Looking Beyond Musical Influences

Meet Editor Jake Kot –

I recently received a Facebook message from a bassist asking everyone to write in and share who their most important influence on bass was. This is a perfectly acceptable question that has been asked one way or another for literally decades. Talking about those on our particular instrument that have somehow changed our perspective or moved and motivated us to new artistic heights or realizations can be interesting to participate in, or simply read about. In a way it’s the heart of any focused magazine, bringing exposure to those individuals on our instrument that have influenced the masses one way or another. I’d like shed another light, a new perspective if you will, on this premise.

Influences truly do come from all aspects of our life, and I don’t think that’s any kind of breakthrough statement. Why I choose to address it is based on my belief that it’s actually musically healthier to be looking at our strongest influences not just outside of our chosen instrument, but outside of music itself.

Some of the greatest individual creative achievements over time have come about through the process of multidimensional synergy, a blending of different categories to become more enlightened in a particular field, or on a personal level. Said another way, what might you learn about yourself and your musical progress on a personal level by looking at your strongest influence “outside” of the world of music, and how they affect your musical growth?

Think about that for a moment. Now, do more than think about it… write me back and tell your personal story of how some seemingly “outside” influence has absolutely impacted and potentially changed your life within the arts. My guess is there are hundreds of stories such as these, and sharing them with our readers should be a win-win in terms of you realizing just “how important” that influence really was to you and how it impacted you, and how that might help others to understand the value of this exercise of “influential expansion” in ones personal musical growth.

Look forward to hearing your responses.

Best,
Jake Kot