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Competition to promote and encourage aspiring bass players?


j4ck
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[color=#333333]Okay, drummers have the UK based [i]Young Drummer of the Year[/i] ([/color][url="http://www.youngdrummeroftheyear.com/"][color=#333333]http://www.youngdrummeroftheyear.com/[/color][/url][color=#333333] 2017 event just concluded) and the global drumming contest for female drummers [i]Hit Like A Girl[/i] ([/color][url="http://hitlikeagirlcontest.com/"][color=#333333]http://hitlikeagirlcontest.com/[/color][/url][color=#333333] 2017 contest accepting entries now), but is there anything - especially something UK centric - for bass players?[/color]

[color=#333333]And if not... why not?[/color]

[color=#333333]Jack[/color]

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[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1486927742' post='3235645']
Because music shouldn't be a competition?
[/quote]

Right, I really wasn’t trying to be contentious, but glib responses such as this contribute little. I did say to “promote and encourage aspiring bass players” - it’s not as if I’m suggesting Britain’s Got Bleedin’ Talent?

Unless you’ve never auditioned a fellow musician, or indeed been auditioned, the industry is inherently competitive.

The two competitions I mentioned, by reputation, do seem to serve the drumming community rather well, especially as they seek to attract young drummers – always a good thing, and female drummers – of which there are disappointingly few.


Jack

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[quote name='j4ck' timestamp='1486927347' post='3235636']
[color=#333333]Okay, drummers have the [b]UK based [i]Young Drummer of the Year[/i] ([/b][/color][b][url="http://www.youngdrummeroftheyear.com/"][color=#333333]http://www.youngdrummeroftheyear.com/[/color][/url][/b][color=#333333][b] 2017[/b] event just concluded) and the global drumming contest for female drummers [i]Hit Like A Girl[/i] ([/color][url="http://hitlikeagirlcontest.com/"][color=#333333]http://hitlikeagirlcontest.com/[/color][/url][color=#333333] 2017 contest accepting entries now), but is there anything - especially something UK centric - for bass players?[/color]

[color=#333333]And if not... why not?[/color]

[color=#333333]Jack[/color]
[/quote]

Nothing to add to the thread, other than to say that Mike Dolbear deserves an award himself for his services to the drumming community. Lovely bloke that bends over backwards for young and upcoming drummers.

I'm not aware of a bass specific event, but I see no problem with recognising and encouraging new musicians in any form. I was a beginner once and I am proud to say that I spend every day nurturing and supporting new bassists and guitarists.

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[quote name='j4ck' timestamp='1486929810' post='3235682']
Right, I really wasn’t trying to be contentious, but glib responses such as this contribute little. I did say to “promote and encourage aspiring bass players” - it’s not as if I’m suggesting Britain’s Got Bleedin’ Talent?

Unless you’ve never auditioned a fellow musician, or indeed been auditioned, the industry is inherently competitive.

The two competitions I mentioned, by reputation, do seem to serve the drumming community rather well, especially as they seek to attract young drummers – always a good thing, and female drummers – of which there are disappointingly few.


Jack
[/quote]

I didn't think you were being contentious, and there is absolutely nothing glib about my response.

How the hell do you compare Bob Babbit with Victor Wooten, Chas Hodges with Mark King, Robbie Shakespeare with Adam Clayton? You can't.

There's a great competition on at the moment, the 6 Nations. Enjoy that for what it is, enjoy music for what it is.

Oh, and auditions are completely different for a competition in that a player is being assessed for a specific role, not to be judged as "The Best".

So, glib, no. Passionate about how music should be treated, enjoyed and nurtured, yes.

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As long as the performers are actually playing what does it matter if it's a competition, my mate Joe was a runner up twice in the young drummer competition and third on a tv talent show, he's not only gone on to be a full time pro drummer touring Europe and making a living as a session pro but he's also appeared on an album with myself!

Edited by stingrayPete1977
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I'm afraid I don't agree with turning music into a completion at a young age particularly.

If there's a winner there are also losers, being a loser or runner up for some could have an awful effect on their self confidence, especially if they've maybe been talked into taking part by well meaning, but nevertheless pushy parents.

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1486931140' post='3235700']
what does it matter if it's a competition
[/quote]
Who judges, and what do they judge? It's all opinion, that's my main beef, and when it comes to these things, often opinion is swayed by the wrong thing - ridiculously great technique, speed, showmanship. But hey, I must stop being glib :huh:

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I dont think its about turning music into a competition, the competition would be a necessary evil to bring bass playing more in to the public eye, to encourage others to pickup the instrument, either for the first time or again.
It should also encourage existing players to have something to aspire to or encourage them to learn new techniques. It would hopefully also get the public to listen to and appreciate bass playing in a new light....

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[quote name='ambient' timestamp='1486931329' post='3235702']
I'm afraid I don't agree with turning music into a completion at a young age particularly.

If there's a winner there are also losers, being a loser or runner up for some could have an awful effect on their self confidence, especially if they've maybe been talked into taking part by well meaning, but nevertheless pushy parents.
[/quote]

Are you one of these that don't believe schools should have sports days then?

Lets all rip up those grade 8 certificates while we are here :)

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1486932868' post='3235715']


Are you one of these that don't believe schools should have sports days then?

