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How to know if you're good?

#41
IMO, comparing oneself to others is a faulty concept to begin with.

Everyone learns and progresses at different rates; there is no one "right" way, nor a timetable to use to judge ones progress.

Play with musicans who are accepting of your level of ability and go have fun. :bassist:

:cool:
 
#42
AlphaMale,
After looking at your profile I see you're just starting out and only 17. I do hope you realize that everyone is giving you very good advice and want to steer you in the right direction. So don't stay away. Ask questions...lots of questions. There's a wealth of knowledge in the forum. I wish I had a forum like this when I started playing bass. When I started there was no internet ;)
 
#44
stealth51 said:
AlphaMale,
After looking at your profile I see you're just starting out and only 17. I do hope you realize that everyone is giving you very good advice and want to steer you in the right direction. So don't stay away. Ask questions...lots of questions. There's a wealth of knowledge in the forum. I wish I had a forum like this when I started playing bass. When I started there was no internet ;)
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Whaaaaaaa????

You're OLD!!

Sorry, I couldn't resist. I think color television came out about the same time I did.
 
#45
stealth51 said:
AlphaMale,
After looking at your profile I see you're just starting out and only 17. I do hope you realize that everyone is giving you very good advice and want to steer you in the right direction. So don't stay away. Ask questions...lots of questions. There a wealth of knowledge in the forum. I wish I had a forum like this when I started playing bass. When I started there was no internet ;)
Click to expand...


+1000

No doubt, excellent points!

If one has even the smallest amount of sincere interest in playing bass, one's time here will be invaluable.

...As long as one can take everything with a grain of salt and remember it's all just personal observations and opinions; which by nature, are totally dependant of the perspective and experiences of that player.
 
#46
Let's see...you're 17, call yourself "Alpha Male", and consider yourself "to man what wolf is to dog".


Right now, the thing that may keep you from ever becoming as good as you are capable of becoming, and seemingly already believe yourself to be, is that attitude.

Although you may be lucky enough one day to compete with other bass players for the same gigs, the pursuance of musical ability should never be thought of in terms of competition. Especially as it pertains to the role of bass player. You will find that nothing turns potential employers and bandmates off quicker than bravado...even if you can back it up. The humble, likable cat with lesser chops will beat you out for the gig every single time, precisely because he's not competing with you.
 
#52
justabass said:
I can't even imagine how different my approach to learning my craft would be if I would have had a resource like Talkbass when I was a youngster! I used the word "youngster"! Dang I'm gettin old!
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Yeah, no kidding. I used to learn parts of songs by picking up the needle on the turntable and trying to put it back just far enough to get ready to play again. Then I got a cassette recorder so I could use the rewind function, that saved a lot of time.

The only other resource was Mel Bay books. They didn't have a section on knowing if you were good.
 
#54
DocBop said:
What does shredding got to do with playing bass??? Bass is a support instrument no matter what style of music you're playing. Also people develop at different rates. A lot guys you may think aren't developing fast, but musicially they are way ahead of everyone and their technique/chops will catch up. You might fit into that category.
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So yeah Um... I guess I'll start with this. I'm not confident in my bass playing in fact I'm very self-conscious and very critical. Just because I think other people suck doesn't mean I think I'm great. My name Alpha Male refers to what seems to happen over and over in every band I've talked to, usually the bassist or sometime the drummer is the guy who makes sure everything is going okay, making sure everyones bringing the right equipment, making up for everyone else's irresponsibility.
I think I'm better than a couple kids because I listen to and am able to play a larger variety of music they listen to. We're in music class and I hear a kid play 'Pomp and Circumstance' and I tell my music teacher that someones playing it he goes to the kids and he says 'It that song in the book' and the kids goes ' Um.. it's my chemical romance.' This kids constantly tries to show off playing riffs by the Police and novelty songs.


Want to know if you're good, if other good musicians are asking you to play with them and asking you back, your doing good. People calling you to play paying gigs and your picking up other gigs from those gigs, you're doing good. Go to a Cut Session and hold your own, you're doing good. When you don't have to ask am I good and have confidence in your playing you're good.
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Yeah that sounds cool when you say it, but the fact of the matter is Most guitarists I know don't know **** about playing bass, they don't know the role of the bass and a lot of the time the only reason they have a bassist is cause every other band they know does. I've been asked to jam out tons of times, the problem is everyone would rather smoke weed than make music, that's my town.

I think I'm Good I just want to know if I'm progressing as well as everyone else should

And when you guys worship people like Wooten and Sheehan, Which a two of the best bassists, and then say playing bass isn't about being technical or it's about the role of the bass. I have to ask you guys this, why do you listen to Bass soloists?

God Bless and thanks for all the support from the older members of the forum
 
#58
i agree then with a few people here, if you think your doing well then you just might be, be cautious though, just the question leads some to think your not humble, ive never in my life worked with any professionals that arent the most humble players around. the ones who cant hack it are the hardest to work with yet think there the best around. progression will ONLY come and be measured on stage. practice, sheding, technique abd theory are great by yourself but if you cant play with others than there useless. if your truely a great bassist everyone will want you at their gig, if your in demand than your good. when i firststarted in atlanta i was lucky enough to pick a few gigs, but i wasnt getting the calls, now after paying some dues and learning some about the scene i have my regular projects, but i also get calls for any fill ins and am able to work with some great folks and keep a full schedule months in advance. Thats how i know im good, by demand, and i acknowledge myself being a good player by being consistantly gracious about the gigs i get, cause theres better players in atlanta than me, but i dont walk in like i know im the ****...even though i do!!!jk It aint bragin if you can back it up, but then again alot of folks thought jaco was a dick, kinda is why hes dead. so to sum it all up, your good if your good, be well rounded, appreciative, professional and fun to be around, charming i suppose, make sure to be able to walk in on any situation and hang, but most of all let your bass speak for you, if your really the **** you will know it.
 
#60
Progressing as a musician is a process, a journey. You never really "arrive" at being "good" - you progress, you grow, you get better, you set goals you want to accomplish, and when you acomplish them you set more goals that you have to keep striving for. You don't measure yourself against other musicians - that either leads to disappointment or feeling superior. You measure yourself against yourself 6 months ago, 2 years ago, 5 years ago. You put the time in to keep improving yourself, and hopefully you have a hell of a lot of fun along the way. ;)
 

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