There is no such thing as luck. Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet.
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How good do you think you are?
- Thread starter DBCrocky
- Start date
There is no such thing as luck. Luck is where the crossroads of opportunity and preparation meet.
Hmm, depends on the definition of "luck." If we mean "good things happen to you that you didn't cause to happen" then I consider myself "lucky" to have been born in the USA. I feel "lucky" that I met my wife. And I think there are plenty of people who got "lucky" to be where they are musically.
I read all the time in Bass Player where they ask someone in a top-level band, how did you get started? And many times the answer is "So-and-so needed a bass player. I didn't play anything but they asked me, and the rest is history."
Was Wolfgang V.H. "lucky" or was he prepared when opportunity knocked?
I do not think of myself as successful in the sense of $ but I have establish myself as a good bass player after 40+ years of banging on these 4 strings recently voted as the best bass player in NJ on some website but, my head still fits my lighted hat if you get my meaning.
I am humbled by comments I get from people at our shows I am glad they enjoy me performing for them. I do what I do well enough that people notice and to get noticed in our role as a bass player I think is pretty cool. Do I think there are other TBers better then me no doubt about it some of you guys are amazing and I enjoy learning something new everyday RTS
I am humbled by comments I get from people at our shows I am glad they enjoy me performing for them. I do what I do well enough that people notice and to get noticed in our role as a bass player I think is pretty cool. Do I think there are other TBers better then me no doubt about it some of you guys are amazing and I enjoy learning something new everyday RTS
You consider yourself "lucky" to be born in the USA? Well, if you're parents were in the US at time of delivery then it's not so much luck as it was nature. I mean, where else did you expect to be born? Canada, Venezuela ?
I think what you meant, is that you consider yourself fortunate to have been born in this country. Yes, we are. But, I'm not quite sure what luck has to do with that? After all, if you had 'bad luck' would you have been born in Canada, ahh, I'm teasing, Canada ain't that bad.
So you consider yourself 'lucky' to have met your wife? Tons of people have met your wife. Nothing 'lucky' about meeting her. It was your honest devotion to her, your love, and lifelong commitment to each other that got you that wife. Again, your preparation was instrumental when the opportunity presented itself.
On the other hand, you make a valid argument. There are plenty of musicians / stock traders / lottery winners who get 'lucky'. But, you know what, that only carries a person so far. And certainly not through the course of a 40 year career.
Wolfgang V.H. ? ... I don't know.
Maybe spoiled is the word you're looking for? But 'lucky'?
I don't get why anyone would think that.
Luck is when preparation meets opportunity, I've never heard it said better.
Most people get a few shots in their lives whether they realize it or not, it is what they make of them that counts. The talented are able to make something of their chances is the difference.
Most people get a few shots in their lives whether they realize it or not, it is what they make of them that counts. The talented are able to make something of their chances is the difference.
And you have a narrow view of what is acceptable and isn't when comes times to make music.
If you really think being born in the 50s makes your musical life somewhat more important I think you are wrong and just idolize that time. In the 50s, after the war, people wanted to buy things an not just have the bare minimum to live ...
And now, 60 years later too many people have their judgement clouded by the fact that we are rooted in consumption that we can't see further to trully express ourselves with any art form like music.
So in the 50's there weren't an explosion of great artist, it was an explosion of consumption of goods and music was a great way to sell many things. It is still a great way to sell cloths, culture and a personnality.
You and I are at two extreme opposite when it comes to music.
Against 90% in the world, above and beyond.
Against the top 9% equal
Against the top 1%, well they're better than me?
But...I'm not sure if playing a great solo or a million notes fast is better than holding the groove and being in the pocket where a bassist belongs.
Either way it's all a matter of opinion!
Against the top 9% equal
Against the top 1%, well they're better than me?
But...I'm not sure if playing a great solo or a million notes fast is better than holding the groove and being in the pocket where a bassist belongs.
Either way it's all a matter of opinion!
I am not taking any sides in the argument but as an aside, one thing I notice about 50s charts is you often had 2, 3 or 4 different singers charting the same song in the same year. You never see that now.
From the looks of sales, you had 10 heavyweights that were all singing the same basic tunes.
Definitely a different market then. A lot of 'herd instinct' it seemed.
From the looks of sales, you had 10 heavyweights that were all singing the same basic tunes.
Definitely a different market then. A lot of 'herd instinct' it seemed.
When I first started 20 years ago I was into the noise/punk/grunge ethos of deliberately not being able to play properly to avoid predictability (how very postmodern).
I progressed from that into playing in a more conventional band (less throwing guitars at the wall and recording the sound) and so my chops improved - I had a good feel for a song and a good groove, but still very little in the way of technical expertise.
Currently, I am idolising Juan Alderete, learning to read the stave and (horrors!) playing scales. I'm thinking of buying a fretless for crying out loud! I still have the weird noise sensibilities, but can back it up a bit now. I like playing more now than I ever have.
I progressed from that into playing in a more conventional band (less throwing guitars at the wall and recording the sound) and so my chops improved - I had a good feel for a song and a good groove, but still very little in the way of technical expertise.
Currently, I am idolising Juan Alderete, learning to read the stave and (horrors!) playing scales. I'm thinking of buying a fretless for crying out loud! I still have the weird noise sensibilities, but can back it up a bit now. I like playing more now than I ever have.
I'm average. Good enough to be in two cover bands that gig about once a month, to have people at shows say I play well, and to have had past people I've played with call me join their new bands.
Is it important to you to feel successful?
I don't play music for significant money, so I'm not driven by what might be considered a typical definition of success. It is important for me to feel that I'm playing well, and that my band(s) are well received at our gigs
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
Again, not really about success, but I would like my musical peers to view me as someone they would like to play music with.
Do you have something to prove?
No
How do you measure your own success?
By how well I think I play, and how well the band(s) do
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
Don't really care
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
Not really, but it is interesting to read about different approaches to music
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Not at all
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?
I tend to value the opinion of TBers that I view as being accomplished
Is it important to you to feel successful?
I don't play music for significant money, so I'm not driven by what might be considered a typical definition of success. It is important for me to feel that I'm playing well, and that my band(s) are well received at our gigs
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
Again, not really about success, but I would like my musical peers to view me as someone they would like to play music with.
Do you have something to prove?
No
How do you measure your own success?
By how well I think I play, and how well the band(s) do
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
Don't really care
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
Not really, but it is interesting to read about different approaches to music
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Not at all
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?
I tend to value the opinion of TBers that I view as being accomplished
