Interlude /pt.2 (b) - Alter Ego Conflict: Pianist, Bassist and Keyboardist

Keyboardist Woes 

From a bassist's point of view, Gospel music appears easy, because it follows a simple and repetitive pattern of harmony. From a pianist's point of view, it's different. Almost everything I've learnt as a pianist does not apply. Firstly, everything to do with dynamics and control is different on a keyboard. I cannot explain further. Other than the similarity of positions, to me it's all different. There are even some keys missing on a keyboard.

Secondly, on a piano you have to transpose in your head and know the physiology of the new key, because a good piano is as manual as my late Grandma's Fiat. However, on a keyboard there's a button to transpose. I struggle because I do not know where it is and can never find it. I feel like a technologically challenged being. Maybe it's a good thing that I can never find the transpose button, despite it being  shown to me numerous times by patient people. Why is it a good thing? Because the idea of playing a song in F yet I am holding chords in C just eats at me. It's not normal. It's weird. It is unnatural. On bass you simply shift the shape, although if the interval is too wide, the sound may change and you may have to come up with a new bassline if you're looking for a particular sound. Oh, and by the way, a keyboard peddle can reverse peddle. Usually, a peddle sustains notes when stepped on and releases them when you release your foot. A keyboard peddle can be set to sustain without stepping, so if you want to release the sustained notes, you would step on it. I learnt this yesterday.

Finally, what to do with the information has also been a struggle. If a song progression is C-F-G-C, as a bassist I know that my role is to harmonize and maintain the groove. I know that as long as I play within what makes the quality of the harmony and as long as my rhythm is in check, I am good to go. Besides, if we were to write my bassline on a staff, it would only be one part. On keys, the two main parts are harmony and melody at the same time, that sub-divide into other parts, while keeping in mind that I am an accompanist and should not outdo the vocalists or compete with the lead guitarist. I have not been blessed with the skill of improvisation, although I am working on it. In classical music, what to do with the C-F-G-C is written for you, and that's only if you take the time to analyze the music and see that indeed that's a C-F-C-G, if written in the most basic manner....otherwise you would look at a C as C-E-G and not C Chord or Chord 1. Also, when I play classical music, to me each note is an independent note with its important role as part of the melody and harmony, rather than as merely a small part of a whole chord.

The little joys of life....

Interlude Pt.2 (a) - Music Director-Cum-Prophet of Doom (testimony)

In relation to the power of dreaming and chasing your dreams, I remember one particular piano exam I had. I was doing my A-level exams at the same time, and we were given a study break from school. Because I was away from school, I found it more practical to cancel the piano classes at school and take them at home. Besides, I had a special bond with my home teacher and more time with him, as he seemed genuinely interested in my growth as a pianist rather than the financial gain. Unfortunately the school's music department did not take my withdrawal kindly, because, of course, they were not getting paid.

The Music Director then attempted to make me pull out of the exam. Although the school was a registered exam center, the exam was from an independent board that the Director had no power over, and registration payment was separate from the school's payment. This meant that unless I personally withdrew from the exam, he could do nothing to stop me from taking it. Because I refused to pay for on-campus lessons, he told me that he would "let" me do the exam if I auditioned for him. So I did. After the audition, he sighed, shook his head, and told me I would fail the exam. This was a few days before my exam. I ran home (actually I took the bus and was picked in a car from the bus stop...details, details) crying to my teacher, who then told me, "no one should decide what you can and can't do. Besides, I've taught you for years, I know your abilities better than anyone and he just heard you play for the first time today."

So I confidently did my exam, because it was my dream to get that beautiful red-ribbon certificate. I did my exam, and much to the Music Director's surprise, I passed the exam, and I got my red-ribbon certificate!

Interlude Pt. 2 - Finding Myself and Daring to Dream

This time, in as much as I knew in my heart and soul that I am done with music, because of my dear saxophonist friend and my responsibilities in the church band, I still had contact with music. During this period, I did a lot of introspection on my music and life in general. I realized that a lot of people underestimate my abilities, not because they are bad people, but because I underestimate my own abilities. People will treat you how you treat yourself. I took the fact that people expected me to make mistakes and forever be the underdog as a sure sign that I am a failure. I remember, feeling particularly helpless, asking God why He was letting me go through all that, especially when my faith was probably at the highest it's been my whole life; taking my music was like taking my heart. Then the answers... I am not exaggerating, all just came to me as follows:

-) The fictional world - When I was younger, the fictional world allowed me to have a vivid and dream-like imagination that ended up scoring me the highest creative writing scores in all the languages I studied, none of which where my home languages. It also allowed me to imagine a bright future. To add on, one thing I am truly grateful for my mum for, is always encouraging me to go for my dreams. No matter how ridiculous some of my dreams sounded, she never rubbished them and always supported me and told me I have no limits. With this I was equipped to achieve my dreams, and achieve my dreams I did. This time, I realized that after escaping to the fictional world, I was able to imagine countless possibilities of my life, and then it occurred to me....I am confidently dreaming again! With this dreaming, I started working towards realizing my dreams, that even my church band members commented on how much I have grown in just a short time.

