RhysP Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I've been playing for 33+ years & I've hardly ever felt "at one" with my bass, and those occasions where I have it was probably more to do with the effect of drugs than any great symbiosis of man & instrument. I always feel like I'm fighting the f***ing thing, even with stuff I've played hundreds of times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doddy Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 I think that it's easy to feel 'at one' with the bass-it's just a matter of spending time and knowing your way around a particular instrument. Being 'at one' with the [i]music [/i]is a totally different thing. It's a great feeling when you are playing with other musicians and everything is working,and everyone is listening and reacting to each other. Or when you are soloing and you play some hip lines and it feels/sounds great. It's the culmination of all the years of study and practise,when you realise that you know it so well that it has become subconscious and naturally comes out in your playing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='Roland Rock' timestamp='1346755207' post='1792638'] Playing with a reggae band, most of my lines are deep, simple and repetitive. This is essential in getting that 'trance' like feel. So yeah, I get that feeling a lot, and I love it! [/quote] Yes, this is *exactly* what I mean - that kind of 'zen like' state of being completely in the groove and almost meditative Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='Dr.Dave' timestamp='1346765376' post='1792843'] I can't answer this - I've honestly forgotten how it feels to not be able to play with a reasonable degree of competence. I expect , at my age ,the day will come in the future when I can't anymore. I expect , too , that the feeling of only being able to go downhill as a player will be far , far worse than the feeling that you're not good enough yet but will get there. [/quote] Ouch! that's incredibly down-feeling (but probably true) enjoy it whilst you can huh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1346769780' post='1792953'] For funsies. [/quote] excellent word! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='Jack Cahalane' timestamp='1346769780' post='1792953'] For funsies. [/quote] I don't have fun myself - I have people to do it for me !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr.Dave Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1346784167' post='1793241'] Ouch! that's incredibly down-feeling (but probably true) enjoy it whilst you can huh? [/quote] Sorry - I'd been listening to Leonard Cohen ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 Leonard's a star! Suzanne is one of my favorite tracks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='Doddy' timestamp='1346783770' post='1793232'] I think that it's easy to feel 'at one' with the bass-it's just a matter of spending time and knowing your way around a particular instrument. Being 'at one' with the [i]music [/i]is a totally different thing. It's a great feeling when you are playing with other musicians and everything is working,and everyone is listening and reacting to each other. Or when you are soloing and you play some hip lines and it feels/sounds great. It's the culmination of all the years of study and practise,when you realise that you know it so well that it has become subconscious and naturally comes out in your playing. [/quote] this is 'deep' but I completely understand this - being at one with the music is independent of the instrument in some way (as long as your limitations with the instrument doesn't get in the way)... but it's rare to be one with the music to that extent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1346788117' post='1793327'] this is 'deep' but I completely understand this - being at one with the music is independent of the instrument in some way (as long as your limitations with the instrument doesn't get in the way)... but it's rare to be one with the music to that extent [/quote] I think really that 'being at one' with music is being thrilled by what you hear in your head. 'Being at one' with your instrument means you can play what you hear in your head without having to interpret it, you just articulate it without having to think. I don't personally know many players who can do this, except Jake Newman. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='silddx' timestamp='1346790240' post='1793384'] I think really that 'being at one' with music is being thrilled by what you hear in your head. 'Being at one' with your instrument means you can play what you hear in your head without having to interpret it, you just articulate it without having to think. I don't personally know many players who can do this, except Jake Newman. [/quote] there's a strange zen-like thing going on though isn't there? being 'thrilled' and being 'connected' aren't the same. I'm thinking about that moment when you've been playing a short groove over and over and all of a sudden your timing seems loose, but perfect, and you can feel the pulse completely... I wish I was better at describing this feeling, written posts are sh*t at this kind of thing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1346790460' post='1793390'] there's a strange zen-like thing going on though isn't there? being 'thrilled' and being 'connected' aren't the same. I'm thinking about that moment when you've been playing a short groove over and over and all of a sudden your timing seems loose, but perfect, and you can feel the pulse completely... I wish I was better at describing this feeling, written posts are sh*t at this kind of thing [/quote] Well is suppose it's just semantics. If you mean achieving some sort of zen buddhist sartori by being 'in the now' during playing then I know what you mean but I'm not really sure it's achievable as a piece of music can be considered both as a continuum or as a set of defined events. And since tension and resolution are great parts of the essence of music, the 'now' in music cannot be fully independent of the future and the past. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 4, 2012 Author Share Posted September 4, 2012 But the music exists as some kind of Platonic perfection and the moment you 'connect' (although the term 'moment' could be quite a long time period) you're just channelling the essence of the music ... just for a brief time. What you're doing is not a result of your deliberate action, it's just because you've some how connected to the music Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RhysP Posted September 4, 2012 Share Posted September 4, 2012 [quote name='lowdowner' timestamp='1346792376' post='1793425'] But the music exists as some kind of Platonic perfection and the moment you 'connect' (although the term 'moment' could be quite a long time period) you're just channelling the essence of the music ... just for a brief time. What you're doing is not a result of your deliberate action, it's just because you've some how connected to the music [/quote] Really? I thought you were just describing playing a short repeated phrase that was well within your comfort zone so you just relax a bit more than normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lowdowner Posted September 5, 2012 Author Share Posted September 5, 2012 [quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1346793325' post='1793443'] Really? I thought you were just describing playing a short repeated phrase that was well within your comfort zone so you just relax a bit more than normal. [/quote] Ah yes, that's it... I knew there was a better way of describing it (obviously sobriety helps) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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