Chances are You're not that Special!

[Flatwoundround]

Well, I have been working out Jazz Patterns for Bass Clef Instruments for two lessons, and I really enjoy it. I will tell any young player, don't be like I was, buying a million basses, and sound mediocre on all of them. Take lessons and get good!

Not to distract too much from your point which I totally agree with, but I might add that it is also worthwhile for bass players to work on some kind of polyrhythmic independence via two hand tapping or singing while playing bass. And I am not talking about two hand tapping like Eddie Van Halen I am talking about a distinct and seperate bassline with the left hand and some type chordal or melody line with the right hand. Once you learn how to do some of this and then you go back and play with a band playing the bassline only it will feel so much easier and will be able to coordinate better with the melody line.
Also when the relatives come over and ask you to play something recognizable on the bass you will have something more than "Another One Bites the Dust".

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Not to distract too much from your point which I totally agree with, but I might add that it is also worthwhile for bass players to work on some kind of polyrhythmic independence via two hand tapping or singing while playing bass. And I am not talking about two hand tapping like Eddie Van Halen I am talking about a distinct and seperate bassline with the left hand and some type chordal or melody line with the right hand. Once you learn how to do some of this and then you go back and play with a band playing the bassline only it will feel so much easier and will be able to coordinate better with the melody line.
Also when the relatives come over and ask you to play something recognizable on the bass you will have something more than "Another One Bites the Dust".

You wanna put me to work!

 

[Kragnorak]

My friend plays in a big band that plays every week in a suburb of Chicago. They regularly attract well known horn players that have played with the likes of Sinatra, Andy Williams etc. Everything is charted. I was talking with the band leader, who plays trumpet, and the subject of my playing came up. He asked me about it and I told him that I'd played bar bands and the like and always played by ear. He replied, "That takes a lot of talent. Not everyone can play by ear." I was frankly very surprised. He sounded sincere, not condescending or anything. I think he was just being nice though.

I'm sure he was being sincere. Playing wind instruments by ear is more rare just because transposition is not as easy and students in the U.S. are more likely to learn from a method book rather than by rote.