I was at a small party a few months ago. Elliot Randall, Jamie Moses, Jamie Little, Jim Cregan and Gav Coulson got up and played some numbers (including Reelin' in the Years, of course). They were just calling out the keys and then playing everything album perfect. I wouldn't say I was intimidated. Just awestruck. These guys operate on a totally different level and were all, approachable nice people. Was a surreal and wonderful experience.
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Do professional musicians intimidate you?
- Thread starter IamGroot
- Start date
I met Stu Hamm at a bass clinic he put on and took a private lesson from him. I found him to be friendly and I learned a great deal in the lesson and enjoyed his clinic. I guess anyone can rub someone the wrong way sometime.
I often have to deal with randomness to a certain extent. I have a few hundred songs worth of cheat sheets in my tablet (notes and Nashville numbers, not real charts), and can fake my way through standard format tunes pretty well even without that. I love doing short-notice (or no notice) sub gigs to rescue bands from emergency situations. Assumption is that they are playing standard-format rock/pop/blues/r&b/etc tunes, easily researchable/chartable, or easily relatable-on-the-fly (e.g. "12-bar, no quick 4, 4145 bridge"). Bandleaders I work with regularly know my strengths and weaknesses and call out surprise tunes within my range (usually their range as well).
I wouldn't/couldn't do an "anything goes" gig for the following reasons: can't sight-read, struggle with tricky charts, don't play jazz very well even with a chart, don't have an encyclopedic knowledge of pop/jazz standards, or music theory for that matter. But I keep improving, and might get there eventually.
I second that for Stu Hamm. Spent an evening at one of his bass clinics over here in Reading, UK, a couple of years ago and he was a great guy, not to mention a fabulous player. As you say, anyone can have an off day!
I play for the song, the band, the audience and myself -- not necessarily in that order. I don't play to compete with, or impress, other bass players specifically.
But I'm always open to learning from another bass player who's better than me, or maybe just plays differently. And I'm always impressed by ant competent musician, not just the big-name pros.
But I'm always open to learning from another bass player who's better than me, or maybe just plays differently. And I'm always impressed by ant competent musician, not just the big-name pros.
Maybe he was just having a bad night. He pretty much disregarded dozens of fans at a meet and greet (they had paid extra to attend). He stayed behind a barrier, lit up a cigarette in a non smoking building, and even flipped everyone off when a few fans wouldn't quit asking for autographs. He was a grumpy jackhole that night.
One of the nicest persons that I've ever met is Nathan East. I got the opportunity to watch Nathan do some session work back in the day. While I knew what Nathan did was beyond my capabilities, I wasn't intimidated. Nathan was and still is on a level of musicianship that I will never achieve and I'm cool with that. While he's one of the most skilled and respected bassists on the planet, he's incredibly humble and made everyone feel at ease.
nope not for me. I know what I know. I am not much of a freestyle person and most of a "jam" is freestyle. I like to practice to play my best to the note. I guess it's the logic part of my brain. Personally I prefer a precise band rather than a chaotic jam. I am sure it is good to hear some one shine "out of nowhere" pulling out a solo or funk or something but when it comes to playing, I would not do well in that kind of situation.
It's a tough call and depends on how familiar we are in the style at hand. I've been irritated by so called "pros" that expect something more than possible. It's more common they are laid back cool people and you want to play with good musicians. The last thing you want to do is rush the groove.
No not intimidated. Was playing walking bass during an improv class, Pro Trumpet player was soloing but really was just playing show off rubbish (I also play trumpet) so I stopped playing he said "you really left me hanging", I said " I'll do that, play better"
Other pros that I've had the opportunity to play with were really cool, humble people. So no, not intimidated they are just humans.
Other pros that I've had the opportunity to play with were really cool, humble people. So no, not intimidated they are just humans.
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I play music because I love to. I work my career job because it pays WAY more than 99.999% of professional musicians make. I probably can’t slap as well, or play in as many modes as they can. I have a blast playing gigs. It’s all good.
I love the elevation of skill surrounding me. Also feels good to "keep up"
I’m not intimidated by anyone. But I do know how to recognize when I am out of my depth in any situation.
Not so farfetched. Compositions by bandleaders like Duke Ellington and Glenn Miller notwithstanding, I haven’t yet encountered orchestras that have composed the works that they perform.
There are some modern orchestras that wrote and perform. I recently saw ine that collaborated w medeski martin amd wood. Its cool when the author of the piece is playing in the orch, but most orchestral musicians strive to make it to a big orchestra that will primarily play others music.
If you don't see or understand the difference between an orchestra performing Mahler's 9th symphony and a bar band playing Proud Mary, then why are we having any kind of discussion?
