What's The WORST Advice...?

[Lowender]

As well meaning as it may have been, what's the worst musical advice you've ever gotten?

For me, it's two things: "Don;t listen to recording of yourself, or you;'ll start to copy yourself. " (I took that to heart and it made me waste years of potential progress).

The second is : "Don't use a metronome or your playing will be stiff." (I know Jeff Berlin is still advocating this, but as much as I respect Jeff as a player, it's just flat out idiotic).

What's yours?

[discreet]

'Don't try to be a pro musician - you'll fail. If you must make the attempt be sure you have a trade to fall back on'. Bwa-ha-ha!

Edited October 19, 2013 by discreet

[BassBus]

Someone once said to me "Never sell a musical instrument. You'll always regret it".

I have taken him at his word. Now I need a bigger house. [size=4] [/size]

[discreet]

[quote name='BassBus' timestamp='1382191380' post='2249097']
Someone once said to me "Never sell a musical instrument. You'll always regret it".
[size=4]I have taken him at his word. Now I need a bigger house. [/size]
[/quote]

That's good advice. I don't need a bigger house, though - I need the musical instrument back.

[xilddx]

Digital effects are crap, always buy analogue. Total crap that I believed for a long time.

[Fat Rich]

Join Basschat, it's free.

(Apart from all the gear you'll end up buying)

[Acebassmusic]

"It's fine...its lemon snow!"

[discreet]

[quote name='Acebassmusic' timestamp='1382192342' post='2249111']
"It's fine...its lemon snow!"
[/quote]

How is that musical advice?

[chris_b]

Not really advice, but:

"Your band sounds great. Just what I'm looking for. You'll get paid at the end of the tour" - Don Arden.

[Acebassmusic]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1382192994' post='2249124']
How is that musical advice?
[/quote]

Good point! I guess I should have read the thread properly....doh!

[discreet]

[quote name='Acebassmusic' timestamp='1382193543' post='2249134']
Good point! I guess I should have read the thread properly....doh!
[/quote]

Or work this in somehow...

[url="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLIppgE45wM"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TLIppgE45wM[/url]

[Jellyfish]

You don't really get much from learning theory.

[the_skezz]

'Bass should be played in such and such a way...' always turns me off, because of how many varying opinions there are on exactly what purpose bass should play and how much it should stand out - whatever works for me and the band I'm playing with at the time is what I'll stick to. Think how naff the Stranglers would be if JJ Burnel had been told to keep it simple and put focus on the guitar instead.

[rogerstodge]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1382193493' post='2249133']
Not really advice, but:

"Your band sounds great. Just what I'm looking for. You'll get paid at the end of the tour" - Don Arden.
[/quote]THIS... But John Hestenthaller

[Coilte]

[quote name='Jellyfish' timestamp='1382194976' post='2249155']
You don't really get much from learning theory.
[/quote]

..or along the same lines....theory stifles creativity.

[LukeFRC]

"It would sound better if you only played the root note, just once per bar"

Edited October 19, 2013 by LukeFRC

[EssentialTension]

"Learning music, learning theory, learning to read will stop you being creative" - That was total b******s for one thing.

and

"Playing other people songs is a waste of time, play your own songs," - That was total b******s too.

[EssentialTension]

... and...

"You need to get a five-string."

[dudewheresmybass]

You need to get x pedal. (Comp, drive or whichever)

[discreet]

'You should definitely keep playing the trumpet - you're a natural'.

[stingrayPete1977]

[quote name='EssentialTension' timestamp='1382208013' post='2249363']
... and...

"You need to get a five-string."
[/quote]
And the flip side then, "proper bass players only play four strings, everything can be done on a four with a D tuner etc etc etc" it can't and I personally should have gone to five years earlier.

[el borracho]

You should tune up using harmonics. When it makes that rippling sound it's in tune!!!

Fortunately somebody else told me otherwise fairly quickly.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1382209614' post='2249391']
And the flip side then, "proper bass players only play four strings, everything can be done on a four with a D tuner etc etc etc" it can't and I personally should have gone to five years earlier.
[/quote]
Actually, in my experience it's the other way around: "proper bass players only play five strings, everything can be done on a five without a D tuner etc etc etc" - no one has ever told me that I ought to play four strings.

[stingrayPete1977]

There are a few people on here who have lost gigs due to five string basses, lots of pro's have told me they keep a burst and tort P bass just for those gigs.

[EssentialTension]

[quote name='stingrayPete1977' timestamp='1382210489' post='2249408']
There are a few people on here who have lost gigs due to five string basses, lots of pro's have told me they keep a burst and tort P bass just for those gigs.
[/quote]
So, in those cases, was get a five-string bad advice?