-) Staying true to and respecting yourself - The person who made me realize this is my saxophonist. His main niche is jazz and I grew up on classical music. It is what it is. In as much as those who say that these genres are "too Western" may have a point, but these are parts of us that we cannot get rid of. I admire him because he doesn't feel the need to conform into what is becoming the cliché Afro-Fusion, just so that he can be accepted in the scene. If he must do an Afro or other genre song, he fuses it with jazz because that is who he is. He even plays better when he is allowed to do his own stuff. I think that because I learnt bass guitar differently, I haven't struggled much with shifting genres (except for Sebene). Because I play the keyboard at church, the main struggle I've had is in Gospel music. However, because I have learnt a different technique throughout the years and have to learn a new one from scratch, doesn't make me a lesser musician. Previously, I thought that because I was an underdog in different genres, I was an inadequate musician, and because I thought lowly of my abilities, so did other people. If we were to turn my band members into classical musicians, I'm sure they would struggle with what I find easy. Bottom line: Learning different genres is an added advantage and has strengths and weaknesses, but I don't have to quit my passion or change myself because I don't fit into the "norm".

-) Positive thinking - It's easier to take in hurtful comments than it is to accept compliments, but I have decided to do the reverse. I have received great comments from teachers and even up until today I have received some compliments about my abilities. My drummer also told me that I have good  musical intelligence. So I will use the positive comments to fuel me as I build myself, rather than the negative feedback that tears me.

-) No limitations - Literally a day after these revelations, the main sermon in church was about being able to imagine yourself successful because you are worthy enough to be called to greater heights by God, therefore you should not set limitations on yourself or let others set limitations for you. No answer could be clearer than that.

With this, I hereby declare that I DARE TO DREAM, and I am back in the game!

Interlude Pt. 1 - Finding Myself and Daring to Dream

I have not posted for a while because I had given up my life-long passion of being a musician. During my musical life, there have been many times when I felt like quitting, and even once went to the extent of locking up my guitars because I was "done for real". However, these "done" moments last, at the very most, a week and a half. This time it felt different and lasted longer though.

I have received a good amount of life's thorough beatings, and one thing that I took from these experiences is to never have expectations, because it hurts when they come crashing to the ground. At the time, expectations and dreams seemed to be one. So, I was afraid to dream because I was afraid I would be slapped with the hard reality that I am unworthy of great achievements. Although I was happy with my musical career, practicing with great musicians, learning a lot and doing performances, I had no dream and no direction like before. I was going with the flow. My practice and performance sessions felt like I just fell into them because they happened to be there. Before, when I had a "done" moment, I always had a dream to fall back on and bring me back on track. This time I didn't have one. 

I had been having some personal struggles that are common with life's ups and downs. The one thing I had to keep me going was my music. Then, we started having some disagreements within my band, and eventually had a nasty one with the drummer. This drummer is someone that I had considered special, aside from the music and band, so naturally, this took a toll on me and to add on to all that was already happening, another "done" moment came and I had nothing to fall back on. When I was young, I loved reading fictional books and letting my mind escape into a different world, which would leave me refreshed when dealing with real life issues. Likewise, feeling beaten and worn down from everything happening, I had to escape into a fictional world this time or risk falling into severe depression. What I love most about these stories is that anything is possible and this helped me come to a realization.....To be continued

Day 14 - Bass and Heels: Dos and Don'ts at a gig

Divinity Roxx

I had my first performance after my heel contract with myself, where I decided that I will be in-touch with my femininity and dress up and wear heels for all my shows. Doing this is also a confidence booster and curbs stage fright, therefore a better performance. As is with every performance, this was also a different learning but enjoyable experience. Here's what I took from it:

