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Feel really demotivated about playing bass

#41
smeet said:
Most people are visually motivated. Do you move around much on stage? If you stand still, non-musicians in the audience will tend to assume that the cool sounds they hear aren't coming from you. Even the camera operators for big concerts are fooled, so they show the guitarist's hands when the bass is soloing or whatever.

So, for a win-win, dance around, move your hands more than you need to, smile, make bass-face, act like a star. Then magically you will be a star, and the other win is that the audience will have more fun.
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Yes.

I played in band in college... Mostly I played upright (though I feel better on electric) and it was kinda cool for the novelty of it. That was about it, though, recognition-wise.

Then we played a few gigs far away and I wasn't able to bring my upright, so I rocked out on electric. And boy did I ever rock out! I was jumping around playing everything with such joy and freedom! It was awesome.

Anyway, after the gig the leader was mad at me and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out she was sore because everyone kept coming up to her and saying things like, "hey, you guys were good. Who's your bass player? He was AWESOME!" ...and things of that nature. A bunch of people came up to me and said the music was ok, but I stole the show and they loved it. It did feel good to be recognized, but it felt even better to be free with the music while playing.

No matter how much I wanted to play electric after that, the band leader wouldn't let me. I played upright again for the next few months after that and then left the band.

So yes. Dance around! Have fun and get into the song. Better yet, let the songs get into you! You can't hide your enthusiasm if you let the music move you, and that enthusiasm is contagious.
 
#42
Ukiah Bass said:
Checked your profile and see you are 19. I've got three times your experience on this planet and can assure you that virtually no one gives a crap about you. If you base your happiness on what other people say about you, you're destined for a lifetime of disappointment. Especially in music. Find fulfillment and joy from within. If you get compliments, it will be a bonus. For SURE, in return for spending thousands of hours perfecting your musical skills, your financial return is bound to be a fraction of minimum wage. Sorry to sound so negative. But learn this lesson early in life and you'll be on the right track.
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Yes!
 
#43
Having been a guitar player for a decade before I switched to bass, and also having been a teenager at one point (hold your applause) I get what the OP means...and what he wants.

As a 30 something bass player, nothing makes me happier than having the ability to dissappear in the music, or on stage. Let's just say as a working musician you may not always want to be seen...in certain bands :)

The real struggle is finding the group that enhances you're playing and writing...recognition is about as fickle as a social media trend.
 
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#44
GiantsGiants said:
Not once has anyone come up to me and said great show or nice playing but everyone else in my band gets swarms of people coming up to them saying how great they are, even though they play my ideas.
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First, I have to guess this is an exaggeration. A few people complimenting the rest of the band, when they're not complimenting you could easily feel like swarms of people.

Next, as already stated, compliments to them, if you wrote the music, are compliments to you. If you accept it as that, I think that will be the start of a change for you.

As also stated, you might want to reexamine your motives. If you're in this for the praise and glory, sorry to say, but you're not going to last very long. I understand how it helps, and it's good to hear... but IME we need to be in it for the personal satisfaction, and love of the craft. And if not quite there yet, then I think ya might have to fake it till you make it. Trying to please others and get attention is usually not that attractive. Like the desperate guy or girl trying to get a date. It puts people off. Maybe you've got a little of that going on, without even realizing it.

What is attractive to people is confidence, and their belief that you're having fun. You can bang out 8th notes all night long, and if you look like you're loving it and know exactly what you're doing every second on the show- people will respond. Much more so than they will watching someone trying to do bass gymnastics with a deer in the headlights look on their face. Even if you don't have the DITH look, I believe people can unconsciously sense when someone is putting on a 'please like me' performance.

Last note, all of this might have absolutely nothing to do with your playing. It could just be that the other guys seem more approachable than you. That too is something you can work on, but not a big deal. I am the proud owner of a very convincing resting bitch face, and I know I don't seem like the most approachable person at a lot of shows. I get around it, and still wind up having an awesome time. I don't rate my talent or performance though on any audience reaction. If I did, I'd probably want to crawl into a hole and quit bass.

Hang in there and do your best to rethink things. When you quit trying to please others and settle into pleasing yourself I have a feeling things will change.
 
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#45
smeet said:
Most people are visually motivated. Do you move around much on stage? If you stand still, non-musicians in the audience will tend to assume that the cool sounds they hear aren't coming from you. Even the camera operators for big concerts are fooled, so they show the guitarist's hands when the bass is soloing or whatever.

So, for a win-win, dance around, move your hands more than you need to, smile, make bass-face, act like a star. Then magically you will be a star, and the other win is that the audience will have more fun.
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ding, ding, ding, ding, ding! we have a winnah!

make eye contact with the audience, entertain them, act and move like a star. get them involved with you and your playing, share with them, make the audience your friend. i used to just play and move a little. then two bass players changed how i saw things. the first was D.A. foster, and l.a. local who always seemed to befriend the audience from the stage. so did the rest of the band - well, except for the guitar player - and they all had quite a following. then i saw flotsam and jetsam with jason ward (i think) on the bass. he was right there at the edge of the stage, reaching toward and over the audience as he played, keeping eye contact, moving, doing little bits of business, flinging his hair, and everyone - me included - had a great time cheering and yelling to him. people on our side of the stage rarely every looked at the other band members - the bass player had us and it was great!
 
