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Why are you frustrated as a bassist?


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[quote name='icastle' timestamp='1364345243' post='2025335']
I'm content and happy with my musical ability and am lucky that others are as well.
[/quote]

This... however, I'm not complacent - I'm always up for new musical experiences - but I'm not frustrated in any way.
I do get frustrated with other people's musical ability, though! That's what comes of being an egomaniac, I expect. :)

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[quote name='SpaceChick' timestamp='1364368436' post='2025395']
I'm not frustrated as I appreciate that my journey as a bassist is one of small improvements, when I can see these improvements, I smile.

I think to be frustrated you must worry that your learning and growth has stopped.

Me, I know no matter how much I develop I will always have something to learn, and will always be able to grow. So I will keep playing with a big grin on my face!
[/quote]
[quote name='Conan' timestamp='1364371129' post='2025416']
What frustrates me more is the way that the mundane things in life impinge on the time that I have to play and enjoy music.

One of the problems of being "middle aged" (as I found out that I was yesterday...) is that you have wider responsibilities than simply indulging yourself (ambiguity partly intended!).

My job in particular seems to be taking more out of me than it ever did before. When I get home I just want to cook a nice meal, drink lots of beer/wine/whisky, watch a bit of TV.... and by that time I'm usually asleep on the sofa.

Christ, I'm boring [i]myself[/i] now! :blush:
[/quote]

... appreciate the thread... and these two posts (slightly more than the others - because I empathize)

with three young children, space is at a premium in our house; but this is a poor excuse, because If I really want to set up and practice or record, then I can... and should a lot more... my only frustration is having some ideas, usually when I'm outdoors - and not being anywhere near the gear!! :)

:hi:

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[quote name='SimonEdward' timestamp='1364417586' post='2026306']
my only frustration is having some ideas, usually when I'm outdoors - and not being anywhere near the gear!! :)
[/quote]

I used to find that as well.

Now I just grab my mobile and use the recorder thing to hum the melody so I don't forget it for later. :)

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I'm frustrated because I have ended up playing guitar when I wanted to play bass. I'm in a merry band of 3. One plays bass, one guitar or bass and one vocals. That is me in the middle. It's good fun though so I'm rolling with it. Probably better at guitar anywayz

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I wouldn't say I am frustrated as a bass player (or indeed as a guitarist or a singer). Then again, the idea of being able to 'express yourself' sounds like tree-hugging hippy twaddle to me. I play music because, to quote Eddie Cochran, '[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#474747][size=4]When it all comes true man, wow, that's something else!' - by which I mean, hearing the band playing great and realising you're a part of it, and (sometimes) seeing/hearing the audience acknowledging that fact by cheering, dancing etc.[/size][/color][/font]

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What frustrates me in life and bass playing is that I'm fickle and hate routine. Some things I do stick to a routine - getting up and going to work, running on Wed, Fri and Sun. But that's more because I have to. My work isn't routine I'm reactive to changing situations.

So music wise I'll join a band and immerse myself in learning all the material. I'll get really good. I'll do a few gigs then...

There's hundreds of thousands of tunes out there. Gigging bands play 12 of them plus a few others. The audience want that but I would like to play 3 or 4 new tunes each gig and have a high turnover of tunes. I can do that but finding a band of others who want to do that, are flexible in their choices and willing to play tunes that they don't particularly like for a couple of gigs because their choices will get played is kind of frustrating.

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Im frustrated because i watched "reddy freddy washington" 25 yrs ago and im still not as good as him technically or untechnically despite many hours of practice., ive not performed globally like he has, i bet his wife is better looking than mine and i bet he has a lot more money than me. I suspect that he has more friends than me and is also healthier. im also frustrated because he gets a really nice tone from what can only be described as the most basic of bass guitars (fender P) and i am very jealous.
so thats why im frustrated

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I'm not frustrated. For a time in my very early 20's I wanted to be somewhat rich and famous. Insane really considering I wouldn't compromise myself or my playing to do it. I passed on loads of bands who were signed and learned very quickly that wasn't what I wanted in my musical life. In the situations I'm in I fit well and my aims are modest. Just play original music I enjoy with people I like. My one musical ambition is to play a gig (only one!!) where every single song was mine. I haven't done it yet and I think that I probably never will.

