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What do you think about when you play bass?

What goes through your head when you play bass.

  • Im feelin the music and my fingers know what to do.

  • Im watching my fingers

  • Im feelin the music and watchin my fingers

  • Im feelin the music and using some music theory

  • A mix of feeling, fingers and theory

  • Boredom

  • Terror

  • Cheeseburgers

  • Carrots

  • Need mo beer

Results are only viewable after voting.
#83
When playing with other people in any context--absolute terror.

I have no confidence in my ability to play and follow chord changes and be the glue in the band, even though I do those things well enough to not get many angry looks from the others.

In a live setting, I am in full blown panic attack mode and hoping/wishing for the show to be over. This is a lifetime problem, I've always had crippling stage fright. Even in the USMC, I had a hard time speaking in front of a group of Marines about a topic I was pretty much an expert on.

Taking lessons for the last six months hasn't improved this--I always feel like I'm wasting my instructor's time and embarrassing myself.

But I LOVE to play. When at home on my own, I get lost in the music and my mood goes through the roof. It's the same kind of flow and joy I get when I write.

But put me with other musicians, and I am a panicky, nervous wreck.
 
#85
What do you think about when you play bass?
I focus on the music and playing it as well as on listening to what is going on around me as to react to certain things appropriately.
 
#88
Depends on the song...sometimes I am all about theory/feel, if it is jam oriented... if it is something that is repetitive.. I am thinking about the crowd, the next song choice, the PA, the break music, the hang with the band or bar owner, Taco Bell, sometimes all of this at the same time... I am ADHD so it is fun inside my head.
 
#89
The thing is, when I'm really "on", I'm not *thinking* about anything. I'm in the present: listening, watching, anticipating, and feeling, and reacting to all of that with my playing and what I can only describe somewhat hyperbolically as my choreography. If I'm just plodding through a piece by rote, that's where the thinking comes in - and I have to try to keep it on next change, next song, next set, as opposed to next weekend, or do I need to get gas on the way home.
 
#91
Ric5 said:
- the drummer is drifting off time again
Click to expand...

A thousand times this. Often followed by "is it me rushing or is this song just boring as hell?"[*]

I know the songs inside out, don't actually need to look at my fingers, and really should be just having fun. No excuse. My Gig Operating System is currently something like this:

1) Am I having more fun than anyone in the room? Am I smiling and moving around?
2) if "yes" goto 1
3) Uh oh.
4) Install fake smile and pose.
5) Stop looking at your fingers! You know where the notes are, they haven't moved in 30 years.
5) Analysis: can I fix this song by doing something differently?
6) if "yes" or "maybe", make the adjustment, and goto 1
7) If "no" enter "fake smile maintenance loop"

It's not a pedalboard, it's a collection of Fake Smile System loadable modules.


* -- not mutually exclusive
 
#92
I usually just like to listen and feel the music, but when I get bored, I'll pretend I'm playing in Nashville to a bunch of industry big wigs. Another boredom trick, pick out four or five likely looking people and pretend they are super good bassists checking me out and judging my every note.
 
#93
Various things depending on what's going on.

If it's a good crowd, mostly just lost in the moment and everything is on autopilot.

If it's a slow night when we started at 9, at 10 I'm thinking "It's only 10?..."

If it's a new song I'm thinking about the changes, hooks, staying in the groove with the drummer until that certain things become locked in...that's when I free up and start embellishing more, and then stop thinking much and just feeling it.

If it's a song we've played a thousand times, all the time.... I'm thinking I wish we'd lose this song... but play it like I love it...

If the BL is having trouble coming up with songs, even while I'm playing I'm thinking up something to help us get to the next song... yes a set list would be great...

While not actually while I'm playing, the BL is thinking up a song, I'm thinking I wish he would tell me what we are about to do... He usually hits a few notes on his guitar that sound like something in the song, the drummer counts off and I hope I didn't misInterpret the clue.
Sometimes he does turn to the other side of the stage and say something, then I hear a count and I think "what?, wait? what?
Then after those split seconds of figuring out what we're doing and getting in the song without much damage, and the BL looking at me like it's my fault... I'm thinking "Not my fault..." LOL!
 
#94
Stream of thoughts - "Does, the bridge come after this chorus or the next? Oh, that girl's cute? Not a good dancer though? Nope, bridge is after next chorus. What is going on over there? I really like this bass line. My IEM mix is great or terrible! How many more songs until break? I have to pee. Damn 6 more songs. I need a beer. Maybe someone will notice. Damn we are on fire tonight! Ugh this song is next. The crowd is digging it though. I like this stage, I wonder when we're playing here again? Oops, I wonder if anyone noticed that "passing tone". Phew, nope, no one noticed. Why is this lady snapping her fingers at me, no one snaps their fingers at me, that is not the way to get my attention. Oh, she's getting pissed I'm not paying attention to her. Wait, did she just give me the finger? How many pictures is this person going to take of me? What do they do with all of those pictures? No bass face! Ah one more song until break. Do I still have to pee? And big ending....Wonder when we start the next set?" All real thoughts from set one of my last Saturday gig. LOL
 
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#96
For me it depends on how well I've internalized the material. I won't go on unprepared, but playing relatively new and relatively complicated stuff makes it much more cerebral and I focus more on my own parts. Once I've really gotten it into my bones, I can rock out, enjoy the act of performing, and appreciate the full band a lot more. Takes me a while to get to that point.
 
#97
RhynoRock said:
When playing BASS, I think about BASS.
Click to expand...

I'm usually focused on the tune/melody mainly, but i start off humming the groove, and start counting parts, but not out loud just to get in the groove of the song (because the drummer sucks), then I start thinking whats next, the first change, and get ready, to make the shift. I'm mostly concentrating on the groove, making sure everything sounds good. I try not to zone out because thats when i clam. I usually have the songs/set memorized pretty well. so I try to remember, at some point to have fun playing. I'll make eye contact with bandmates & crowd to make sure its going smoothly.
Funny it can be frightening looking into the crowd, because they're staring back at you most of the time. Luckily my band has an attractive(female) Lead singer, and an active lead guitarist (moves around a lot). so the crowd is usually is looking at them. but I've often look up & found someone staring at me. it can be shocking cause i expect no one to notice me. I try to move around a bit, cuz i've been told I look stuck in place. I just try to look like i'm having fun! while thinking about making the song groove.
 

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