A friend once asked me:
Friend: Tell me, what’s the easiest instrument to learn to play?
Me: It depends on what for, and why?
Friend: Okay, just tell me that, without any explanations.
Me: I need to be specific.
Friend: Okay, here’s some specifics for you, tell me, which instrument has the fewest strings?
Me: At a minimum, on the balalaika, domra and others.
Friend: (expletive directed at me) …))) I mean in a band.
Me: In a band?! On the bass guitar!
Friend: How many strings are there?
Me: At least 4.
Friend: Oh, that’s cool, I’ll play the bass guitar!
This dialogue took place 15 years ago. My friend still plays the bass.
This is what it means to choose one thing.
When someone says they want to play the bass guitar, takes lessons, and buys an expensive instrument, they genuinely want to learn.
I’ve outlined this dialogue so you can decide what interests you and which ONE instrument you’d be willing to devote your time and money to.
During consultations, clients say:
“I’d like to play the keys, and make some noise on the drums, and strumble on the lute, and even sing like Sinatra.)))
Do you think this person has ever gotten into anything? No.
Where does this desire to be able to do EVERYTHING come from?! It’s much more effective to define a very narrow area and develop in it, to become the best.
Returning to the bass guitarist, I’ll say that he has become the best in the city in the skill of playing eighth notes at a tempo of 100-120 beats per minute.
Why do I say this? Because I’ve heard many musicians, bassists, and almost all of them can’t even play evenly, let alone with dynamics and other complexities.
I also know a bassist, but his background counterpoint skills are better than his eighth-note skills.
Say: Big deal, eighth note rhythm! It’s so simple!
Okay, so you’re just counting, then I’ll give you a few rebuttals:
Eighth-note rhythm (what you need to be able to do to be accepted into a band for this skill alone):
- playing evenly, splitting quarter notes 50/50, not dragging, not speeding up
- swinging eighth notes (swing)
- shifting emphasis from strong to weak beats
- string muting occurs exactly on the eighth note, not earlier, not later
- pressing the strings during the hiss, before and after
- increasing dynamics throughout the measure and weakening them on certain notes
- +30 more skills
Often in song-oriented bands, bass guitarists only need one or two of these skills.
And that’s only when playing solo, not to mention working in a duet with drums, vocals, and the overall sound.
If you had mastered at least one of these skills perfectly, you would have been able to count on the status of a district or regional group.
Worth thinking about!
Do you play bass guitar? How long have you been playing it? What are your best skills?
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