FenderJazz Posted September 29, 2011 Share Posted September 29, 2011 Hi all you fellow Bassists out there in the world of bass, This is all new to me as im sure you can see, I was looking for some advice on knowing how good you actually are at bass. I know that playing bass lines from a stevie wonder song or some of the 70s funk era can make you feel good, and can be difficult to play. However, when do you know that you are actually good at your instrument if you have never gigged nor have had any recording experience? Now I know that it is hard so answer this question, and im not looking for "am i good" answer. I'm looking for an answer that will help me understand how other bassists rate themselves as musicians. I hope to get some good feed back here, as sometimes it can feel like "yea, your good... but." Thanks in advance for your help guys.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bloodaxe Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 (edited) It's a toughie since we're our own worst critics, but I reckon it's something like this: Rule 1: You're actually better than you believe yourself to be. Rule 2: On a sliding scale of Sid to Jaco... You're not as good as you think you are. The acid test is to get out there & mix it up with other musicians; you'll find out very quickly that what works in the bedroom doesn't always work on stage or in the studio. It's a bit of a jolt when it happens, but you need to make it a positive experience as it shows exactly which areas need improvement. You can be the world's best theoretician, but if you can't lock in with the drummer... Ditto, you can groove like a bastard, but if your lines don't support the melody... The simplest way to attack this is to find a local jam night. Go down & case it up. Take notes. Do a bit of homework & then fetch up and pop that cherry Personally, I reckon I'm pretty reasonable at what I do (Blues, R&B & Rock), but flounder hopelessly in most other genres. Pete. Edited September 30, 2011 by Bloodaxe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnDeereJack Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 As Bloodaxe says 'get out there with other musicians'. I was lucky enough to be in a bar this evening that had an impromptu blues jam going on. Basically a three piece outfit with the drunner leading but they were asking for other players, be you a drummer, guitarist or a bass player, so I volunteered. There were a few other musicians went up before me (including a bass player who slapped for two blues tracks!) and I have to say that the quality of playing from the other muso's who did a stint was really good, and the 'house' guys were effing tight! I have to be honest I was bloody nervous when it came to my turn! I'd never played with these guys before, let alone met them and had a chat about what they might play, but they were really cool. I was introduced to the guitarist who gave me the key and we went from there. I'm far from the best bass player in the world, and I made a few clangers during my half hour stint, but th fact is I threw caution to the wind and said 'Hey guys, I play bass. Gime a shot' In my expreience, and people may have different opinions, the best way to learn is by going and doing. Get out there and play with other folks. It may seem daunting at first but nothing ventured, nothing gained. And that includes f**king up. We've all done it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ras52 Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 [quote name='Bloodaxe' timestamp='1317347612' post='1389797'] you'll find out very quickly that what works in the bedroom doesn't always work on stage or in the studio. [/quote] How very true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBeatNut Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 [quote name='FenderJazz' timestamp='1317339711' post='1389781'] I was looking for some advice on knowing how good you actually are at bass. [/quote] That's lacking some context ... you can't really answer it until we also know the answer to "good enough for what ?" If all you want to do is play Stevie Wonder songs and 70's funk in your bedroom it sounds like you are already good. If you want to be remembered by bassists across the world for the next 50 years, statistically speaking, it's highly likely you're not good enough And as others have said, if you want to find out if you're good enough to play with a local band, the only way to really find out is to take the first steps and find out, by auditioning for bands, advertising for bandmates, seeing if your mates play guitar/drums etc, finding out about local jams (blues jams are a great way to get started) etc. Don't forget, if you only try to do things you know you can do already, you're never going to learn new things ... you have to tread into unknown territory to progress, and that includes putting yourself into situations you've never been in before. Best of luck Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taa Posted September 30, 2011 Share Posted September 30, 2011 (edited) If you can play some of Alain Caron parts then you have more then enough skills, If you can play some of Jaco parts and your playing makes feel the people like hearing Jaco skills, so you are an awesome bass player. I'm not one of them Edited September 30, 2011 by Taa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FenderJazz Posted September 30, 2011 Author Share Posted September 30, 2011 Thanks guys, lots of helpful ideas in there... i will just throw myself out there upon the oncomin traffic and see what happens. Thanks for your support. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alanbass1 Posted October 2, 2011 Share Posted October 2, 2011 Welcome aboard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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