Weaker Players and Virtuoso Compositions

[Dr. Cheese]

A few weeks ago I posted about feeling down when my teacher pointed out some persistent flaws in my technique, I mentioned that I had been working "River People" by Jaco Pastorius. One poster said it did not make sense for a player with poor technique to study Jaco. I disagree because although my technique is not great, I have been playing a long time, and I am especially drawn to Jaco's work. The thing that really occurred to me after my lesson on Tuesday was that studying Jaco really hammers home the fact that truly great music requires great technique in a way that easier pieces don't. As some with 40+ years of bad form, I need all of the inspiration I can get.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

Well I agree but at the same time River People isn't very difficult. The same 4 notes played with 16th in an octave pattern

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Well I agree but at the same time River People isn't very difficult. The same 4 notes played with 16th in an octave pattern

You are probably not the kind of person who would benefit from studying it as a way to improve your technique. I'm sure there are lots of other things in music which challenge you and help you grow.

 

[Reedt2000]

Don't let the internet masses get you down Doc. If Jaco's sound is what you're working towards then it could be argued that his work is exactly what you should be studying.

 

[ugly_bassplayer]

Jaco's Donna Lee shed a few weeks off my life expectancy.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Don't let the internet masses get you down Doc. If Jaco's sound is what you're working towards then it could be argued that his work is exactly what you should be studying.

Don't let the internet masses get you down Doc. If Jaco's sound is what you're working towards then it could be argued that his work is exactly what you should be studying.

Jaco has really influenced my playing for years although I do not sound much like him. Understanding what he did and how he did are really great for my continued development.

 

[40Hz]

I think it's great you're toeing up for a higher challenge than you might currently be up for. I'd rather be the guy who reached for the sky and fell flat on his face than the guy who knew his limits and adjusted his dreams accordingly.

But I was never someone who bought into the notion of "knowing your place." Anytime I see someone else doing something I wish I could do, I ask myself: "Why not me?"

And most times my inner voice replies: "Yeah. Why not you?"

Hang in there Doc. It gets better.

 

[Basshappi]

Study that which inspires you.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I think it's great you're toeing up for a higher challenge than you might currently be up for. I'd rather be the guy who reached for the sky and fell flat on his face than the guy who knew his limits and adjusted his dreams accordingly.

But I was never someone who bought into the notion of "knowing your place." Anytime I see someone else doing something I wish I could do, I ask myself: "Why not me?"

And most times my inner voice replies: "Yeah. Why not you?"

Hang in there Doc. It gets better.

I cheated myself for years by saying, "don't worry about Jaco, Stanley, Jeff Berlin, etc." They are just gifted. I just stuck with playing funk, rock, disco, pop, etc. Two things really began to change my attitude: I used live close enough to Nashville to visit the music stores regularly. Meeting musicians who could bury me became a regular occurrence. The second thing that sealed the deal was YouTube. It just became clear to me that these musicians studied harder and smarter than I. I still had one excuse: age. I just figured I could never catch up to those kids I saw on my device screens. I finally just said I was going for it. I would rather try to get better than tread water until I drop dead or stopped playing because or arthritis or something.

 

[Spin Doctor]

Two things really began to change my attitude: I used live close enough to Nashville to visit the music stores regularly. Meeting musicians who could bury me became a regular occurrence. The second thing that sealed the deal was YouTube. It just became clear to me that these musicians studied harder and smarter than I. I still had one excuse: age.

Nope you don't even get to use that one, lol. I didn't start playing bass till I was 50. I didn't even own a bass when I started lessons. Just keep working.

 

[OptimalOptimus]

I guess something never click in your mind.

Maybe you need to go back to the basic to get it

 

[Tekkers]

You're right to disagree with whoever made that backhanded comment about technique. Study whatever you want, only you get to decide whether, what and how much you'll get from it.

If you want to be able to play it exactly like Jaco then you're on the right track. If you want to be able to put your own slant on it then you'll learn some tricks and add them to your own arsenal.

It gets on my nerves when people try to get perscriptive about how others should learn, so I don't have much to add really except to say that you should crack on, you know best what you're trying to achieve so go for it.

 

[bass12]

One poster said it did not make sense for a player with poor technique to study Jaco.

That poster is wrong.

 

[jmon]

Whoever made a comment like that is clearly insecure about his own playing. There are plenty of great players with non-standard technique. People don't listen with their eyes. It's all about the end result. Do your thing and tell that guy to pound sand. Just sayin.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Whoever made a comment like that is clearly insecure about his own playing. There are plenty of great players with non-standard technique. People don't listen with their eyes. It's all about the end result. Do your thing and tell that guy to pound sand. Just sayin.

I am not worried. People who care about their craft keep working to improve. It's that simple.

 

[White Beard]

I remember that I commented on the videos, and I had said that I thought that you sounded better just goofing off than you did really trying to nail that line, Jaco style. The first example that you showed, you were tense and tight and really unsure of yourself. Where as, in the second example you were loose and having fun. Those two different moods came through in your tone, not to mention your body language.

 

[Phat Nick]

I'm a bass teacher...but I'm also and forever a student! my experience on both fields is that,talking about music performance (not about technique exercises or theory,in this moment),one needs to study also stuff that is challenging in order to clean his/her technique..sometimes a good hands technique will help you performing a song,and sometimes viceversa some music you're practicing will help you to clean your technique (Jeff Berlin said something similar,years ago,if I remember correctly)...it's a circle "river people " is fantastic for getting clean on high speed cross string,for endurance...and it' a great song too!!

 

[Ing]

A few weeks ago I posted about feeling down when my teacher pointed out some persistent flaws in my technique, I mentioned that I had been working "River People" by Jaco Pastorius. One poster said it did not make sense for a player with poor technique to study Jaco. I disagree because although my technique is not great, I have been playing a long time, and I am especially drawn to Jaco's work. The thing that really occurred to me after my lesson on Tuesday was that studying Jaco really hammers home the fact that truly great music requires great technique in a way that easier pieces don't. As some with 40+ years of bad form, I need all of the inspiration I can get.

I disagree that it doesn't make sense for someone with sub-par technique to study anyone. I'm a self taught bass player and I learn primarily by playing along to records. I typically hammer away at a song until it sounds exactly like the record, and then I start to add my own personality into it.

By learning lines exactly as they were written and attacking them vigorously you are in a sense teaching yourself good technique or at least equipping yourself with a toolbox of skills to play certain types of basslines well. Jaco's lines may increase dexterity, a sense of time, and/or harmony which you can later apply to a Snarky Puppy song or a gospel tune.

For me, the skills I learn in one song are transferable to other songs. Keep plugging along, Doc. This music thing is an exciting lifelong journey for me and I suspect it is the same for you.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I remember that I commented on the videos, and I had said that I thought that you sounded better just goofing off than you did really trying to nail that line, Jaco style. The first example that you showed, you were tense and tight and really unsure of yourself. Where as, in the second example you were loose and having fun. Those two different moods came through in your tone, not to mention your body language.

You are quite right about that. I really need to relax when trying to play something note for note.