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Tips for Up-and-Coming Bassists with Carl Dawkins: Thoughts & Building Confidence

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Meet Carl Dawkins –

While deciding which topic to focus on next, I hit a bit of a fork in the road. There were several options I considered as far as where to take these columns. Many of them overlapped to a point, but all drew from different criteria I always find circumstantial to the individual. Faced with this dilemma, I decided to call Jake Kot (BMM editor) to discuss my role in the magazine and what I might offer as far as my articles are concerned. After a lengthy discussion, it was left up to me…that’s right, total control.

This however made things a bit more difficult as far as what topics to address and whether they would be beneficial for you, the reader. To cut a long story short, I’m not one for wasting time or using unnecessary minutes solely on deciding what to write about. So in great British form, I’m winging it, which ironically is the whole point of this article.

There will be situations in your career where you are caught off guard, or thrown into unusual situations where all of a sudden you’re called to do some playing, but the fact is you haven’t practiced in a while. These things happen to every musician, and these are the situations that define us as players.

So how do we get around these situations? We can always prepare for the unexpected, but that takes time away from preparing for the expected, not to mention there are so many different scenarios that can arise it would be almost impossible to prepare for all of them. With all of this in mind, you may now be thinking twice before stepping out of your door to take your dog for a walk contemplating what might show up seconds later.

With so many working musicians in the industry, and taking into account that I said every musician encounters situations such as these, you might be coming to the conclusion that there might be some “trick” to handling them. The truth is, it comes down to one thing…confidence. Some of you might know the illusionist Darren Brown. A lot of his work and his stunts are based around the confidence he has, and the tone in his voice that may make for example a bookie to pay out on a losing betting slip. The same principle applies to us as musicians. When faced with precarious situations, just try to be confident in your decisions, which might involve your attitude, your note choice, or section changes (in a song).

A motto I’ve always tried to follow is, “be loud–be confident–be wrong—in that order”. When you’re on stage, you’re all relying on each other to be confident. If you’re loud, and confident, and wrong the first time, the next time you’ll cut that scenario back because then you’ll be more confident about handling the correction.

Imagine this scenario: You haven’t played for a week due to the strains of life, and you go to watch a gig with a friend. Your friend pushes you to go up and sit in. Instantly you’re nervous, anxious, and thinking to yourself, why did I come up here? This will unequivocally show up in your body language, which instantly gives off bad vibes to the audience. When you’ve gained everyone’s attention, what you want to try to do is project feelings of relaxation and confidence. Don’t slouch, look around the venue, make eye contact, and clear your head. Just be a solid player, trust your instincts, and be confident.

I never suggest turning down gigs, but if you’re seriously under-qualified, it might be wise to tell them your busy and recommend someone you know that might be able to handle the gig—then get “right to work” so you don’t have to do a replay of that the next time the phone rings. Or you can just go for it, show them you’re not a bedroom warrior[1] and learn from the experience.

Confidence, being able and willing to wing it, as well as playing a simple solid line if asked to are the keys to handling any situation. Your look /image and your body language on and off stage are very important as well, as you are trying to create a good impression. They say the first 10 seconds after you’ve walked into a room are the most important, and leave the biggest impression.

We gain power through experience, and although you may have some hiccups, and may regret certain actions, that experience is still invaluable. The more people know about you in a positive light, the quicker word gets out, meaning your phone will start ringing and the emails will flood in!

Like David Gilmour once said “bass players are ten a penny, but one with a good wit is hard to find”. The point is, it’s not just your playing that counts, it’s everything about you, especially if you’re auditioning for a full time member slot, or auditioning for a touring band. Be yourself, be confident, and be professional.

[1] If you’re not familiar with this term, it’s basically a musician that spends a lot of time in his room practicing and learning all the unnecessary bitts you wouldn’t use in a song – so they post videos on the internet.

Bass Videos

Interview With K3 Sisters Band

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Interview With K3 Sisters Band

K3 Sisters Band Interview…

It is very rare when I talk to a band where all the members play bass. The K3 Sisters Band is a perfect example of a group where Kaylen, Kelsey and Kristen Kassab are all multi-instrumentalists and take turns playing bass.

Hailing from Texas, these three sisters have been playing music since they were very young and have amassed an amazing amount of original music,  music videos, streaming concerts, podcasts, and content that has taken numerous social media platforms by storm. On TikTok alone, they have over 2.5 million followers and more than a billion views.

Join me as we hear the story of their musical journey, how they get their sound, and the fundamental principles behind these prolific musicians.

Here is the K3 Sisters Band!