• Do tell your band to arrive two hours earlier than the actual time you want them to be there, so that they can arrive "on time".
• Do something like a dress-rehearsal before hand. I usually practice while seated, but I had to stand for the performance and this was a different feeling, so I felt as though the quality of my notes was not as clean as it could have been because of the different position. Also, the one time I had performed with heels, I sat down. So yes, dress rehearsal.
• Do make friends with a bassist named Armstrong. I have always wanted to know an Armstrong. My mission in life has been accomplished. Additionally, he had a beautiful, red guitar, that I just had to try out. Luckily he was kind enough to let me use it for my performance. He quite willingly gave it to me. I even sound checked for him for his performance. Maybe it was the power of the heel? 
• Do pay attention to your weak areas. I believe I need more  finger strengthening exercises. I find that even if I play the exact same bassline as someone else, mine still doesn't sound as strong. I initially thought that it had something to do with being a pianist, but of the female bassists I have listened to, only Divinity Roxx, whom I aspire to be like, has a solid touch. I especially love that she has a perfect balance between her tomboyish side and feminine side, which is hard to find, lest you come off as a butch lesbian.
• Do love thyself. My instrumentalists are such attention lovers. They insisted on doing an instrumental and being introduced individually. Granted, I was a driving pioneer behind this idea. But who will love you if you don't love yourself?
• Do carry pebbles. To the vocalists, one instrumental is enough. They started singing in one of our carefully thought out and planned instrumental introduction. Note to self: carry pebbles to toss at vocalists who sing during my moment.
• Do have marriage material members. My saxophonist would make a great husband and father. Not only does he have great artistic genes, but despite having a very important issue to deal with, he still came and performed even though we would have understood if he didn't. That there is marital commitment (if you are looking for a husband, talk to me nicely).
• Don't tell your drummer he's arrogant. I told my drummer that I think all drummers are arrogant, especially when it comes to playing in a band, and he was no exception. So now he thinks that playing humbly means playing while pulling a face that I would expect him to pull as if I had just told him, "I have discovered I am in love with your father. I will be your step-mum and there's nothing you can do about it."

Now that the first performance of the month has been done and I have discovered a few things, I am excited for the other performances and looking forward to the rest being bigger and better. In heels.

Day 13 - Bass and Heels: How it all begun

My affair with the bass guitar is quite an interesting one. I really love the sound of bass. My earliest recollection of this love was back in primary school. My brother went to an all-boy school with a very strong music department. I remember attending one of their concerts and being so blown away. Because it was a school full of young high-pitched boys to pre-teens discovering their manly vocal potential, the music director could confidently afford to split the all-male choir into the different parts of soprano, alto, tenor and bass. In my mixed school choir, the vocals were all in high register. This is because my music director, who I believe was secretly in the mafia, gave up on our poor, voice cracking boys and just decided to do away with them altogether. So my ears were not used to hearing proper lower registers, and it was love at first "hearing" when I finally did. After this life-changing encounter, I set all the audio equipment, from my mum's radio to the car radio and television, to maximum bass and lower highs. I even played the bass marimba in my school marimba band. Herein begins our relationship.To this date, when I play the bass, I like having my settings on high lows and low highs.

I have always been a go-getter, especially when it came to music challenges. To top it up, I was also a tomboy in its real sense, so much that I used to shop for my clothes in the boys department and play rugby with my brother and his friends, to who I was "one of the boys". It was therefore inevitable that the bass would eventually end up in my hands, because "it's too hard" or "it's not lady-like" could not hold me back. Initially, it was not in my musical aspirations to be a performing bass guitarist. I was going to be a renowned classical concert pianist like Lang Lang and eventually an orchestra conductor in my golden years. So for me the bass guitar was just a side hobby, until I met a group of people to practice with who turned out to be focused on professional music performance, and this was how I ended up being thrown on stage as a bassist.

When I started performing with these guys, I was a complete bass newbie, and therefore had nothing to warrant my prowess on stage. However, I realized a lot of people took interest in me, not because of my ability, but simply because I was a female bassist. I remembered an interesting conversation I had with my mum's friend, who happened to be a Professor of Strategic Management. He told me, "If you want to pursue your passion as a career, why not? Just make sure that the product you sell is unique, and you will remain above the waters." So, I realized the uniqueness in my product was the fact that I am a female bassist, a rare breed where I live. Usually when I meet people and tell them I'm a bassist, the response is either:

1. "Woooow, a woman on bass? Nice!" (the first sentence my keyboardist said to me when we met was, "I love women on bass". No introduction, no nothing. To add on, when said in Sheng it sounds even more dirty, horny, old man-ish")

or

2. *quite shocked and seemingly offended that I, a mere mortal woman, would dare consider even looking at a bass guitar* "Why bass???" 

