Be honest!

[jazzbo]

Okay, I could be all cool and say, "Of course I know who Beaver is! Who doesn't know Beaver? Who doesn't like Beaver?!" Um, wait. Okay, that last part....nevermind.

Actually, no, I was serious. I didn't know who that was.

I am a Peavey fan and supporter. Some call it a weakness. I shall rise above and use my weakness as my strength!

Yeah, the Beatles thing I've never been able to get into. Everytime I think of the Stones I hear Mick Jagger's off-tempo tambourine on Time is on my Side. No, it isn't. As for Rush, I don't know what it is. I had a friend in high school who was a big fan of theirs. He let me borrow 2112 but I never gave it a fair listen. Maybe a fair listen to two or three of their albums might change my mind. From what I remember from them earlier, I wasn't terribly impressed.

 

[Gard]

Originally posted by jazzbo
Okay, I could be all cool and say, "Of course I know who Beaver is! Who doesn't know Beaver? Who doesn't like Beaver?!" Um, wait. Okay, that last part....nevermind.

What do you mean "nevermind"? Most of the guys I know like Beaver just fine. Matter of fact, I even know several females that really appreciate Beaver.


...Beaver Felton, that is . If you were thinking otherwise, you need to visit notduane's friends at the mental cleaning clinic

Actually, no, I was serious. I didn't know who that was.

That's cool, now you do. I recommend his store to everyone very highly. Great service and selection. An equal to Bass NW, you might even call Bass Central the Bass NW of the East, or vice versa.


I am a Peavey fan and supporter. Some call it a weakness. I shall rise above and use my weakness as my strength!

AMEN BROTHER, PREACH ON!

Yeah, the Beatles thing I've never been able to get into. Everytime I think of the Stones I hear Mick Jagger's off-tempo tambourine on Time is on my Side. No, it isn't. As for Rush, I don't know what it is. I had a friend in high school who was a big fan of theirs. He let me borrow 2112 but I never gave it a fair listen. Maybe a fair listen to two or three of their albums might change my mind. From what I remember from them earlier, I wasn't terribly impressed.

LOL good one, Time Is On My Side....YEAHRIGHT As for the Rush stuff, the earlier Rush (such as 2112) was certainly an acquired taste, I'd recommend either Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures as an "introductory" CD. Check out some used shops for one or both of those, I don't think you'll feel your money was wasted if it give 'em a chance. You will find that time IS on their side (particularly in "Limelight" from Moving Pictures, try counting that one out for a great exercise in futility).

 

[yawnsie]

Liking Peavey isn't a weakness! There's a new Peavey stack at the Cavern (I say new, but it says Copyright 1982 on it) which I used for the first time last week. I usually like to jump around onstage in a desperate attempt to get attention, but on Saturday I did an Entwistle and stood up against the speaker listening to the quality of the sound.

Come on, brothers, lets rise up against our oppressors and fight them with our Peaveys!

 

[phunkjam]

When evaluating myself, I'm always real hard on myself, it's part of what I do to help me improve and work harder. Being only 16, I've been playing for 3 years now, 1 with a teacher. I'm just a beginner though. I know how to read music, time signatures, keys, chords, etc. I have developed fast hand for slapping and playing. I lack in my timing though, and I also lack in creativity. In other words, I'm just a beginner still.

 

[Brad Johnson]

The nice thing is that there's a fix for practically every weakness mentioned... work on it. Whether it's right hand muting, recognizing intervals or getting along with others, none of this stuff is out of anyone's reach.

 

[lump]

Well, if you are going to twist my arm...

As for strengths, I'm a musician first, and a bass player second. My grasp of conventional/diatonic theory is pretty good; jazz theory requires a little more thought (okay, a lot more thought). Most of my playing involves reading notation, and at this point I can read well enough to sight-read in front of a crowd without panicking (or making any major mistakes). I love chord charts; I can improvise over changes without any problems (as long as the tune only calls for root/five). My sense of rhythm is very good, although I tend towards syncopation - you won't hear straight quarters out of me unless I'm reading them. I know how to play in an ensemble tastefully. I can actually slap fairly well, but I never use it except to impress people (and unfortunately, it does so more than being able to chase little black dots around the page).

