cruzbass Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Anyone have any odd playing habits or see any? For example: opening your mouth, sticking your tounge out, a foot that stomps wildly-but your not doing it, jumping up and down, looking at your drumer with a dead serious gaze that freaks him out..? And what the hell is it with these guys who have a big grin on their faces ALL the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cowbell Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I always grind my teeth, so pretty much the whole night is very painful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris985 Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I've been told that I make ridiculous faces...but I guess thats just the "bass face" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Lyons Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Heh, when I'm playing something syncopated, I always tend to move along with the music in a "lurching" manner if you will. Otherwise, I sometimes tend to stare at lightbulbs or get in the drummer's face so I can feel the kick drum really well. Thats about it. \m/ Timothy Lyons Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Yes, I make odd faces. I've had old ladies come up to the stage and tell me they love watching me play. My middle school kids laugh at it. One time I asked a kid what I looked like, and he said, "Have you ever been to the zoo and seen a monkey with a raison stuck on his lip?" You can see some of that face on uglybassplayer.com. My faces are not practiced or put on. They are simply the result of intense concentration and losing control of my facial muscles. I've heard people say (and I kinda believe) that it is not a good thing...but I've done it all my life. I also find myself singing, unpitched groaning really, while I play orchestral music. Really, just getting into it. I have heard worse. Check out the Bach Brandenburg Concertos by the Marlboro Festival Orchesra, conducted by Pablo Casals. (Absolutely, one of the best musicians who've ever lived.) Throughout all the slow movements, you can hear Casal groaning absolutely orgasmically....It's profane, or profound or even almost pornographic. The worst, absolutely worst bad habit I've ever observed is from a guy who played tympani in the Irving Orchestra...he was a doctor in real life, and came from Europe. Had a long, flexible tongue. (Now, remember, the tympani is located near the bass section quite often.) I was always shocked to see him, as he counted measures and concentrated on the music. He would, totally unaware, tap his nose with the tip of his tongue!!! sometimes counting time, sometimes sporadically. And then, once in concert, I looked back there, and he was licking his nostrils, just like a cow. I swear. I saw it with my own eyes. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BNC Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 A friend of mine does the leg stomping thing. You can always tell how hard he's rockin' since the more he gets into it, the farther away from him the leg goes. I've seen him lean so far that his back was nearly parrallel to the floor, and of course we all tease him about it. As for me, I just shuffle me feet a bit. On the urb, if I'm playing hard, I kinda push and pull the bass towards and away from me with my left hand, but just slightly. DBB- Have you ever seen or played with Andrew Litton, conductor of the DSO? I saw him conduct a concert with Mistislav Rostropovich (sp?, big time), and Litton was so bright red, adn jumped so fervently, I had a hard time not cracking a smile (bit my lip a bit). He go so into it, he accidently hit his wond on the podium, snapping it and sending the broken part flying into the viola's. I guess he does this alot, since I was the only one supprised by it. It was an incredible performance, btw. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Apparently I pout! Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slaerty Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I once saw video of me playing at a friends wedding. And unknown to me at the time I actually move my whole head back and forward in time with the music and often sporadically. And everybody knew about it. Someone said "Oh Nigel's head is going again". Since then I have noticed that I use it as a timekeeping device particularly for syncopated parts. I have also found on very technically difficult (for me) pieces that I loose control of my face and I squint with my right eye. I tend to avoid doing this. And I cant reach my nose with my tongue (it would save my fingers a lot of work ). Infact DBB's guy and gene symmons are probably the only 2 who can do it. Providence over serendipity any day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edendude Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 An interesting topic... Apparently the same part of the brain which is linked to facial expression, is also the same part of the brain that shows the most electrical activity during 'musical expression'. And very specifically musical expression by means of playing an instrument with your fingers. Less so when singing. Go figure. I do it all... Pout, grind my teeth, grunt...the works. Long live Glenn Gould! My Last Band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Capasso Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 My brother-in-law plays piano, and sticks his tongue out, and down to the left (no gross or amazing moves). I know I pull my lower lip into my mouth (I do this when dancing until my wife reminds me not to). Other than that, I move a bit, and make some trivial bass faces. Nothing too weird... Tom www.stoneflyrocks.com Acoustic Color Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground. - Theodore Roosevelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bear Jew Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I generally just look like an idiot. I make ridiculous faces -- some of them have been caught on film. In fact, a local music mag took a pic of me at a recent show where I was doing my usual "caveman stomp" with my mouth sort of hanging open. The photographer e-mailed me the pic. I told him they could use it. I got the new issue.... guess where the picture wound up? Yep... full page image on the contents page. There I am, making the "O" face and stomping on the inside front cover. Our drummer does really funny things when he plays. Aside from the faces... he also sings his beats and fills. He also makes little grunting noises. How do I know? Well, I didn't until he started singing back-up vocals and got a headset mic. All of a sudden we started hearing these Tourette's Syndrome noises during our songs. It was pretty hilarious. He's got under control now. \m/ Erik "To fight and conquer in all your battles is not supreme excellence; supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting." --Sun Tzu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenLoy Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 http://www.mrsgrundy.com/images/grundy/pop/benrocks.