Self analysis, the good,the bad and the...

[g.]

greenboy : I enjoy quiet walks by the river at sunset with the girl or fishing pole of my choice.

 

Teahead : What? You've more than one fishing pole?

Well, I have two, actually; one's just for backup. But the one I always take I went to great lengths to choose, scouting high and low for a pole that met my approval. So I've got a great personal relationship with this pole ; } - and I am always using it with some great selected tackle.

 

Lucky bast d

I am, indeed : }

[BenLoy]

The slap sound-I think this is because I have really long fingers and shortest, gimpiest thumbs on the planet. I never sound good.

Nope, it's because you need to practice it more. Listen to Larry Graham for enlightenment.

[ibescotty]

Good

I'm a Straight-ahead player.

 

I subscribe to the K.I.S.S. (Keep it simple stupid) methodology in my playing.)

 

I think that I'm really good at locking in with any drummer I play with. 2 out of 2 recent drummers I've played with agree!!

 

I live for the show and I'm always moving and grooving, so much so that my current band has moved me center stage even though I don't sing that much.

 

I'm good at vocal harmonies and have assumed most of the back up vocal duties in every band I've ever played in.

 

Not so good

My theory needs work but I am constantly working on at as time permits.

 

I have a tendency to fall into ruts in my playing. I'll find myself implementing the same fills and runs all over the fret board. I have to work hard to pull myself out from time to time. I guess I get to comfortable.

 

Mistakes - I think that I make too many mistakes. I work the songs out as much as possible to try and avoid them. The biggest thing that causes me to make mistakes is concentration. If I'm really enjoying a song I might forget that I'm actually in the song and miss the change.... Dang!!!! Does this happen to anyone else?

[dcr]

Originally posted by ibescotty:

If I'm really enjoying a song I might forget that I'm actually in the song and miss the change.... Dang!!!! Does this happen to anyone else?

Yes.

 

It drives me nuts, too. Overcoming this is my #1 short-term goal at this stage. All advice welcome!

[The Bear Jew]

I totally suck.

 

I have no good points beyond being dead sexy.

 

That's ok, though. Your mama likes me. A LOT.

[g.]

I sometimes have trouble remembering the names of songs that come from mainstream radio in genres I am not that interested in and might not have heard, but the guitar players insist will be cool to play without much rehearsal, and no recordings provided to see what the bass line might be.

 

Nonetheless, I always remember the key and the changes and seem to come up with something that satisfies them once they give me a 2-second refresher: "Remember, it's the one where the guitar GOES LIKE THIS..." ; }

 

{Only the bass guy ; }

[ibescotty]

I suffer from this with some of our originals. The band I'm in has years if unpublished material and I don't remember the names worth a damn. When we have a big original show some of these old songs get pulled out. Luckily most have an intro where I have time to figure out what it is we're playing!!

[R.S.M]

good points

i can stay in the pocket

great at improvising

can fake songs by following guitar player

allways at rehearsel

allways first for the gig

great with equipment(if i could only run the pa while i play)

 

middle points

i can play and sing just not intune

 

bad points

im not a people person (seen to much bad stuff in life)

i want to fire everyone that does not have the same dedication as me

i have my own musical language in expressing my ideas to other musicians

ive only had 2 years of piano lessons theory included.The teacher was wanting me to play little bo peep music and i was playing by ear bon jovi, van halen and ozzy tunes so the theory was thrown out of window

 

learning covers-i will start but drift into my own litte tunes

im ignorant about old strings get rid of them after 2 weeks and im talking about the elixer's and blue steels too or play synthesizers

 

do not tune on stage -if i pay to see another band and they tune on stage give me my money back

if its my band i'm out of there

 

did i say im not a people person

[...]

I like to think I'm a fairly well-rounded player that can fake his way through most situations.

 

I am not much of a slap player, but this isn't something that I really have ever wanted to be.

 

Two hand tapping, uhh... yeah, not that great really. This is something that I've wanted to work on recently, but for that I'll probably get a Stick. Mr. Levin does exciting things with a Stick. That's inspiring to listen to.

 

I really need to get off my ass and work on my jazz playing again. Walking brutal changes (like Giant Steps) at 40 billion BPM is something that I simply cannot do right now. Same goes for soloing over more complex changes.

 

Argh. I need to head out to the woodshed tonight and spend some quality time working on something besides memorizing 80's music.

