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Are you a bass player? Poll...

Are you a bass player?

  • Yes, I consider myself to be a bass player.

    Votes: 122 75.8%

  • No, I just play some bass.

    Votes: 24 14.9%

  • I like carrots because they have lots of Vitamin A.

    Votes: 15 9.3%
  • Total voters
    161
#82
bggeezer said:
I don't quite get what the OP is trying to say, or get us to say.

Seems like a subtle (or not so subtle) attempt to get a flame war going, especially the digging out of tabs which r a tool to help learn a song, no more, no less.

Seems like all he's asking is "r u a session player or not"

Bit judgemental and arrogant with it!
Click to expand...

Thanks for your criticism. I disagree with you regarding TABs. I, and please, read again, "I" think TABs bring more harm than good in the process of learning an instrument. It takes energy from your hearing towards your seeing. As a musician, you should be trying to improve your hearing skills, ear training, interval and chord recognition, etc... Anyway...

Regarding the OP, I think KJung was the only one to understand where I was coming from and I endorse what he's said 100%, but I'm not asking you to believe me...
 
#83
I find it interesting that so many people get defensive about TABS. They're a tool like reading music is a tool. However IMO, you shouldn't use that as your only tool. Learning by ear should be first priority. After all, music is about hearing, not seeing. Sheet music is a way of transposing music into visual form just like TABS.
 
#87
EagleMoon said:
I didn't say they were AS GOOD as reading music. Just a way of transposing. Trust me, I'm definitely in the "reading music is good" camp. :)
Click to expand...

Oh, ok then...

I came up with the OP's original list based on stuff that has happened to me throughout the years. (No, I was not invited to play with Mariah, but you get my point).
This is all REAL WORLD stuff and every time I get a job call that I have to refuse because my lack of skills it literally kills me for weeks/months. If you focus on what you can NOT do you grow a lot more than simply tapping your back for what you CAN do...
Particularly, I have a hard time playing fluidly in odd time signatures other than 3/4 or 3/8 and I feel real bad because of it...
All stuff I listed is considered BASIC skills pretty much everywhere in the world and what differentiates musicians is the art that each of them brings to the top of these basic skills.
I don't get the defensiveness, at all... To me it sounds like "if I can't do it, it's no good." just like all the slap threads we see here every day...
 
#90
bggeezer said:
"As a musician, you should be trying to improve your hearing skills, ear training, interval and chord recognition, etc"

QED...judgemental

I like to model myself on Murderface... ok with you?
Click to expand...

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

:p :D

It is what is...
So, if this was a cooking forum and I had written: "As a chef, you (as in "someone", or "the person") should try to improve your cooking skills" I'd be judgmental too?

Give me a break, seriously...
 
#91
they make perfect sense...in response to yours.

I dont think you have the right to be telling people what they should be doing or playing, or what tools they can and cant use to get their stuff down. I clicked on your profile by mistake... says it all really (your no good if you play a 4 or 5 er). Just plain arrrrrrrooooogggggaaaannntt.

only my mum tells me what to do. but i let her (she's 72)
 
#94
allexcosta said:
Oh, ok then...

I came up with the OP's original list based on stuff that has happened to me throughout the years. (No, I was not invited to play with Mariah, but you get my point).
This is all REAL WORLD stuff and every time I get a job call that I have to refuse because my lack of skills it literally kills me for weeks/months. If you focus on what you can NOT do you grow a lot more than simply tapping your back for what you CAN do...
Particularly, I have a hard time playing fluidly in odd time signatures other than 3/4 or 3/8 and I feel real bad because of it...
All stuff I listed is considered BASIC skills pretty much everywhere in the world and what differentiates musicians is the art that each of them brings to the top of these basic skills.
I don't get the defensiveness, at all... To me it sounds like "if I can't do it, it's no good." just like all the slap threads we see here every day...
Click to expand...

Holy balls, dude! Those are not 'basic' skills. Plenty of big-name, talented bass players couldn't live up to that list. You've mentioned English is far from your first language, so I'll ask, do you know what "basic" means?

And focusing on your bad points? Yeah, if you want to be well-rounded, but I work more on my strengths, cuz that's what I actually use. A little balance is what my old teacher always advised to me.

