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Double Bass Ever notice yourself growing musicically?

Kindofblue

Kindofblue

Oct 13, 2008
198
8
Canada
#1
Today I noticed something that I was very pleased about. Ever since I was about 13 I started to get more into jazz,funk etc and was still into other genres such as rock,and metal etc. Today I noticed that I can't play anything I don't get a good vibe from. For instance i really only find myself playing jazz,reggae,latin,funk etc as opposed to rock,metal etc because I am sick of the same musicical things happening.

Just though id share that to see if any of you had the same experience.
 
#2
Yeah, my tastes even go outside of music that has bass guitars! (Of course I was classically trained...)

Once a singer insisted that we all have input into the music that our band selected. I kept saying "Whatever you like best is what I want to play. You're the singer, YOU are the one who has to be happy with it". But no, she kept insisting on getting input from all of us. Finally she asked "What's your all-time favorite song to perform?" I said "Beethoven's 9th." She never asked again.
 
#6
I dunno. Whenever I pick up something new, I'm happy but then I look and see that there is 5 million other things I have yet to master. Or I still need to master the 10th variation on what I just picked up.
 
#7
Everyone once and while there is big one. Once I was on tour in St. Paul I realized I had found the perfect angle to balance bass and get from top to bottom without strain.

Yesterday I was realized my left thumb is able to play lines on it's own like another finger rather than just being an anchor or feeling awkward.
Last winter Mark Dresser told me to practice one finger chromatic scales up each string with all four fingers and my thumb, so I guess it is the fruits of that labor.
 
#13
I record a bunch of my gigs so I do hear progress over time. I don't think I ever realize it on the bandstand. I do have nights where I feel more in touch with the bass and can get ideas out without being hampered by technique or that a new thing I am practicing in making its way into my playing.

The main thing I have really been working on lately is not necessarily a music thing. I just try to forget the ego and let my ear and my heart drive what I am playing. Basically to not 'think' about theory and notes and what I 'want' from the music but rather let my 'emotional self' be my guide and listen to what the music wants. Sounds cheesy I guess but I really think it is the best way for me to grow as am improviser.

-Swami Fingers
 
#14
fingers said:
The main thing I have really been working on lately is not necessarily a music thing. I just try to forget the ego and let my ear and my heart drive what I am playing. Basically to not 'think' about theory and notes and what I 'want' from the music but rather let my 'emotional self' be my guide and listen to what the music wants. Sounds cheesy I guess but I really think it is the best way for me to grow as am improviser.

-Swami Fingers
Click to expand...

I am back and forth on that one. You can get mixed results. Often it works great. I find just as often it can lead you to what feels good and keep you in the same ruts.
If you leave up to what the ear REALLY wants you will be playing just intoned major triads and dominant 7 chords all night!
 
#16
I played rock/pop for many years - but eventually grew very bored with it as everything was in the same plodding rhythms and a few chords comfortable for guitarists.

As soon as I started trying to play Jazz and Latin - then I found I grew so much more in a musical sense - different chords, rhythms that just never came up in a decade of rock/pop were being explored in a few weeks! :)
 
#17
damonsmith said:
I am back and forth on that one. You can get mixed results. Often it works great. I find just as often it can lead you to what feels good and keep you in the same ruts.
If you leave up to what the ear REALLY wants you will be playing just intoned major triads and dominant 7 chords all night!
Click to expand...

I consider it an advanced technique. If you can only hear major triads and dominant 7 chords you need to do more homework.

For me I started to pursue this idea because there was too much information in my head and I couldn't relax my mind. I started to doubt myself.
 
#18
fingers said:
I consider it an advanced technique. If you can only hear major triads and dominant 7 chords you need to do more homework.

For me I started to pursue this idea because there was too much information in my head and I couldn't relax my mind. I started to doubt myself.
Click to expand...

I wasn't saying what you or I can hear, just saying what the ear tends to want - which tends to be the overtone series. We can train it to hear all sorts of things. From advanced harmonic ideas to complex noise structures.
I get what you are saying, I am just pointing out the possible danger in that approach. I think we need to always rethink what we are doing, and it is good to take one path for a while and then try another.
 
#19
Here we disagree. When you are talking about listening and reacting to other musicians any preconceptions of what harmonies you might imply and how the overtone series might apply stops being relevant.

What I'm really talking about it is just a general mindset. I (or the collective we) spend an awful lot of time thinking about theory and technique and, at least for me, all of that clutters my mind. For me improvisation should really be more of a channeling experience than a creating one. It is your self that is conceiving of the notes but these need to get from your ears to your hands with as little impedance as possible.

I also don't think this excludes other methods either and can really coexist. I look at it as almost a life philosophy.

The trick is understanding that music is really just an idea manifest into nothing tangible. Air. For fun I have been writing an article on my thoughts. When I am finished I'll post it here for discussion.

I'm a really pragmatic guy but in music we are dealing with something that can't be defined by the same ideas as the tangibles all around us.

Basses are not music. They are just the vehicle.
 
#20
Jazz Ad said:
Becoming somewhat of an elitist and leaving a whole part of music on the side based on style names doesn't equal growing musically IMHO.
Click to expand...

+1

I started bass nearly 30 years ago playing for a punk band, pounding out root notes. That was for a couple of years.

My tastes and playing have grown over the years since (just started on upright this past summer).

But, I still sometimes apply the style, technique, and attitude from those early days. Where appropriate, of course!
 

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