Playing bass fills a good
piece of my non-work
time. For 15 years or so,
I’ve had a regular gig with a
blues band, but the amount
of those gigs has been dwindling,
along with the venues
to play them. I augment that
downtime with a variety of
other gigs on electric bass and
acoustic upright. My plan is
to keep playing bass as long
as my hands, arms, and mind
allow—which requires a bit
of resourcefulness to unearth
other musical opportunities.
An important consideration
for lining up a variety
of opportunities is the risk
involved. Without risk, there’s
little chance for growth. Will
I get through the gig successfully?
A lot of my playing
strategy for these one-off gigs
is aimed at not getting caught,
while also trying to make the
most of my musical abilities. I
think all of us have moments
of doubt and question our ability
to get through a gig successfully—those thoughts of being
a musical imposter who will be
found out as somebody who
can’t cut it. Despite a few close
calls, things have worked out
for me so far by keeping three
things in mind.
1. Contribute from your
strength. A bad way to avoid
getting caught is trying to stay
under the radar all the time.
When you do that, you’re not
contributing to the overall
musical enterprise, and you
might not get called back. As
long as I have been playing
bass, I’ve tried to assess my
strengths and play to them, so
that I’m able to contribute. I’m
not a particularly fast player, so
I work toward a simpler, solid
groove—and stay in a supporting
role that the players up
front really appreciate.
Likewise, my music reading
skills are acceptable, but I can’t
always sight-read a part and
nail it. Combining these two
challenges, I often simplify the
written part to bring out its
essence. As a rhythm section
player, I also pay close attention
to the other players, making
eye contact with each at some
point. I listen for their dynamics
and if they’re getting busier
in their playing. I try to help
keep the tempo steady when
things are getting frenzied.
I know I won’t ever be the
bass player who steps out with
the dazzling solo. But I have
the quiet confidence that I’m
making a contribution to the
group’s musical success by
doing what I do best.
2. Do no damage. I learned
this idea from a couple of
experienced musicians, and it
comes out in two ways. The
first concerns playing music
beyond your ability. If a particularly
difficult part comes
up—one that I might make a
mess of—I try to find a way
around it that captures the
spirit of what’s called for.
I recently listened to
a friend’s recording of a
blues trio—guitar, bass, and
drums—that was technically
very good, but sounded
sterile. The bass player was
technically capable enough
that he could precisely double
the guitar player’s lines, but
that’s not what blues bass
playing is all about. Had
I
tried to double the guitar
lines, I certainly would have
done damage. But by simplifying
and paraphrasing the
basic line, I could avoid doing
damage while also providing
the bass “glue” that makes the
music sound like blues.
A second way of doing damage
is the way you get back
on track when lost. Simply
stopping can do damage and
confuse everybody. In these
situations, I try to avoid playing
any clear root notes that
might be misleading, and
listen carefully for notes that
seem to mesh. I’ll also watch
a guitar player’s left hand (a
valuable skill for bassists to
have), reading the chords being
played and hitting the roots
if possible. I’ll listen for hints
from the drummer that suggest
chord changes and phrase
endings and look for the beginning
of a new verse or chorus.
Eventually, things will get back
on course and the damage will
be minimalized.
3. Study hard. There are
lots of resources out there for
learning about and preparing
for your upcoming bass
experiences. Turn to legendary
performances on YouTube.
Buy a song or album from
one of the online MP3 stores.
Pick up a few versions of the
same song to learn about your
musical alternatives.
If you’re facing a reading
gig—be it classical, jazz, or
whatever—listen to recordings
while watching the music.
When I do that, complex
rhythms get simpler. Hearing
the context for a musical line
while reading that line really
helps. I also own a copy of
Band-in-a-Box and can usually
find a file with the song I’m
after, complete with a passable
bass line. If I have multiple performances
of the same project,
I’ll try to go back and work out
a part I may have flubbed. As
the old saying goes, practice
makes perfect.
So where’s it all going? In
the next couple of months,
I’ll be pondering how to get
through some risky situations
as a bassist. My upcoming gigs
are widely varied: A chamber
orchestra performance, a blues
trio at a winery, musical theatre,
an outdoor gig with the
local uke club, a
Real Book jam,
a folkie jam party, and more
blues gigs. And as I get into
these musical opportunities, I’ll
keep the above three points in
mind, preparing for the next
opportunity to arrive.
Dan Berkowitz
is a professor by day and
a bassist when the sun
goes down. He plays
upright and electric bass
for blues, jazz, orchestra,
and musical theater.
Contact him at
profdanb@gmail.com.