Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

I am a bass player and a damn good one at that. Professionally schooled in jazz and fusion with some rock and Christian Contempoary as well. I play a high-end Pedulla fretless bass. Come find me thru Bandmix - bassman34472

And all composers are control freaks.
Q:Does a composer want input on music mostly already finished from a bassist? If the composer asks they do, otherwise, no keep your mouth shut.

These days a regular bassist that is good and flexible is just as rare as a decent keys player.

I am a composer (I think) and I dont disagree... about being a control freak... Its got something to do with trying to realize the musical vision in my head, transposing it to a reality... and not wanting others to stick their nose in it while I'm shitting it out... .

Once the turd is laid down...however, I invite all interested parties to add their corn-nuts to it.. LOL!

PaperDog wrote:

And all composers are control freaks.
Q:Does a composer want input on music mostly already finished from a bassist? If the composer asks they do, otherwise, no keep your mouth shut.

These days a regular bassist that is good and flexible is just as rare as a decent keys player.

I am a composer (I think) and I dont disagree... about being a control freak... Its got something to do with trying to realize the musical vision in my head, transposing it to a reality... and not wanting others to stick their nose in it while I'm shitting it out... .

Once the turd is laid down...however, I invite all interested parties to add their corn-nuts to it.. LOL!

AGREED and Yikes.. LOL

corn nuts? I'd have settled for just plain ole corn LMAO

Wow, I didn't know it was so hard to find a bass player. I am a bass player here in Texas but can't find the right band. Mixture of Jazz/Funk and Soul. There don't seem to be many real musicians that really want to play, instead just want to jam in the garage all day. That's fun but I'm ready for a stage. And not to be stuck in night clubs either. If you're in Dallas Texas let me know and maybe we can see if we can get something together. Catch me at
[email protected]

JazzBasser wrote:Wow, I didn't know it was so hard to find a bass player. I am a bass player here in Texas but can't find the right band. Mixture of Jazz/Funk and Soul. There don't seem to be many real musicians that really want to play, instead just want to jam in the garage all day. That's fun but I'm ready for a stage. And not to be stuck in night clubs either. If you're in Dallas Texas let me know and maybe we can see if we can get something together. Catch me at
[email protected]

Hey Thanks... Actually did find one after this thread got started... ... I was treating this like a Match Dot COm... No time of day for those without the photos... making sure they weren't 90- years old... When all along, I had been working alongside a bassist and didnt know it...
Its like Stephen Stills would say...maybe... "If you can't jam with the bassist you love...then jam with the bassist you're with...
(I wonder if that s safe jamming though?)

dog

I don't think you're a control freak exactly. i bet I could play with you on bass guitar and offer intelligent suggstions for arrangements that you would at least consider and perhaps adapt.

from your previous posts i don't think you want to have to own the bass area if you can get it fairly easily from the bass man.

I think what you really want is people who can offer their suggestions and deal with having some of them turned down. i don't see that as negative or dictatorial at all.

Talbot

MikeTalbot wrote:dog

I don't think you're a control freak exactly. i bet I could play with you on bass guitar and offer intelligent suggstions for arrangements that you would at least consider and perhaps adapt.

from your previous posts i don't think you want to have to own the bass area if you can get it fairly easily from the bass man.

I think what you really want is people who can offer their suggestions and deal with having some of them turned down. i don't see that as negative or dictatorial at all.

Talbot

Bingo! You nailed it... I've tried to express that all along... You are absolutely correct about 'owning ' the bass area...To me, that's the whole point of having band mates...Each one has his her specialty, and we rely on each other. So yes...If you were the bassist in the band with me... It'd be like ...Here's this song I wrote... , its all yours now...(insert special instructions here) ... and then if you said , I want to change this section around a little here, because.... And I'd say... ok no prob...and then somewhere down the path..I'd say, Hey can you do 'this part' different ...and so on... Its a back & forth "agile" method , if you will , of refining the song, which now includes the bassist's full inputs.

As any mature artists will tell us, rejection of a piece don't mean reflection of the beast... Songs , like stone, need sculpting, sanding, polishing... and all the members on the project know that and they get busy, caues the song is the thing...

Right now, George Arriola (the bassist (among other roles) for my CD project) knows exactly what to do and when to do it... We have never had any problems whatsoever in sharing creative license...cause George understands its about the needs of the song. To that end I totally trust his artistic inputs... .And I am thrilled to have him on board with me...

Quad

I wrote a originals for several bands I win and I few 'projects' - using the bass as the primary. Sometimes I'd throw in some power chords to help the boys get the feel but in those outfits - the guys could pick it right up.

Some times its more granular (individual players you can work with)- my favorite drummer (Chris Sherlock - an old friend) can follow literally anything I throw at him no matter how off beat and act like he has rehearsed it for days.

But many can't. It just doesn't work for them. I 've played guitar for a long time but switched to that as my primary for the last few years and that was one of the reasons.

I'd suggest that if song writing is important to you that you go ahead and learn some guitar as well. Anything that helps you push your stuff forward is good. Plus I've learned that all the work I put into guitar has not hurt my bass playing because I stay limber.

Talbot

Drummer died; band broke up. I'm a blues / rock bassist with fretted 4, fretted 5, unlined un-fretted 4 and electronic standup basses, great amps and transportation. Also lead and harmony vocals. Anyone in FTW need me???

Some of the old guys can really play.

I play with all kinds of weirdos and 1 of them I thought was outstanding.

He just didn't want to play what I was playing. "oh well, back to the cliff notes".

"Some of the old guys can really play. "

And some times we feel like beginners. But thanks anyhow!

Talbot

Mike, if you play enough you'll figure out that if the guy is 1000000 years old and he can play, the operative part is that "he/she can play".

Ability is a determinant. Age is not. (Unless you think sounding good is less important than looking good.)

Gimme the old crusty mfers that can play, keep the kids back at home with their bottles and apple sauce.

I'd take "ugly" over "inept" any day of the week.

Starfish Scott wrote:Mike, if you play enough you'll figure out that if the guy is 1000000 years old and he can play, the operative part is that "he/she can play".

Ability is a determinant. Age is not. (Unless you think sounding good is less important than looking good.)

Gimme the old crusty mfers that can play, keep the kids back at home with their bottles and apple sauce.

I'd take "ugly" over "inept" any day of the week.

I'm ugly as heck and and not very inept. We should jam... Except I don't do parks.