Church last night (music commentary)
So I play bass in church and have been doing so for nearly 3 years. I love playing bass. It gives me a sense of glee that isn't like the other bits of music joy I have. I also sing (mezzo-soprano, thank you very much), play percussion (in an orchestra with a not-very-good conductor), and even have done some oboe. (My Fox is one of the best oboes there is. Thank you very much x 2)
Last night, one of the other people was singing lead instead of me, and I took that time to play some really noodly bass lines. I'm a great singer, and I'm a pretty good bass player. I haven't learned yet to be amazing at both of them at the same time. Unlike many times recently, we also had the drummer and guitarist there, too. They've been gone for a while. Like normal, we had the keyboards as those are done by the preacher, and basically no preacher, no service.
But there I am, just playing my little heart out, taking the time to think about what I was doing and how things would fit into the context. I did okay, but I realize I play more like a jazzer in some ways because most of the time I have to play more to fill out the sound. I also know that I am better as a bassist than our guitarist is at his instrument. I could mop the floor with him, and I'm not that great.
Anyhow, he was trying to solo last night, and I realized I had to not play that piece of music how I usually would so that he could get the attention as a soloist. I had to pull back and be restrained. It was a real lesson in the application of bass player thinking. We always hear about playing to the song and doing just what the song needs. Last night, that song needed me to play as simply as possible to make someone else and, therefore, all of us sound good.
And now to the drummer. I turned to him at one point and noticed that he was attempting to use traditional grip and was doing it wrong. I couldn't really help what happened next. My mom tells me I have an expressive face, and sometimes that expressiveness is a liability. (I guess I'd never be a poker player!) I remember being horrified thinking that A)Why was he using traditional grip?, and B) if he was going to do it, at least he could to it right.
I tried to turn away and not look at him for the rest of the song, but the damage had been done. He'd seen the look on my face. Between the songs, I rushed to explain, though, that it wasn't to be taken personally at all. And me being me, I gave a quick music history lesson of just why doing traditional grip on the drumset is so not necessary.
And this is why we need regular rehearsals so little surprises don't come and bite us in the butt.
As for the traditional grip vs. matched grip thing... Matched grip all the way, people! There is absolutely no need for traditional grip unless one is in an authentic pipe band or other such ensemble. The only two things that traditional grip did help me do was learn form on the German bass bow (a right-handed mirror of traditional left hand) and how to hold my chopsticks (which I do lefty quite naturally though I'm a rightie).
Last night, one of the other people was singing lead instead of me, and I took that time to play some really noodly bass lines. I'm a great singer, and I'm a pretty good bass player. I haven't learned yet to be amazing at both of them at the same time. Unlike many times recently, we also had the drummer and guitarist there, too. They've been gone for a while. Like normal, we had the keyboards as those are done by the preacher, and basically no preacher, no service.
But there I am, just playing my little heart out, taking the time to think about what I was doing and how things would fit into the context. I did okay, but I realize I play more like a jazzer in some ways because most of the time I have to play more to fill out the sound. I also know that I am better as a bassist than our guitarist is at his instrument. I could mop the floor with him, and I'm not that great.
Anyhow, he was trying to solo last night, and I realized I had to not play that piece of music how I usually would so that he could get the attention as a soloist. I had to pull back and be restrained. It was a real lesson in the application of bass player thinking. We always hear about playing to the song and doing just what the song needs. Last night, that song needed me to play as simply as possible to make someone else and, therefore, all of us sound good.
And now to the drummer. I turned to him at one point and noticed that he was attempting to use traditional grip and was doing it wrong. I couldn't really help what happened next. My mom tells me I have an expressive face, and sometimes that expressiveness is a liability. (I guess I'd never be a poker player!) I remember being horrified thinking that A)Why was he using traditional grip?, and B) if he was going to do it, at least he could to it right.
I tried to turn away and not look at him for the rest of the song, but the damage had been done. He'd seen the look on my face. Between the songs, I rushed to explain, though, that it wasn't to be taken personally at all. And me being me, I gave a quick music history lesson of just why doing traditional grip on the drumset is so not necessary.
And this is why we need regular rehearsals so little surprises don't come and bite us in the butt.
As for the traditional grip vs. matched grip thing... Matched grip all the way, people! There is absolutely no need for traditional grip unless one is in an authentic pipe band or other such ensemble. The only two things that traditional grip did help me do was learn form on the German bass bow (a right-handed mirror of traditional left hand) and how to hold my chopsticks (which I do lefty quite naturally though I'm a rightie).