notes,

[tyburn]

what do u htink is more important,
the speed in which u play and the dexterity of either of your hands( that too many seem to be preoccupied with)
or
the way in which u treat a note,, the importance of how it is approached, do u add a little vibrato, hammer ons,, how many u use within 1 bar etc

it's just that i'm still relativly young (18)

and i'm getting taught off a very good teacher,, whos has helped me agreat deal not only in the way in which i play but also how i treat my bass and how it responds to me,, alot of young bassits feel the need to pull off 64 notes

??

later stu

[Steve Lawson]

Stu,

I think you know the answer to this one! :o)

just look at who's really getting the gigs? who are the legends of bass? Lee Sklar, Carol Kaye, James Jamerson, Marcus Miller, Will Lee, Anthony Jackson, Paul McCartney, Joe Osoborn, Jimmy Haslip, Jaco...

can they play fast? you bet. Are they famous for playing fast? er, no...

When Jaco came out, there were a lot of fast players around, but it was Jaco's groove, his sense of space, his sound his feel, his ability to work with so many different combinations of musicians and still have a voice that made him great. Carol Kaye can play bop licks with a pick at near Charlie Parker speeds, but got all her session work for having a good sound, great feel, being reliable and coming up with great lines.

Speed is really a matter of control. It's not an end in itself - that's why Bob Dylan is a more recogniseable voice than JC001 (world's fastest rapper).

People listen to what you say, not how fast you say it. Bass is about space and time, it's the zen part of rock 'n' roll - leave the mad ego speed nonsense to mullet-haired guitarists... :o)

Use the force... :o)

steve
www.steve-lawson.co.uk

[stephanie]

Man, a part of my lesson was to play 16th notes (and triplets) with the metronome set at 100 (which really isn't too too fast). I can't do it!! my fingers just can't move fast enough!! LOL

...me with my tiny fingers (Right Tyburn? HeeHee)

I think the qualtiy of the note is much more important. Let that note express your feeling. Let that note glide gently over to the next. Make every note count!!!

[tyburn]

yeah stephanie(heheheh)

thats something that my teacher doesn't do,, he tells me to take my time and get the technique right, than think about how fast or slow i may be goin,,

speed is nothing without style

[stephanie]

I think my teacher wants me to be a show off just like him. HeeHee.

I mean he's not pushing me. At my last lesson I told him I couldn't play that fast yet. He didn't care. Yeah, you start off slow, till you can play at the right speed.

I hate my metronome. It drives me crazy!!!! AHHHHHH!! I wanna throw it out the window or soemthing. It just goes 'beep' 'beep' 'beep' and gives me a splitting headache. UGH!

And ever hear yourself counting the beats right in your mind, yet your fingers can't move at that same beat? Drives me nuts. LOL.

Ok. I go now.

Cheers,

~stephanie