Guest Article By Greg Moore | ‘Creativity Breeds Creativity‘ Series
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Music is the greatest gift God has created here on earth! The fact that we, the musicians all over the world, get the opportunity to express this gift in the palm of our hands is simply amazing. Hi, I’m Greg Moore from Durham, North Carolina! I absolutely LOVE playing the bass guitar and everything else that comes along on this journey. The bass sometimes can be overlooked as an instrument that gives only a simple sound. My friends that is never the case, bass is to be looked at as the bottom heavy groove portion of the music, one of the top melodic stringed instruments to ever exist, and a simple yet challenging instrument all in one! I’m extremely humbled and forever grateful to God for the blessings I’ve experienced in my 10 years of playing. Within these 10 years, there are a few pointers I would like to share from the mind of a bass player.
It’s very important that whenever we receive a phone call for a gig that we must have a “team player” mindset while playing along with the keyboardist, guitarist, drummer, horn players, vocalist, lead singer, and whomever is a part of the band. Never take that moment to overpower everyone else on stage, not allowing the music to breathe, or playing lick after lick on top of the verbatim every 10 seconds. Staying in your lane is a phrase I use to encourage us musicians to always play our part in the music and have fun while doing it! Another big thing a bass player want’s is a good drummer with a pocket! The bass and drums go hand in hand in every genre, it truly makes the flow of the music become alive. The pocket of bass and drums becomes even stronger when you have a great connection not just on stage but also off stage. All bass players love playing out of a nice bass rig with an incredible tone. A lot of times our bass guitars carry so much depth that the tone comes out muddy depending on the amp and eventually busting the speaker all in one night. Another great asset we want is having a fantastic music director directing us through any rehearsal or engagement! Having different ideas from all the band members is fantastic, but having one leader gives a easier flow of direction anytime the band gets together. Another big thing we desire is receiving the phone call or material for the gig ahead of time. It helps a lot of musicians who are fathers, husbands, or who have lots of gigs booked have a better flow within our personal schedules. I think the biggest desire a bass player wants is to work with musicians that cause no issues, no bad attitudes, and no bad teamwork ethics at any given scenario playing with the band! Your gift can get you into some amazing doors, but your attitude will quickly have you put out. Seeing it first hand to other musicians over years is no joke. Staying humble, being yourself, being on time at rehearsals, the gig, have a clean attire, taking care of your instrument, and keeping God first will open up so many doors for you beyond what the eyes can see! At the end of the day the most important thing is to know your bass, because that’s when you can freely express yourself. I’m definitely still learning with a ways to go. But it’s an amazing process and I’m enjoying every minute of it. I hope all of you remarkable people are too! Keep following your dreams no matter what. God bless you all!!!
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“Planning Educational Strategies for the Committed Musician”
John Carter Drummer 