I've been working on a different blog post lately; but just this past weekend I had a chance to attend a session that Victor Wooten hosted; and his words were so encouraging to all musicians that I wanted to share this as quickly as I could. Wooten has such a remarkable background that it's impossible to summarize shortly; but it's safe to say that if you are interested in music and in certain instruments in particular, there is no way that you never heard of his name. He's also collaborated with so many musicians - which is truly awesome - that there is a good chance you've seen him jam with some of your favorite musicians too. He made so many great points that I wanted to share them here hoping that it will also be helpful to somebody else. I found out about the clinic a day before it happened. I work for the online school of Berklee College of Music and I am realizing more and more every day that there is always something cool taking place around the campus. I was going to be at one of the buildings last weekend to help with whatever the organizers needed at the Berklee Onsite event (an event designed to give some of the online students a chance to experience the campus life for a few days) and part of that day’s events was Victor Wooten’s clinic. I was asked if I wanted to attend and of course I said yes to that opportunity! I’m not a bass player but I’ve always known about Wooten. Music is my favorite hobby and I am a guitar player myself. I always appreciate talented musicians and I'd seen many videos of Victor Wooten blowing his audience's minds with the control he has over his instrument - I wasn't going to miss a chance to meet him and hear his opinion on various topics. His clinic was geared towards developing your skills on your instrument and performing in general, so it wasn’t just about bass guitars. I was able to get some tips for my approach to playing from what he shared so that was great! I hope I can devote enough time to my playing to follow some of his advice because the points he made were highly encouraging. He really understands what goes through a player’s head and what some of the common obstacles are. I liked his suggestions for possible solutions too. I think it can be helpful to all musicians out there - whether you're playing just for hobby or you're in a full-time band - so I’m going to end this post with some of his points and recommendations. I hope they'll be useful for folks who play or perhaps want to start playing an instrument. Before I get to those notes, I want to also add that Victor Wooten was really down to earth, super friendly and had a great sense of humor. I have nothing but respect for highly accomplished artists who maintain that great attitude! Note: In the below bullet points, I am paraphrasing as I am recalling from memory as best I can, so these are not direct quotes.
Thanks Victor for all the advice and I hope I bump into you again some time. To end this post, here's a quote from an interview which summarizes his philosophy greatly: It's about the music. It's all about the music... "How has your playing evolved over the years?" "I think the instrument has taken a backseat. It's not about your instrument - it's about what you have to say. Your instrument happens to be the one you use - it might be a bass, voice, an alto or soprano - but who cares? It's all about what you're saying with it. Right now, you're not thinking about how your lips are moving or the physics of your talking, you're just speaking. That's how I approach the bass - by approaching the music instead." Full interview can be found here. |
AuthorHi, I'm Alper and I'm a big fan of hard rock and heavy metal. This blog is for my thoughts on some of my favorite bands, albums and news updates. I also play guitar and will post about electric guitars every now and again. CategoriesArchives
April 2016
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