Lets all rip up those grade 8 certificates while we are here :)
[/quote]

Non competing sports days maybe.

I've no problem with qualifications in music that's different.

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[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1486932868' post='3235715']
Are you one of these that don't believe schools should have sports days then?

Lets all rip up those grade 8 certificates while we are here :)
[/quote]
In a sports day, someone is fastest/highest/strongest, even if the hippies refuse to acknowledge it. But whose bass playing is best? Which painting is best? Which song is best? Which book is best? Welsh cakes or scones?

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I don't have an issue with musical competitions per se as I was brought up playing brass instruments and it was common practice to enter competitions either as a solo, duo, quartet etc or full band. The pieces were set by the adjudicators prior to the event so everyone payed the same piece. Although the music was scripted it was up to each entrant to practise and interpret the piece their way. They were then marked on tone, technique, dynamics, tempo and overall interpretation. If we'd only been assessed on simply how fast, complex or popular a piece was, it would have missed the point.

At a sports day its pretty easy to assess who is the winner as its usually 1 dimensional against a known standard eg: time, distance, points etc. Music is much more complex and subjective as to how it moves each listener differently. If there is to be any musical competition I think it has to be carefully thought out - what are the judges going to assess, how will they do it, how will they feed their comments back and what is the aim of the contest. If in my case the contests were set up to encourage me to practice and work towards a goal in a constructive manor, great. If in cases like the X-Factor its just a money mill that I don't feel encourages people into music then....nah. Not for me. :-)

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I agree with others against the idea of music competitions. Once rock n roll was about youthful rebellion. Now it's a business what with awards, competitions etc. If kids are passionate about learning any instrument they'll find a way. Besides, music is subjective and who's to say one player is more worthy of winning a competition than others.

Edited by Barking Spiders
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[quote name='Acebassmusic' timestamp='1486937332' post='3235778']
I don't have an issue with musical competitions per se as I was brought up playing brass instruments and it was common practice to enter competitions either as a solo, duo, quartet etc or full band. The pieces were set by the adjudicators prior to the event so everyone payed the same piece. Although the music was scripted it was up to each entrant to practise and interpret the piece their way. They were then marked on tone, technique, dynamics, tempo and overall interpretation. If we'd only been assessed on simply how fast, complex or popular a piece was, it would have missed the point.

If in my case the contests were set up to encourage me to practice and work towards a goal in a constructive manor, great. If in cases like the X-Factor its just a money mill that I don't feel encourages people into music then....nah. Not for me. :-)
[/quote]

That's how I see it.
Some musicians are quite happy to practise extra, push themselves that bit further and enter comps, that's what drives them on to better things.
Others are quite happy with the Dog and Duck.
Both ways work. Do what you are happy with.

Like Acebassmusic said, comps for musicians have always been around.
It's that for Electric Bass, they are few and very far between. (The point of the OP's post).

Edited by lowdown
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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1486935514' post='3235753']

In a sports day, someone is fastest/highest/strongest, even if the hippies refuse to acknowledge it. But whose bass playing is best? Which painting is best? Which song is best? Which book is best? Welsh cakes or scones?
[/quote]

From what I gather there is an element of playing progressively more complicated parts where actual mistakes are scored down in the young drummers competition.

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Not to stoke flames here but...... how to we feel about awards? The Grammy's, MOBO's, NME, Billboard etc. These are all sort of competitions right? I'm not saying I wholeheartedly agree with some of the nominations or winners for the aforementioned awards and I think there's obviously a certain element of it being a "popularity contest" - take your average local battle of the bands as case in point. I guess the difference here is a band doesn't set out to write a "grammy winner" and I suppose it's the industry that judges. Music like all art is incredibly subjective, you might love something that sounds like white noise to me so a "competition" is not necessarily the best format. I guess like with the other well known music awards you'd have to separate it out in to categories like "Jazz", "Folk", "Rock" etc in order to incorporate different playing styles fairly.

I don't think "competition" is a particularly helpful word for what I think is being suggested here. Competition suggests scoring points and turning an art form into a sport. That said, there's plenty of art's competitions for pretty much every art form imaginable. I have been to a couple of music shows where there's been a solo battle and the "winner" is picked by audience vote, again a la battle of the bands. These are fun to watch and I think no serious musician is going to say "well this guy is better than that guy", it just simply comes down to who played the "better" solo (or who your mates are lol!).

Again, not trying to advocate turning bass playing into a sport but I think some sort of "Bass Player Awards" would be really cool and a fun thing to be part of. Just my musings on the subject.

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Is this the best topic for promoting our very own monthly Basschat Composition Challenge (note 'Challenge', not 'Competition'...)..?

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/299683-february-composition-challenge/"]February's Basschat Compostion Challenge ... [/url]

Purely for fun, of course, and the world-wide renown that collecting the most votes brings (and a free, printable Winner's Certificate...).
Lots of fun for young and old. Go on, have a go; you know it makes sense..!

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[quote name='arthurhenry' timestamp='1486935514' post='3235753']
In a sports day, someone is fastest/highest/strongest, even if the hippies refuse to acknowledge it. But whose bass playing is best? Which painting is best? Which song is best? Which book is best? Welsh cakes or scones?
[/quote]

Welsh Cakes.

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