Weaknesses. I have a good ear, but since I do a lot of reading, sometimes I get chart-dependent. When I transcribe, I tend use my theory knowledge vice my ear, which gets me into trouble when trying to work out a song with doesn't "fit" conventional harmony. This has also given me a TERRIBLE music memory - I can't remember a tune five minutes after I've played it. If I learn something by ear, I have to at least write down the chords to keep from having to start from scratch the next time (God, how I envy you, Brad). I still can't anticipate changes as well as I should, and if I'm just jamming with someone, I'll ask for changes beforehand (I know, I know). I can sing pretty well, but I can't sing and play to save my life. My walking is lame, but Ed Friedland and Gary Willis are doing what they can to help. I don't solo. I can't play fretless. I can't play with a pick. I whack people in the head with my headstock. I own a Peavey...

[Edited by lump on 01-12-2001 at 10:26 PM]

 

[embellisher]

I am my own worst critic, so we'll start there first.

I can't play with a pick.
I can only slap well enough to impress people who can't or people who aren't bass players.
I can't solo except in I-IV-V and then only passably.
I can't read notation fast enough to play it, or tab either.
I am learning theory, but am completely self taught.
Even though I have a better than average ear, have a hard time hearing unfamiliar changes.
Can't seem to make full use of a six string, although if I had a good one it might help. That high C sounds so thin that I only use it for chords.
Have a hard time taking command of the time if not playing with a drummer.

Strengths? Not many.

Good rock/country/oldies/church bass player.
Good sense of time.
I can tap and play double stops, chords etc(and I do) but I play for the song first. No fancy stuff if not called for.
I live in the groove when playing with a drummer.
Above average ear(I can hum an open E or tune to within a few cents without a tuner).
I can play a fretless pretty well in tune with little practice.
I can cover chords well when guitarist is soling.

Wow. More than I thought!. This felt good, telling my weaknesses.

::Butthead voice on::Confession is good for the soul, or something. uhh huh huhmm.::Butthead voice off::

[Edited by embellisher on 01-12-2001 at 10:14 PM]

 

[Herm]

I've always been a very good "In the Pocket" player, and have good timing. I can anticipate a drummer's playing and lock in with a good one very well. I've always had an uncanny ability to pick up (rock) songs very fast. I do a lot of subbing work, and sometimes don't even meet the band I'm playing with until a half hour before the show, let alone have time to learn the set, so learning songs on the fly has become a strong point. As long as they're not playing like Dream Theater and stuff.

I can do some soloing but really prefer not to. I prefer to provide a solid bottom to the music. I have been doing some "Claypoolesq" things lately, though. The groove has to be right for me to be able to do that good.

Although I am a classically trained musician, but can only read treble clef well. Bass clef requires me to think too much. I can read charts. I can't slap real well without messing up my timing.

I've never had the discipline and focus to become a good solo bass player because I spred myself too thin, playing violin and guitar, as well as bass and now mandolin and kazoo.

 

[*ToNeS*]

I've been teaching myself for quite a while now, and going on what my bandmates and various onlookers who've been present when i decide to show off (which is like, a lot) - i'm a psycho funk slapper. i love that s#!t, it's such an awesome technique. the bass would just be an instrument fit for people who can't handle a guitar if slapping wasn't around, i'd think. my slapping, popping, muting, left-hand slap, double-thumbing, etc. are all finely honed to the point of being somewhat unnatural. i play in a band, and i love playing with a drummer, so locking in has never been a problem. bass lines just sorta come to me out of nowhere - i can play almost anything i hear in my head, not actually knowing the fine technical details of how i'm doing so - i can pull a minute-long solo out of my posterior if Gribbles (our vocalist) shouts out "bass solo!" - which he does unexpectedly and with alarming frequency. tapping is something that i can do with reasonable consistency and skill, but i haven't found many places to use it as yet.

since i'm self-taught, my knowledge of theory is zip - i play from the heart, which in the short-term is probably okay, but i can see that i will definitely have to start knuckling down if i wanna make this thing my life. my technique is obviously a bit sloppy as well, as that kind of thing really requires a teacher to correct and mediate. i can't play with a pick at all, and find that this takes away from being a bass player anyway - it's such a sensuous instrument, you *have* to have both hands on it. i'm only required to sing backing vocals, but i find even this difficult to manage whilst playing - to the point where i actually have to stop playing to sing. i guess my worst fault is that i staunchly refuse to diversify my musical interests - its either hard detuned rock or nothing. guess i gotta work on "accepting". i also have a bit of a negative attitude towards guitarists .. ;o)

 

[Oysterman]

Strengths:
* Overall good gripe on theory
* Good timing and tempo feel
* Consistent tone with fingerstyle playing
* Good technique - can play for hours and hours without getting tired
* Decent speed
* Disciplined like a professional when needed
* Can freak out completely when needed
* OK at slapping (but if I do, away goes the time and tone consistency...)

