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My regret as a bass player

#122
gregmon79 said:
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.
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What is really sad is that often, other bass players are our worst enemies. They want to shove all of us into their sad little paradigm and can't imagine why a bass player would want to be creative. TB could be an even better place if it was more supportive of innovation and less judgmental about those of us that want to play more than root / 5th below the 7th fret.
 
#123
Nicely said, Jimmy, nicely said. At 40 I've left performing and being in bands and I'm headed back to lessons, both for technique and for reading/ear training. Why? Because I have music inside me that I don't have the skills and/or knowledge to share. It's never too late to do your own thing.
 
#127
That is/was me to a T. When I started I wanted to be Les Claypool because that was what made me want to play. I got the same thing you did, "you are to busy, just play the root".... I have recordings of me from back in the day that I have found and now I cannot even play like that anymore. I went back and forced my self to play more simple. It is all good and bad. When you learn to not over play, you can play with others better but when you play what makes you feel good, it is a cool feeling.

Great post man!!!!

And who ever said we need a like button, yes we do!
 
#131
Really cool to read some of your stories about this kind of thing, folks. I knew I wasn't the only one who struggled with this.

But what really bums me out the most is when bass players, the ones who should be respecting another player's individuality and skill the most, tell kids starting out on here to forget about being fancy and just stick to meat and potatoes. It's like they're crushing someone's else's dreams because their dreams got crushed. Shame on them, too.
 
#133
JimmyM said:
But what really bums me out the most is when bass players, the ones who should be respecting another player's individuality and skill the most, tell kids starting out on here to forget about being fancy and just stick to meat and potatoes. It's like they're crushing someone's else's dreams because their dreams got crushed. Shame on them, too.
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+1,000,000

It's a vicious cycle that should be stopped.
 
#134
JimmyM said:
Really cool to read some of your stories about this kind of thing, folks. I knew I wasn't the only one who struggled with this.

But what really bums me out the most is when bass players, the ones who should be respecting another player's individuality and skill the most, tell kids starting out on here to forget about being fancy and just stick to meat and potatoes. It's like they're crushing someone's else's dreams because their dreams got crushed. Shame on them, too.
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Even though I agree with this, I think it should be for people starting out to play what and how they want but to also work on learning to play the root/groove of a song. To me that makes a song and when you can play the root/groove then add the flair, it comes across so smooth and cool.
 
#135
thebassbuilder said:
Even though I agree with this, I think it should be for people starting out to play what and how they want but to also work on learning to play the root/groove of a song. To me that makes a song and when you can play the root/groove then add the flair, it comes across so smooth and cool.
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Yeah, I thought I made that pretty clear in my opening post ;)
 
#136
JimmyM said:
Really cool to read some of your stories about this kind of thing, folks. I knew I wasn't the only one who struggled with this.

But what really bums me out the most is when bass players, the ones who should be respecting another player's individuality and skill the most, tell kids starting out on here to forget about being fancy and just stick to meat and potatoes. It's like they're crushing someone's else's dreams because their dreams got crushed. Shame on them, too.
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I totally get where you are coming from. I have never been a strictly meat and potatoes kind of player except when it is appropriate or if I am told to play a certain way. I have felt for a long time that the less is more approach to bass playing was being used to keep bassists from contributing equally in bands. Of course it has to groove and make everyone feel good but there is so much more to music than just grooving.
 
#138
Well said, friend. You have to do both: be a servant and an innovator whenever you can--and you have to be careful about squelching your inner voice when paying the rent is on the line. I have also experienced this with my singing. Spent the last decade doing the ensemble thing, and it takes a lot more work to crank up the solo voice than it used to.
 
#139
JimmyM said:
Really cool to read some of your stories about this kind of thing, folks. I knew I wasn't the only one who struggled with this.

But what really bums me out the most is when bass players, the ones who should be respecting another player's individuality and skill the most, tell kids starting out on here to forget about being fancy and just stick to meat and potatoes. It's like they're crushing someone's else's dreams because their dreams got crushed. Shame on them, too.
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Hear hear. Following your bliss may not always be the best advise to give a youngster, but I think it's the best advise there is when it comes to artistic pursuits.
 

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