[jeremy c]

Pluses:

Good reader,

good ear,

learn fast,

good time,

good sound,

know thousands of songs,

know lots of different styles

 

Negatives:

Don't like to go to rehearsals

Impatient with incompetents

Backup vocals only

Don't know very many songs newer than the 70's.

[JCDillon]

Wow...suddenly I don't feel so bad/good!

 

Get bored real easy playing the same stuff night in and night out. That can't always be helped I suppose.

 

Besides all that, I consider myself to have pretty good chops, but I always see someone is a whole lot better than me! Just makes me want to improve all the more.

[Cup]

Wow, great response. It's nice to read all this, keep it coming!

 

Cup

[davebrownbass]

My good points:

 

Good Ear

Excellent Reader; I've sight-read performances in classical, theater, jazz and rock.

Conversant with many styles.

Walking lines are interesting.

Play URB and electric, and guitar.

I can bring both to a gig and play Messiah and put the bow down and play a funk Christmas tune on electric.

Excellent sense of musicality and phrasing.

I can lock in with any drummer pretty well.

I'm a better teacher than performer...but I still am a capable performer.

Typically a well prepared professional, with everything I need to get the job done, including writing charts if they aren't provided.

 

My bad points:

 

Haven't memorized very many tunes, so I need a "cheat sheet."

Don't have time to keep URB practiced up...so my ability is not where I'd like it.

I'm having a bit of hearing loss.

I'm a "jack of all trades, master of none."

Not a very interesting jazz soloist.

Not very patient when playing with amateurs or time-wasters.

[pnkranger]

dcr...best way I've found is to listen to the songs in the car a billion times...once you have the words down, you'll be singing them in your head while playing, which keeps you from missing your changes...

[pnkranger]

Oh...and mine...

 

The Good:

 

Dedication & Responsibility

Left hand technique

Practice - I really love to practice

Picking or Fingerstyle interchangeably

Leadership - I keep the band moving forward

Art of simplicity - I like to groove, but I don't feel like the bass needs to take over on every thing...so I just groove

In the pocket

Straight Ahead Rock

Also play guitar (as second instrument) so I can really follow a guitarist by watching and listening

Good ear...solid transcriber

 

The Ugly

Theory could definitely use some work

Singing

Dynamics - slapping, tapping, whatever you got...I'm just a finger-style or pick kind of guy

Stage Presence - Just not a "Rock Star" at heart...I like music, but am too self conscious.

Reading - Piano Lessons never paid off.

Right hand technique - I am not the speediest bass player in the world, probably due to my stubborn reliance on the in the pocket groove...

Overall chops - I can play songs with a band and write music, but when I go into a music store, I just can't sit down and "show off" when I'm trying out equipment.

[Tom Capasso]

OK - I'll play

 

The Bad:

-Marginal theory (don't know any of those Greek scales by name)

-Marginal technique - there's a definite "ceiling", and if a song goes past that, I can't play it

-Can get lost in overplaying

-Barely read staff

-Limited interest in many music styles (I'll try it, and play it if the band wants to, but I'd never listen to it otherwise) - can't spell "Jaco"

-Make mistakes by either just losing concentration or by trying to think of an alternative line

-Solos limited

-Weak discernment skills (when I think something the band played sounds good, I can be shown why it really wasn't so good)

-Limited time/desire to improve most of the above

 

The good

-I've always played in the right style/level of organization so that I'm appreciated

-Very good ear

-Know enough theory to know what's in a chord

-Can read chord charts

-Can follow along as I play

-Bass parts play in my head (and often come out my mouth)

-Good time

-Strong organizational and group skills

-Good enthusiasm and warmth

-Can sing backups and some lead

-Willing to jam and learn what people are looking for

-I never let my weaknesses inhibit my love of playing

 

Tom

[Fred TBP]

(deep breath, closed eyes and a sigh)

 

I'm still learning after 50 years on earth and 33 years as a bass player. I decided to follow my heart rather than to take a career, get rich and lose my soul. Bass playing, as well as life, has taught me that the more you know, the less you really know and the more there is to learn. It's a never-ending story.

 

My technique has evolved because to this day I keep a bass in the living room near my computer and TV set, so if I don't practice I can at least jam along with my favorite cartoons or shows. There's an awesome amount of music out there, but you have to free your mind from the limitations imposed by your negative self-image and your prejudices (we ALL have those!) and make your hands (BOTH of them) do what your mind wants them to do.

