Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Most of what I've said about playing bass on here is bollocks.


xilddx
 Share

Recommended Posts

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1372894374' posts='2131478']
Learning as much as you can about what you love does not suck. Don't f***ing waste it.
[/quote]

Absobloodylutely!! Awesome post there Nige but this last bit resonates with me.
I studied at the M.I. in Wapping when I was in my early 20's, 1995.
I was too young (within myself at that time) to fully absorb what was being taught to me, to look around and see the opportunities available. I knew that this is what I wanted to do but to be honest I only gave it a half-arsed go (passed the course, just). I left there with alot of holes in my knowledge and no real idea of how to utilise what little I had learned. I did alot of dicking about to be fair with an opportunity that not many get. Got all the time in the world right?
Fast forward to today and I have such a hunger to be the greatest musician I can be. I have all of Carol Kaye's educational books and C.D's, a tasty bundle of lessons and backing tracks downloaded from Scott Devine's website (scottsbasslessons.com) and..... I have absolutely no time to get stuck into them as I work my day job, I'm married and we have two lovely little lads. Life is good, amazing, don't get me wrong but musically I feel I've diddled myself to be honest.
I will get into my educational material again one day but I can't see it happening for a couple of years at least.
All the time in the world? Forget it! If you've found what you love, don't sit around wasting your time while you have time. You never know how busy life may get for you, how full your hands may be one day, and those days just fly by.
Yes there's a heavy dollop of 'If I knew then what I know now' to my sentiments but to be honest, I DID know then too! I was just an ignorant smart arse though looking back.

So yes, Do what you love and don't fu**ing waste your time. It may not be yours to waste for very long.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1372934122' post='2131755']
Absobloodylutely!! Awesome post there Nige but this last bit resonates with me.
I studied at the M.I. in Wapping when I was in my early 20's, 1995.
I was too young (within myself at that time) to fully absorb what was being taught to me, to look around and see the opportunities available. I knew that this is what I wanted to do but to be honest I only gave it a half-arsed go (passed the course, just). I left there with alot of holes in my knowledge and no real idea of how to utilise what little I had learned. I did alot of dicking about to be fair with an opportunity that not many get. Got all the time in the world right?
Fast forward to today and I have such a hunger to be the greatest musician I can be. I have all of Carol Kaye's educational books and C.D's, a tasty bundle of lessons and backing tracks downloaded from Scott Devine's website (scottsbasslessons.com) and..... I have absolutely no time to get stuck into them as I work my day job, I'm married and we have two lovely little lads. Life is good, amazing, don't get me wrong but musically I feel I've diddled myself to be honest.
I will get into my educational material again one day but I can't see it happening for a couple of years at least.
All the time in the world? Forget it! If you've found what you love, don't sit around wasting your time while you have time. You never know how busy life may get for you, how full your hands may be one day, and those days just fly by.
Yes there's a heavy dollop of 'If I knew then what I know now' to my sentiments but to be honest, I DID know then too! I was just an ignorant smart arse though looking back.

So yes, Do what you love and don't fu**ing waste your time. It may not be yours to waste for very long.
[/quote]

Pretty much the same story for me, I've still got a folder full of stuff Simon, Silas and Tony handed out at M.I. 20 years ago, I need to dig it out and go through it again but there's never enough time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='miles'tone' timestamp='1372934122' post='2131755']
Absobloodylutely!! Awesome post there Nige but this last bit resonates with me.
I studied at the M.I. in Wapping when I was in my early 20's, 1995.
I was too young (within myself at that time) to fully absorb what was being taught to me, to look around and see the opportunities available. I knew that this is what I wanted to do but to be honest I only gave it a half-arsed go (passed the course, just). I left there with alot of holes in my knowledge and no real idea of how to utilise what little I had learned. I did alot of dicking about to be fair with an opportunity that not many get. Got all the time in the world right?
Fast forward to today and I have such a hunger to be the greatest musician I can be. I have all of Carol Kaye's educational books and C.D's, a tasty bundle of lessons and backing tracks downloaded from Scott Devine's website (scottsbasslessons.com) and..... I have absolutely no time to get stuck into them as I work my day job, I'm married and we have two lovely little lads. Life is good, amazing, don't get me wrong but musically I feel I've diddled myself to be honest.
I will get into my educational material again one day but I can't see it happening for a couple of years at least.
All the time in the world? Forget it! If you've found what you love, don't sit around wasting your time while you have time. You never know how busy life may get for you, how full your hands may be one day, and those days just fly by.
Yes there's a heavy dollop of 'If I knew then what I know now' to my sentiments but to be honest, I DID know then too! I was just an ignorant smart arse though looking back.

So yes, Do what you love and don't fu**ing waste your time. It may not be yours to waste for very long.
[/quote]
[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1372934759' post='2131765']
Pretty much the same story for me, I've still got a folder full of stuff Simon, Silas and Tony handed out at M.I. 20 years ago, I need to dig it out and go through it again but there's never enough time.
[/quote]

:) Youth is wasted on the young :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm speaking from the perspective of someone who has never had any lessons, but it sounds like you are being a bit hard on yourself to me. We do what we do (and don't do what we don't) at any given point in our lives because it makes sense to us at that point in time. You are having lessons now rather than earlier for your own good reasons. You may find once you have gone through whatever re-learning processes you are currently undergoing that you revisit some of what you previously worked out for yourself - I'm sure there is far more merit in it than you currently seem to think. I think what I'm trying to say is, with regard to your own personal musical journey, don't regret what you didn't do in the past ... after all there is stuff all you can do to change it anyway :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Am I the only one who had great swathes of music theory dumped on them in childhood? Never did get on with piano lessons but I passed lots of theory exams. Hated it.
Now after a huge gap I'm actually playing music I enjoy it returns to me and the band looks at me weird when I mention a declining scale...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote] :)[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif] Youth is wasted on the young [/font][/color] :D[/quote] and money is wasted on the old :)

It's interesting - I've always though it corresponds to the right and left brain side of things though - musical theory being more mathematical sits on the left side of the brain; playing by ear, patterns and improvisation the right side. Either will let you play to a decent level but I think different instruments and music sit on different hemispheres as well; classical favouring the left, jazz the right etc; piano the left, guitar the right etc.

