Lacking experiance.

[Droog]

Hello all. Looking for a little advice or something. I am in a band for the first time in my life. I am 21 and have been doing sound/recording since I was 18. Dabbled with Geetar and such but never worked out. Finnally picked up a bass and have been hooked. Some friends say that it comes to me naturally, great. It just does not seem like it. So here is where I seek wisdom those who have come before me.

The singer/guitar and songwriter of the group is a good friend of mine. I have quickly found that our styles differ a whole lot, even though music taste is very similiar. His stuff is pretty tuff for me, I chalk it up to just being inexperianced. The stuff that just flows out of me does not hardly ever fit the band. Have you guys run into this as well. I basically bust my ass to learn this "un-natural" style, because I feel like it will make me a better player. I get really aggrivated when I can't pick up something fast enough, is it just my lack of experiance? Maybey its just me being a perfectionist, my own worst critic as well as feeling like I have a lot of ground to make up on the other more experianced musicians I play with. Well, anybody's thoughts would be welcome. If not advice at least being able to relate.

Thanks.

[bassed dude]

hey i recogn you problem, i've pickt up bass just less than a year ago and i'm hooked to it!
just the thing is, whoever heard me play say i'm pretty good, considering the time i'm playing, without any lesson or music school...
but i think i'm crap! i can pick up repetitive basslines like nufin, but when it gets techical i'm lost..
in fact i think you are doing better than me, i want to join a band to 'expand my musical horrison' (sounds good huh) but when it gets to it.. and auditions come up, i get dead scared and bail out.. never get the courage to do it..

i think you're doing better, you are in a band, they play better than you and more techical, thats hard but it should keep you motivated to learn more and get better yourself. try to keep it up and give it all you got..

good luck with it!

[brianrost]

The question should really be do you like what he is writing. If so, with experience it should become easier to play. The longer you play and the more styles you play in the easier it gets to learn the NEXT thing.

I've been gigging for over 20 years and still feel inadequate at playing in certain styles.

[RicPlaya]

Been playing too for about a year. Man I can play almost any cover already. I bet you could too. It's application, your in an original band I'm in a cover band and am starting to work on originals. Just like you I feel unadequate doing originals and developing bass lines sometimes so I started taking lessons two weeks ago and you would be astonished how much you improve in a short period of time with lessons. You sort of jumping ahead of yourself, if you can't take time to learn from other peoples music first then I recommend lessons to help you make your own.

[Droog]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I guess I need to just relax and let things unfold. Funny that you mention covers, cuz I can pick up covers pretty damn easy, but its the original stuff thats tuff. As far as the material goes I do like the tunes that are being written its just awkward, but thats just me. I have been giving some serious thought to some lessons. Pretty much self taught thus far so I think some formal training would be good for me, disipline and all. Well thanks guys, take care.

[jbplayer]

Just relax and have fun with it. Every cover song out there was an original at one point in time.

[Kid Charlemagne]

Originally posted by Droog
The stuff that just flows out of me does not hardly ever fit the band. Have you guys run into this as well. I basically bust my ass to learn this "un-natural" style, because I feel like it will make me a better player. I get really aggrivated when I can't pick up something fast enough, is it just my lack of experiance?
Thanks.

I recognise this very much, Droog, both from myself and from my students. This happens when you start feeling comfortable with one certain style of playing. This is a great feeling, and you never grow too old or experienced to love it, on the other hand it makes your feeling uncofortable in other styles more obvious.
Relax. It takes time to learn playing in a new style.
What you do want to ask yourself is, do i like this music? If you do, then you undoubtedly will find a good way to play it, if you give it some work. If you don't like the music, then you shouldn't play it. You will never feel comfortable playing it.

Also, no player can master every style of music (some people might try to tell you that they can, but they're full of it, i can guarantee you!).

What every young (and old) player must do is to find out which kinds of music that rocks their world. Step two is to find out why you like this music and step three is to get an idea of what makes it work musically. Listen to records, play along with them, transcribe bass lines and melodies (if you read music, otherwise just learn the lines), live with the songs day and night!

Ask the songwriter guy which music inspired him, ask to borrow albums or copy mp3's, listen to what made him want to write these songs!

You will grow a million miles as a player!
Good luck!

Sorry for the long post

[szvonek]

Originally posted by Droog
Funny that you mention covers, cuz I can pick up covers pretty damn easy, but its the original stuff thats tuff.

You might be putting too much pressure on yourself. Coming up with a bassline for a song you've never heard is a whole different game than learning a cover tune. If you aren't doing this already, try working on your basslines at home--before you meet the guitarist for rehearsal. It might help too to record the guitarist and play along with it at home by yourself. There's less pressure that way and when you're more relaxed you tend to experiment more...it could help your original stuff.