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Not for The Casual Bass Guitarist


blue
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[size=3][font=Arial]This is probably frustrating for some of you and but not all. Your a musician, a bass player and your passionate and enthusiastic about your craft and what your doing. You share some of this feeling with others and for some reason we don't realize till after the fact, they just don't get it. [/font]

[font=Arial]Sorry,but I'm pretty cynical when it comes to people that don't understand musicians and patronize us.[/font]

[font=Arial]There are a few of us here like myself, who are not family types, not into sports, the corporate world, no real hobbies, not good with or in relationships, but people who are unfortunately only engaged in music. It's a huge part of our lives. Most generally don't understand us and were constantly being patronized by people. When I say that I mean, well here's two examples; [/font][/size][list]
[*][size=3][font=Arial]The person that tells you how much their into music, but in fact their connection to music doesn't extend much beyond listening to music on the car radio.[/font][/size]
[/list][list]
[*][size=3][font=Arial]Or your in a conversation they learn your in a band and feel the need to ask where your playing so they can come see you. This person generally has not gone to see a live rock band anywhere in the last 20 years or more. They have no real intention on coming out to see your band, but for some reason feel the need to patronize you.[/font][/size]
[/list]
[size=3][font=Arial]I think music is a very small part a fraction of most peoples lives and when you get down to people that are into obscure,underground or lesser known music that group of people gets even smaller So, whenever I meet someone who is truly into what I'm doing I'm surprised. But it's gratifying and it's why I get up everyday. [/font]

[font=Arial]Blue[/font][/size]

Edited by blue
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I'm not sure I really understand your post.

I think it's like a lot of things in life, you can't expect everybody to understand how you feel or how pasionate you are about the things that mean a lot to you n your life. Your true close friends/family should have more idea of what makes you tick.'
I have given up trying to be understood by people and just do my own things and enjoy them for what they are. I can't expect everyone to understand how much I like walking through the forest with my dog or just the sense I get sometimes just being close to nature.

I think most of us have been touched by music in one way or another, I don't see that you have to be a musician to understand that.
I grew up under the Punk banner in London in the mid 70's and feel that what was happening on the street and in my life I could relate to and still can through the energy, lyrics and attitude of a lot of bands that where around then. That's before I picked up a bass.

Just my rumblings.

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Sorry but I think your post is a little off the mark. You think you can only be 'in to music' if you play it? What's wrong with listening to music in the car? It might be all they can afford at the time, and they need the car to get to or from work.....or even part of their work.
In regards someone saying they would like to come to see you play. They might have other commitments on the night and not be able to get there.......it doesn't mean they are patronizing you. Just my opinion of course

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I think we should be careful judging people and how they like their music. Music is for all, in whatever form they want it. If they get a kick out of One Direction but don't dig Gil Scott Heron, or love operatic arias but can't understand how anyone can enjoy Peters and Lee, that's cool, and it's fine with me. Why judge them because they don't 'get' Weather Report or Opeth?

Try starting a thread on Hip Hop on here and you'll get the same sh*t. 'Wha wha wha, it's crap, it ain't music, them rappers can't even sing, it aint f***ing music, there's no skill' etc etc. And it's bullshit because they only know about the hip hop they hear about in the news and on mainstream music channels, they don't know about the political rappers, the rappers that want to have a positive influence rather than rap about hos and $$ , the underground hip hop scene - they are ignorant, and yet they are musicians. All of us 'don't get' certain other art forms, judging that 'modern art' is crap compared to the Renaissance, that Michelin starred restaurants can't beat beans on toast, taking the piss out of Damian Hirst from their magnolia homes with the avocado bathroom suite while lauding Banksy.

This is a musicians forum, where a thread about cats or a thread for word association will get a thousand posts, and the members who post their music in the recording section get two or three responses. A forum with over 30,000 members that has a monthly composition competition that attracts about 36 votes.

We are all deeply ignorant of most things, so don't get too self-indulgent about people not understanding your music.

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In general I think people who play an instrument or sing etc. are more into music than someone who doesn't play/sing, I think once you have the music bug you always have it, it's a bit of an addiction. I listen to music everyday because I love it, on my iPod, on my PC, on the Hi-Fi, I listen to it every night laying in bed before I got to sleep, it's a way of life. Most people listen to music and enjoy but probably not as much as someone who is totally passionate about it like a lot of people who play/sing. Different strokes for different folks guess !! ;)

John :D

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I might be wrong but I think I know what Blue is saying...

