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Does anyone else here get discouraged when listening to an amazing player?

#41
Actually, yes. When I see Wooten or Ray Brown or the like just playing masterfully with so much joy emblazoned on their faces I envy their musical freedom. Sometimes I choose to distinguish my self from that echelon by referring to myself as a "bass player" while calling them "bassists". Ultimately, though, I sit down, plug in, play some notes, and once again experience the wonder my 12 year-old self had that "This is the COOLEST thing ever!".

BBB
 
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#42
No. I quit comparing years ago, and I don't get impressed by bass gymnasts. One of the best pieces of advice a teacher gave me early on was to concentrate on being the best 'me' I could be, and keep finding what it was about music that made me want to pick up and play my bass. I'm impressed by the music and songwriting I hear people making, especially if it inspires me to write. When I look back at myself 20 years ago vs myself now, I am so much happier with all aspects of my playing, and I can listen to recordings of gigs with my trio and listen to them without cringing. When you're making music that you yourself can listen to and enjoy... you know you're on a good path.
 
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#43
"It is not upon you to finish the work, but neither are you at liberty to abandon it."
-Mishnah Pirkei Avot 2:16

No working musician I've ever known ever stopped practicing and learning, no matter how accomplished.

My late step mom got her vocal performance degree ca. 1959, and was still taking voice lessons up to the end.

You might not ever be as good as somebody else, but you owe it to yourself and the universe to be as good as you can be. That's my take, anyway.
 
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#44
MacaroniShrek said:
I know this is an unhealthy thought process, but I feel a mixture of inspiration, awe, and discouragement when I hear a fantastic bass player.

The intensity of each of these feelings will vary from time to time and sometimes discouragement will be the largest of the three feelings. This is very apparent in situations when I see a 10 year old who is way better than me, or a multi instrumentalist who casually picks up a bass and shreds.

I know this isn't a healthy mindset, and what I am seeing is the finished product. I don't see the countless times where they mess up, or all of the takes before that one.

Can anyone relate?
Click to expand...

Frankly I want 10 year olds to tear it up. They are the hope for live music in the future.

As for your question, do I feel discouraged? Not at all, I’m pretty comfortable where I am craft wise. Pyrotechnics is fun and can be used for illumination, but most of the time you only need a flashlight if you get my drift.

There is a lot of value in knowing the meat and potatoes job of being a bassist. Most of the time being a bassist does not require extreme flamboyant parts. In fact, extreme flamboyant parts can be counter productive to group.
 
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#47
5StringBlues said:
Not at all. I know what I do and I have self imposed limits within my genre. But I'd really dig going to see the younger guys from our local performing arts college burn through suggest standards. Lot of chops heavy guys out there. But it's not what I do, and that's fine.. suggest? damn voice to text....
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Me too, quite satisfied with my limited skills and I have fun. Not even 5 years of bass playing and I never practice, I simply « play ». No gig, just my students (8 to 12 years old) so I can do it without any pressure. I don’t teach bass obviously, unless some of them want to learn simple lines like I did for a student’s show last week.
 
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#53
MacaroniShrek said:
I know this is an unhealthy thought process, but I feel a mixture of inspiration, awe, and discouragement when I hear a fantastic bass player.

The intensity of each of these feelings will vary from time to time and sometimes discouragement will be the largest of the three feelings. This is very apparent in situations when I see a 10 year old who is way better than me, or a multi instrumentalist who casually picks up a bass and shreds.

I know this isn't a healthy mindset, and what I am seeing is the finished product. I don't see the countless times where they mess up, or all of the takes before that one.

Can anyone relate?
Click to expand...

No.
 
#54
Yes.

Not always, but there’s certainly times when I see/hear someone play, and then think that I call myself a bassist or guitarist, when I’m only decent compared to someone who has never touched the instrument.

Many times a great bassline will fill me with joy, and the urge to pick up my bass and try to play something. There’s just every once and a while, in my 35 years of playing, that I go “dang, they make it look effortless and I’m here busting my butt trying to do 1/10th the stuff”.

In some cases, I see people play a run and barely move their fingers - knowing I’d be flapping my digits all over the fretboard to try to play the same run.
 
#56
I don't get discouraged by better players in the same way I don't get discouraged by faster runners in the local 10K race. It's not about being "the best," it's about being the best version of myself on a given night, having fun and supporting the other musicians.
 
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#57
No, I never get discouraged with my playing, though often disappointed. One reason I deleted tiktok was that the tiny kids, and the ancients even beyond me in years, were so good, that's true.
But I don't get discouraged, because I'm a complete hack and always will be. Any improvements I can make in my playing is happy news, but I don't compare myself to anyone.
I must play because it brings me joy, takes out of myself- or into myself, and is therapy for me. Never played or studied music in my yout, now I'm elderly, a slow learner, a lifetime student, TAB slave, bedroom bassist.
With arthritis, tendinitis, tinnitus in two frequencies from the big guns of a forgotten war, and hammer-toe, again. With little evident talent. But ain't it the life?
You can only learn and improve if you have student-mind, and realize how little you know. And I've got that going for me. How can joy and expression ever be bad? Unless you're forced to listen to me.
We all come from different places, and we all are on our own path. Never compare yourself with anyone. Discouragement is still possible if you have lofty goals. But all we can do is our best.
 
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#58
MacaroniShrek said:
I know this is an unhealthy thought process, but I feel a mixture of inspiration, awe, and discouragement when I hear a fantastic bass player.

The intensity of each of these feelings will vary from time to time and sometimes discouragement will be the largest of the three feelings. This is very apparent in situations when I see a 10 year old who is way better than me, or a multi instrumentalist who casually picks up a bass and shreds.

I know this isn't a healthy mindset, and what I am seeing is the finished product. I don't see the countless times where they mess up, or all of the takes before that one.

Can anyone relate?
Click to expand...
Every time, but I get over it in half a second.
 
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