But what really suprises me are the scenarios... Working with a big name like Mariah Carey on extremely short notice, or having one day to prepare for a 80-show tour based on sheet music for big money. I feel fairly certain in saying anybody short of a prodigy would find those situations nigh impossible.

I've certainly never worked with a big name, and never will; maybe someone who has can confirm what I suspect, that the backing bands spend quite a bit of time together nailing down the music in rehearsals before they ever hit the road.
 
#95
allexcosta said:
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

:p :D

It is what is...
So, if this was a cooking forum and I had written: "As a chef, you (as in "someone", or "the person") should try to improve your cooking skills" I'd be judgmental too?

Give me a break, seriously...
Click to expand...

Well what if I work at a Mexican joint, and all I make are burritos. And they're the bast damn burritos anyone can remember tasting. On occasion I have to make up some refried beans and tacos, but really its all about the burritos I whip up.
Should I waste my time going to classes on how to make pizza? Probably not.
Is the owner going to come up and shout, "There's a traveling souffle carnival that's heading out of town! Can you go with them?!" Not very likely.
If anyone suggest i must learn to make escargot in order to enrich my burrito-making skills, I would laugh at them.

So, that could very well be judgemental, yes.














Now I'm going to go eat lunch. Taco John's is calling to me.
 
#96
Godbody said:
Holy balls, dude! Those are not 'basic' skills. Plenty of big-name, talented bass players couldn't live up to that list. You've mentioned English is far from your first language, so I'll ask, do you know what "basic" means?

And focusing on your bad points? Yeah, if you want to be well-rounded, but I work more on my strengths, cuz that's what I actually use. A little balance is what my old teacher always advised to me.

But what really suprises me are the scenarios... Working with a big name like Mariah Carey on extremely short notice, or having one day to prepare for a 80-show tour based on sheet music for big money. I feel fairly certain in saying anybody short of a prodigy would find those situations nigh impossible.

I've certainly never worked with a big name, and never will; maybe someone who has can confirm what I suspect, that the backing bands spend quite a bit of time together nailing down the music in rehearsals before they ever hit the road.
Click to expand...

BASIC is opposed to ADVANCED, right?
I think it depends on everyone's background. I consider most of that basic...
Supporting bands generally rehearse once or twice before going on tour.
Did you watch Obama's pre-inauguration show in DC?
Remember the band with Nathan East on bass?
I can bet any money that they had NO rehearsal at ALL. I can guarantee you that... Talking about this gig:

 
#97
Godbody said:
Well what if I work at a Mexican joint, and all I make are burritos. And they're the bast damn burritos anyone can remember tasting. On occasion I have to make up some refried beans and tacos, but really its all about the burritos I whip up.
Should I waste my time going to classes on how to make pizza? Probably not.
Is the owner going to come up and shout, "There's a traveling souffle carnival that's heading out of town! Can you go with them?!" Not very likely.
If anyone suggest i must learn to make escargot in order to enrich my burrito-making skills, I would laugh at them.

So, that could very well be judgemental, yes.
Click to expand...

In this case would you call yourself a chef or someone who makes burritos? Oh wait... That's my original question... :p
 
#98
-
  1. Read music? Nope
  2. Charts? Yes. Number and Chord
  3. Come up with a good bassline in a few minutes? Sure
  4. Play most gigs without rehearsal? most? No. Got a chart? Call out numbers?
  5. Go on tour with a band you've never heard about, first show tonight? Not unless I dug the music, and then it depends on how complicated the arrangements are.
  6. Go on tour with Mariah Carey after one rehearsal? I wouldn't want to, honestly.
  7. Play a salsa gig tonight? nope
  8. Go in a studio session and be comfortable recording songs you never listened to in less than 15 minutes? yep Done it several times.
  9. Play with your band if your male singer got sick and there's a girl singing tonight and you need to transpose all the songs on the gig? It would never happen, but I'm pretty sure I could.

An awful lot of great music has come from uneducated musicians. It's not necessary to know all of those things to be a successful bass player. One only needs to know enough to get the job he chooses done. In other words: I'm still considered a mechanic, even if I am only able to repair gasoline engines.
 

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