Weaknessess:
* I too often overplay (Geddy Lee-wannabe )
* My overplaying is dull (only a fool can be impressed)
* I can't write interesting basslines (or songs, for that matter)
* Can't play with a pick
* My soloing sucks old socks
* Can't do funk (worth a damn)
* Can't do jazz (at all)
* Slow at reading music
* Slow at learning new things (I've become too lazy to try)
* Can't do anything simultaneously with my playing (except for jumping around)
* My ear is not too good (I can distinguish one note from another and hear what's not in tune, but figuring out intervals and such... nah)

 

[Mike]

OK. Here it goes...


Strengths:

I'm a pretty decent player. I guess above average (I hope). Average is a relative term. I have a fair amount of technical ability, scales, arpeggios, and the like. I can usually fill a groove pretty quickly, on time and with the right feel.

I can slap reaonably well,know a few flashy tricks and licks, but then I listen to someone like Marcus and wonder why I even bother. I'm also pretty creative in the song writing process and at arranging music.

My soloing is ok. It still needs some refinement (a life long process) but overall it's ok.

Weaknesses:

I tend to want to dominate at times and name the band the "Mike Purdy Project," or something like that. It's not ego that drives me, it's just that I sometimes want to do nothing but expirement on my bass and guitar players seem to have a problem with that.

I'm a lousy jazz player and wish I was more experienced in this realm. I understand the approach but have never constructed any true walking bass lines.

I can't read notation, but, honestly, don't feel I've missed anything because of it.

I want to utilize more chords in my playing in the manner of Mike Dimin but haven't gotten to that yet. I think there is great potential there for creating and creating different feels.

I've never spent any significant time on a fretless but hope to change that this year.

And last... I can't play with a pick to save my life. Sometimes I wish I could for different feels.


Overall, I'm pretty content with my abilities but doubt I'll ever be mentioned in BP's next 100 years of bass edition. This is a great thread. I'm glad it got started.

 

[Witt]

I think I'm above average in my peer group (Military musicians) but I still have much to learn. I think that knowing how much I have to learn is my biggest strength. My opinion is that my abilities and my talent as a bass player are not the same thing. I could have the ability to burn the fretboard up and down on my head, but if I can't keep the pocket tight and choose my notes wisely then I am a sub par bassist.
I cannot burn up and down the neck like I would like to, but because I can choose notes wisely and can keep a tight pocket I cosider myself a real good bassist.


The older I get the more I learn that I havn't learned all that much!

 

[CS]

I consider myself competant rather than gifted and I wished I started playing earlier than I did (18).

I can pick up stuff quickly from charts or vinyl I mean CD, but I cannot read well, if I do a reading gig then I write the notes at the bottom of the 5 line things and read the timing from the black and white dots(hey it works).

I can play guitar and drums and understand how it all fits in. I play much more simply now than ever before. I can slap and tap but dont do it much. My intonation on fretless is ok but I'm paranoid and check it with a tuner before a gig. I really struggle to play 5 string and need to practice, which is something I dont do much, rarely between rehearsals. I will explain here that I mostly play in a 400 seater church. We practice on a Thursday then practice an hour before the service on the Sunday then do the songs with the 'punters'.

I will probably continue to not practice

 

[dj falkroy]

Ok my turn.
I can sing and play. I know my scales, arpeggios, chords, etc. I write lots of music. I am learning to play drums and guitar, I can play most styles of music (or fake it reasonably well to an audience who soesn't know any better). My speed is getting up there and I am pretty good at grooving and improvising. I have a good ear and come up with solid catchy lines pretty easily. I like crazy effects.
I can't read music or jazz charts. I get pissed off at my guitarist really easily. I think I might overplay quite a bit, I can't really tell cuz I'm off in rockstar dream land, but it seems possible. I play in a reggae,rock,fusion,trance band in an area where everyone likes punk or metal. (Southern California). I can solo sometimes but it usually just sounds like a bass solo, which people aren't really that in to most of the time.

