I am not a perfectionist about my playing,
but I am in a constant struggle to get better. Having friends like Greg
Campbell, Trip Wamsley, and Yves Carbonne – cats with whom I often share
a stage – it is sometimes hard to remain even a little subjective about
my own playing. I would not have it any other way because I believe a
complacent artist is no longer an artist, but at the same time I have
found that it is easy to become very negative myself.
As players it is easy to become fans of
those with whom we associate. The danger is that we can hold ourselves
up to unrealistic expectations. I know some truly terrifying musicians,
many of them bassists, and there are a lot of times I sit back and
listen to them thinking, ‘Why do I even try and do this?’
The answer is simple: I am not them.
We each have things we admire or even envy
about other players. Some have amazing speed and dexterity, some have a
tone that is near perfect in our ears, some are better versed in other
styles than we may be, and still others are better groovers. How then do
we keep from chipping away at our own egos?
There are a few things to keep in mind.
First, we can simply look at those we
admire and take their talent as inspiration. We can practice in ways to
help draw us closer to the things we like about their playing. Finger
exercises will give us more speed and dexterity. Focusing on how we use
both hands on the string and how we set our equipment will heighten our
awareness of the tones we generate. Studying music we don’t normally
play will enhance our knowledge of other styles. Hooking up with pocket
players and steering clear of the soloist mentality will sharpen our
ability to lay a groove. At the same time, each of these avenues will
make us better players, whether we can see it or not.
Second, we must realize that no one is the
musician he or she wants to be. If that were the case Michael Manring,
Victor Wooten, and Adam Nitti would stop pushing themselves to create
more and different music, but they don’t. Not one of them does.
Dissatisfaction with who we are and what we do is the impetus to
improve. It is why we hear others and think, ‘I want to do that!’
Third, and this one is tough, it is
crucial to acknowledge that there are people who enjoy and appreciate us
for what we do. At the same time, some of these people may be holding
themselves up to you and thinking that they have such a
long way to go to get what you have.
Now I don’t want to espouse that we should
all become egomaniacs or that we should rest on our laurels. At the same
time, I don’t think we should be as hard on ourselves as we often are.
It is possible to grow as an artist and as a technician without having
to foster an inferiority complex. It is great to look up to others, just
don’t let it be at the cost of your own self-esteem. If there weren’t
merit to what you do, you wouldn’t keep at it, nor would others want to
play with you holding down the low end.
And everyone has bad days!