 

I go out occasionally and strive to make myself a part of the audience, just to enjoy the music without trying to criticize the bass player. Sometimes I succeed at that, but what I remind myself is that I was once a pretty awful bass player that had to keep trying to play better and win the respect of the audience. When you learn to respect the novice onstage who is trying to learn how to play better, you learn the path to becoming a better human being. When you take the time to acknowledge that novice's efforts and offer positive advice to help the novice along, you are walking the path to greatness and inner peace. Sometimes I walk that path, sometimes I fall down in the ditch, but I've kept up a positive attitude and got back on the path.

 

I coined a saying years ago: "flash is trash, but technique is unique. you learn to live with what you put out." Flash is fun and entertaining, and it can win you followers, but practice that technique and it becomes more than flash, more than ability, it becomes the instrument where your inner thoughts are heard by the audience. THAT's awesome. But I can never live with what I put out, because it is seldom what I (the inner me) really want to play.

 

You can be rich, you can be poor, you can be whatever you choose to be, but YOU SHOULD BE HAPPY! If you're not happy, do something about it. If you're making someone else unhappy, STOP IT before they make you unhappy! And don't worry so much, it's REALLY going to be all right in the long run...

[alexclaber]

This is really hard to do. Here's the third attempt...

 

I can rock, funk, skank and groove hard whatever the context. I always get a good tone (which gets fatter year by year). I'm great at jamming without any framework and 'composing' new music on the fly. I sometimes play my fretless in tune. My time is very strong - I can syncopate, be polyrhythmic and move around the beat until the cows come home. I have a lot of ideas whenever a new bassline is needed. I write my own material. I'm loud. I sound like me. My harmonic ear ain't bad. I can play most things I want to with whatever technique I want. I mean what I play. I am badass.

 

However... I'm not a jazz player yet (though I can fake in front of the uninitiated). My harmonic ear isn't brilliant. I am loud. I am opinionated. I don't like playing covers. My practice schedule is irratic. I am curious about gear. I have far too many effects pedals (though I do use them all musically). I have probably forgotten most of the important points. I sound pretentious on the internet.

 

Alex

 

P.S. If any UK (London unless you're a keen traveller) bassists want to come and give an honest appraisal, my next jam night will be the last Thursday of January. Bring your bass (or borrow mine) and sit in for some 'tunes' and if you know any other musicians (horns, keys, vocals, guitar, percussion, kazoo) that enjoy being thrown in the improvisational deep end without charts or pre-arranged structure, bring them too!

[g.]

I sound pretentious on the internet.

I disagree.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by greenboy:

I sound pretentious on the internet.

I disagree.

I agree with GB's disagreement.

[LizzyD]

My strong points:

 

-Excellent ear. I can cop just about anything and give it the right feel, within the boundaries of my technical proficiency of course. I can learn tunes fast.

-My time is very good.

-Excellent with groove, touch and feel.

-I can get lots of sounds out of the bass, from delicate nuances to all out slamming-the-crap-out-of-the-strings aggressive.

-My lines are tasteful, creative and melodic, not too busy for the song.

-I can be busy if it's appropriate, likewise minimal.

-I have great tone.

-I can cover a variety of styles and genres given some time to listen if I'm not already familiar.

-Fretless intonation and tone are good.

-I sing backup vocals.

-I listen to the other players in the group, and have a good perpective on how I'm fitting in (or not as the case may be)

-I take suggestions and criticism pretty well (MOST of the time )

-I play pretty good for a girl.

 

Need to improve:

-I get stuck in ruts with fills and lines.

-I really should practice more. This has been an ongoing concern since I was 6 and taking piano lessons.

-My sight reading is weak, because I don't exercise the skill. I rely on my ear and instinct mostly. This is something I've tried to work on for years and never seem to be able to keep it up.

-My theory is not as strong as it could (and used to) be. Another set of skills that have atrophied.

-I can't slap/play jazz/solo/tap too well. But that will not likely improve because I'm just not that into any of those things. If I were, I'd play it. I play what I like, not just what somebody says I'm supposed to in order to be considered good.

-I don't give musical criticism to others well. I'm either too polite to say anything, or if I do, it comes out all nasty and I hurt someone's feelings.

-I sometimes wish I did have the technique to play really fast and extremely complicated music, not because I enjoy that kind of music that much but that it would impress someone that I could play it. I would like to let go of that attitude.

[dcr]

Lizzy, you are all right!!

[Connie Z]

Originally posted by LizzyD:

-I play pretty good for a girl.

