Next Level Bassist Musicality Issue

the San Francisco Opera, and he had incredible insights into singing.
I remember playing Marcello sonatas and the first Bach Cello Suite for
him, and he would make me sing to find the music. I’m Italian, I’m a
tenor and I was lucky to be born with some innate ability for this but
this aspect of phrasing is so important.
Identify some records that can be a well of inspiration or joy. I think
a lot of musicians have “go to” recordings that they return to when
they’re dry. If you’re a young player, you should be building that list!
Everybody learns differently, but I’ve had a lot of success getting
people excited about the feeling of music by practicing drums with a
record. I recommend a really swinging record like “Taking Off,” Herbie
Hancock’s first solo record, with Billy Higgins playing. (Check out
Driftin’ here) Find a slow enough tempo that you can play along with
the ride cymbal, and that drummer can make you feel like a million
bucks. If you’re not smiling in about 8 bars, maybe you really need
to dig deeper.
Music is a tricky subject and not everyone responds the same way. I’ve
had instances where the main job I thought I had teaching or collaborating
with people was helping them let go of that incredibly tight grip
they had on their emotions. Sometimes we’re so afraid of making a
mistake that we can’t let go and feel the music. At the end of the day, if
you aren’t doing all the things you’re doing to create an image or tell a
story, you’re missing the mark.
I always draw a distinction between a “correct” performance and one
that is deep and meaningful. I’m totally okay with encouraging a student
to make a mistake and take some chances, because great music is
always being made on the edge! If we play a wrong note, or don’t play
everything the way we want to play it, the problem is we judge our
whole existence on that performance. We feel so crushed or destroyed
for making a mistake…it’s only music, man! Music is deep, important,
emotional, and it makes us feel things, but it’s not the way you measure
yourself in this life. If you do that, you’re setting up music as a very
harsh master, and it becomes an idol. If you do that (and I know, because
I’m sometimes a victim of a perfectionistic streak), you’ll simply
never be satisfied.
Presentation
With all the work of creating a beautiful sound, an unstoppable
groove, and all the meaningful storytelling in the world, some people
stumble at the finish line because of nerves and uncertainty. The most
important lesson you can learn if you’re trying to break into music at
a higher level is that nerves don’t disappear with experience. Although
my level of anxiety is different as a soloist in front of an orchestra than
it is playing next to Wayne Shorter, I still have my concerns and you
will too.
I know when I approach a certain type of music, like a Bottesini show
piece, that I’m going to need a period of practicing to get it ready.
Prior to recording a duet with Jeremy McCoy, I practiced the piece for
a whole year! You may find you need the same time to feel comfortable,
or you might find that you just need to walk out on stage and play
something a few times before you can find peace with it. I can say that
I’ve always poured myself 100% into the work I was given, whether
that was my classical studies in college, or my time with Chick Corea,
or the last 13 years in Wayne Shorter’s band. Even with my best and
most focused work, I’ve found that I still have a big place in my heart
for prayer and meditation. It’s not the same as working on scales, but I
know what will settle me and help me find my feet.
Most of the playing we will do in our lives will be in groups with other
people. There’s something absolutely magical to us and to audiences
about the trust and the community of playing in an ensemble. It
makes it easy to play with others and not be nervous, because we build
that muscle our entire careers. Playing alone, playing a solo, or being
featured is another muscle you need to develop conscientiously, just
like you would intonation or tone. Find out whether you need to settle
yourself into the sweet spot, or if you need to kindle a fire to be at your
best, and learn how to do it for yourself.
Conclusions
Everything I’ve said here constitutes a long list of things to learn. You
have to be willing to struggle and learn new things as long as you play
bass. As an adult, I studied for 2 years with Johnny Schaffer from the
New York Philharmonic. I had to go in there and be willing to say
“show me everything, show me the way you do it” and I learned so
much. In fact, I’m stilling learning so much. It never ends!
For my entire life, I’ve been insatiable in my desire to learn more music,
and to learn more about myself. Once you find that same desire,
you will have no trouble improving all the time. Lean on the resources
available to you, seek out new ones, and connect with your fellow
musicians to grow and to help them too. Being a great person is part of
being a great musician.
Finally, get out into the world and try new things. Stay positive when
it feels like you aren’t playing up to your full potential. You have to remind
yourself that it’s sometimes a few bars in a whole night of music
and you can’t go to a dark place over that. Don’t base your self-worth
over the solo in one tune? The world’s not going to stop! Don’t put the
whole weight of the world on the music you’re playing, because the
only way to guarantee nothing magical happens is if you don’t
take chances. ■
There’s no right or wrong way to deal with performing, it’s simply your
job to figure out what will work best for you in a given situation. Learn
what kind of preparation time you need for a recital, or for a gig, and
stick to it. At the end of the journey, you’ll be where you are because
of the work you put it, and it’s ok to appreciate that. Any performance
is just a snapshot of you at that moment, with all the time and effort
you’ve put in.
NOV/DEC 2013 NEXT LEVEL BASSIST 17