You can't keep a good bassist down

One of my classmates, who claims to be a musician, asked me about a month ago what instrument I play.  I proudly told him that I am a bassist.  He replied with the comment, "Oh, yeah. Bass is easy to play."  I played the moment off as though his comment didn't bother me, but I was raging underneath the surface.

I thought to myself, "just because a person can pick up the bass and sound a few notes on it doesn't make them a bassist."  That's what I wanted to tell this guy.

Contrary to many beliefs, bass guitar isn't as easy to play as it may seem.  Sure, you can play as simple or as complicated as you like, but it is still an instrument that requires time and effort to become a decent player.

I've been playing a little over six years now and I am still awed at the complexity and complications that I run into as a bassist.  The bassist, along with the drummer, is the backbone of the band, and is therefore important.  I don't appreciate when other musicians think that just anyone can pick up a bass and become a bassist. Not everyone is cut out to play bass, and not everyone is cut out to play guitar, drums, or keyboard.  We are all equally valuable and we should never downplay another musician because we think their instrument is easier than ours.

I can easily say that the last few months have been the hardest for me, as far as being a bassist is concerned.    I have suffered one disappointment after another with the musicians I play with every week.  I have even contemplated laying my bass down for a while to cut some of the stress out of my life, but I've found that playing bass has been a good stress for me, and if I give it up, I will be giving up part of myself.

Playing bass (especially being a girl playing bass) is not easy, but I love it and I know I would be miserable if I didn't play bass.  So, to all of the other female bassists out there who might be having a hard time, take heart and don't give up.  We're a minority in the music realm, so we must persevere and live to play another day, even when others downplay the beauty and complexity of our instrument.