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How good do you think you are?

#41
Is it important to you to feel successful?

Sure.

Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?

Sometimes.


Do you have something to prove?

Not as much these days as when I was young. When I was younger, I was often in a position where I was the only person in my community/school/cast/band/whatever who was qualified and able to perform, so I made sure that the trust people put in me was founded by excelling. The level of my colleagues has balanced out, and so I'm privileged to work with great people most all the time now.


How do you measure your own success?

I wish I could say it didn't have anything to do with cash money, but I'm pushing 40, and nearly 20 year veteran in the business, and wish I could be more "appreciated" (i.e. paid what I'm worth).


How do you think others measure your success in their minds?

I'd be very, very surprised if anyone gave a $hit about my success. Actually...I'd say that I have family, friends, and a fan base that pay attention to that, and having a long string of performances around the world must be pretty impressive, or at least a source of some pride for those people who are pulling for me.


Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?

I come here for education and camaraderie, not for self-esteem or poking fun.


Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?

HAHAHAHAHAHA


Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?

sure, there are plenty of real, experienced musicians around here, and so respect should follow.
 
#42
I'm probably not as fast (or as busy) a player as when I started out 30+ years ago, but am certainly a better overall musician, and feel like I'm completely on top of my game as a bassman and intend to stay there.

Am mostly a P&W player at my local parish where we cover everything from traditional Catholic hymns to CCM/Hillsong songs etc., but approach the music as if it were totally original, which allows me to take an almost Jamerson-like approach, holding down the groove and playing melodic/chromatic stuff that surprises even me at times. That, plus being able to pray twice through music as the saying goes, and perhaps make a difference in the lives of others through solid/inspired playing, gives me a measure of personal success hard to match elsewhere, one that I'd now insist upon in any other future musical undertakings.

That said, I'd still love to be able to translate that into a "secular" original music situation, either indie, alt-rock or alt-country, but those opportunities have been few & far between due to family obligations and my rotating work schedule...hard to sustain a band commitment with so much else going on. Might just have to be content with my current level of success.

As far as comparing myself to others on TB, I do envy folks who gig regularly and wish I had more "status" in that vein, otherwise it's just fun to take part in the discussion here and learn something new or pass something along to others.
 
#43
DBCrocky said:
... as a bass/player musician? Not much! People almost always tell me I'm really good, but I don't hear it.

Is it important to you to feel successful? It's not important, but it most certainly is satisfying :cool:
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful? To be honest, I'm probably the least accomplished of my peers, but I'm becoming one of the more successful. It's a very weird feeling, and I'm not sure I like it.
Do you have something to prove? To myself, sure. To others, no way :)
How do you measure your own success? I set goals in my head, like I bet you can never open for a band with 100k fans on Facebook, and then I go and do it. As long as those goals keep increasing and I keep hitting them I'll consider myself successful.
How do you think others measure your success in their minds? Not sure; I think we're all unique in those regards.
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success? No. As far as I'm concerned, I'll always be a student and never a teacher on TB. There are some amazingly talented and successful bassists here, and it'd be very improper of me to ever think myself at their level
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world? I think it might reaffirm some people's sense of statue. Personally, I think it's an internet forum and it's nothing that can have any serious implications on my life... or at least I hope not! :D
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful? Definitely. I know I do.

Just some thought provoking questions.
Click to expand...

Thanks :)
 
#44
I'm good, pretty darn good, but when I look around I see how little that really seems to matter as a bass player in some situations!! I see a lot of dudes who are where I would place as a 'advanced beginner' / intermediate players that I see getting more gigs than me. Now, granted I choose to play less commercial sorts of music and don't actually seek to gig hugely often, but the gigs are there and these guys are taking them. I know a guy who's been playing only 2 years, doesn't know any theory and just plays root 8th notes, and he's in a very successful local pop rock act. Could a real pro make those root 8ths sound better than the nooby? Hell yes. Would the audience notice? I'm not sure about that one....

