are you any good at playing bass?

[Bob Gollihur]

I have received many compliments over the years from musicians and others re; my playing, but I harbor no illusions about my real skill level or knowledge.

 

That said, I know I'm pretty good, and usually make a band sound better. Not always, but usually.

 

Mee Three.

 

I have my own voice, one that has been refined over the last few decades. It doesn't embarrass me, continues to evolve, and I think that's a good thing. I'll apply the same saying I use to describe many other of my abilities: I know enough to be dangerous.

[EddiePlaysBass]

Nope. I was born in Leuven/Louvain, but I never lived there. I live in Ghent. But we're talking about a one hour drive, so I suppose most forumites can't be bothered.

 

Ghent's nice, I saw The Dresden Dolls there once, in a very cool venue - which, for the life of me I cannot remember :grin:

 

Laat me weten als ge een optreden hebt, en als't een beetje uitkomt zal ik eens langskomen!

[5 string Mike]

I've taken the same kind of approach. After 10+ years chipping away at it, I've gotten to the 'outstandingly adequate' stage or however that was phrased.

 

Yeah, I can hear other bass players killing it and think 'man, I wish I could do that" then I look at what I can do now that I couldn't do 3 years ago and have the confidence I will get there.

 

Since I've been playing guitar on the side, I've been able to bring some elements over. But, I've had to start over, in a sense, to where I was years ago with bass. I hear licks in my head but can't quite get them to my fingers. I've had to go through a paradigm shift from 'rhythm' based to 'melody' based playing, for example. But truth be told, it's been just over one year since I started playing guitar, and I can pull together some nice licks and cool fills for what I play at church. People have told me it sounds really good except I need to be louder. So I'm growing into an 'adequately mediocre' guitar player as well.

 

It's influenced my bass playing for the better. I can pull off some impromptu bass solos now that I couldn't before.

[TimR]

I auditioned for a band last year. They auditioned 4 bass players.

 

I was the best bass player for that band out of the four bass players that were available at the time.

 

Which is all that counts really...

 

[mic]

Me I would say I am average at best, if you take everything in to consideration, a lot of stuff I just dont know about or can do, and then there is stuff I know I can do.

never been afraid of other bass player in the room, and for them to have a go at the bass. for the simple reason, that i could learn something from them.

In the end, it is all about this: enjoy what you do, as you do it :-)

 

[lug]

I rest on the laurels of the reviews I've received from other real world bass players.

 

2nd entry.....

 

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lug

[Rocky McDougall]

No Jeremy, I am the most modest bass player. I have nothing to boast about. I'm now 75 and have been playing since 1962 and my playing is pitiful. Now that arthritis has set in, I'm less than pitiful. I think I am a pretty good teacher (only for beginners) but I guess I just have a lot of experience. But you are definitely in 2nd place.

Rocky

[Basshappi]

I am competant within a narrow range of styles and I am adequate in a few others. I am niether a prodigy nor a virtuoso and never will be. However, I am always striving to improve.

[Wally Malone]

No Jeremy, I am the most modest bass player. I have nothing to boast about. I'm now 75 and have been playing since 1962 and my playing is pitiful. Now that arthritis has set in, I'm less than pitiful. I think I am a pretty good teacher (only for beginners) but I guess I just have a lot of experience. But you are definitely in 2nd place.

Rocky

 

Great seeing you here on the Lowdown Rocky, please visit more often if possible since there are a lot of us here that enjoyed your presence in the past!

 

Wally

[kenfxj]

I rest on the laurels of the reviews I've received from other real world bass players.

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lug

So... you're a lesbian?

 

2nd entry.....

 

Oh. Nevermind.

[jeremy c]

No, he's a thespian.

[Rocky McDougall]

Hi Wally, Thanks for the invite. I keep tabs on you guys just to make sure you are behaving properly.

Rocky

[Wally Malone]

Hi Wally, Thanks for the invite. I keep tabs on you guys just to make sure you are behaving properly.

Rocky

 

Rocky, then you may be aware that after over twenty-five years of not owning a Fender bass or a passive bass I now own three passive Fenders.

 

Wally

[Rocky McDougall]

I'm proud of you. A passive Fender is a close as you can get to reality. Now you can relax and enjoy life.

Rocky

[kenfxj]

Rocky, then you may be aware that after over twenty-five years of not owning a Fender bass or a passive bass I now own three passive Fenders.

 

Wally

I'm proud of you. A passive Fender is a close as you can get to reality. Now you can relax and enjoy life.

Rocky

Like times two.