or

3. "What's a bassist?" (herein begins Music 101, because a simple "someone who plays bass guitar" will not do for this lot)

So why bass? Firstly, getting gigs as a solo pianist in Kenya is not easy, and to get one as part of an orchestra, you have to have exceptional training, so I had to rely on pop bands. Playing  the keyboard in a band, I was envious of the guitarists because they could move around and fully express themselves.Also, I am an African woman who would love to stay true to her roots as much as possible. African music involves the audience a bit more, and the audience expects interaction to enjoy the show. Playing the keyboard/piano made me feel limited in that aspect. Also, I realized that my femininity as a bassist has more influence than as a pianist, and have therefore decided to do all my shows henceforth in heels. However, my musicianship will not stop, and I still enjoy playing my classical music. Also, I plan on being more than just a female bassist and hopefully make it to be a musically influential bassist.

Day 12 - My Rhythm Section says "I do"

Before my last band rehearsals, I was very unmotivated to play. How I even ended up at rehearsals, was purely by faith, because with everything that's been going on, I had no idea how the session would turn out...

When rehearsal time came, there were only two vocalist, and one of them, luckily brought his friend who sings. I wasn't so bothered by the vocalists' absence because I was mentally prepared. However, when rehearsals started, we received news that the keyboard player and rhythm guitarist will not make it. Gasp! That's our whole harmony section! Imagine how awkward it would sound, vocalists singing to a bass and drum line, with occasional saxophone fill-ins. Again, our rehearsals happened purely by faith. Luckily one of the vocalists plays some guitar, so she was able to help out with the harmony where she could. As I had mentioned in my previous post, I have decided that during rehearsals and performance, my playing will be between God and my heart, and not influenced by anything else. So I did my lonesome basslines and did them well.

Here comes the best part of rehearsals.....I finally have chemistry with my drummer. Maybe it has something to do with the absence of important elements of our instrumental department, so we were able to focus on each other, but for the first time, I felt truly in touch with my drummer. There have been moments in our nine months of playing together where I have felt in sync with him, but other times I have felt like there was a wall between us, but yesterday was a different experience.

I have been reading articles and watching videos on top bassists and drummers, and their relationship in the band as the rhythm section. One particular article that stood out to me was by Joseph Patrick Moore, "How to Lock in with a Drummer". In this article, he likens the relationship of  the bassist and drummer to that of marriage, saying it should be a happy one, filled with trust and open communication, and ultimately connecting as "one heartbeat". After the last rehearsals, I feel like I have said "I do" to my drummer. Although all relationships are a work in progress, I feel like we have finally reached a point in our rhythm section relationship, where we are more or less one. When he rolls, I know how long he will roll for and respond as such, he knows my accented beats, we can almost accurately predict each other's moves and when one of us wants to vary the groove, a glance is all it takes. I am no longer a single rhythm-er!

Day 11 - My Muse is on Strike

As cliche as this sounds, my music (or lack of) is inspired by life events. I believe that I am, by nature, a very emotional and expressive person, and I guess this has influenced my music in a way. However, as I get older and navigate my way through life's rocky paths, I am learning that everything is not necessarily as simple as it appears. A combination of recent and past events have led me to become numb. I am no longer moved by things that used to move me. That friend who won't support me despite me having been there for them unconditionally? Whatever. That boy who told me he loved me but forgot to mention that he was thinking of someone else when he told me? Not bothered. I'm focused on growing with my band to pro level, but to others it's just a big hang-out? Been there, done that. Logically, I know that it's supposed to hurt, but I feel nothing emotionally. In the past, I would have called my cousin for an emergency junk food throw-down. But I didn't, because for once my world is still moving on despite circumstances.

This numbness is really working well for me, because otherwise I would be a big and depressed ball without motivation for life. However, this is dangerous for my music. My muse is on strike, I have had zero inspiration lately. Even when I do play, the difference is notable, so much that my church band director had to ask what was going on. The dilemma therefore is; to feel or not to feel?

I remember sometime back when I had my heart seriously broken, and I told my best friend that I wish I could be numb and never feel anything. She responded by saying, "You are an artist. Your emotions are what define you. If you let them go, you let yourself go." One point to team "feel".

My church band director, whose musicality and life outlook I really respect and look up to, said, "When you are playing, be in touch with the Spirit at the moment. Let the Spirit guide you and forget about everyone else." Another point to team "feel".

