and groove in satisfying ways, but when I sit in with friends who earn the title 'musician', I know I'm a hobbyist. But what a hobby. I'll take weekly brotherhood in catharsis anywhere I can get it. Turns out bass is the place.

Seriously. Not sure how I sound, but I know I’m having fun!

Originally Posted by Aznslappadabass

Mediocre bassist with limited stage experience and having more difficulty finding local bands that need a bassist than I'd thought I'd have. I have limited if not nonexistent slap abilities. I have never taken a lesson yet have "played" for a few years. I learn by covering or write original material in my old room I returned too after getting my degree. I learned as a finger player and can't do much with a pick aside from 16ths on a single or adjacent strings. What I can do is hold my own at the local guitar center by locking into that drummer in the other showroom and throw in an occasional fill. Best of all I am having fun while still being mediocre. May I have a number?

Sure may. I’m going to start doing that – jamming with some unwitting drummer in the other room. Because that is something I know I can do, and cause it’s – wait for it – fun!

Originally Posted by DeMayunn

Tried out rocksmith because i thought it looked cool, made me really ashamed of my skills as a bass player. Sign me up pl0x

Heh

Originally Posted by sasred

Hey all,
Loooooooooong time lurker, been ages since I posted on the forums in general. Trying to keep online time to a dull roar as it cuts into bass practice. :-) Anywhoo, love reading all your stories and I can definitely relate. See if this CV qualifies me for a number--Been "playing bass" since '06 but not actually doing anything constructive with it until this last year; can sort of read sheet music (what training I retained from my band geek days on trombone), actually struggle MORE with tab, canNOT for the life of me get consistent, solid slap tone, and haven't (can't!) venture too far out of the root-fifth-octave box. But I CAN read a chord chart and have decent timing and rhythm, enough to keep the bass chair at my church!

So why did I post here first, instead of over at the Praise & Worship Bassists thread? Because my worship leader reminded me how MEDIOCRE I am by throwing an Israel & New Breed track into the setlist today. Terrance Palmer, I most definitely am NOT.

Can I come hang?

At any rate, have a great day, folks!

You had me at “decent timing and rhythm”...

Originally Posted by shakman

Hey, I'd like a number please. I started to play 20 years ago, back in 7th grade. I played for almost 2 years, but then various distractions left playing to the wayside. I had always strongly regretted stopping. Well I started up again almost two years ago, and am loving it. That being said, it is a very casual, very Mediocre endevor. Self teaching, mostly self playing, with a rough basement jam sesh here and there. And man is it great!

Awesome. If my math is correct, sounds like you’ve got a few years left to live teh dream!

tomnomnom91 - #893

OneAri - #894

TwentyHz - #895

Aznslappadabass - #896

DeMayunn - #897

sasred - #898

shakman - #899

Welcome!!! Yaaay! And happy new year, all!

--Bomb

[DeMayunn]

Guitarist told me i should get a 5 string bass, i told him i'll get one when he learns to play a 7-string guitar.

[My name is Mudd]

Zing!

[spkbri]

i can play blink-182 and Green Day songs.
JUST.
even if it's 7 years since i started playing bass.
do you accept me?

(proof of my mediocrity in my soundcloud )

[sasred]

Numbered. Woot!!! Thanks Bomb. 8 must be my lucky number--shows up twice in both of my club numbers.

[Hues]

I play a death-nail era Hondo....Can I purtty please be #900. If it's not already taken.

[Baird6869]

I played a bunch of cover tunes today at a gig and 95% of the songs had 3 notes..... And I played a new Fodera.

That should make me qualify!

[ShowLow]

Today at church I was playing four new tunes that I had rehearsed twice. A funny thing happened...for the first time ever, with eyes off the sheet music, a chord change happened and I played the right note automatically!! My ear knew what was coming and my fingers just went there.

I hope this kind of thing will not jeopardize my mediocrity. For I cherish it.

[Holdsg]

just don't make a habit of it, K?

[ShowLow]

It was a root note, I'll have you know.

[My name is Mudd]

Brace yerselves, fellow medio's...I now possess a recording interface and a copy of GarageBand. Aural disasters will commence after I learn what to do with them.

[flipmouse]

Definitely mediocre here...after so many years...will NEVER be a Wooten, Miller, Lee, Hamm, Sheehan, Claypool--unless science fiction fantasies suddenly become reality or senility changes my perspective. Heck, even trying to slap dislocates my thumb (genetics can suck). But I still luv playing.

Can I get a number?

[DeMayunn]

I'm in a Modern rock band right now, all originals that i've written, and i just looked at the basslines for all the songs, there isnt a single song that consists of more than Roots, fifth and octaves. Mediocrity resumed.

[shadven]

Wow, tough club to join (ego-wise) but I think I belong here. I have been playing since I was in 6th grade. Took lessons for a few years, but I didn't really get "it" until the year after high school. I've always played in bands, but not at the level I felt I should be playing to be playing with the caliber musicians I was with. I learned to keep my head down and try to be solid, if not terribly flashy. Sometimes I think I am pretty good, but most of time I in over my head. But I have techniques for dealing with that... like repetition and chord charts to help me pick notes. I have gotten really good at learning songs from recordings and sometimes I can get past a tough part if I can find the youtube video. I can read well enough to figure out parts too, but sight reading in real time is tough. I think my weakest area is playing really funky. I don't really like slapping, but I would like to slap rockabilly on upright and trying to get acceptable on that has helped my slapping electric bass, but again I don't really like slap electric bass. I've played in some rally good bands and have done some pretty impressive gigs over the years. I can fake it well. And I work hard at holding up my end of the equation. I've also accumulated some killer gear over the years. I enjoy having the stuff almost as much as playing bass.

[My name is Mudd]

Oh lordy...Ric = want; teal/maple Tele = SERIOUS want!

Bomb will be along shortly to pass out numbers, I'm sure.

[Shardik]

http://www.dilbert.com/strips/comic/2013-02-07/

[ShowLow]

^^^ I had already done the math and realized some time ago that my lifespan and career will not allow 10,000 hours of bass practice...oh well. Mediocre it is!

[Lady Kayri]

Love the gold p-bass!

[shadven]

Originally Posted by Lady Kayri

Love the gold p-bass!

I was inspired by Dick Dale. I got to open for him about 10 years ago and loved his gold sparkle strat.

[hailet]

I started playing in 1966 and played for about 25 years and then quit playing for the luxuries in life like food and electricity. 20 years later I picked it up again along with keyboards because music is supposed to be good for the senior citizens brain. I am definitely mediocre at this point. The only band stuff I do now is with family members at BBQs . I'm trying to get my technique back but it's harder now. I would really like a number added to my mediocrity. Thanks for your consideration.