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My regret as a bass player

#103
Alright Jimmy
Well-written post that has struck a chord in many bassists.

I'm a couple years older than you, and got my rep for being a solid, dependable, in the pocket (but loud) player.
So, what happened to that crazy bassist that did all that wild stuff?
He joined a project band, where such things are welcomed.
In it he does all the fun, out-there stuff the main band doesn't want.

Thanks in part to your post, I'll get a soundcloud account,
and try to put more time in my studio, which has been quite neglected this year.

Thumbs up, man
We need a kudos button...........
 
#105
Nice post. The first band I played bass in (I've had a few as a drummer) gave me a lot of freedom since I was the main songwriter (think 95% of all notes and words). It was proggish rock/metal with sometimes busy bass lines. That went on for 5 years before I quit and the others unsurprisingly disbanded.

Fast forward to about a year ago : I joined a band that plays technically very simple music relying mostly on atmospheres. Turns out it's extremely challenging and rewarding too, in very different ways. With 6 people in the band, I sometimes "have to" play 3 notes on repeat for a whole 8-minute song. It's helped me improve my groove a lot and I don't find it boring anymore. Fortunately we all have a manageable ego :)
Transitionning into that band, I started playing a 5-string and experimenting with effects. Bandmates are supportive although they definately don't always like the outcome.

What strikes and saddens me is those people who only ever do one thing. Like this one guy I know who thinks he can only play punk-rock between 100 and 140 bpm. People, if you're willing to put in some work you can do much, much more. AND you can keep playing punk-rock too !
At 26 I hopefully still have many years to improve and explore, but I don't think I'll ever settle with just one approach, nor do I think anyone should. What's next ? Funk ? Djent ? Solo stuff ? I have no idea but I'm willing to redefine my playing again.
 
#106
I commend you on the post Jimmy. I have to totally agree with you and I appreciate you saying something. IMO there are a lot of people out there that want to beat the bassist in most bands down because they are "just the bass player". Thats always been pure kaka to me. I myself had to learn "how to fill the role" of the bass player in any band Ive been in. But I know the bands that have heard me play have usually wanted me to be part of their band because of the way I play. I will never stop hammering out the way I want to play or the way "I" think a bass player should fit the role. But there were many times I thought I should just give in and be the bassist others think I should be. But I didnt, and Im happier for it. This is great advice for those really young guys coming up and just starting.

To thine own self be true.
 
#108
Thanks Jimmy M!!! Great inspiration for this Friday morning. I remember in my first band, playing a little gig in Bar Harbor Maine. We had been together for a couple of years (our only "gigs" had been two talent shows up to that point). We were playing one of our original tunes, and I was just starting to get expressive on the bass, doing some fills and runs. The guitarist stopped in the middle of a song, spun around to me, and yelled "cut out the damn fills." Ouch! It's entirely possible that the fills sucked, but that was my first experience with getting squashed by a fellow musician.
Keep the faith, good words of advice Jimmy!!
 
#109
If you are lucky, you will be older far more years than you were younger..However..

I went ' blind' at 40..been using cheap readers ever since. I can see great..Words?? all fuzzy and blurry. Cheap readers is all I need.

Went ' momentarily crazy' at 50..won't go there.. Still married to same wonderful bass-loving wife....Yes it can be done. Been together over 30 and married nerly 28 years. Mrs Zon is my greatest fan...bought my most recent bass and amps..

Now after years of industrial / work place noise, jams and concert noise...cumulative deafness is in effect..and I WORE EARPLUGS at chos and jams and practices....learned my lesson at Deep Purple concert when they held THE DB RECORD.... Now 8,000 HZ LEFT and 10,000 RIGHT. That's still high enough to hear crickets and birds.


I turn 60 next month...And now, I begin to reap the benefits of senior discounts at certain fast foods and grocery stores..I love to ask for 'Senior Coffee , please'..same coffee as everyone else and I get back plenty of change from my dollar...I digress..REGRETS...

I tried flute and trumpet in elementary grades.... too much allergies and congestion. Took piano in 8-9th grades.

Due to(2) Pys Ed injuries I was FORCED to take symphony..I chose bass..bass chose me.