[Danzilla]

I used to think I was a good bass player. Around the local Christian rock circuit (yes, there was one of those - quit laughing!) I had a good reputation, and got to sit in with a fair number of bands. Nothing against the other members of the bands I was in, but the singers & I were considered the better parts (check yourself, ego).

 

I was asked to play with some of the better guitarists, in some pretty shred-intense situations. I thought I was good enough, but good enough wasn't, well, good enough. I guess I'm better at improvising and playing something that fits than getting note-perfect, which does matter in these situations. Brought me down a few pegs. Add the frustration of not having enough time to practice, anyway, and I've shied away from some opportunities that could have come my way.

 

Finally got the gumption to start putting out some feelers for bands again, and the one I'm giving a try made me nervous. While I didn't have the two covers down perfectly, I knew them better than the guitar player, so that put me at ease.

 

I think the issue is that in the beginning, I learned to play songs. Then I spent more time learning to play, jam, improvise and write. Now I need to go back to learning to play songs, and let the other come as it may.

[Ross Brown]

I used to think I was a good bass player. Around the local Christian rock circuit (yes, there was one of those - quit laughing!)

 

[duff beer]

I used to think I was "barely competent". Then last night I jammed with very good drummer (former touring pro) for the first time who at the end said my timing was rock solid and he'd love to play with me again. I was floored as this was only the second time I had played with the guitar player and out of the 30 or so songs we played, I had only played 2 of them before. I had heard some of the other 8 (covers) but the other 20 songs were the guitarists originals where he just told me the chord changes before we started. Since I didn't know the songs, I kept it simple to avoid mistakes and made sure to hit the root on "one" and it seems that I made a good impression

 

I'm in 2 bands (not counting jamming with the new guitarist) and one drummer is "okay", the other one is "not bad". This is the first time I've played with a drummer who is "very good" and it was an amazing experience.

[Imogene]

This is the first time I've played with a drummer who is "very good" and it was an amazing experience.

Good grief, aint that the truth though. A good drummer can make a good bass player sound fantastic and a bad one? I don't care what you can do on the bass you will sound bad with the latter.

[Tom Capasso]

All of this being said, just among the New York area Lowdowners that I've had the pleasure of meeting, there are some SERIOUS players on this forum. And I think that what's great about so many of them is their humility.

 

Yes this - and as Willie pointed out, the same is true of all of the Lowdowners that I have met.

 

Lowdowners have made comments about my playing (both good and bad). Then there was the time I brought my new (at the time) Kinal to a Lowdown meeting. I was away from the action and heard this great playing (slap) and incredible tone. Since I don't slap, it was the tone that got me. I walked forward to see it was my bass! in BenLoy's capable hands!

 

Like so many have said, I'm viewed as an asset in the world in which I play. This often surprises me, because I consider the level of many of my bands over the years to be quite good.

I see all the times I don't play consistently well, but (for better or worse) I never get discouraged. I just keep on going...

 

Sometimes jams are the most challenging, because you have to be good enough to keep going while figuring out what is happening. Sometimes I enjoy the challenge, sometimes not.

 

Tom

[lug]

I rest on the laurels of the reviews I've received from other real world bass players.

 

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=lug

So... you're a lesbian?

 

 

I'm in touch with my feminine side....I like to sleep with women .......so I guess I am!

[Howlin Hanson]

Am I any good as a bassist? Not that anyone can tell.

 

Can I sing and play at the same time? Such as it is, yes indeed.

 

And thus, my job is secure.

 

 

[Tom Capasso]

Went to a rock jam the other night. I got up early and acquitted myself OK. Played Tore Down, sang/played Allman's Southbound, and (because the others didn't know my other fairly common suggestions) sang/played an old upbeat blues (basic 12 bar).

A guy was there with his blues band. He told me how great I was - he'll never play as well.

Then his band got up. He was good! Even sang backgrounds on a song. No way was there this gulf between our abilities or performance.

I told him that both he and his band sounded great, he handled the parts well, and did great singing. He said he'll still never be as good as me.

 

I am saddened by this. If he was just blowing smoke up my butt, why? If he really feels that inferior, how sad!!

 

Maybe sometimes we lose perspective...

[Nicklab]

Sometimes jams are the most challenging, because you have to be good enough to keep going while figuring out what is happening. Sometimes I enjoy the challenge, sometimes not.

 

+1

 

Jams can sometimes be a little nervewracking. Sometimes it's because you don't know what you're going to play, and that can cause panic in a hurry. Or playing with someone for the first time.

