My debut on the bass

yeah, but it sounds like you're playing more than just one note.  so you can play more than just Am then? 

Ed?  can we learn something from this?

Did you find the Am note... that one's special.

:-)

Good for YOU!!!

Good for you.

My wife bought me a violin a few years ago and I practiced on that darn thing for a year before getting up the nerve to play in church. I learned one song, played it flawlessly under extreme fear and trepidation and got one compliment. The next week they asked me to play again and I said, sorry, I only knew the one song. Give me the charts and we will talk next year.

Janet


I somehow managed to avoid Am this morning, Mike. :-)

Craig....'twas indeed! 

M.Man:  I tried the violin last year.  It's still sitting here in my closet.  After a couple 20 minute sessions I realized that thing's a heck of a lot harder to play than it looks.  I love playing an instrument that only takes a few months to feel comfortable on.  :-) 

Yes it is very challenging which is why I spent the year before learning the mandolin which has the same fingerings. It's all about the bow and your elbow.

so playing bass is easy?

Well, to play it like a beginner anyway.  lol

Of course, we're takin' this show on the ROAD!!! :-)

I guess I could start recording bass on my own songs now too. 

Just what I need... a bunch of new headaches and learning curve! lol

I would love to have seen you in your heyday, Albert.  In fact, even now I'm sure it would be fun. :-)

Anyway, yeah, I've heard that about the guitar and I believe it!  I'm sorta crazy in that I attempt most things thinking 'how hard can it be?'  You'd think I would have learned by now that some things are just outside my ability.  lol  Oh well.  Success for me today was that I didn't play too many bad notes and the band didn't send me back to the keyboard. :-) 

That's me! 

"...edge of the Grand Canyon."  Perfect description!  I distinctly remember the day when the soundcard wouldn't work for anything.  I almost gave it up right there.  I'm sure you and/or Reece and/or Albert saved me from throwing it out right then.

It also reminds me of my present goal of taming our little 5-acre wilderness.  I remembered the other day that I started out with little gardening sheers, trying to get rid of some dead cedar branches so I could at least walk thru the place.  Now, as you know, I've graduated to a chain saw and have spent the last couple of months cleaning out decades of mess and cutting up hopefully a cord or two of firewood.  Sure...no problem!  lol

   The "fun" factor to me plays a huge role in playing bass, and Janet it sounds like that
is your case as well. Also in your case the fact that you now have an "opportunity"
to do the "play with other musicians thing" it gives it an "application" and that is where
the "fun" of the "challenge" has rewards. The bass has it's own challenges in ways that
maybe the "other" instruments don't have. I feel that a great bass player and drummer
is so vital in many styles of music.

   "feel" is one important aspect, and timing is another. I find that just those "two" alone
are a challenge. My primary instrument is guitar but the "bass" is one instrument that
in my view I look at it and "highly respect it". There are people who "do and can"
play bass and then there are those bass players who are awesome.

  Not always in the since of being virtuosos but in the overall balance of such things as
tone, feel and such things as being melodic and musical in the playing. If for example
one was listening to a good band where they are well mixed and the bass for whatever
reason dropped out (unexpectedly that is) it would be like Wo? what happened?

  (sometimes even if the bass player (isn't all that good).

  Recently an old drummer friend of mine has contacted me to see if I would be
interested in playing guitar for their band which I haven't played any clubs for years
now. (And depending on what my physical condition turns out to be).
 One of the first things that he mentioned was that they were looking for a
better bass player, almost apologetic in a since. And that subject in the past has
come up many times for other "bands"as well.

  "solid" is one term that is often used in describing bass players.

  If one were to look at such terms as:
   Solid
   Stable
   great tone

  You'd find "I think" 3 fundamentals that make for a great bass player.
And sometimes even "simple" playing to be another asset. Also things like knowing
when to do a "lick" and or knowing "what passing tones" or "how many"to use.  
So I think a bass guitar can be just as "melodic" and "tasteful" in the notes played
as other instruments would be.

   The instrument plays a role in things too. what seems like more than a year ago
 I got a 5 string bass and it made a huge difference in the "fun factor" of playing bass.
With the strings a little closer together (and maybe the added string) (giving it
a more "solid sound" because of (mass) I just really enjoy playing it.

   And I got it in a pawn shop for what seems about a little over a hundred bucks.
Even back then times were rough but I managed to scrap up the money as there
was (just something) about "that" bass. So I praise the man above that that
happened before my current financial and physical condition.

   From your midi bass work I can see how that in your mindset that you have that
"feel" for bass playing. I'm so glad for you having this opportunity to play bass
in the church band and I see you becoming respected in that since of
"Janet's a good (or great) bass player"
        Cheers to you Janet

I enjoy playing a bass from time to time.... being a guitar player, it seems natural to me.

It is relatively easy to learn enough to play simple songs in short order.

I played in a band for a few years where the bass player couldn't really "listen" to a song and pick it out to easily. But if someone showed him the notes, he would memorize it and play it pretty well. After a while he became quite good with country and bluegrass music.


Way to go Janet.

Yeah, Herb, I had my 'cheat sheet' beside me in case I forgot where a note was. But I think I made it thru w/o it. :-)

"that's when I feel like a man!"  Yeah, me too!  lol

Janet




"that's when I feel like a man!"  Yeah, me too!  lol

I remember when playing at one of the larger venues over here with a band of mine and on sound check the monitor guy had the bass up in every single speaker on stage (or so it seemed) as well as full blast on the PA with something like 46 000W on the subs alone under the stage. As I struck the first tone - six band members, my self included, and two techs on stage jumped from the sonic impact my nicely distorted Tobias bass produced. It's probably the loudest I've ever played. If that doesn't fuel you with testosterone then I don't know what will

The most important question:

Are you shopping for a 5 string? Or are you going to go straight to 6 string?