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#46
Don't get demotivated. Especially in a song context, bass has a supportive role more than anything, and most of us are bass players because we love to support the music. If you're not getting complains, then you're doing your job well.

Of course you can be more fancy with your playing to take more of a lead role.

Here's a few suggestions to get some attention:

Pick songs that the bass is doing something interesting. If you guys nail some rhcp tunes, that'd do the job.

At some point of your set, let everybody take a solo, and practice what you'd play.

When verbally introducing the band, let them introduce you as the bass player AND the song writer.

Have fun on the stage. If you're not having fun, or even don't look like having it, nobody will.

Rock.
 
#48
No one cares about a bassist unless they have some particular flair. Most people I know don't recognise the importance of bass in a band.

I get your complaint, and this is why I agreed to play bass on the basis that I was already playing guitar and singing. Being in a three piece is nice too, as I can play out at times, but hold down the rhythm guitar part at others, and people seem to notice that I'm playing more and faster than a walking bass line.
 
#49
That's why you see catch phrases like "serving the song" and "grooving" or whatever else we say to feel good about our background role. Part of the challenge in being a bassist is finding validation from within because most people don't know or notice what we do.

At least you're writing for your band. Many of us don't have that.
 
#52
It sounds like you expect too much from people who owe you nothing. The general population doesn't care about your bass lines or writing skills (even if they are amazing). You should go out today and ask people at random if they know who Charles Mingus, Ron Carter, or Paul Chambers are. They don't. It's an unfortunate situation truly. To be talented and creative and ultimately not translate because you're over the audiences head. Try not to get discouraged. This might be a good crossroads to start spending some time with another instrument (Piano, Guitar, Drums, etc.) and find inspiration in other vessels. Just keep working at it because you love it and eventually it will pay off. Miles Davis said take care of the music and music takes care of you...or something like that.
 
#55
GiantsGiants said:
Even though I play and write original songs where a lot of them are bass led and the guitar takes a much smaller and easier role in the playing I never seem to get any attention. Not once has anyone come up to me and said great show or nice playing but everyone else in my band gets swarms of people coming up to them saying how great they are, even though they play my ideas.

The only people who ever say anything to me after a gig are family or close friends but I imagine they are quite biased and wouldent give me critism even if I asked for it. My music teachers have seen me to and give me praise for my performances there the only people i can think who have ever said anything to me who are not really biased.

How do I at least get some recognition for all my thousands of hours of practicing, Im not playing wankery style playing but I try play a large variety of styles and I dont stick to root, I like to leave gaps in my playing to emphisise what I play but nothing I do ever seems to get me any recognition. Its gotten to the point where its hard to practice, whats the point if I do lots of the writing work, practice for hours a day to get no recogntion where other guys like the guitarist barely practice just show up to the gig and have people swarming over them.

Sorry for the rant just feeling low and wanted to vent to feel better again, anyone else every felt like this. If so how did you get over it?
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you'll get your recognition when you do something worth the recognition...to the someone that is recognising you. if the band as a whole is getting recognised; job done, i'd say...even the band being happy to play the music you wrote and with your playing should do it.
otherwise...maybe music isn't for you...?
 
#56
MonetBass said:
If your band is getting compliments, then you're doing your job. Nothing wrong with that. It's just the role of the bass player. Unless you're the lead singer out front, you're not likely to get really noticed. Embrace your role and be happy.

If you really feel the need for recognition, then get in a band where you can be out front, whether that's singing and playing bass, guitar or whatever.
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This. If you are looking for kudos, you picked the wrong instrument. More than half of your audience doesn't even know the difference between your instrument and a guitar.

If you need applause, start singing. I can hold my own on bass, but I get a ton of gigs for my singing (both backup and lead vocals).

Flea gets more notice for his outfits than his bass playing.

To most people, Tony Levin is just the bald guy with the chrome bass who played for Peter Gabriel. And he is just.....awesome. (Tony, not Peter.)

Most people on Earth couldn't tell you who Victor Wooten or Jaco are/were. Most people have no idea who Billy Sheehan is.

If they struggle for notoriety, you have an uphill battle my friend.

Just take joy in the fact that your art makes people happy.


Also, a lot of it has to do with your stage presence and attitude toward your audience during the show. I used to gather a flock after local shows. But most said I was a great "guitar player". They weren't entertained by my chops. They had no idea if I was any good at playing bass. They liked my show, my singing, and my interaction with them during the show. In other words, they were paying me a compliment for everything but my "guitar playing", but that was just the easiest thing to say.

You can't stand in the back looking angry and playing tasty bass licks like some tortured artist and expect people to be drawn to you. I'm not saying you do that, but going in the other direction is something you may want to work on. Be outgoing. Don't be a total dork. But have a friendly attitude when you play. People pick up on that kind of thing.
 
#59
I guess you need to slappa-da-bass a bit more ;)

I remember going to concerts in the '90s when you'd see guys like Robert Deleo, Ben Shepherd, Lonnie Marshall, Justin Meldal-Johnsen, and Mike Watt totally killing it ... and one seemed to notice.

Then Les Claypool would get up and lay down some woefully out-of-tune tapping/slapping stuff and everyone would go wild. Ask anyone at the time to name a "great bassist" and they'd say Claypool, Timmy C, or Flea.

That's all they know.
 
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