 

I had jam nerves just last week. I haven't been playing as much recently, but had the chance to make it out to a local jam for the first time in a while last friday. I went with one guitar player friend and a loose idea of what was going to happen that night. The guitarist/band leader who runs this jam has something of a rep. He's a well known teacher and has endorsements with a relatively notable guitar builder. One of his buddies also happens to be Les Paul's former singer/rhythm guitar player. And he wound up being in the audience that night.

 

All things considered, I wound up being a little nervous going into the situation. Especially because of the rust factor. But within a couple of minutes all the nerves went away, and I felt good about things. Mind you, I've probably played at HUNDREDS of jams, but amazingly I still find times when I get nervous.

[Seamy ALB]

For me it depends on the night, sometimes I'm great sometimes I suck. I have recorded great lines on great songs but that's just my opinion. I have played great gigs where people loved us and I have bombed it on gigs.

 

I sometimes find it really hard to play simple parts ie quiet bar and a 3 chord song - my head thinks about other things. If the floor was full of dancers then I tend to step up and get in it more.

 

For me, I think for the most I do well - but it is very subjective as to how you quantify well.

[Richard W]

I went to a bass expo yesterday. The room was full of vendors and tables and, of course a lot of guys (it was 99.99% guys) talking bass and playing bass--guys sitting at each table just shredding--slapping, popping, blazing up and down the neck. All stuff I don't do. Then there was a master class with a guy out of New York who spent much of the time explaining all his high-tech gizmos, pedals, frontward and backward looping, laptop control interfaces, keyboard circuitry, reverb, phasing, etc., etc. All nice stuff and impressive, but I'll never get there.

 

Honestly, the whole experience was a bit intimidating and discouraging. It made me feel worse about my playing, only because I know, after 10 years and after being good enough to play in an above average cover band, I still have only scratched the surface.

[Ross Brown]

Do these types of players make "good" bass players or just good instrumentalists?

 

Maybe you and I are "good" bass players because we fit well in the goal of the bands we play for.... These guys would be terrible in bands that we are good in.... maybe?... or maybe not....

[picker]

Philosophically, I think the answer to the original question is a balance between objective and subjective standards.

 

I believe I can play reasonably well within my limits, which in my mind, are pretty low compared to some. Without getting into some sort of ego-driven bragfest, I believe I can claim to have solid groove, good time, a discerning ear, strong reflexes, and excellent instincts when it comes to finding the meeting place of melody & rhythm(which, by the way, I believe is the place a bassist lives, or should), on the fly. A number of drummers have complimented my playing, and many of them always smile when we get up to jam together. I have even been called "one of the best bassists in Kansas City."

 

While I would like to claim that very sweet and enjoyable compliment as an iron-clad fact, and tack it onto my resume after(before?) my degrees, my subjective viewpoint is that there are so many bassists so much better than I in KC, I would be delusional if I did.

 

My belief is, those comments were hyperbole from a few people who like me personally and and are being loyally kind, or who have never really heard some of the truly great bassists we have in town. But most likely, they were just some folks hyping performances they enjoyed and were jazzed about seeing and hearing. Players and performances always seem to improve in the memories of the people who hear us as time goes by.

 

The thing I think is important, the reason why I'm trotting out my past "press releases", is to remember that it's all smoke and mirrors. That kind of glory is about all a player on my level can reasonably expect to derive from a lifetime playing music, but I believe living in it hinders what I may get the chance to do yet. The focus of a musician should be on the race ahead, not the wins behind. It shouldn't be all about how well you can play at any given point, it should somewhat more be about what I need to do to get past the next challenge, the next piece of music I need or want to play. Playing music should be a passion, not a competition.

[EddiePlaysBass]

The focus of a musician should be on the race ahead, not the wins behind.

 

I recently purchased a box set of officially released Uriah Heep bootlegs, which are some of the last recordings to feature the late Trevor Bolder - my all-time bass hero. The releases to date are from gigs between 2008 and 2012, I believe. Last week I was in the gym, and since I always work out to music I put on a Uriah Heep official live release from a gig they did in 2000. And you know what? Trevor Bolder had incredible chops in 2000, but by 2012 his playing had evolved immensely compared to a decade before. More fluent, more articulate. I found that fact even more inspiring than his playing itself is.

[Eric VB]

I am saddened by this. If he was just blowing smoke up my butt, why? If he really feels that inferior, how sad!!

I'd say it's difficult to get an honest critique at a jam.

 

It's better to play the humble card, isn't it? Nobody likes a braggart at a jam.

 

And nobody likes receiving negative comments, constructive or not. You can get a bad rep and before you know it it's just like recess again and you're always the last kid picked to be on the team.