That when someone finds out your in a band and they start talking to you about it when they either dont care or have no actual interest in what you do or in music.

The amount of times I've had someone ask me about my band etc and I've started to explain what it is I'm into and do, you can see the other person just half listening and wishing they never asked and they quickly end the conversation with 'Oh well I'll have to come see you sometime' which they subsequently never do.

They're probably just trying to be polite and create a converstation with you but it does get on my nerves because when the converstaion only gets that far, I feel they are somehow judging or laughing at me, because if they were actually interested in talking to me about it and understood what I do, they would atleast talked about it for longer than 2 minutes and would have maybe come to one show.

Edited by Weststarx
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Hmmm. I'd say I'm as obsessed with music as the OP, and feel quite guilty about it. Rather than feeling like people are patronising me, if they want to talk about music, I welcome it. Most of the time I feel like I'm boring people or frustrating them with my constant wibbling on about the latest drummer to come to my studio, or this new plug-in I found etc. etc.

I'm not a "music fan". I never make the time to listen to music. I'm far too busy making it! So when my mate with 1000 records wants to talk music trivia, I don't feel patronised, I feel ashamed. Likewise I feel bad for not being more involved in the recording forum on here. I hardly ever go out to gigs either. It's pretty shameful behaviour for a musician!

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[quote name='madshadows' timestamp='1411459106' post='2559617']
In general I think people who play an instrument or sing etc. are more into music than someone who doesn't play/sing,
[/quote]
I've found the complete opposite.

Most of my friends who don't play music and aren't in bands have larger music collections and go to more gigs than those i know that play music.

P.S. Great post by xilddx by the way.

Edited by BetaFunk
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[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1411451973' post='2559556']
I think we should be careful judging people and how they like their music. Music is for all, in whatever form they want it. If they get a kick out of One Direction but don't dig Gil Scott Heron, or love operatic arias but can't understand how anyone can enjoy Peters and Lee, that's cool, and it's fine with me. Why judge them because they don't 'get' Weather Report or Opeth?

Try starting a thread on Hip Hop on here and you'll get the same sh*t. 'Wha wha wha, it's crap, it ain't music, them rappers can't even sing, it aint f***ing music, there's no skill' etc etc. And it's bullshit because they only know about the hip hop they hear about in the news and on mainstream music channels, they don't know about the political rappers, the rappers that want to have a positive influence rather than rap about hos and $$ , the underground hip hop scene - they are ignorant, and yet they are musicians. All of us 'don't get' certain other art forms, judging that 'modern art' is crap compared to the Renaissance, that Michelin starred restaurants can't beat beans on toast, taking the piss out of Damian Hirst from their magnolia homes with the avocado bathroom suite while lauding Banksy.

This is a musicians forum, where a thread about cats or a thread for word association will get a thousand posts, and the members who post their music in the recording section get two or three responses. A forum with over 30,000 members that has a monthly composition competition that attracts about 36 votes.

We are all deeply ignorant of most things, so don't get too self-indulgent about people not understanding your music.
[/quote]

Yes, all of that, but with one observation. I'd say that when people say things like 'modern art is crap' or 'rap is crap' it's usually just a colloquial way of saying they don't like it personally, rather than some absolute judgement - which of course it can't be. There is no 'bad' art, music included, but each piece or song will cause different people to have different feelings.

Seems to me that the OP is about a passion for something. Music in this case, but it could be anything, and by the sound of it music to the exclusion of almost everything else. Well that's fine but it won't be for everyone, which is also fine, so it's a bit futile trying to understand why other people don't have the same passion.

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[quote name='Weststarx' timestamp='1411461065' post='2559646']
I might be wrong but I think I know what Blue is saying...

That when someone finds out your in a band and they start talking to you about it when they either dont care or have no actual interest in what you do or in music.

The amount of times I've had someone ask me about my band etc and I've started to explain what it is I'm into and do, you can see the other person just half listening and wishing they never asked and they quickly end the conversation with 'Oh well I'll have to come see you sometime' which they subsequently never do.