Interestingly I know an international concert pianist, very successful and brilliant on piano who is awful at playing by ear and jamming yet can sight read the most complex score and remember it in a single pass. Likewise I know play by ear musicians that come up with incredible free lines from thought and hearing yet go blank when asked what key they're in.

I guess true brilliance, like artists, scientists and innovators, comes when a musician has both left and right brains strong and in balance..... either that or I may well be talking b*llocks as well... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Nice one Nige. I think as other have said, we allays knew you were talking bollox, but its nice to hear you finally admit it :P

Seriously though, you, and many more on here (definitely including me here) might not be right up there with the notes thing, although id disagree that you aren't as ive heard you play, but after you have been playing for a while, and gigging, you gain experience, and you can pass that on. You have passed on many words of wisdom on here, most definitely not bollox.

I, on the other hand, talk it, practice it and preach it lol. Maybe Jake can save me one day..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1372937316' post='2131804']



:) Youth is wasted on the young :D
[/quote]
[quote name='bob_pickard' timestamp='1373010623' post='2132663']
and money is wasted on the old :)
[/quote]

Well now I'm old, I have no money to waste as I wasted it all when I was young getting wasted in my youth.......and another thing, erm, what was I saying? And why did I walk into this room in the first place?

Erm, 42?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1373030458' post='2132986']
Right, thats it, if this carries on, then I fully expect Nigel will be running a classic Ampeg SVT and Fridge at the next Kit Richardson gig...

;)
[/quote]
....and then he'll be starting a thread to tell us all why we're wrong if we don't use one ourselves. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1373031617' post='2133011']
....and then he'll be starting a thread to tell us all why we're wrong if we don't use one ourselves. :D
[/quote]

wonder if he'll pour lighter fuel over his pod and torch it on stage for added drama :gas:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think I underestimated the change in Nigel actually, I think he will bring at least four or five rigs to the next gig, and twice as many analog pedals as SHep's big board, so as to be able to capture all the tiny nuances in the different tones his clearly inferior POD used to nearly get right sometimes ;)

Nah, good on you Nigel, I take my hat of to you, not just for deciding to give theory, and more importantly the practical application of that theory, another go and coming to the conclusion that it isnt a bad thing after all, but also for saying as much so publicly.

Well done!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest bassman7755

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1372862721' post='2130859']
I have to memorise it in all 24 keys,
[/quote]

24 keys ? bugger I knew I was missing something B)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1373032018' post='2133017']
wonder if he'll pour lighter fuel over his pod and torch it on stage for added drama :gas:
[/quote]
Only after he's done a full risk assesment to ensure his silk gloves won't get damaged. :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1372859085' post='2130788']
I'm a decent player, I can write, play other instruments to a good standard, and I've got good ears. I don't know much theory and I don't read music well, but I thought my ears and experience compensated for those lackings. I play with some great musicians in amateur and professional bands. I've been playing for 30+ years.

I really thought I knew some sh*t about music and playing bass.

But having started taking lessons from Jake, I have had my brain fragmented, and we are in the process of putting it back together to create a new improved mass of grey sh*t in my bonce. I've realised that my lack of confidence was compensated for with a certain vanity, and a bunch of excuses. The fact is, I'm feeling like a musical baby now, starting with the very basics of music theory and building towards a proper understanding of my fretboard and harmony.

I've imparted a fair bit of 'wisdom' on this forum about playing bass over the last few years, but looking back, most of it is utter bullshit, rubbish, imparted from a position of blind ignorance and sheer laziness, and a lack of ability to perceive the benefits of learning music theory and notation. I think I'm beginning to understand now. I feel like I have wasted decades f***ing and fiddling around, trying to unlock the fretboard through pattern recognition and reading crap out of various books without understanding why. I could have spent a little money on a tutor, and some focused time and energy, and saved years of aimless pissing twattery. I'd be a helluva lot better now if I'd have done that, and I'd have talked a lot less f***ing bollocks on here.
[/quote] Hi mate I think perhaps your being a tad harsh on yourself here I mean I though it was all about enjoying the music and the instrument, I am not a fantastic player but I enjoy it and what might sound like bollocks to you can be helpful to someone like me as anything I pick up can potentially be of use and another thing not to forget is experience counts for alot its like working as a tradesman the time served guy may not have all the bits of paper and know all the theory to the job like a new person fresh from college but 9 times out of 10 he can do the job much better I hope this made sense and stop beating yourself up mate I think your being hard on yourself :)

Edited by Thunderbird
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='seashell' timestamp='1372881470' post='2131177']
The great thing about your posts, Nigel is that they are full of passion and love of music.
That's not bollocks.
[/quote]

This, absolutely bang on. Well said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A few years ago I found myself without a band. I started taking lessons. I wanted to understand what some of the other 'proper' musicians I had played with were talking about. I didn't want to learn what I already knew so my tutor taught me quite a bit of Duke Ellington/Sinatra type stuff, underpinned with Simandl and Bach cello pieces. I loved it and think it opened up my thinking and playing. Unfortunately, if I now look at a score I haven't a clue how to play it, but I guess I could pick it up again.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...