I think its most important to be open minded about who you play with and what you play. The more different styles you try to play, the more you have to call on in your own music.

 

[Brendan]

I'm a advanced beginner, I've onyl been playing for about a year and half now.

Strength: I can make it sound right. I have a talent (or so my band teacher/band mates tell me) to have no idea what I'm doing, but make it sound like I do. I pick up on things about average time, I think big, and I don't brag, and I can play just about anything and not get lost in the rest of the music.

Weakness: I like Ibanez.

Seriously, I'm self taught, don't know jack about music theory, and Whenever I say "hey, check this out" I always mess up, and people seem to think I'm better than I am, leading to a lot of embarrassing situations when people try to show me off to people who are better and know what they are doing...

 

[toycopbassist]

well i hope this makes me feel better or you atl;east
i started playing like 6 months ago so i really suck

Strengths
-can play somewhat fast
-can suck well

weeknesses
-need to practice more
-can't hear a bassline in a song ever
-can't make own bassline well at all
-can't sing or talk for that matter while playing
-can play with pick
-can't only slap E string(go me)

ok thats all i know so now you know there is someone out their that sucks worse then you.

 

[smoothergroover]

This thread is scary, especially reading Pro posts like Gard's and Bruce's. I have been playing for ten years. My opinion of my playing varies according to how I'm feeling. My main problem is that I feel have no accurate guide by which to judge my abilities. I cannot read, but I have no problem improvising or learning most lines by ear. Also being in the Army does not help when trying to stay in a band or practice as much as one would like.

I think I'm going to get in touch with Steve Lawson...

 

[Gard]

smoothergroover -

Don't be overly impressed or intimidated at all by anything I've done. I'm at best a "semi-pro" player at this time. The band I'm with presently has done some real interesting and fun gigs recently, and we're doing some more soon (we're gonna be playing backing up Tito Puente Jr again this Wed. nite in Miami at some private function), but we're not "made" musicians just yet. There are a lot of possibilities on the horizon for us, but so far that's all they are: possibilities. Y'all will know when they become more than just possibilities, trust me .

 

[freddylang]

Start with the good:
I can tune by ear.
I picked up tapping quickly.
I'm a fast learner and can play what I hear. (Within technical reason.)
My timing is pretty good. (I come from a family of drummers.) I play for the song well. Can come up with basic lines on the fly.
Don't really hear music in my head like some but am good at taking a sound or a few notes I hear and turning it into something bigger.
I can write lyrics.

The many badpoints:
Just learning to read music. Have no basics or fundamentals.
I'm lost if I try to go up or down the fretboard.( I feel this is the key to me getting over the hump and the hardest thing to learn.)
Can't slap but hope to become at least adequate.
Tend to lock up and lose my creativity when around other people and bandmates.
Not focused in my practicing. (Get content playing same stuff.)
Don't challenge myself to play more difficult pieces.
I am good with my righthand and fairly fast but only within a two fret (finger) range.
Can't solo yet.

Overall I think I am just raw material that needs more direction in what I am trying to accomplish. I'm getting more focussed all the time.
It feels good to categorize everything here. It really puts things in perspective.

 

[mijarra]

I too am pretty impressed by some of the things I am reading from people here. Anyway, this is the 39th post or something and I'm sure no one cares by now, but here goes:

I have been in rock/metal/hardcore type bands and I feel my abilities in those genres are fairly advanced. I have a good ear, I can pick things up quickly, improvise easily, a good knack for tone, I know the fretboard and scales well enough to get along, plus pretty good writing skills.

Now for the negative. I was also in a fusion type group once and my skills in that area are pretty average at best. I can play with my fingers well enough, but I really prefer the pick because the attack is brighter and cleaner. I mostly practice with my fingers to compensate for this. It's amazing to me that guys like Steve Harris get such a solid sound using just his fingers. As I posted here before, I'm a converted guitar player, so I really have no idea yet about a lot of things it takes to be a really good all-around bassist. Luckily I seem to have a natural feel to do the right thing, locking up with the drummer etc, but little of it is conscious. So, I have a lot to learn about different types of music, especially jazz, and there is a lot of road yet to travel. I guess my biggest flaw is that I am not well rounded. As I have stated here before, it's pretty easy to be an adequate bassist, but it's a lot harder to be an outstanding bassist.