They're probably just trying to be polite and create a converstation with you but it does get on my nerves because when the converstaion only gets that far, I feel they are somehow judging or laughing at me, because if they were actually interested in talking to me about it and understood what I do, they would atleast talked about it for longer than 2 minutes and would have maybe come to one show.
[/quote]

From the other side, bear in mind that some of us are terrible at this smalltalk nonsense and it's obvious to any onlooker that we'd rather the ground swallowed us up. You think [i]you're[/i] being judged? Too many times have I been on the other side, having to talk to someone new, scrabbling around for something to ask to at least look like I'm interested (which I am), all the time having a little voice in your head saying "they're going to think you're a knob". Painful.

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[list]
[*][size=4]So they still listen to music and for all you know, they could be passionate about it in their own way. Who are you to judge ?[/size]
[/list]
[size=4]
I think I detect some musical snobbery in your post. Music is there to be enjoyed in whatever way, and in whatever amount of time the listener chooses to indulge in it. Just because someone does not listen to the music you like, or possibly not as often, does not mean they dont enjoy it as much as you.[/size]

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[quote name='BetaFunk' timestamp='1411461173' post='2559648']
I've found the complete opposite.

Most of my friends who don't play music and aren't in bands have larger music collections and go to more gigs than those i know that play music.

P.S. Great post by xilddx by the way.
[/quote]

Agreed from this commentator - the increase in my involvement in bands/gigs/songwriting has exactly coincided with a marked decrease in collection and collation of music in the house, and I used to be a voracious consumer of CDs.

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I think the point Blue is making crosses over into many people's fields of interest.

I was with some guys talking about football. One guy noticed I wasn't really interested, so he asked what my interest was. Very quickly the discussion got onto everyone answering "what is the greatest album you've ever had?"

Isn't this like a guy saying he's keen on football and the conversation going straight to talking about players in pro-teams, when what he really wants to talk about is controlling the spin, whilst gaining lift, on a penalty kick. The fact is most people are simply incapable of having an intelligent conversation about any form of music beyond the simple level of "what do you like?"

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[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1411451973' post='2559556']
Try starting a thread on Hip Hop on here and you'll get the same sh*t. 'Wha wha wha, it's crap, it ain't music, them rappers can't even sing, it aint f***ing music, there's no skill' etc etc. And it's bullshit because they only know about the hip hop they hear about in the news and on mainstream music channels, they don't know about the political rappers, the rappers that want to have a positive influence rather than rap about hos and $$ , the underground hip hop scene - they are ignorant, and yet they are musicians.
[/quote]

I used to be one of those people. But even a lot of the "simpler" stuff is way beyond my skill range. I still class rap as music, but with more emphasis on it being a more complex form of poetry. Adding music, interesting rhythms, and the fact that you hear some of them say the words so fast but still be coherent is a skill and a talent worthy of respect. And that's before you look into the lyrical content of some of the greats.

It's still not something I would choose to listen to the majority of the time, but that's personal taste rather than me saying "rap is spelt with a silent C" :lol:

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[quote name='xilddx' timestamp='1411451973' post='2559556']Music is for all, in whatever form they want it...Try starting a thread on Hip Hop on here and you'll get the same sh*t...This is a musicians forum, where a thread about cats or a thread for word association will get a thousand posts, and the members who post their music in the recording section get two or three responses. A forum with over 30,000 members that has a monthly composition competition that attracts about 36 votes.[/quote]

Well, you know for sure I'm going to agree wholeheartedly with these sentiments! :D

Good post, Nige.

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Define being in to music....going to the pub every weekend to watch the bands? Owning obscure Coltrane/Phish/Nirvana/(insert favourite band) bootlegs? Knowing who played what instrument on what album? Being able to deconstruct a piece of music and accurately transcribe and analyse it? Buying the new 'Now'album and watching 'Later....'?
I'd say that music has played a major part of my life-I've earned a living as a musician since I left school, and my Dad earned a
living as a musician for 40 years-but it's not the only thing in life, and I'm not going to get pissed off if conversations don't turn
to how many rare albums you've got or what drums Vinnie is playing now.If I did, I'd have very few conversations with anyone because people actually have other interests. I really like F1, but I'm going to get lost if you started talking about the intricacies of the engines or the lower placed drivers of the '80s. Same thing.

I also don't find it patronising if someone says that they would like to hear you play.Maybe they are just being polite or maybe, in that moment, they are being genuine.We've all done it, I'm sure.

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