Do you like playing music you don't like?

[guroove]

[Bass Lesson] Jaco Pastorius - Modern Electric Bass - 10 - YouTube

 

[teleharmonium]

when i say "technical" i mean listening to the kick drum, listening for a vocalist skipping the bridge, listening for a guitar player extending a solo... stuff that has to be listened for when playing music, stuff related to performing in a group.

I understand what you mean, but what I am saying is that handling that responsiveness to events is not something you need to consciously do in any particular way. (At least, not once you reach a certain level of experience playing, which may not take all that long.) Taking in and processing that information just happens; it's really not part of your conscious mind. When you apply your conscious mind to those tasks, you are actually impeding yourself.

This is related to the reasons why most peoples peak playing experiences come when they are the least self conscious of the mechanics of what they are doing, and instead have let go and feel as if the music is taking them over rather than them doing the work.

if i listen that way on my "off time" i would find NO enoyment in listening to music. of course on a recording there's no skipping a bridge, etc 'cos that moment is over and documented i think. even if there was i don't have any responsibility to follow or cover.

That is exactly the opposite of what I am recommending - I'm saying listen the way you do on your off time, while you are playing.

 

[HolmeBass]

Yes, but listening to music as an audience member and listening to music that you happen to be playing are not two separate things. Defining it that way, we're talking about listening and evaluating how what we hear makes us feel, which is our taste.

My point is if I don't like x as a listener, I have no good reason to like it any better as a listener just because my band is playing it.

(...)

If I have a sliding scale for my musical taste based on self interest, to me that means my taste is not a consistent, reliable instrument of measurement. (...)

I agree you are an idealist. It seems like you're looking for things to be one way *because that makes sense, is somehow internally consistent, or appeals to your sense of integrity.*

But the reality I, and apparently many others, experience is that there are songs that are fun to play but not to listen to on the stereo or in your car. I offered an explanation that makes a lot of sense for this and you have not commented on it: playing music is just inherently more fun than listening to music. For me this is true- I invest far more energy, time, and money into playing music than I do to merely listening to it. So that truth explains this phenomenon it perfectly.

As for taste, why is your taste so special? Maybe you have terrible taste. Who is to say that person in the audience who is psyched about the Lynyrd Skynyrd cover's taste is inferior to your own? Are you an "artiste" with an "e"? Don't be egomaniacal about music, it kills the fun for everyone, including ultimately you.

 

[the yeti]

I understand what you mean, but what I am saying is that handling that responsiveness to events is not something you need to consciously do in any particular way. (At least, not once you reach a certain level of experience playing, which may not take all that long.) Taking in and processing that information just happens; it's really not part of your conscious mind. When you apply your conscious mind to those tasks, you are actually impeding yourself.

This is related to the reasons why most peoples peak playing experiences come when they are the least self conscious of the mechanics of what they are doing, and instead have let go and feel as if the music is taking them over rather than them doing the work.



That is exactly the opposite of what I am recommending - I'm saying listen the way you do on your off time, while you are playing.

i guess we're not gonna reach an accord, which is cool. i understand your concept, i even think it's a good theory. for an individual pursuit i agree it's the way to go, and always have. i don't see it as practical in a group setting though. there are too many (outside) human variables in play i think. if it works for you (or even if you're pursuing that working for you) great.

 

[hankazoid]

Hell no. Unless I was getting paid for it, but even then I wouldn't really like it... at that point it's work.

 

[SpecialBlender]

One of the things that has allowed me to play consistently over the years was something that an experienced player told me in my very first band.

"You don't have to like it but if the people want to hear it we will play it and we will play it honestly."

Consequently the bands I have played with over the years were always booked steady. I don't listen to much country but my main gigging band is mostly country music and I have a blast playing it. I play with a power rock trio to satisfy my rock & roll itch but am also on call for an old time band band playing strictly to seniors and have fun doing that.

I don't make my living from music, but live to play. I get a huge rush out of seeing the dance floor packed and people responding
irregardless of the music being played.

You don't have to be a "professional" to be professional.

 

[teleharmonium]

I agree you are an idealist. It seems like you're looking for things to be one way *because that makes sense, is somehow internally consistent, or appeals to your sense of integrity.*

I have one way that works for me, for those reasons. I'm not trying to sell it to other players.

But the reality I, and apparently many others, experience is that there are songs that are fun to play but not to listen to on the stereo or in your car. I offered an explanation that makes a lot of sense for this and you have not commented on it: playing music is just inherently more fun than listening to music. For me this is true- I invest far more energy, time, and money into playing music than I do to merely listening to it.

It should be clear enough that we're not all the same and what's true for you may not be for me and vice versa.

I love playing music when it's going great - and I don't love it when it's not. I know there are guys that just like it regardless. That's not me. IMO there is a relationship between how easily pleased you are, and how much you accomplish. Not sure that this really needs to be controversial.

As for taste, why is your taste so special? Maybe you have terrible taste. Who is to say that person in the audience who is psyched about the Lynyrd Skynyrd cover's taste is inferior to your own? Are you an "artiste" with an "e"? Don't be egomaniacal about music, it kills the fun for everyone, including ultimately you.

I don't have terrible taste. I've got limited time to live and it's up to me to use it in the way that I think will best achieve my goals. I think having abilities and opportunities bring responsibilities to do what you can to make the most of those things. Are you sure you want to argue against that ?

I think it's more fun to have high standards and sometimes reach them, than it is to not really care that much about details. This is not egomania. An egomaniac would probably have convinced themselves that whatever they were already doing was great because they were the one doing it.

If playing music is leisure time recreation for you, that's cool, I can understand that. That's not how it is for me. The harder I work at it, the more I like it. It took me time to figure that out and I'm not about to forget it now.

 

[Korladis]

You're still saying essentially that your taste is better than others, despite that being an entirely subjective matter.

Some songs are like golf for me. Fun to play, but not that great for me when spectating.

 

[teleharmonium]

You're still saying essentially that your taste is better than others, despite that being an entirely subjective matter.

Exactly which words of mine lead you to that conclusion ?

 

[pedroims]

"Don't play it if you don't feel it." - James Jamerson ...

 

[MartinzeBassman]

There are music that I prefer playing than listening to. I think rockabilly and rock and roll is very fun to play but pretty boring, repetetive and predictable listening to. I think Toto have great songs but also more fun playing than listening to. One of the many reasons why I love being a musician is that you have a richer relationship to music, like this example.

 

[buldog5151bass]

My standard line, which is my philosophy - I'd rather play good gigs with good musicians than only play the music I like.

 

[Sbassman Scratch]

Only when I don't not like it.

 

[Ostie]

The older I get, the more open to playing other types of music I am. By other types I mean music that I would’ve avoided when I was younger. Especially if there’s a financial incentive.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

In my mind, as a musician in a cover band there will always be songs you don't like that are in the setlist. We're pretty democratic in our song choices though so things get in by vote and if someone really has a strong dislike we'll move on from it.

My only occasion to play in a country cover band was a fill in situation. I had fun playing for the crowd despite really disliking almost all of the songs.

 

[bassicmike]

Yes.

But I find that every song, even a song I wouldn't necessarily listen to, has something in it that's cool.

Might be a nice lick somewhere in the song, a turnaround, some syncopation, whatever. But there's usually something can be found.

I focus on that thing as a source of playing pleasure and then I can look forward to playing the song.