How do I get to Carnegie Hall?

[Bilbo]

Whilst I try as hard as time allows to be the most rounded musician I can be, there are areas of my playing that are pretty much nailed but, equally, there are areas where I have to acknowledge shortcomings. My time is pretty good, I can find my way around most chord charts, my reading is ok, my Latin bass playing is quite sophisticated, my walking lines can be quite creative on a good day, I can improvise reasonably convincingly over most Jazz standards etc. On the other hand, I have no more than a rudimentary slap technique, my two-handed tapping is negligible, my knowledge of harmony is more limited than I would like it to be, my intonation on double bass is shaky and my thumb position playing is grim.

Walking through town this lunchtime, getting some air, I was thinking about a gig I recently did with guitarist Nigel Price (who I have know for about 15 years). When I first gigged with Nigel, he was great but in the intervening years he has progressed at an astonishing rate and is now absolutely world class. Nigel still practices 4 hours a day. Running this over in my mind, I had a revelation.....

[b]Things I have practiced diligently in the past[/b]

Time
Finding my way around chord charts
Reading
Latin bass
Walking lines
Improvisation

[b]Things I have hardly ever or never practiced but just ‘picked up as I went along’[/b]

Slap technique
Two-handed tapping
Intonation on double bass
Thumb position playing

I see a pattern developing.....

[Kirky]

I reckon the Carnegie Hall in Dunfermline is well within your capabilities, Bilbo.

[Dingus]

Well , I wouldn't worry too much about the two- handed tapping ! To me it usually sounds rubbish on a bass even when it's done well , and has limited practical application , at best , unless you are thinking about doing some kind of a novelty act [i] . [/i]Billy Sheehan is just about the only person I have heard do it convincingly. Victor Wooten and Stu Hamm do nothing for me , personally .

When you say slap , do you mean slap on an upright or slap on electric ? I dont know too much about slap on an upright , but learning to slap on electric is relatively easy to learn and develop as a style . Maybe because you play fretless that is why you haven't worked on it much . It's a lot harder to slap on a fretless , to say the least .

Edited September 13, 2013 by Dingus

[Lowender]

Nobody does it all equally well. Some things come easily and some things require more work, bu if you ignore something either because it's difficult or because you just daren't interested in it, obviously it is not going to be very developed.

One important lesson I've learned over the years -- [b][i]"Work on your weak points, but concentrate on your strong points. " [/i][/b]In other words, if slapping doesn't come naturally to you, don't expect to be a monster slapper. Get good enough to be able to pull some stuff off. Then showcase what you're better at than most others. That's what makes music interesting-- not a million people who are all equally competent at the same things.

[Phil Adams]

Practice

[KevB]

But realistically for those of us that have full time jobs and other interests in addition to music how much time is sensible to spend trying to master something that you have rarely been required to do and are not intrinsically interested in but feel might be handy just in case for a very very occasional situation?

[Bilbo]

[quote name='Phil Adams' timestamp='1379081427' post='2208486']
Practice
[/quote]

Bloody good idea, old sport.

[Phil Adams]

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1379082281' post='2208496']


Bloody good idea, old sport.
[/quote]

C'mon, surely you remember the TV advert???

Edited September 13, 2013 by Phil Adams

[wateroftyne]

Assuming you can find your way to Heathrow, [url="http://goo.gl/maps/P7iSZ"]this should help you[/url].

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='Dingus' timestamp='1379078743' post='2208456']
...but learning to slap on electric is relatively easy to learn and develop as a style ...
[/quote]

Oi! Dingus! NO!!!

[Dingus]

[quote name='Happy Jack' timestamp='1379084111' post='2208516']
Oi! Dingus! NO!!!
[/quote]

It's true , I tell ya' ! Nowadays , with the help of You Tube , anybody can be Clutterbucking in no time at all .

[lojo]

I stick to the village hall and play with people who think its the said hall, it's always good fun and I'm home for coco

[risingson]

[quote name='Lowender' timestamp='1379080072' post='2208468']
One important lesson I've learned over the years -- [b][i]"Work on your weak points, but concentrate on your strong points. " [/i][/b]
[/quote]

This is excellent advice. I'm at a position where I can appreciate my shortcomings. I play regularly dep for a band where their main bass player is insanely gospel orientated, listening to him can be truly mind boggling and inspiring, but the other lads in the band have commented on my economical way of playing and how much they love it when I dep. Trying to mirror the other guy's bass playing here would be the mistake because whilst I love gospel, it's not been the main focus of my learning over the years.

I like the bass player I am now, but I also love the continuous learning as a bass player.