Playing Music for Its Own Sake

[EddiePlaysBass]

Funny, just yesterday I was practising triplet runs and caught myself wondering why exactly I have decided to focus my time on this technique. It's a form of embellishment and I still have so many rudiments to learn.

Then it hit me. In the long run, my only goal is to improve as a musician. I don't want to dazzle people with my technique, nor move them to tears with my emotional playing. If that happens, nice. But I do this bass thing for me, myself and I. No one else.

 

[lowplaces]

Three times a week is a lot of commitment. I know I would probably move on if one of the projects I was in required that. I work with a jazz combo that doesn't rehearse at all - we all just sight read for the most part. Out of 7 nights a week, do you really expect people to spend 3 of them rehearsing and a possible 1 or 2 performing with only 2-3 nights off a week? Are you paying people to work 15-20 hours a week for your project?

I'm sure it seems alright to you because it's your gig, your passion, and your dream, but put yourself in the head of an ancillary member who has their own things going on in their personal life and isn't getting compensated for mandatory attendance of frivolous rehearsals.

I totally understand where you're coming from but all these assumptions, negativity, and losing sight of the fact that I'm talking about an Originals project isn't a concern.

Plus I think I found one of the two guitarists we need last night.

You guys rock on but, it's coming together and there are in fact people out there that can dedicate time to an Originals project. I've found all but one.

 

[EddiePlaysBass]

Why do you need two?

 

[matthewbrown]

To address one point that was raised: I don't think that playing music for its own sake as well as you can doesn't mean that you can't be or aren't professional enough to do so. I long ago ditched playing certain kinds of music despite how well the gigs paid - I'd tired of playing the same tunes over and over. I do expect to be paid for my work, but recognize that much of the music I play is in low demand. That said, I seek out audiences for that music, play it as well as I can, and look for professional opportunities whenever possible.

 

[DrayMiles]

I am a bassist. That deserves excellence and my best efforts. The piano is what I play and I cut myself some slack. I'm not a pianist, so that makes it fun. I'm free to discover voicings and experiment. Technique is not as important...

 

[lowplaces]

Why do you need two?

Two what ? Guitarists ?

We could probably get by with just one but the fiddle player in the drummer don't sing so we need three vocalists for the harmonies.

Which goes back to the talk of no gigs yet and all. The local Americana bands that are getting the gigs here in town have a couple things in common one of which is at least 3 vocalists.

Just slapping something together isn't going to cut it around here. We have to bring it. That's all there is to it.

And we're getting off topic with all of this so ...

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Personally I just enjoy the act of creation. It reminds me of when I was a little kid drawing pictures with crayons at the kitchen table. No illusions of "making it", no goals and no reason other than just having fun exercising my imagination. Music is my "grown up" version of that same activity.

I always enjoy the creative part much more than the performance.

 

[blliB]

Been playing for 25 years. Never played out or with others. Playing bass by myself is my daily meditation. I'll never stop playing.

 

[JRA]

play with abandon. play with heart. if you can do that: it's not mediocre.