• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Best musical advice you ever got

#146
"The purpose of the bass is to hold the rythm and play the notes of the chord." - bass teacher in highschool who primarily played guitar

"Guitar plays fear what we do" - bass teacher in high school who played a 5 string upright

that same b ass teacher also had the nail on his pinky grown out to a point. He used it when he played the electric to get a pick tone. He said he started doing it in the 70's. It wasn't until much later that I figured out why he probably grew it out originally. He could play faster with three fingers then I could with a pick. that guy was insane.
 
#147
my bass teacher told me that the most important thing is that when the baton comes down at the beginning of the piece, you're in there with your 1st bass note, right on cue... nothing is worse than a missed cue

and i've always followed that and even in non-conducted situations, always RELIGIOUSLY hit your first note... then worry about the rest...

the longer implication of this is that you MUST be ready to play when required... and having a really good excuse still isn't good enough.. you need to be ready to play.. an unreliable bass player is the last thing anyone needs
 
#155
i enjoy giving the same advice everyone gave me thru the years... dont bother, dont waste your time, youll never go anywhere, youll never make it... i was 10 years old, i had cut a guitar shape with the help of my dad out of plywood, had it slung on with some old shoelaces, and was strutting around the neighboorhood telling every one i was going to be a rockstar. they laughed, but now im the one laughing with all tis dough and diamond watches, HAHAHAHAHA. so, dont waste your time (wink) johnny a.
 
#156
When you want to write a Melody

-Try playing a rhythmic/groove based line

When you want to write a Groove

-Try playing a melody


This was told to me by my old teacher Mike Turner (RIP Brother).

It might sound odd but it really works.
 
#158
As w/ everybody else I'm sure there's 15 hundred things I could think of, but many have been said, so I'm jus gonna go w/ what I haven't seen (I think...)
James Jamerson Jr (as told to him by his father) You'll never be me, and I'll never be you
I'm not sure where I read this but some online thing basically said to sing or hum along w/ everything
Every song you play, every scale, every note, and everything else from the outside world
It was a thing about training your ears
 
#159
When I was starting to learn to play bass, a salesman at Westland Music in Westland, Michigan told me this, "Guitar players are a dime a dozen, but great bass players are few and far between."

I once had the opportunity to sit down and talk to Jeff Baxter of the Doobie Brothers and he told me that, "Yeah, you can really get carried away learning all the technical theory stuff, but it doesn't mean a damn thing if the music doesn't come from your heart."

Johnny
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back