Who has NOBODY as an influence?

[JimmyM]

Agreed. It also trips me out how ppl give ridiculous super dissected examples to try to prove ppl wrong on here.

intrnet mak u smrt.

nick's a good guy and i dig where he's coming from, but he put it out there and asked for opinions. can't complain when you get an opinion you don't like. plus i think the idea of being influenced by so many people that your answer is "nobody" when asked is a little...um...well, i can't think of a word here that won't be taken more poorly than i mean.

 

[walterw]

the way i see it, if somebody asks you the question 'who are your influences?' you have the right to answer it whatever way you want.

yep, he has the "right" to say "nobody" whether it's true or not, and whoever hears that has the "right" to think "geez, pompous much?" whether it's true or not.

it seems like maybe what he meant would have been better conveyed with a slightly dismissive, "oh, everybody and everything", which should be the case for all of us, i think.

 

[afromoose]

I believe we're all influenced in some way, large or small, by everyone we listen to, regardless whether we are aware of it or not. Having said that: Nobody has nobody for an influence. Someone had to inspire you to learn to play. There is your first influence.

IMO that's the difference between influence and inspiration. Two different things, in my opinion.

 

[JimmyM]

how so?

 

[knumbskull]

the only musician that can say they had no influences whatsoever were all the musicians from the old testament.

the dinosaurs were an early influence on them i believe

 

[afromoose]

how so?

The question 'who inspired you to play bass' is different to 'which players would you name as influences on your playing'. The first doesn't necessarily relate to the content of your playing, the second does. Someone could, for example, be inspired by an amazing jazz player, but play punk music. In this case, I don't think it's appropriate to put the jazz player as an influence.

This is just how I see it.

 

[Hamrhed]

The question 'who inspired you to play bass' is different to 'which players would you name as influences on your playing'

This^

I dont stick to one genre of music per se, and I certainly dont have the time to list every bassist who inspired me at one time or another. But the list gets shorter when I think about the ones who, say, gave me direction on playing melodically, or maybe my decision to not play any 'busier' than necessary, etc... its complicated

 

[Rocker949]

The question 'who inspired you to play bass' is different to 'which players would you name as influences on your playing'. The first doesn't necessarily relate to the content of your playing, the second does. Someone could, for example, be inspired by an amazing jazz player, but play punk music. In this case, I don't think it's appropriate to put the jazz player as an influence.

This is just how I see it.

+1

 

[T-MOST]

I don't overtly sound like any well know bassist. However, When I'm playing a line I think about Nathan East or Marcus Miller or Terrance Palmer for example. How might they play this? I don't clone myself after them but their styles have greatly influenced how I think about bass and how I approach bass playing. But ,if the OP insists he has never been influenced by anything or anyone he has ever heard... ok.

 

[Rob Martinez]

EVERYBODY has influences, unless you were brought up by wolves and just decided to play bass. To say you don't is pure nonsense, and even worse, dishonest. Even if no one famous influenced you (and I don't believe that) there was someone in your life who did. A family member, a friend, a fellow musician.

I don't buy it.

 

[afromoose]

I don't overtly sound like any well know bassist. However, When I'm playing a line I think about Nathan East or Marcus Miller or Terrance Palmer for example. How might they play this? I don't clone myself after them but their styles have greatly influenced how I think about bass and how I approach bass playing. But ,if the OP insists he has never been influenced by anything or anyone he has ever heard... ok.

I think people are being overly literal about the meaning of 'influence' and not thinking about what it means in a musical context, and why the question is asked.

If you look at somebody like Stevie Ray Vaughn, you can say (and he would have too) 100% that Jimi Hendrix is a big influence on his playing, because his licks have many of the hallmarks. The content of his playing references other players. This is what a lot of players take to be the contextual meaning of 'influence', when it is asked in relation to people. 'Who are your influences' is a different question to 'what are your influences'.

If you say that there aren't any people specifically that you would call an influence, this means that you don't consider there is any content in your playing you can significantly attribute to any other players. Players like this might think more abstractly about what they do.

If you take the view that everybody has to say 'everything' then the question itself is pointless and not worth asking. The question in an art context, is trying to find out what the artist thinks about their own work.

If you work with principles in your playing, then a lot of the time those principles aren't attributable to specific people. In this case, concepts and aesthetics may be more of an influence than the people themselves, and those central concepts don't necessarily have to have come from specific bass players. As such, 'nobody' is a fair answer. A bass player might use a book of knitting patterns as a conceptual basis for thinking about their playing, and may develop that by themselves for a long time, say years. At the end, would it be appropriate for them to have to name a person as their influence? John Coltrane studied harp music from books to develop his approach. How then is it appropriate for him to name a saxophonist as an influence on that branch of his playing?

I think there are many ways of viewing this question that are all valid, and I don't see why lots of people here insist there's only one way of looking at it.

 

[bassman0221]

I don't see myself has having a specific influence. I understand how different songs can influence how you play but I have no real reason why I decided to play bass. In fact everyone tried to talk me out of playing bass. When I first started I didn’t take lessons (started a year later) nor even know of a famous bass player I would just turn on the radio and play along with whatever was playing, I would skip around to different stations to help "balance" me out. I did have a little musical background; I knew how to read music, understood scales I just had to apply it to bass. I guess you could say that I was influenced from outside sources but that’s so general, when I say i didn't have a influence what I am really meaning is that I do not have a specific influence..

 

[Buchada Azeda]

To most of those who replied to the OP:

This thread went all wrong . I'm pretty sure the OP was looking for a simple, one-line-long answer, like eg. "James Jamerson", or [insert old school bassist name here].

