Advice

[tgriley62]

I have been playing for about 3 years now. I am 49 and have realized that I can not get my fingers to move as fast as I would like. My question is that I would like to play out live in the future and was wondering how much would an audiance notice if I was not playing a song as written. I know if other bass players were around they would pick up on it and I know I could not pull off a song that had a distinctive bass line or bass solo in it by just playing roots and 5ths. Does anybody else have this problem

 

[preside]

Yea , try to find the key "melody" notes of whatever parts you can't quite pull off. Some notes will be crucial to make the "melody" sound right other notes will be mostly emblishment/passing tones , eleminate the emblishment notes and play what is left

 

[Freight Train]

For #1, I say your fingers are able to move as fast as you want if you are willing to put the practice hours in to get them faster.
For #2, usually 80% and more of the audience doesn't even recognize a complete train wreck if it happens, much less that the bass line is wrong. Just in my experience, you strive for perfection to satisfy yourself and your bandmates (and that 20% of the audience that does recognize good from bad).
For #3, the last thing you should worry about is what other bass players think, and you shouldn't be playing solos anyway. *:0P

 

[smeet]

Rhythmic feel and accuracy are much more important than speed for a bassist (in most generes). You can also give the illusion of speed by playing syncopated rhythms, hammer-ons/pullofs etc.

 

[tgriley62]

Thanks guys. I know from going to gigs as just a audiance member that I suspected 90% of the audiance wont know the bass line but 99.9% of an audiance will know if you are out of tune or hitting the wrong notes

 

[carldogs]

Hi tgriley62 i can only agree with the answers you got so far, the important thing is the right groove, then any unique fills or phrases, as you get more familiar with the song you can work on putting in what was not fitting at first. In your private study with a metronome or drum track start slow keeping your technique right as you build up speed, for fast or difficult lines try and practice them faster than you will actually play them with the band live, that bit of reserve can help you stay more relaxed on stage.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

I have been playing for about 3 years now. I am 49 and have realized that I can not get my fingers to move as fast as I would like. My question is that I would like to play out live in the future and was wondering how much would an audience notice if I was not playing a song as written. I know if other bass players were around they would pick up on it and I know I could not pull off a song that had a distinctive bass line or bass solo in it by just playing roots and 5ths. Does anybody else have this problem

As has been said the audience only hears the beat and if you are doing that right your stuff is just part of the background. They are listening to the vocalist and the solo instruments........ your individual notes are not registering. If there is a bassist in the audience he or she is there to have fun, not to judge you.

Now miss a beat and all eyes are on you.....LOL.

About playing by rote the way others play that tune, I never worry about that. This is the way I play it. Reading between the lines I think you have yet to gig in public, if that is correct, relax, you are worrying about things that do not make that much difference. As to getting a bass solo, good luck with that, the band will know when you are ready for a lead break, it'll take awhile before they give you a lead break. Now everyone in the band is augmenting every one else, doing whatever is necessary to make every one sound good, as long as you blend in, help carry their stuff in and out and do not step on the lead instrument's toes you'll be fine. Your band mates will help you - relax and enjoy the ride. Once you start gigging you will pick up all kinds of new skills.

Find a way to start playing in public, jump in and get your feet wet, garage band, jamming circle, church praise band, you and a friend on Wednesday nights, whatever. Some fake chord sheet music, following the chords with roots and fives and if you get completely lost the tonic pentatonic will let you get by till you can find your place. The beat is the thing until a groove develops, when you get a groove going, enjoy it - you have just become a musician.

Good luck and have fun.