Photo, Bruce Ray Productions

Follow Online:

k3sistersband.com/
TikTok
YouTube
Instagram
Facebook 

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Bass Player Health

What is a Pinched Nerve? with Dr. Randy Kertz

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Dr Randal Kertz - Bass Player Health - Oct 2022

What is a Pinched Nerve?

In this month’s video, we will cover how to tell if you have a pinched nerve and when to seek professional help.

Dr. Randall Kertz is the author of The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention and Better Health. Click here to get your copy today!

The Bassist’s Complete Guide to Injury Management, Prevention & Better Health

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This Week’s Top 10 Basses on Instagram

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TOP 10 Basses of the week

Check out our top 10 favorite basses on Instagram this week…

Click to follow Bass Musician on Instagram @bassmusicianmag

FEATURED @colibriguitars @adamovicbasses @brooksbassguitars @lecomptebass @mgbassguitars @mauriziouberbasses @jcrluthier @biarnel @officialibanezguitars @chris_seldon_guitars

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Gear News

New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

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New Gear:  Ashdown ORIGINAL-EVO-C112T-300

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Introducing the Original-EVO-C112T, a ground-breaking innovation in the realm of bass amplifiers. This exceptional amplifier redefines the standards of power, portability, and precision, offering musicians an unparalleled experience in amplification technology.
 
Weighing in at a mere 13.5kg, the Original-EVO-C112T packs an astonishing 300 watts of unadulterated Ashdown bass tone into a compact and lightweight package. Say goodbye to the days of lugging around heavy and cumbersome gear – this amplifier is designed for the modern musician on the move.

Designed to accommodate global touring, the Original-EVO-C112T features auto-protect voltage support and an adaptive temperature-controlled fan for optimal performance in any environment.
 
In summary, the Original-EVO-C112T is a game-changing amplifier that combines power, portability, and precision. It’s a testament to innovation and quality in the world of bass amplification, deserving attention from musicians looking to take their music to the next level.

Product Specification-

Power Output: 300 Watts
Power Requirement: 115-230 Volts
Speaker Configuration: 1 x 12” + Horn
High Instrument Input: Impedance 3.9m Ohms, Input range 150mV – 20mV p-p
Low Instrument Input: Impedance -1M Ohms, Input range 150mV to 10V p-p
Line Input: Impedance 10k Ohms, Input range 300mV – 40V p-p
DI Output: 600 Ohm balance / Level -20dBu nominal
Minimum Impedance: 4 Ohm
Headphone Output: Yes and safe for silent practice
EQ: Bass +/-15dB @ 100Hz, Lo Mid +/-15dB @ 220Hz, Middle +/-15dB @ 660Hz, Hi Mid +/-15 dB @1.5kHz, Treble +/-15dB @ 7kHz
Effects Send: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Effects Return: Impedance 22k Ohms / Level 0dBu nominal
Dimensions (H x W x D in mm): 470 x 606 x 381
Weight: 13.5kg

For more info please visit www.ashdownmusic.com

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Gear News

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary

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30th Anniversary Limited Edition SansAmp Bass Driver DI

Tech 21’s SansAmp Bass Driver DI Celebrates 30th Anniversary…

The SansAmp Bass Driver DI has been an arsenal staple for players and studios almost since the day it was introduced in 1994. To commemorate its 30th anniversary, Tech 21 is issuing a limited edition with an anodized precision-machined aluminum billet housing and all metal knobs.

This all-analog multi-function, multi-application pedal dials up big vintage tube tones, bright modern slap sounds, gnarly distortions, and all in between. There are three different outputs to drive power amps, recording desks, PA mixers, or simply enhance your current rig. Controls include Presence for definition and upper harmonic content; Blend to combine the ratio of direct signal and SansAmp circuitry; and active 3-band EQ with 12dB of cut or boost.

The 100% analog SansAmp Tube Amplifier Emulation technology encompasses the entire signal chain, from pre-amp to power amp to speaker simulation. An integral part of the circuitry, the individually-tailored SansAmp speaker simulation will complement any type of bass speaker cabinet system.

It is rare an electronic music-related product can withstand such a test of time. The SansAmp Bass Driver has been used for every kind of music style from death metal to commercial jingles, in countless studios, and on tours around the globe. In fact, many mammoth stage rigs you see are actually driven by a SansAmp nestled behind the backline. It has defied the odds and to this day, SansAmp remains the standard of the industry.

Anticipated Availability:  May/June 2024

For more information, visit online at tech21nyc.com/products/sansamp/bass-driver-30/

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