Just my opinion.

 

[David Jayne]

I've been strongly influenced by nobody as well. Been listening to nobody since day one, and I've got nobody's albums. Probably as a result of this, I've been accused of sounding a lot like like nobody, to the point of really having nobody's style and tone. If nobody's reading this, I hope you'll be flattered rather than offended.

 

[Op_of_Faith]

It's one thing to have influences and another to copy someone's style. I'm HUGELY influenced by things Sting did, but I play nothing like him. I used to LOVE to read Anthony Jackson's writing in Guitar Player and knew that stuff before I realized who he was and what he had done.

The lamest thing you can do is COPY another artist. As long as you're not doing that, influence is fine.

 

[kho]

If you take the view that everybody has to say 'everything' then the question itself is pointless and not worth asking. The question in an art context, is trying to find out what the artist thinks about their own work.

+1, which is why I don't think simply stating "Nobody" (or "Everything" for that matter) is a good answer, even though it may be perfectly valid. It's a response that doesn't give any insight to the person auditioning nor does it tell me anything about how they view their own work.

I like responses like Bassman's because it still states "Nobody" but does give some insight to how the musician approaches their playing, and gives me new information to ask additional questions to further explore that (yeah, I treat it the same way as when I give a job interview... )

 

[OriginalCrash]

I think people are being overly literal about the meaning of 'influence' and not thinking about what it means in a musical context, and why the question is asked.

If you look at somebody like Stevie Ray Vaughn, you can say (and he would have too) 100% that Jimi Hendrix is a big influence on his playing, because his licks have many of the hallmarks. The content of his playing references other players. This is what a lot of players take to be the contextual meaning of 'influence', when it is asked in relation to people.

Evidenced by the opinion of an overwhelming majority on this thread, I would say that is NOT what is meant by most (at least on Talkbass) when that question is asked. We get what you're saying; we've gotten it from the first time it was said here. You understand "influence" to be more of someone who's playing has affected yours such that you attempt to sound like them or directly incorporate aspects of their playing into your own. But put simply, that isn't what influence is. If you want that point to be really accepted, you've got to find a different word that fits that definition. Most people have been influenced (the actual meaning) by a handful of artists, enough to quantify into a list. A few have no specific, strong influences that stand out from the rest... In that case, say it. Say that of course you're playing is influenced by the music you've liked and/or listened to. But you try to find your influences equally from all your experiences and not limit it to a few people having a heavy influence on your playing. That is a truthful answer that doesn't try to change the definition of a word and can be taken seriously and says what you're trying to say. Otherwise, if you keep insisting that you A) have no influences because B) you've decided to give the word a new, more limited meaning, you'll continue to get these kinds of responses.

 

[afromoose]

Evidenced by the opinion of an overwhelming majority on this thread, I would say that is NOT what is meant by most (at least on Talkbass) when that question is asked. We get what you're saying; we've gotten it from the first time it was said here. You understand "influence" to be more of someone who's playing has affected yours such that you attempt to sound like them or directly incorporate aspects of their playing into your own. But put simply, that isn't what influence is. If you want that point to be really accepted, you've got to find a different word that fits that definition. Most people have been influenced (the actual meaning) by a handful of artists, enough to quantify into a list. A few have no specific, strong influences that stand out from the rest... In that case, say it. Say that of course you're playing is influenced by the music you've liked and/or listened to. But you try to find your influences equally from all your experiences and not limit it to a few people having a heavy influence on your playing. That is a truthful answer that doesn't try to change the definition of a word and can be taken seriously and says what you're trying to say. Otherwise, if you keep insisting that you A) have no influences because B) you've decided to give the word a new, more limited meaning, you'll continue to get these kinds of responses.

I don't agree with this emphasis on truth or consensus.

 

[michael_atw]

Main Entry: 1in·flu·ence
Pronunciation: \ˈin-ˌflü-ən(t)s, especially Southern in-ˈ\
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Medieval Latin influentia, from Latin influent-, influens, present participle of influere to flow in, from in- + fluere to flow — more at fluid
Date: 14th century

1 a : an ethereal fluid held to flow from the stars and to affect the actions of humans b : an emanation of occult power held to derive from stars
2 : an emanation of spiritual or moral force
3 a : the act or power of producing an effect without apparent exertion of force or direct exercise of command b : corrupt interference with authority for personal gain
4 : the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways : sway
5 : one that exerts influence

&#8212; under the influence : affected by alcohol : drunk <was arrested for driving under the influence>
synonyms influence, authority, prestige, weight, credit mean power exerted over the minds or behavior of others. influence may apply to a force exercised and received consciously or unconsciously <used her influence to get the bill passed>. authority implies the power of winning devotion or allegiance or of compelling acceptance and belief <his opinions lacked authority>. prestige implies the ascendancy given by conspicuous excellence or reputation for superiority <the prestige of the newspaper>. weight implies measurable or decisive influence in determining acts or choices <their wishes obviously carried much weight>. credit suggests influence that arises from the confidence of others <his credit with the press>.


Wasn't sure if anyone did that yet.

 

[Mr. Mig]

If a person claims to have no influences, then he or she is in serious denial, is egotistical, and is not honest with him or herself, and the only one they are fooling are themselves. Unless you can invent an instrument totally different than anything on earth, and come from another planet without ever hearing music before, you have been influenced. There is simply no way around this fact. The mere fact you chose to play the electric bass and post on talkbass says you have been influenced.

+1