I could play him under the table. Their guitar player could play me under the table. Point is the gigs for that sort of thing are out there and these dudes are taking them.

I think 'goodness' as a bass player / musician is a huge topic, and could be discussed for hours on end on what makes a bass player good. I think people can get very, very good as a strict musician / bassist but then if you use gigs an index to rate yourself I see these guys like the guy I mentioned above playing some very swanky shows.
 
#46
Some ways to be good:

Direct:
Technical proficiency
High Energy
Unique Style
Solid Pocket Playing
Ability to Play Multiple Styles
Ability to Play Note for Note
Ability to Improvise
Ability to Support Others
Ability to play/write music that requires complex music theory
Not making mistakes
Being able to recover from mistakes

Indirect:
Professionalism
Stage Presence
Ability to Sing/Sing and Play
Ability to Book Gigs
Ability to Write Songs
Ability to have good relationships (in and out of the band)
 
#47
DBCrocky said:
... as a bass/player musician?

Is it important to you to feel successful?
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
Do you have something to prove?
How do you measure your own success?
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?

Just some thought provoking questions.
Click to expand...

I used to woodshed all day, was super fast, slap/ two handed tapping/ chordal/ etc. and had no taste.
Now, I play about 1 note for every 50 and it's in the right place usually.
As I've aged the ego questions all matter less and less. I make my living in the music industry,
wether that's success or stupidity is up to you to decide. And I don't care what you think.
I like tb because even though it's mostly bedroom players and weekend warriors, there's a lot to learn from everyone.
Tb has status? I thought it was just another Internet forum. You mean, as in, who spends the most time posting instead of playing?
You can look up to successful people, as long as you like to measure your success by others achievements.
 
#48
I'm good enough to be able to play anything I'm asked to play.

I never take it any further than that. I'm always practicing, always learning, but refuse to get into it with other musicians.

When I first started playing, someone (an old bluegrass guitarist that I took my first lessons from) told me no matter how fast you can play, it all comes down to music. Speed means nothing, other than being able to play what's requested of you.

Ego is pointless. We're all in this together. Our goal as musicians is to keep people coming out to see us play. Nothing more. Fun translates. In other words, have fun on stage and the crowd will pick up on it.

Learn everything you can, and never think you're good enough. And good enough doesn't always mean blazing arpeggios or tapping riffs. You're a bass player. Good enough means you're supporting the band and moving the music forward. Everything else is just icing.
 
#49
DBCrocky said:
... as a bass/player musician?
I'm never good "enough" in my judgement. I can always be better and do better.

Is it important to you to feel successful?
It is, but my definition of success has been a moving target.
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
It used to be, but not anymore.
Do you have something to prove?
Only to myself.
How do you measure your own success?
If I can still make a living playing and teaching bass, it's a good day.
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
I'm surprised when people see me as more successful than I do. When you're in the trenches you just see the day to day struggles and not the end result.
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
It's pretty unfiltered, so not really. I think comparing yourself against others is hurtful at best and dangerous at worst.
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Not really, although I've made a conscious decision to attempt to only post positive helpful things when I can. However, I'm only human, so.....
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?
It's a double edged sword. I've seen some TBers really attempt to tear down some pretty established players. Then the object of their derision shows up and it gets really interesting really fast.
When someone says something that makes me do this :eyebrow: I go to their profiles. If they have no info I sometimes look for their posts and threads just to see who I'm talking to.
For the record, I use my real name and I wish that were a requirement. People would be a whole lot nicer.

.
Click to expand...
Here are my responses in bold print.
 
#50
Is it important to you to feel successful?
Not really

Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
Not really

Do you have something to prove?
Nope
How do you measure your own success?
when the answer to am I having fun is YES
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
Not sure - that is for each person to figure out
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
I don't compare myself to others
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Nope
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?
Perhaps, I can't answer that

Bottom line is that I am having fun playing music and when I can look to my right and see my two lifelong best friends standing there playing as well, it can't get any better than that. :hyper:
 
#51
DBCrocky said:
... as a bass/player musician?