I'm certainly not frustrated with my playing or gear or anything like that.

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I wouldn't say I am frustrated with my abilities as a bassist. I never wanted to be a musician anyway. Happy being a designer by trade! Despite that, I love performing in my original band and have been told that my basslines are sweet, solid, stand out and well thought out. I also hope we get loads of gigs and become more established.

The only thing that really does frustrate me is trying to get gigs as an original band. We have been fully established since January 2012 and we have had one gig. That is poor. What is even more frustrating is pubs/venues not getting back to you. I guess I am a frustrated bassist lol.

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[quote name='L_Bass_Dog85' timestamp='1364425339' post='2026472']
I wouldn't say I am frustrated with my abilities as a bassist. I never wanted to be a musician anyway. Happy being a designer by trade! Despite that, I love performing in my original band and have been told that my basslines are sweet, solid, stand out and well thought out. I also hope we get loads of gigs and become more established.

The only thing that really does frustrate me is trying to get gigs as an original band. We have been fully established since January 2012 and we have had one gig. That is poor. What is even more frustrating is pubs/venues not getting back to you. I guess I am a frustrated bassist lol.
[/quote]

+1

... I never wanted to be 'the' Bass player... I liked playing Piano/Synths, but there were other better pianists/keyboard players around at the time (late 1980's) when an opportunity came to form a band with my mates... we had grown up together. I played the bass lines on an old Yamaha PSR-something... and then when I could afford to buy a proper bass, in my late teen's... well, here we are... 23-years later... B)

I'm also quite happy being a LEAN+Six sigma data cruncher by trade! but, I guess I could be a frustrated Keyboard player lol. :D

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[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1364419686' post='2026359']
I wouldn't say I am frustrated as a bass player (or indeed as a guitarist or a singer). [b]Then again, the idea of being able to 'express yourself' sounds like tree-hugging hippy twaddle to me. [/b]I play music because, to quote Eddie Cochran, '[font=arial,helvetica,sans-serif][color=#474747]When it all comes true man, wow, that's something else!' - by which I mean, hearing the band playing great and realising you're a part of it, and (sometimes) seeing/hearing the audience acknowledging that fact by cheering, dancing etc.[/color][/font]
[/quote]
Really? Could you STOP being a musician? And haven't you completely contradicted yourself with your Eddie Cochran quote?

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[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1364418538' post='2026333']
A man humming a tune into a mobile phone - nothing weird about that. :crazy:
[/quote]

I did get a strange look humming a tune into my phone whilst walking across the local Co-op supermarket carpark a few weeks ago.

I just grinned and said 'strippergram'. :)

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What makes you frustrated as person?

For me, it's not being able to drink myself stupid, but still touch people... no hang on, forget the last bit, it's about being able to be myself... no, no, hang on... play the bass? hmmm. I can do that sometimes... not now... but sometimes.. anyway...

zzzzzzzzzzzzz.zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............

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I'm only frustrated in that I'd like:

More people to come to our gigs=money in the band kitty=record more songs.

I'm more on BRX's wavelength in that writing songs and being in a band who can present them is miles more important than musicianship to me. Playing the bass is fun too of course.


I can't watch the Steve Vai vids as I find him unsettling for some reason!

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[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1364344758' post='2025330']
Nige, perhaps a lot of this does apply to some people here but I'm just a guy who plays a bit of bass in occasionally gigging bands. I'm not frustrated, I dont expect to express myself fully, I don't have a unique voice or expect to, yet I do sometimes delight myself and I do sometimes touch other people or at least make them dance.

But I don't and can't take it so seriously.
[/quote]

^^^This. But I do want to be playing a lot more gigs, and that lack can frustrate me.

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