What have you learned in 2016?

[Kevin Dean]

To keep equipment as simple as possible .

[pete.young]

TrevorR, I hope 2017 is a good year for you.

This year, I've re-affirmed that is more important to work with people that you love, trust and have confidence in. I've learned that the maximum number of guitarists needed in a band is one.

[gjones]

[quote name='Jazzneck' timestamp='1482255088' post='3198968']
That is what I REALLY think and what I REALLY do.
.....and today is that one time per month.
[/quote]

See you.....um....in a months time I suppose

[gjones]

[quote name='Callumjord' timestamp='1482783598' post='3202746']
The two things I would say I have learnt the most this year is to follow the kick and when not to play. These are probably the two things I wish I learnt a lot earlier.
[/quote]

Those are two very useful things to learn. Of course you can also ask the drummer to follow you with his kick drum too.

[Cato]

After 25 odd years of playing bass and skinny string guitars, but never in front of my family, after an impromptu boxing day jam with various brother in law's and friends of the family(who to be fair have only been playing for a fraction of that time), it turns out that they're quite impressed with my skills.

Edited December 27, 2016 by Cato

[KingPrawn]

I've learnt to look after myself more and jacked in one of the bands I play in. Not because of personalities.. it's because I'm sick of playing for the sack of it. My confidence is growing and I'm more comfortable with my real ability. I've also learnt I don't need to worry about if I'm impressing people by being all technical. That just being simple and getting it right is more important..

[blue]

[quote name='KingPrawn' timestamp='1482800322' post='3202837']
I've learnt to look after myself more and jacked in one of the bands I play in. Not because of personalities.. it's because I'm sick of playing for the sack of it. My confidence is growing and I'm more comfortable with my real ability. I've also learnt I don't need to worry about if I'm impressing people by being all technical. That just being simple and getting it right is more important..
[/quote]

Exactly, I can only take but so much of Wooten or Miller.

Blue

[Bilbo]

This year, I have mostly played bass with Steve Waterman, David Horniblow, Simon Spillett, Andy Panayi, Martin Speake, Jacqui Hicks, Tony Kofi, Cameron Pierre, Georgina Jackson, John Etheridge, Julian Stringle, Tommaso Starace, Stewart Curtis, Nicolas Meier, Asaf Sirkis, Hannah Horton, Nigel Price, Josephine Davies, Kate Williams, Kevin Flanagan, Chris Ingham, John Parker, George Double, Russ Morgan, Alex Best, Andy Watson, Mark Cecil, Simon Brown, Paul Higgs, Zak Barrett, Dan Banks, Mick Hanson, Gione da Silva, Myke Clifford, Gary Leach and a bloke called Ron. And all without leaving Felixstowe.

I learned that it you can improve exponentially just by ensuring that all of the people you play with are sh*t hot

[Cyrene]

Not to trust a band who espouse peace, collectivism and democracy, but who are actually only concerned with free lifts and legal highs.

[Wylie]

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1482221936' post='3198496']
About Bass, about music, about playing in a band.

I've had an odd year - playing music that should have worked, but didn't because of the people (well, one person in particular), getting very depressed about the lack of a music scene where I live - to the point of almost giving up / selling all my gear - and then accidentally stumbling on a whole new group of musicians who I never knew existed, playing music that I totally love. Given that my technique can't have improved in the space of a week, but that leaving one band and joining another has made me feel like a much better player almost overnight, I conclude that synergy and personality cannot be underestimated. I [i]knew [/i]this already, but recent months have really rammed it home. It's about people as much as chops.

Technically, I've been learning to follow the singer rather than relying on knowing exactly what chords the guitarist is playing.This has opened up a world of unusual possibilities, since the melodies rely on scales that you don't find often in Anglo-American music. I'm looking forward to 2017 a lot more than I looked forward to 2016.
[/quote]

Learned to read music, also learned to look at a jazz tune in a global way, so to speak: find the key center(s), play over those chords in major or minor scales.

[Bilbo]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1483031801' post='3204316']


You played with Asaf Sirkis? Wow!
[/quote]

I know. And at the same time as Nicolas Meier. It was as good as it sounds. :-)

[Bilbo]

RhysP. I am sorry. I think I deleted your post whilst quoting it.

[Bilbo]

This was RhysP's post

[quote name='Bilbo' timestamp='1482837428' post='3202949']
This year, I have mostly played bass with Steve Waterman, David Horniblow, Simon Spillett, Andy Panayi, Martin Speake, Jacqui Hicks, Tony Kofi, Cameron Pierre, Georgina Jackson, John Etheridge, Julian Stringle, Tommaso Starace, Stewart Curtis, Nicolas Meier, Asaf Sirkis, Hannah Horton, Nigel Price, Josephine Davies, Kate Williams, Kevin Flanagan, Chris Ingham, John Parker, George Double, Russ Morgan, Alex Best, Andy Watson, Mark Cecil, Simon Brown, Paul Higgs, Zak Barrett, Dan Banks, Mick Hanson, Gione da Silva, Myke Clifford, Gary Leach and a bloke called Ron. And all without leaving Felixstowe.

I learned that it you can improve exponentially just by ensuring that all of the people you play with are sh*t hot
[/quote]

You played with Asaf Sirkis? Wow!

[Rexel Matador]

That switching from bass to guitar at the age of 14 might just have been the start of a 20 year detour. It's great to be back. Harder than it looks, isn't it?

Edit: Oh, and also that Basschat is almost certainly the friendliest corner of the entire internet.

Edited December 30, 2016 by Rexel Matador