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Advice for young guy playing with older gents

#62
godofthunder59 said:
? Whats so funny ? The band does have a "uniform" leather pants and vests. They were surprised and very pleased I did own leather pants, lace up at that. They were hoping I wasn't going to show up in shorts and sandals. I did go out and buy a vest, no studs for me but I am going to have the band logo embroidered on the back though. ;)
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Ha! ok I looked back and found your post, very funny, perfect.
 
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#64
Gravedigger Dav said:
Ignore this. It is bad advise. Your ability to create good music is based on not only your own creative talent but also the music you have listened to and played. The more different musicians you work with, the more you will learn. I think your teacher is right and is also very astitue and looking out for your best interest. What he is really saying is, "You are doing well. There isn't a whole lot more new I can teach you. You are ready to into the world and learn from experience."
I get very annoyed at the snobbery of those who feel it is beneath them to play covers. I really points to a very narrow and ego driven vision of music.
Now watch the flames.
Oh, and I am one of the oldest guys out here still playing. We really don't see ourselves as old. We love to have younger guys coming in. Best of luck to you.
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Yes, that's one of the things I love about my teacher, he's anything but a "one size fits all" approach to teaching or mentoring on bass. Since the walls are thin, it's very easy to hear what others are working on. A few people that started before me are still on the first set of songs he handed me when I started. I've gone through two other sets of songs since finishing that one. I'm not being arrogant, but it's reassuring to know that he's not just blowing smoke at me about his suggestions. Networking was really what he was driving home to me, but he has told me many times that he feels awful for this generation of young musicians, as it's so easy to get music out there that it's nearly impossible to "make it" unless you are a label-manufactured pop star. He has suggested studio work, but I don't like something that unpredictable in terms of income. Backing bassist is something that he says he feels I'd be best at. There's time and the ability to prep for it unlike studio work, you have a set list of songs to play on tour, and often times the money is good if you are with a solid act...you are generally guaranteed money as a hired gun too.

My worst nightmare is getting stuck playing bass for some pop star diva that makes me want to dive headfirst out a window every time they talk. I've named off artists I'd like to work with, in the process I realize I want to be Justin Meldal-Johnsen LOL. I really think the guy has done well for himself and isn't just a gorilla on bass like some hired guns, he has broadened himself out to production and many other things. Really admire him in so many ways, I'd be very happy putting in the work and getting an outcome like him. Since my teacher knows this, I think he's trying to trick me into getting there lol. I'd love a gig playing for Macy Gray or Beck, NiN wouldn't be bad either! I dig bands like Maroon 5 and wish I had the chops to play for Bruno Mars. It got likened to looking for a job as a teen, you need experience to get a decent job, so you have to take a few undesirable ones first to get going. All my originals bands aren't really something I can note as well as a band that has been playing out for a while.

He also told me that a "bar crowd" can be the most receptive and easygoing crowd as well. If enough people are drunk, they won't care if you're playing the song in original key or not. He also told me that looking so young, I might need to have a plan for keeping cougars off of me. I'm 26, but look about 18 or 19. I've already prepared to tell the "I have to go home, it's my bedtime" or "My mom will ground me if I drink any alcohol" jokes to keep things light with the crowd. I just hope they don't nickname me "Jailbait" or something :sour:
 
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#65
mellowinman said:
No, that's NOT what's I mean by "paying your dues." I don't mean paying your dues through suffering. I am talking about paying your MUSICAL dues, by learning a lot of the basic styles of the genre. Becoming well-versed in the Gospel According to Chuck (Berry,) the Gospel According to Jimmy (Page,) the Gospel According to Jimi (Hendrix,) etc, if you are a guitar player; the Gospel According to Jamerson, the Gospel According to Sir Paul, the Gospel According to Geddy, on bass; and as a band, playing together through the different changes and styles that other great bands have played in the past.
Most original bands I hear, and I mean an overwhelming majority, have no substance, and that's why so many of them fail. You do know most original bands fail, right? I mean thousands upon thousands of them. Way more than succeed. I'll bet the ration is 10,000 utter fails to every 1 success.
How can you play interesting music if you have never played interesting music?

Two Tickets to Paradise? I have never heard a cover band play that song. If you think that's what being a cover band is about, you are sadly uninformed.

Being in a cover band builds versatility. And without that, you become pretty darned repetitive.
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Everything you just wasted your time typing is false. Musical dues? Ha! You can write your own music in many different genres without ever learning " The Gospel" of whoever. There are more bands out there playing covers that are just as bad as the originals, I see it everyday here on TB. chalked full of NO substance. As for being a success everybody has their own definition. I'd say in my world your original "Pretending" is a huge success. Hell being able to write a song in itself is a success. If your playing music for the glory of having people praise you, you might want to reassess. If playing someone else's music for YOUR glory is your thing well then your already too far gone for help.

Too bad your not down here you could've made much fun with YOUR music in a town like this.
 
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#69
10cc said:
...You can write your own music in many different genres without ever learning " The Gospel" of whoever. There are more bands out there playing covers that are just as bad as the originals, I see it everyday here on TB. chalked full of NO substance. As for being a success everybody has their own definition. I'd say in my world your original "Pretending" is a huge success. Hell being able to write a song in itself is a success.
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This is fine and dandy, but again it's very hard for an originals band that is fresh off the presses to REALLY go anywhere playing nothing but originals from the starting line. I would love nothing more than to get up and pump out my music at shows to the delight of others attending. The point of my music is to relate with that audience or lock into what I was feeling/wanting to express with my music. There's a difference between the ability to write originals that are good and choosing to play them exclusively. When my grunge band had a soundcloud account, it was rather surprising how much momentum we got with zero marketing for our music. Oddly enough, people in Indonesia loved our stuff lol.

Like Trent from Daria said, I don't want to be a "...townie playing Doors covers in brew pubs" for the rest of my life. This is more or less a means to an end, from what my teacher is telling me, a way to grow musically. Rarely do people start off their instrument without learning some covers, largely in part because the people they are playing songs by have already made it and people like that music. The goal is to eventually establish a band playing music, either completely written by me or a collaboration I feel is on the same page with my goals musically. Oddly enough, I'm actually interested in doing 50's-60's covers...definitely something out of my generational radar for commonly known music lol. I'm sure most bands will want to pepper in some classic rock from the 70's as well though. Excited to see what turns up.
 
#70
That's right. Older guys are nothing but you further down the road. relax and just be yourself and have your own mind. If you don't like it, just say thanks but no thanks and walk away. If you like it, be patient and watch and see what happens. Keep an open mind and yes there is always someone in a band trying to tell the bass player how to play. To this day it really puzzles me when we hardly ever have too much to say about how someone else is playing not unless they actually don't play well. Remember to enjoy the ride.
 
#71
10cc said:
Everything you just wasted your time typing is false. Musical dues? Ha! You can write your own music in many different genres without ever learning " The Gospel" of whoever. There are more bands out there playing covers that are just as bad as the originals, I see it everyday here on TB. chalked full of NO substance. As for being a success everybody has their own definition. I'd say in my world your original "Pretending" is a huge success. Hell being able to write a song in itself is a success. If your playing music for the glory of having people praise you, you might want to reassess. If playing someone else's music for YOUR glory is your thing well then your already too far gone for help.

Too bad your not down here you could've made much fun with YOUR music in a town like this.
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Meaningless Ranting.
 
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