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musical advice to your younger self
- Thread starter skygzr
- Start date
Start music school in elementary school. Go for piano, full 7-years course. Don't chase girls, late bloom is actually good.
Go to music school with all of your friends, younger self! The contacts you won't make and music you won't be able to play properly if you don't will limit you forever!
Then again, I'm not sure I would've gotten my job had I gone to music school. I might have attempted to pursue some sort of a career in music, which would've turned one of my very favorite things into a job, which might've resulted in me being burned out on it. So maybe not, I dunno.
Then again, I'm not sure I would've gotten my job had I gone to music school. I might have attempted to pursue some sort of a career in music, which would've turned one of my very favorite things into a job, which might've resulted in me being burned out on it. So maybe not, I dunno.
Yes scales are boring.
Shut up and practice your scales.
And modes
and lots of rhythm.
Shut up and practice your scales.
And modes
and lots of rhythm.
Make better choices. And learn to fly as early as you can, turns out you are quite good at it: maybe join the dang Air Force and have them train you! Stand up for yourself in all things. And don't marry that one, she is not right for you (or anyone for that matter). And move to a better country - Aus or the US - where pettiness won't be such a problem. Texas would be good. Sing more and play everywhere that you can.
Oh yeah: win the lottery (idea stolen from another post).
Oh yeah: win the lottery (idea stolen from another post).
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Playing with the best musicians you can find will make you better in ways you could never foresee.
Alcohol and Drugs are ALWAYS the wrong answer and NEVER solve anything. 
"HEY, LISTEN UP, DUMB ASS:" "You play the bass clarinet in a 5th grade clarinet music class. Just because you forgot to bring the instrument to school today and your teacher chewed you a new ass, is NO REASON to quit the instrument, even if he 'had it coming.'"
If nothing else, you were 10 years old and could read music like it was written with 26 characters. So you gave it all up, and now you're struggling to once again read music at 54 years old. Had you only stuck to it, you'd play the bass better, could learn songs by someone handing you a sheet of paper and saying, "Learn this for tomorrow." Not the only stupid decision you made, but ain't it a bitch to see music for piano in 2 different clefts, and have to use an abacus and sextant to make heads or tails out of it?
Well, at least you never stopped loving Bob Dylan. Ya got that going for ya.
I feel better now. I'm gonna go back and reverse that.
If nothing else, you were 10 years old and could read music like it was written with 26 characters. So you gave it all up, and now you're struggling to once again read music at 54 years old. Had you only stuck to it, you'd play the bass better, could learn songs by someone handing you a sheet of paper and saying, "Learn this for tomorrow." Not the only stupid decision you made, but ain't it a bitch to see music for piano in 2 different clefts, and have to use an abacus and sextant to make heads or tails out of it?
Well, at least you never stopped loving Bob Dylan. Ya got that going for ya.
I feel better now. I'm gonna go back and reverse that.
Don't listen to old farts on the internet!!!
Don’t try to be Flea. Don’t try to be Jaco. DO try to be George Porter Jr. Don’t fall for the cool-looking graphic EQ with a little red LED on each slider. Transcribe more. Spend at least as much time practicing as you do browsing for gear. Learn what a sociopath is. Do go to music school but also know that it will take 10 years to get that **** out of your system.
This all pertains to younger musical me, circa 1990; YMMV.
This all pertains to younger musical me, circa 1990; YMMV.
Stop overplaying. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Oh, and stop stealing your parent's cigarettes, dumba$$! Turns out that smoking really is bad for you.
Oh, and stop stealing your parent's cigarettes, dumba$$! Turns out that smoking really is bad for you.
Practice with focus, play with intent, and always strive to be so good that you don't need to constantly display it.
1. Hire a reputable bass teacher.
2. Dedicate yourself 1000% to learning jazz bass.
3. Don’t fall in love and get married.
4. Don’t go to Michigan State University to earn a fisheries biology degree in hopes to transfer to the University of Miami to get a doctorate in oceanography.
5. Tell your Michigan State University advisor to go **** herself when she says you aren’t smart enough to go to the University of Miami to study oceanography.
6. Don’t become a special education teacher because someone said you’d make a great teacher.
Anything else???
In other words, dedicate yourself to giving up everything in life to achieve your bass playing musical goals.
2. Dedicate yourself 1000% to learning jazz bass.
3. Don’t fall in love and get married.
4. Don’t go to Michigan State University to earn a fisheries biology degree in hopes to transfer to the University of Miami to get a doctorate in oceanography.
5. Tell your Michigan State University advisor to go **** herself when she says you aren’t smart enough to go to the University of Miami to study oceanography.
6. Don’t become a special education teacher because someone said you’d make a great teacher.
Anything else???
In other words, dedicate yourself to giving up everything in life to achieve your bass playing musical goals.
Earplugs! Huh???? EARPLUGS!! Huh???? Use the friggin earplugs!!!
Yea, I heard it many times in my youth, but grew up through and played during the "wall of sound" heavy rock, 80's metal, etc. period and thought I was invincible....
I'm somewhat used to the tinnitis as I dig "white noise"!
Yea, I heard it many times in my youth, but grew up through and played during the "wall of sound" heavy rock, 80's metal, etc. period and thought I was invincible....
I'm somewhat used to the tinnitis as I dig "white noise"!
Yeah, what the man said: don't listen to old farts on the internet!
We are all trying to tell our younger selves what we wished we had of done if we knew then what we know now. In another 40 or 50 years you will probably be doing the same thing. Until then forge your own path.
Huh, play guitar instead! Kidding.
But have more fun, enjoy the process and dig in every chance you have to set foot on stage. Because all the hours rehearsing, all the miles, all the smells in the van, all the drummer and guitarist drama, the reward is those moments when you're dialed in under the lights and the place is swinging. So have more fun in those moments. Trust that all the work paid off and you know your parts. Be loose.
I'd say "If you want to be an original musician, writer, performer dig in and don't burn bridges. The ladder goes both ways so be the person other people want to work with." I'd say "I'm not Will Smith so I can't establish fame and fortune for my kids but I'll be there when you need me."
But have more fun, enjoy the process and dig in every chance you have to set foot on stage. Because all the hours rehearsing, all the miles, all the smells in the van, all the drummer and guitarist drama, the reward is those moments when you're dialed in under the lights and the place is swinging. So have more fun in those moments. Trust that all the work paid off and you know your parts. Be loose.
I'd say "If you want to be an original musician, writer, performer dig in and don't burn bridges. The ladder goes both ways so be the person other people want to work with." I'd say "I'm not Will Smith so I can't establish fame and fortune for my kids but I'll be there when you need me."
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Post a funnier picture than the one above - Parallel Universe Edition
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