Best musical advice you ever got

[Faraday]

3rd best advice: learn some basic theory because it might help you play a little better, probably will help you appreciate music a little more, and will surely keep you from being intimidated by people who know a little theory.

2nd best advice: listen to lots of good music and think about why you think it is good.

Best advice: buy a bass but go to dental school.

I didn't.

 

[ZenG]

Excluding Talkbass I've never ever gotten any musical advice from anybody.....

I have asked people for advice on occasion.......but the answers I got were convoluted , vague and didn't really address the issue.

 

[BazzTard]

my year 8 music teacher wouldn't let me in the class coz I couldn't already play........how else do you learn music? Stupid bitch, oh well, 35 years playing bass ain't bad, she's probably dead by now, hopefully. Seriously what sort of teacher was she?

 

[ZenG]

I had a similar experience like yours.....my junior high music teacher liked to get me up in front of the class and embarrass me because I wasn't very good at theory at the time.

10 years later I could blow her musical socks off.....

Often wondered if she ever did anything else besides humiliating people in the music room.

The entire time we had her as a music teacher I never saw her play a single note on anything.

 

[Big Hoss]

I was was talking with the band after a Manheim Steamroller concert a while back, mentioned I was trying to pick bass back up, and 3 of them chimed in at once with "DO IT!" one of the players flat out told me don't let anything, none of the nay sayers slow me down, and I haven't...

 

[MD]

Yes....
Never judge a person 'till you've walked a mile in there shoes.
Then, when you do judge them, you're a mile away, and you have their shoes.

 

[davec]

Reading the stories of school music teachers... And remembering getting reprimanded for playing Rush, and quitting immediately

My brother Jeff, while teaching YYZ "it's all just music Davey...
Jazz, country, Rush.... It's all just music"

Jeff passed a little more than a year ago, remembering that almost has me in tears.

 

[MrLenny1]

Learn how to read and go through a good method book.
My then teacher John Repucci had me go though a classical method book.
Learned proper fingering, scales, some reading and good time.

 

[Fabio_MIJ]

Uhm... for a bass player in general:

_ listen a lot of records you like and play along them
_ try to find a good drummer more experienced than you and play with him as much as possible
_ try to practice a minimum of all (reading, rhythms, harmony, etc..), but give priority to what you are inspired by
_ prefer daily continuity to amount

 

[ONYX]

RE: Mistakes when playing live.

"The first thing to do is don't stop. The second thing to do is keep playing."

 

[HandsFree]

The most remarkable advice I got was when I played db in a chamber orchestra, but it translates well to a band situation: don't listen to yourself.

It had to sink in a bit, but that conductor was right. I know what I'm playing and I know what that sounds like. But what's important is what the others are doing. If I focus on that I'll automatically adjust when needed. If I'm concentrating on my own playing I'll most likely be late, if at all, in responding to what's going on around me.

So focus on your hands and technique and whatever when practising at home. But when playing in a group, don't pay attention to your own playing but to your fellow musicians.

 

[Kun2112]

Play with other people as often as possible.

 

[BassChuck]

1.) Scheduling is the only reason to turn down a gig. Take it, and figure out what you need to do.
2.) Never turn down a chance to learn something musical. Theory, history, anything.... learn it. Understanding music from 3rd world countries, music theory from the middle ages, how to play metal, how to read music, whatever.
3.) Every minute you aren't practicing something worthwhile, someone else is. Get to work.
4.) No matter how good a musician is, they're still looking to the next gig. You should too.
5.) If you are considering questioning your dedication, you already have.

 

[old spice]

"Don't tell anyone what to play. That's the worst thing you can do. If it's not sounding right, someone needs to go - you, or them."
-George 'Boogie' Daniels

 

[Roland GR 88]

" You won't get rich working for anybody but yourself "

 

[Tom Howland]

Don't quit your day job. And practice the phrase " Would You like fries with your order "

OK. Listen to the drummer. And the song comes first.

 

[Gravedigger Dav]

From my dear ole' dad, a performing musician (paraphrased and condensed):
There is music for the masses and music for musicians. If you play music for musicians you will never make any money at it because musicians don't have much money. If you play music for the masses, you will make money and you can play music for musicians for fun.
That has always been my number one guiding rule. That is why I roll my eyes and shake my head in sadness when I see posters here who are angry with the masses because they don't appreciate their original music.

 

[ryco]

at a jam session: "Take a seat over yonder and listen."

 

[phayes1007]

"Don't learn/play bass. Learn/ play music." (-unknown)

Always know which one you are doing...

 

[jdaunt]

Not necessarily advice per se, but I met Eric Johnson after a show once and we were chit chatting and he asked if i played and i said "i attempt to." And he laughed and said "That's funny, that's what i always tell people too. It really feels like that doesn't it? That there's always so much more you can do and you're never as good as you want to be." That's stuck with me ever since that a guy considered one of the best guitar players in the world still thinks that way.