Is it important to you to feel successful?
Is it important to you that your peers see you as successful?
Do you have something to prove?
How do you measure your own success?
How do you think others measure your success in their minds?
Do you think of TB as a place where you can compare yourself against others and measure your success?
Do you think your own sense of status on TB translates to status in the real world?
Do you think people on TB look up to other TBers they see as successful?

Just some thought provoking questions.
Click to expand...

*I think I'm a fairly strong swimmer in a sea of musical knowledge and skill that I could never hope to fully explore
*Yes
*To some degree. I expect at least some of them but less than all of them. If none of them did, I'd re-evaluate what I called success to see if I was still happy. If so, that's all that matters
*I don't know. I believe just about anyone can be successful and I definitely don't want to be proven wrong.
*By satisfaction with what I'm doing. Right now I wwant to be in a solid, gigging originals band, record a CD, etc. Eventually the endgame might be to tour, sign to a label, make a life out of it.
*I'm not really sure. I'm sure most people are oblivious to what's actually behind it.
*Yes -- but it often makes me feel bad about myself.
*in both I can contribute sometimes and help people, teach, or answer questions. I feel like they are correlative, but not that one necessarily "translates" into the other.
*I know I do
 
#53
Good enough to be hired by a world class songwriter/entertainer and spend 9 months in the studio recording and then be first call for gigs and travel.
Only took 35 years of struggle and practice to get here!
First 30 years spent practicing 3-5 hours a day and playing 100+ gigs a year for $75-$100 a night. Now I have a house that is paid off, a 35 foot sailboat that is paid off, $150k in my checking account and get 200 days off a year.
I have worked really hard but also been really lucky.
 
#55
Itzayana said:
Good enough to be hired by a world class songwriter/entertainer and spend 9 months in the studio recording and then be first call for gigs and travel.
Only took 35 years of struggle and practice to get here!
First 30 years spent practicing 3-5 hours a day and playing 100+ gigs a year for $75-$100 a night. Now I have a house that is paid off, a 35 foot sailboat that is paid off, $150k in my checking account and get 200 days off a year.
I have worked really hard but also been really lucky.
Click to expand...

by my own definition, i'm super jealous.:D
 
#56
Itzayana said:
Good enough to be hired by a world class songwriter/entertainer and spend 9 months in the studio recording and then be first call for gigs and travel.
Only took 35 years of struggle and practice to get here!
First 30 years spent practicing 3-5 hours a day and playing 100+ gigs a year for $75-$100 a night. Now I have a house that is paid off, a 35 foot sailboat that is paid off, and $150k in my checking account and get 200 days off a year.
Click to expand...

And you guys think I'm cocky.

Personally, I really can't believe anything from someone who shares how much he has in a checking account.
 
#58
I think having the courage and confidence to play is very important. I also think that humility is equally as important. Arrogance in a musician is a horrible thing. I remember meeting Nuno Bettancourt (Extreme). Hands down the most arrogant musician I have ever met in my life. From that day forward I lost all respect for him as a musician. He is a good guitarist, but he thought he was THE best often bad mouthing truly great players. I think Rhianna finally dumped him as a hired gun. More than likely due to his arrogance.
 
#59
bluewine said:
So you believe every word of that story?
Click to expand...

sure, why not? doesn't impact me in any possible way. i did include ":D" which means (in context) "i'm not really jealous". i was simultaneously making fun of my on stated yardstick(which i've been thinking about a lot in the past 15 hrs and may be seriously misguided) and at the dude who is POSSIBLY so insecure he needs to share bank account figures on the internet. but i was being subtle (cos i don't like to be rude).

plus i genuinely don't care how much money dude has. unless i'm about to get some of it.
 

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