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexclaber Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 And I have one of those metronomic heads (which is a much better timekeeper than most drummers it encounters...) Alex Barefaced Ltd - ultra lightweight, high ouput, toneful bass cabs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcr Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 AGAIN WITH THE STINGRAY! You're killing me with that thing! I always get a kick out of watching Tom Barney play. His head goes up & down like a bobble-head in a VW on an unpaved road; he also does this thing like he's trying to flick an eyelash off his lower lip; and all with this huge, relaxed grin. It actually looks cool, like the groove has just taken over his whole body. Tom Barney is, of course, da man. As for me...well, I try to avoid being even remotely interesting in any way at all. And I'm pretty damned good at it, if I do say so myself. ...although a guy I used to take lessons from would literally stop playing & break out laughing at some face I never knew I was making...sheesh, I hope I've stopped doing THAT. And my wife says she can tell when I'm running over a song in my head, because my head does this little "shake" thing (sort of like Walter Becker does when he solos, I think). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Sweet Willie_ Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Originally posted by dcr: AGAIN WITH THE STINGRAY! You're killing me with that thing! If it makes you feel any better, I think you can see his brain if your look carefully up the right nostril. spreadluv Fanboy? Why, yes! Nordstrand Pickups and Guitars. Messiaen knew how to parlay the funk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDL Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 When playing a really cool line that goes well with the drums, I always bob my head. Just listen to "Another one bites the dust" with a bass enhancing thing. Then, you'll see what I mean. What's wrong with Sting Ray's?! -JDL JDL on Purevolume Bird\'s Eye View on Purevolume Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebrownbass Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Originally posted by BNC: DBB- Have you ever seen or played with Andrew Litton, conductor of the DSO? I saw him conduct a concert with Mistislav Rostropovich (sp?, big time), and Litton was so bright red, adn jumped so fervently, I had a hard time not cracking a smile (bit my lip a bit). He go so into it, he accidently hit his wond on the podium, snapping it and sending the broken part flying into the viola's. I guess he does this alot, since I was the only one supprised by it. It was an incredible performance, btw.Actually, I think MIstislav Rostropovich is correct. However "wond" is spelled "wand." We actually call it a baton, and they are $50 apiece. I have 6 of them. I haven't played by Litton, but I know several DSO players. Most of this is pure antic....lots of symphony conductors have talent, but are also glad talkers that motivate the community money. Litton is such a conductor...the previous conductor (Mata, died in a plane crash) was actually much better. I saw Rostropovich with Mata one time. Edendude: wow...I'll have to look up the research on that one. I find that fascinating. Also, Glen Gould rocks!!!! He has a new posthumous release of Goldberg variations with a interview...fascinating stuff. C.AC: yeah, I forgot about that. I tend to feel the beat really strongly in my head...and jerk it to the right on a strong one. "Let's raise the level of this conversation" -- Jeremy Cohen, in the Picasso Thread. Still spendin' that political capital far faster than I can earn it...stretched way out on a limb here and looking for a better interest rate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chewstermaniac Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I usually don't notice that I'm doing something "odd" untill someone starts laughing completely hysterically at me, causing the jam to fall apart. I'd really like a mirror on the wall instead of the ceiling...... Check out my work in progress. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
... Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 I tend to make stupid faces a lot... like, oh, this one: ftp://ftp.tawest.net/taprivate/briant/stupidface.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soupster Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 i jump up oin my tippy toes....on lilke soloes and i stare at the ground on verses....some people say i resemble jesus on my soloes lol less is more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scoot Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Apparently I never smile, I look really pissed off half the time, and the other half I have what everybody calls my "jam face" - which I've been told several times resembles faces I make while I'm . . . umm . . . thinking about baseball. Ah, nice marmot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike R. Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 Our band its really funny, our drummer just gazes out in the crowd when a slow part comes on, but then when it speads up he stops, our guitarist does the funniest things, he puffs his cheaks out and does this really strange thing with his tongue, I just just look around and do the Occasional head rocking nothing too wierd, and our vocalist does nothing wierd. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jode Posted March 8, 2003 Share Posted March 8, 2003 Originally posted by BenLoy: http://www.mrsgrundy.com/images/grundy/pop/benrocks.jpgI wanna be that guy. He looks like he's having fun. "I had to have something, and it wasn't there. I couldn't go down the street and buy it, so I built it." Les Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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