LOL

 

Lizzy, you just entered the realm of being one of my bass gods. There is a group here who I hold in that regard and esteem, and now you are one of them.

 

The things you described in your post as strengths just floored me.

 

I feel very motivated to be a better player now, and that maybe there is a chance that I really can be, despite the mass quantities of estrogen!

 

Thanks for posting! Keep up the good work!

 

... connie z

[g.]

Women rule! (Or should!)

[Dan South]

 

- I'm fairly adept at both reading and playing by ear.

 

- Competent (but not expert) knowledge of theory.

 

- Able to improvise.

 

- Not too shabby at composition.

 

- Good enough chops to play most mainstream genres.

 

- I love music, and it loves me back.

 

- Blessed with some nice instruments! Got some great CD's, too!

 

- I've been playing long enough to understand how the bass has to FIT in with the other instruments, and I can adjust accordingly (read: play less) without feeling inadequate (as I would have when I was nineteen and cramming as many notes as possible into each measure).

 

- I'm old, but I'm still handsome.

 

 

- Technique could be a lot cleaner - know any drill seargants?

 

- Thumb goes numb when I try to slap (so I don't try much).

 

- Singing voice - oh, brother!

 

- Not very patient; prefer to work with computers than bandmates.

 

- I'm jealous of people with perfect tone (how do they do it?).

 

- Perfectionism gets in the way of completing some projects, but I'm working on it.

 

- There's a lot of room for improvement on the recording/engineering side of things.

 

- MP3.bomb just nuked my page. (Bastards!) I'll have to find a new host after the holidays.

[cornbread_medhotmail.com]

Ok, I didn't read all of these. I'll get around to it sooner or later, though.

 

I can't read, but I can read time signatures.

 

I don't slap with that much proficiency, but I've never seen a need for it in the music I play.

 

I have an impeccable sense of time. I'm often the metronome of the band.

 

I don't have enough patience for people who lack the necessary skills to be decent.

 

I sometimes pull the strings down toward the treble side of the neck while fretting when I get tired or annoyed.

 

I get annoyed very easily.

 

I can play with nearly anyone and keep up, but not the virtuoso types.

 

I know a lot about music, and I know that I know it at times (I know a few of you will understand this.)

 

I will always do far more than my fair share of the work in the band, hauling gear, loading, financing, band taxi.

 

I'm too nice and too giving with my friends. I need to learn how to say "No."

 

I sometimes sugarcoat things when I know it's not any good or not working out.

 

I don't practice enough. I rarely, if ever, practice by myself.

 

I don't conform to a band look. I've lost a lot of gigs because I don't have that heroin addict look, but, c'mon, how many fat white guys look right in leather?

 

Man, this is making me not like myself that much. Thanks, Cup.

[LizzyD]

Originally posted by Connie Z:

Originally posted by LizzyD:

-I play pretty good for a girl.

LOL

 

Lizzy, you just entered the realm of being one of my bass gods. There is a group here who I hold in that regard and esteem, and now you are one of them.

 

The things you described in your post as strengths just floored me.

 

I feel very motivated to be a better player now, and that maybe there is a chance that I really can be, despite the mass quantities of estrogen!

 

Thanks for posting! Keep up the good work!

 

... connie z

Aw shucks...thanks Connie! I'm honored.

[-Will-]

Willigness to buy bass equipment.

 

Actually playing and using the bass equipment.

[ian101]

Good-I know there's nothing I can't learn if I practice.

 

Bad-I don't practice enough of the hard stuff.

[Rick Hoffman]

Bump

 

I was thinking the pro's and con's of myself earlier, what I need to work on, what I don't, and I came across this thread on a search under "performance".

 

The Bad and the Ugly-

 

Knowing and understanding theory instead of relying on my ear. I tend to over-play sometimes. I don't tap/slap well. I don't practice enough. I can't read music.

 

I also need to work on my performance on-stage. I think that will come with experience and song familiarity. When I'll be on stage again is anyone's guess...

 

No patience for people without passion or dedication.

 

If I loosen up a bit too much before a show, or don't get enough rest, it affects my performance. I only play best when 100% sober.

 

If I don't care for the music I'm playing, I play it kind of stale and half-heartedly. And it shows.

 

The Good-

 

I have a great ear. I have great tone. I can sing. I can play in time, I'm a good pocket player. I have a good blues/rock feel. There isn't much I can't play after hearing a couple of times, unless we're talking about Jaco or Wooten or something.

 

If I like the music I'm playing, I play my best and I can focus more.