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Musical Confessions

#142
I hate all music that require me to "get" something, and I hate being told that I don't "get" it.

Why is it that every time I say I hate, let's say, Led Zeppelin, there's always 10 people replying that "I don't hate them, it's just that I don't "get" it"?
Or worse, when someone tells me that in order to "get" it, I need to be all alone in my apartment, smoke a lot of weed, and listen to one of their albums back to back. I've been told this about The Beatles, Tool, Led Zeppelin, Mars Volta, Pink Floyd and a s**tload of other bands.

First of all. There's nothing to "get", either you like what you hear, or you don't...It's quite simple really...
And being told I need to abuse drugs in order to "understand what the musicians is trying to say", pisses me off.
 
#143
Manndreas said:
I hate all music that require me to "get" something, and I hate being told that I don't "get" it.

Why is it that every time I say I hate, let's say, Led Zeppelin, there's always 10 people replying that "I don't hate them, it's just that I don't "get" it"?
Or worse, when someone tells me that in order to "get" it, I need to be all alone in my apartment, smoke a lot of weed, and listen to one of their albums back to back. I've been told this about The Beatles, Tool, Led Zeppelin, Mars Volta, Pink Floyd and a s**tload of other bands.

First of all. There's nothing to "get", either you like what you hear, or you don't...It's quite simple really...
And being told I need to abuse drugs in order to "understand what the musicians is trying to say", pisses me off.
Click to expand...

I hate to say this, but all those peeps who told you to smoke some weed and THEN listen to those bands are right. Mandatory and a completely different experience. Those bands are uninteresting to me otherwise. Oh and Mars Volta - no difference either way - they suck no matter what. ;)
 
#144
Like others, I don't care for most of the Wooten, Jaco et al crowd. I just don't find their music interesting. Technique A+++ Songs D

That said, I am a huge Claypool fan. Even post Primus. As a fan of Zappa, his eccentric melodicism and narratives just do it for me.

The best Primus album is Brown. I love the analogue bleed between the instruments.

I don't get the proliferation of two handed tapping on bass in a lot of contemporary/prog metal (see Protest the Hero).

I like Protest the Hero (and I like the tapped bass, even if I don't get it).

Billy Gould is so under represented these days. I spent my youth trying to copy his technique and sound.

I dig bass solos and bass driven music. I love upright bass solos.

I wanted to learn cello when I was a kid.
 
#148
i too am lazy and do not practice enough. at times i feel like i would rather play bass with my band or other people, or play a different instrument, than play by myself. i need more discipline. i would push myself more but i have a strong background in drumming and i think this allowed me to get by for a while because im good with rhythm and have a musical background/band experience.

i dont always get jaco or some other bass idols, but the problem is probably on my end, not theirs. i wouldnt have the nerve to call his playing 'wanking' (im not saying that he never did) until i could cop his lines myself and play a fretless in tune. til then, ill keep my mouth shut.

i learned how to play bass from john bonham.

i pity the fool who doesnt like / cant get into the beatles.

sometimes i like the JGB more than the Grateful Dead.

and finally, one i dont think ive seen on this list yet:

I SPEND WAY TOO MUCH TIME ON TALKBASS.
 
#150
*sigh*

I enjoy listening to songs with really advanced bass work. But I'd rather play something simple with a good groove than learn the technique required to ape "the masters."

Like most everyone else, I listen to Wooten or Jamerson, and go "Wow, I wish I could do that." It sure would be something to be among the most technically accomplished at my chosen instrument. I think.

Then I go back to playing something simple with a good groove.

I'd probably get moist underpants from being able to rip off Wooten's "Amazing Grace", but I'm never going to learn it, if the truth be told. Instead, I'm going to get a big grin from playing a Pink Floyd or Boston or Alan Parson's Project or Black Sabbath tune.

I've been playing about a year. I know I'll never have the chops to play along with the greats, no matter how many years I practice.

I hear basslines in my head I'll probably never be able to play, either. Actually, if I could just get to the point where I could play what I hear in my head, I'd die happy.

*sigh*
 
#151
Adam Ray said:
Les Claypool is really good at playing bass badly.
Click to expand...

At the risk of going OT and invoking the wrath of mods etc :hiding:

I've heard/read the above on this board and elsewhere but I've yet to have it clearly explained. I hear all this stuff about sloppy technique etc... but I don't hear/see it personally? Is this a taste issue or some thing else.

CONDITION: A PM to avert an off topic nightmare or else a redirect to an existing conversation would also help. I've read most Les threads around here and yet...
 
#152
debassr said:
I hate to say this, but all those peeps who told you to smoke some weed and THEN listen to those bands are right. Mandatory and a completely different experience. Those bands are uninteresting to me otherwise. Oh and Mars Volta - no difference either way - they suck no matter what. ;)
Click to expand...

Wee yeah I know it makes a difference. Just like AC/DC is TOATALROCKAWSOMNESS\m/ when I'm s**tfaced, but boring and completely uninteresting when I'm sober ;)
 
#153
-I do not like the Who, Aerosmith, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel, or 90% of the bands that have someone's name as the band's name.

-I appreciate people like Wooten, Jaco, Stu Hamm, etc. ripping amazing chops and solos, but in all honesty, I can't get into their music. It's boring.

-I am obnoxious when I play with my band meaning that I do unnecessary slap and tap fills because it inflates my ego. I 100% agree that the bass is a groove instrument, but my ego likes me to show off.

-I think tapping and slapping sound cool, but 99% of the time is unnecessary.

-I wish I could rip the guitar like I can rip the bass. I like guitar and I am not ashamed to say it.
 
#154
air_leech said:
ok, here goes:

- I dont dig all the bass athletes such as Wooten, Hellbourg, Hamm, Stanley Clarke etc.
sure they do some amazing stuff but they dont really have anything to do with any of the reasons that initially made me pick up the bass and their music bores me.

- I dont seem to recognize anything special in Radiohead's music.

- same goes for Muse, coldplay and system of a down.

- I prefer a lot of pop songs with good basslines to most progressive rock pieces.

- I cant hear the bass in 99% of Metal songs.

- I think the notes on the low B string sound like the ******** cousin of anything played on the remaining 4 strings.

- Nirvana is the most overrated band in the history of mankind.
Click to expand...

Wow, I agree almost completely with everything you said. I also grew up listening to almost nothing but metal, from 1982 to 1988, and was always frustrated by the lack of bass, and because of that, here's my confession - I grew up wondering what the whole point of playing bass was.

After listening to the Stones, I figured it out.
 
#156
Other confessions:

- I wish I could play rock guitar really well, but can't be bothered trying hard enough to learn it
- I can barely carry a tune singing lead and tend to automatically sing harmony, even if I'm singing lead (not exactly a secret confession, just come to one of our gigs, and hear me sing the one song my band lets me sing :))
- Jaco's played some cool grooves, but virtuosos on any instrument are for instrument geeks only. Including Wooten, Miller, Berlin, etc. just like Steve Vai, Malmsteen, etc. Song players rule.
- I grew up listening to metal and was pretty hard core in the 80s, but now can really only get into Black Sabbath and a little bit of Ozzy. I still appreciate Maiden, early Metallica, etc. but can never join the TB Metal Club because no longer have patience for Venom, Mercyful Fate, etc. and I now also like Hootie, John Mellencamp, Counting Crows, Don Williams, Bare Naked Ladies, Dixie Chicks, Tragically Hip, Macy Gray, Pretenders, Rocky Skaggs, Stevie Wonder, and sometimes crank this stuff on my car stereo louder than I do Sabbath so I can feel the bass groove, even if the groove is just 1&3, root-fifth.
 

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