I digress...OK REGRETS...

I listened to older and better bassists who disdained commercial music. We were playing Roundabout and such..no hits by Bread for me...Had I swallowed my' esteemed values', styled my hair as opposed to extra-long..Had I worn a tuxedo- jump suit and played commercial top-40..maybe I would have had a career as a musician playing bass for over 40 years.
 
#110
Great post. I'm lucky that I've never experienced anybody who has held me back in my bass playing/creativity. I would rather be learning new things in an originals band than getting pay in a corporate cover band... but bills have to be paid! :(

I found that the more I moved into classical double bass playing the more I was expected to fall into the standard repertoire/sight reading robot orchestral player role. Though I'm working hard on creative/experimental solo stuff.

Art > Entertainment.
 
#112
Jimmy does his best posts after a gig. I am off to a 24 hr IHOP getting fat while Jimmy continues to be creative. Does putting strawberry syrup on my Chocolate Chip pancakes make me creative? Technology allows all of us (if we chose) to pursue our art while keeping our BL happy.
 
#114
Always heard people go on about how bass should be played. But I don't think I ever have played it in any of the ways they generally describe. I think one of my favourite styles of playing would be likened more to a piano, in fact. Perhaps a lot of cello-like playing. Something more melodic and in front. When writing music, I always try to imagine how my bass can weave through and around it, rather than provide a stable floor for it.
 
#115
JimmyM said:
Thanks, Roy...but gee whiz...I always thought of you as one of the more adventurous folks I was talking about who made a name for himself that way ;) However, after hearing you kill on some Cream lead vox a few months ago, I'm glad you listened to the dude who told you to work on your singing. I thought you did great with it.
Click to expand...

I think everyone wrestles with this. If you are an adventurous player by nature, you will have to struggle with the "support" role of the instrument in most Music and there will be plenty of people you will encounter in the Biz who will want to define you by their box. I managed to keep one foot in both worlds (Service and Art) of bass playing for a very long time, but if I'd thought about it more I would have believed in my own voice early on and doubted myself much less. I don't think there's a bassist on the planet that doesn't struggle with this.
 
#116
Great post JimmyM!

I'm 57 and two years ago I decided to take a hiatus from playing out and focus on writing and recording. It's possible for me to do that since I'm not a full time musician. One of my long time friends, a guitarist who I played with in my previous band, decided to do the same thing at the same time. It's been a blast. I don't care about selling CDs or being recognized - it's more doing what is rewarding to me at my age. But there's no reason that approach can't apply to young players as well.

Again great post and I think many players here will read this and perhaps feel good about doing things more "their way".
 
#117
Shardik said:
I need a studio...
Click to expand...

Nah, garageband and knowing more or less what you're doing is all you need to record anything nowadays (it doesn't have to be garageband either, there's actually better programs but it's probably the most user friendly). Some years ago i was in a band. The "frontman" was a bit stupid and decided we needed a record before we had even gigged. Anyway, he invested a lot of his own money in studio time. The stuff we ended up with, production wise, was as good or actually probably worse than what i can achieve with just an old mac (paid 200$ for) and garageband now.

I see no point in investing in a studio unless you're a professional (making a living of it i mean). Just this year my grandfather passed away, he had spent years building his own studio (he played Chet Atkins type stuff). When me and my guitar playing cousin split the stuff he had, a lot of it we didn't even know what to do with. We had no use for a lot of it, a lot of gear was easily replaceable by a computer with the right software nowadays.
 
#118
Jimmy, with 3500 views in 20 hours Oprah called and wants to feature your thread on this week's best reads section of the show. Since I answered the phone I took the liberty of telling her I was your agent. What are you doing next Thursday at 3:00pm? There will be a signing immediately sfterward at Borders...
 
#120
Yeah, you have to please yourself or else what's the point, right?

And it is possible to do both I believe. Personally I get as much satisfaction in pumping out straight 8th notes as in "going Jaco" or playing machine gun slapping. But I too feel the spark to expand, which is why I'm getting a 6-string built, after my whole bass playing life (21 years, I'm 35) playing 4-strings. It'll be fun to see where the 6-string will take me musically... :bassist:
 

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