Do you consider yourself an "expert" bass player?

[BigRedX]

My feeling is that they really mean is "experienced" rather than "expert".

[Dood]

[quote name='Jam' timestamp='1337467334' post='1660609']
Looking for a new singer, have found someone locally who plays bass and guitar as well as singing, and on their profile they have to state their proficiency on their instruments. Guitar: Intermediate, Vocals: Lead, Bass: Expert.

As far as I can tell from their blurb they've only been playing bass about 4/5 years...I've been playing for twice that and I still feel like a complete beginner... Stupidly, I'm quite annoyed!

What about you guys, do you consider yourself an "expert"?
[/quote]

I think that anyone who considers themselves as an expert musician, especially on the internet is asking for trouble.

[Dood]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1337549302' post='1661937']
Music is infinite. We are all beginners.
[/quote]

I was just trying to find a succinct way of saying that any musician worth his weight in salt is always learning. I like this alot.

[xgsjx]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1337549510' post='1661947']
My feeling is that they really mean is "experienced" rather than "expert".
[/quote]

This is my thinking too. I would have put the same on the advert with the exception of "Singing - Dire".

I'm not an expert bassist, but I wouldn't put intermediate. That's what you put when you've learned to play a U2 song all the way through without any mistakes.

On the subject of "Experts", here's a real one...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zz_y3DkBBpY

[Wooks79]

I've been playing about 15yrs and still don't even consider myself a good bassist!

I quit completely cold turkey for a couple of years and after I got out of practice I've never really got my confidence back.

[Dood]

[quote name='JTUK' timestamp='1337518116' post='1661183']


Because you are perpetuating ignorance otherwise...
Some can get by on that and do very very well...others are stifled but maybe don't realise it or either care.
If you are learning then sooner or later you are going to come up against more educated musicians..I am not saying this alone makes them better that may not apply at all...but it means you both may struggle to converse, should you have cause to do so..which is likely.
[/quote]
[quote name='flyfisher' timestamp='1337511393' post='1661056']

So . . . . why does music teaching always concentrate on the theory, on notes, scales, chords etc?

I'm not suggesting there is no place for such teaching - of course there is - but why is there no alternative teaching methods that promote the 'self-taught' methods such as jamming along to favourite songs, showing how to play certain licks, that sort of thing?

Or maybe there is and I've never noticed.
[/quote]

I'm glad this point has come up actually. If there's one thing I can't stand about instrument teachers - and that's the stereotype of a teacher being stood at a piano with a cane, whipping out everytime a note is played wrong. Ok, so this is an extreme, but I mean that there is soooooo much more to learning than notes and chords and theory. When I teach Bass, i crack out some drums or guitar. I jam ideas out and even have my students play different instruments to demonstrate ideas and feels for example. I run tech lessons as well as band skill workshops. I love developing improvisation and sometimes that can mean throwing the books aside for a damn good laugh. I use a method for teaching i have put together that works extremely well that combines theory and practice (including self-teaching) in a way that can enable larger throughputs of information but is a great deal of fun too. And that's the main thing

[Gust0o]

I'm an expert bass player. It just so happens that my expertise does not lie with playing the bass.

[lojo]

To be an expert I guess you would have to have incredible theory knowledge along with sight reading, along with an incredible feel for all styles, and a perfect ear at least?

Complete competency is undefinable so I think it should be allow for a pro with the above skills to use the word expert on his CV and still recognise the they are able to progress

I've been playing for 25yrs for fun and pocket money, can copy most songs with a nice feel so I'm told, but have no
Clue really

[JTUK]

I think you might find working pro bass players have that one thing down well at least. It may well be that is all they have down and are complete cack elsewhere
but they have enough to do the job they are supposed to do...otherwise in most cases, they wouldn't be doing it.
Get quite a few people out of that 'comfort zone' and they either bring their style across and blat it..which can work well, or they really struggle..

I recall doing an audition with a name drummer that most here would know and reverve, possibly,
for a soul review show and altho he could lay it down, he couldn't empathise with the music at all. I don't even know why he was there..maybe his manager sent him.

On local gigs round here you see a few name drummers depping..... and out of their niche, they might struggle and one or two aren't even regarded as the best around, which considering the gigs they've done, is an eye-opener.

