Zen and the Bass Guitar

[Meister P.]

When I started playing Bass Guitar, with some practice it became easier to Slap and Tap during the execution of any song. Then when I started playing with some teachers who I believe are masters, I was tought to slow down and execute a better aproach towards the interpretation during any song.
So, I found out that simpler is better, because it let's the sound last longer giving the music a more profound atmosphere, giving more space to the main course, either "singer on solo".
I really understood it when I got my Sting Ray 5 MUSIC MAN, that gave me the oportunity to hear it and feel it.
So now I say that "WITH MUSIC MAN STING RAY 5 BASSES SERIES, I CAN REALLY GET DOWN WITH THE SOUND, GET BACK WITH THE TAP AND EVERY ONE CLAP FOR THE SLAP". They sound great in all forms and situations.:http://www.ernieball.com/forums/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

 

[Ole Man Blues]

Hear it and feel it...that's what it's all about........

Ole Man (Bongo) Blues

 

[Kristopher]

I've been informally studying Zen a lot lately, I wonder if anyone has tried to combine any of the aspects of Zen with bass playing. I'd love to hear about it.

 

[jongitarz]

I was going to, but zen I had another thought.















I'm sorry.

 

[Meister P.]

I've been informally studying Zen a lot lately, I wonder if anyone has tried to combine any of the aspects of Zen with bass playing. I'd love to hear about it.

Meister p. says - The practice of zen is just the practice of focusing the mind on breathing, that's all.
When you do it for some time, the practice of zen, can be applied on any other activity you have.
It's like qhen you know the song by heart, the you can actually, hear it and feel it.
Practice makes better.

 

[joshbrake]

pass the bong, hippie!

 

[Kristopher]

Meister p. says - The practice of zen is just the practice of focusing the mind on breathing, that's all.
When you do it for some time, the practice of zen, can be applied on any other activity you have.
It's like qhen you know the song by heart, the you can actually, hear it and feel it.
Practice makes better.

True that. I should have known! Sometimes obvious things aren't as obvious as they should be.

 

[PocketGroove82]

studying zen is like practicing breathing underwater.

just forget everything else, and play.

 

[Meister P.]

Always tuned...

True that. I should have known! Sometimes obvious things aren't as obvious as they should be.

A real zen master, can never play the bass guitar as a monk, because monks do not play bass guitar.
To create great bass guitar lines, all shall only understand where to place the taste of basse......., and there you have zen interpretation...

 

[CW Zing]

Check out Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo. Great book about, well, zen, and you guessed it, guitar. But the concepts are easily applied to bass. After getting this book I was able to leave my ego in the van during the gig...

 

[Kristopher]

Check out Zen Guitar by Philip Toshio Sudo. Great book about, well, zen, and you guessed it, guitar. But the concepts are easily applied to bass. After getting this book I was able to leave my ego in the van during the gig...

Awesome suggestion. I'm going on a road trip tomorrow (band driving from AZ to Texas for a gig, 18 hours each way in a van with guys I just met two months ago WOOOO) and I was thinking of picking up something to read to pass the time. Now I know what to get, thanks!

 

[CW Zing]

(band driving from AZ to Texas for a gig, 18 hours each way in a van with guys I just met two months ago WOOOO)

Sounds like a lo-o-ong hot trip. Got air conditioning?

 

[Kristopher]

Sounds like a lo-o-ong hot trip. Got air conditioning?

I believe so! Even when we load up all the equipment we'll have enough room to put a small loveseat in the back.

Thanks again for the book recommendation, by the way - I picked up the book today and it's just the kind of thing I've been looking for. So much so that I may finish it before I actually leave for the gig!

 

[Spectre]

pass the bong, hippie!

Should that not be " Pass the Bongo, hippie!"

 

[CW Zing]

Thanks again for the book recommendation, by the way - I picked up the book today and it's just the kind of thing I've been looking for. So much so that I may finish it before I actually leave for the gig!

You bet! The line "You're welcome here if you're of the spirit to make a sound" knocked me for a loop. It's a book that needed to come my way after so many crappy 'method' books, ya know?

 

[Meister P.]

Book Recomendation

For Some Pure Zen, I Recomend A Book Called "informal Talks On Zen Meditation And Practice" Written By Zusuki Shunryu.

"tribal Music", I Believe That It Can Rock.

Hey Guys A Group Named "alya", Is About To Release A Record That Has Been Carefully Planed. It's Cool.

 

[Meister P.]

Yes..........

pass the bong, hippie!

Anything but the Bong

 

[Meister P.]

Hey CW Zing, i bought the book and it is great, thank's

Sounds like a lo-o-ong hot trip. Got air conditioning?

I missplaced a book called "Zen and motorcicle maintenance", It's great I will look for it and tell you and Kristopher who wrote it. Thank's again.

 

[Kristopher]

That would be [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Art-Motorcycle-Maintenance-Inquiry/dp/0060589469/ref=pd_bbs_1/105-0793835-2082851?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1181100260&sr=8-1"]this[/ame] book? The reviews on Amazon seem to say that this is a pretty important book to a lot of people. I'll have to check it out.

I try not to get too much into Zen literature in a small period of time, because, as Alan Watts put it in one of his lectures, I will start to "stink of Zen". It's great in small doses, though.