Meet 35 - June 2005

Present: Carlo Mombelli, Steve Crozet, Doggit, Glen Haggis, Johannes van Heerden, Nick Cook, Nick Gibbs, Frankiz Clark, Philip Raath, Gerrie Lubbe, Lawrence Goss, Mlungisi Gegana, Dave Askes, Quintin Askes, Miles Askes, Julian Veldman, Michael Brown, Anthony Franklin, Dewald, Trevor Muller, Kerry Hiles.

June's meeting was held at the newly opened Lovemore Music store in the old Global Music shop in Thrupps Centre, Illovo. It was an intimate gathering, featuring only those brave enough to face the cold, or those who weren't suffering flu and other winter sicknesses.

Carlo Mombelli gave us Part II of his workshop on everything to do with playing the bass guitar.

ON PRACISING:
Never forget why you started playing. Your passion drives your music, but is useless without discipline. Practising IS a chore, but it is vital: army recruits don't get fit DURING a war...they need to know how to shoot and run before they go into battle. You never stop learning, and you learn most when practising. It is very important to know what to practise. Play beyond your comfort zone, on the "edge of wrong".

Carlo recommended a book called "Effortless Mastery" by Kenny Banner (published by Jamey Abersold) and likened effortless playing to eating with a knife and fork: something we don't need to think about anymore. It has become an unconscious action. We learnt to eat with a knife and fork by repeating the action at the same time every day. Our parents corrected our mistakes. It was a slow process, learnt over time. So it is with practising the bass. If you find you don't use what you've practised, that is because it has not yet become part of your unconscious, natural movement.

ON BECOMING A MUSICIAN:
You require tone, timing, taste (the more knowledge you have, the better quality of taste you will develop) and technique.Technique is the ability to show what's inside to the outside world. It is not about showing off (that is unspiritual), but rather about developing the ability to communicate.

You also require the ability to improvise, to find nice grooves and join the harmony of the piece of music you're playing. Develop your ears to hear intervals - singing along to your practising will help. Practise your scales musically and practise slowly. Cover arpeggios in your practise routine as bass players imply harmonies by using arpeggios.

Lastly, you must find your own voice. Try to play with musicians of a similar headspace.

IN GENERAL:
Don't be scared to stuff up.
In solos, add silence. You've got to breathe sometimes.
If you're lost in the form, open your ears and keep thinking where you're
going to.

Carlo got rather passionate about chords at one point and even stretched his fingers over a nearby piano to demonstrate certain ideas. As ever, he was most entertaining and informative, a wealth of knowledge and ability.