[gafbass02]

After 20 years I consider myself a total beginner still. So much more to learn.
The comments above really ring with me. As soon as someone starts playing reggae or blues I'm soooo far out my comfort zone it's ridiculous.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Donnyboy' timestamp='1337548994' post='1661925']
...... it's harder and more satisfying to play a one note groove locking in with the drummer , than a whole lot of fancy pies....
[/quote]

No its not

[andydye]

No I'm not an expert, I know just enough theory to muddle through most things, technique wise I'm adept enough to play everything I've been asked to play thus far and have been suitably euipped to learn anything new that has been thrown my way

[steve-bbb]

[quote name='silddx' timestamp='1337549302' post='1661937']
Music is infinite. We are all beginners.
[/quote]

not only this but also... the [b][url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expert"]definition of expert/expertise[/url][/b] is rather wide

imo if you talk about this you need to define the parameters or specific area of expertise to which you are referring otherwise the whole thing is just a bit too vague and generalised

[lojo]

The term expert can be applied to what is humanly possible to achieve, so yes everyone is learning but there are experts, just like a doctor can be a consultant / expert in a field, but obvioulsy fall far short of being able to do or know everything

Y

[Gust0o]

Well, isn't that the definition of expert? To have some skill in all fields would, to my mind, make you a generalist.

[Bigwan]

Compared to a few local punters I'm a genius...
Compared to some folk on here? No...

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1337470697' post='1660656']
Depends on the context.

When I'm playing in a great venue with musicians I really admire and respect to a horde of punters who've paid for the privilege, I sometimes think 'Yeah.. I must be doing this right'.

...then someone posts a clip on here of their latest solo bass composition, and suddenly I feel hopeless.
[/quote]

Yep I'm definately in this category and I've been playing for 35 yrs or thereabouts

Dave

[thepurpleblob]

I get by at the little niche that I play in... and that's about it. That's after playing bass for 10 years and some sort of musical instrument for 40 years.

[Donnyboy]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1337588137' post='1662216']
No its not
[/quote]

Yeah ,on reflection, you're right...

[icastle]

After 32 years of playing bass I'm adequate at what I do, experienced enough to be able to dummy what I don't often do and (usually) smart enough to avoid being placed in a position where I am going to fail miserably.

Self proclaimed expertise is worth nothing.

[Len_derby]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1337617977' post='1662888']
After 32 years of playing bass I'm adequate at what I do, experienced enough to be able to dummy what I don't often do and (usually) smart enough to avoid being placed in a position where I am going to fail miserably.

Self proclaimed expertise is worth nothing.
[/quote]

That's neat. If you play as well as you express yourself in words I reckon you're pretty good

[icastle]

[quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1337619920' post='1662925']
That's neat. If you play as well as you express yourself in words I reckon you're pretty good
[/quote]

Thankyou.

(The cheque is in the post.... )

Edited May 21, 2012 by icastle

[gavgee]

[i][font=comic sans ms, cursive][size=3][size=4][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Its not about tricks, its about getting to a point when you and ya bass become one, its all about the LOVE of playing and making music. Id say that after 2 years playing, now 20 years later Im still the same haha. But I do know how to ROCK!!![/font][/size][/size][/font][/i]

[clarkpegasus4001]

[quote name='Lozz196' timestamp='1337504092' post='1660880']
Expert - no way!

I`m good at what I do, which is solid and steady basslines, locking in with the drums, and holding down the rhythm for the guitars to work on, but I don`t know scales (although I undoubtably play them) nor theory, and although I can play quick riffs, it`s not my thing.

So in my opinion, of my own playing, there is much I will probably never learn about the instrument, so expert don`t even come close.
[/quote]

[color=#0000ff]This probably sums me up as well. Expert? me? no way! [/color]

Edited May 21, 2012 by clarkpegasus4001

[discreet]

[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1337617977' post='1662888']
After 32 years of playing bass I'm adequate at what I do, experienced enough to be able to dummy what I don't often do and (usually) smart enough to avoid being placed in a position where I am going to fail miserably. Self proclaimed expertise is worth nothing.
[/quote][quote name='Len_derby' timestamp='1337619920' post='1662925']
That's neat. If you play as well as you express yourself in words I reckon you're pretty good
[/quote]

Eh??? Bluuhhhhh.... Duhhhhhh... Duurrrrrr... Hur-hurrrr..! *dribbles onto keyboard*