Today, I have band rehearsals but I have absolutely no motivation to attend the rehearsal. Lately, I have been feeling as though we are not on the same page when it comes to our long-term goals, and this is highly frustrating. Your band is like a romantic relationship, and this is that moment when you have a disagreement and you feel like you need some time apart from you significant other to figure things out. But, hey, the show must go on. So maybe at rehearsals I should just block my emotions? One point to team "no feel".

Verdict: My heart and feelings are essential in my playing, and it will be career suicide to lose touch with my feelings. However, life events do happen, and we must develop coping mechanisms in order to move on with life. If numbing is my way of coping, let it be, but because emotions are an important aspect of being alive and human, let them pour out when playing. At that moment, it is music, my heart, God and no one else. This is the mentality I will go into rehearsals and performances with. Aluta continua!

Day 10 - Band Things Pt.3

Band 525

I now feel complete in this new band and I am very optimistic about our future together. This is the set-up (the names and faces will come soon):

• Female Singer 1 - Was shy at first, but once she got comfortable....the voice! Amazingly big for quite a small-figured girl. She also has a nice low-register alto, which I may be biased in liking because I have a deep voice myself. She also has a marketable image.
• Female Singer 2 - The youngest and quite fun. She can also really sing and has some good taste in fashion. I have to appreciate because I was the only female in my previous band for quite some time. It's great to be among my people finally.
• Female Singer 3 - She is also quite good. She is new, so I've only heard her once. However, she has this warm motherly feeling. This is not to say she is old. Maybe big-sisterly should be the word.
• Male Singer 1 - I have known him since I was 2 years old, but we never thought we would be into music. We started a fun band when we were younger and he was the first singer I ever composed with. His voice has also gotten him quite a number of female fans. 
• Male Singer 2 / Rhythm Guitarist - This one makes me happy always. He is like a teddy bear and always looks either lost or sleepy. He has a very good ear and harmonizes quite well. He also acts in a popular local t.v. show, so he is quite serious about the entertainment industry. That might explain the sleepiness. 
• Keyboardist - Been playing since the age of 4 years. He has a great, classical-like touch on the keys that gives me nostalgia, and is also smart, musically and otherwise. He has a bit of a bad-boy vibe as well, so I foresee more female fans.
• Saxophonist - He's a quiet one, but quite a comical character. Everything he says is funny. He started off playing the recorder and of late seems to be lusting after my beloved bass. He is also very deep and smart, and a great improvisationist. I also appreciate him a lot because he pushes me to be the best I can be.
• Bassist - eeerm, just me.
• Drummer - I've played with him in other bands. He is also a special friend (I value him especially because he was one of the very few people who cared about my well-being when my grandma passed away). He has good leadership qualities, amazing talent and driven like me,but the usual (somewhat attractive) arrogance  drummers have. That and a performance handbag.   

Let's do this!

Day 9 - Band Things Pt.2

Finding a good band is like looking for "the one"; quite frustrating and almost impossible to find. I have been in my new band for about a month now, and so far so good. Actually, it's great. It's like that relationship I have always wanted (or maybe it's just the honeymoon phase). Before we started rehearsals, we chatted for some time and therefore have created a good bond, which I believe is essential when playing together. Playing music is like communicating your intimate feelings. This is not effective if you do not trust the person you are communicating with enough to be yourself. We even got arrested together for staying in Uhuru Park after 6 p.m. (yes, apparently it's illegal) and the City Council officer quoted for us Matthew 5:25,

"Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison." (NIV). 

Luckily we were released without issues. The band is therefore known as Band 525 (pronounced five-two-five). Last week we had our first show together, and I have to say, it was quite successful. Everything went well, we did not have major mishaps and best of all, the audience response was overwhelmingly great. I am usually quite critical of my performances, but for me to feel amazing after one, it must have gone really well. This took me back to my first major performance back in primary school, a 4-night musical, when I knew I wanted to be a performer. 

Despite this great start, I have had some personal challenges as the bassist for Band 525. My former band was an all-instrumental band, where we chose the song lists ourselves, bearing in mind the musicality, arrangement and key instrument in a particular song, focusing on Afro-jazz. However, in this new band, the vocalists pick the cover songs.The major challenge I've had is the genre of music. Our vocalists are pop, rock and R&B artistes. Although I started off as a rock guitarist, I find that these three genres are probably the least challenging instruments-wise, and therefore the most uninteresting of genres. This was a challenge because I did not have the motivation to practice because I was bored stiff.  However, out of bad things come good things. I remembered my favorite Kenyan lead guitarist, Jack of Sarabi Band, who shredded (hard-rock technique) while they were performing a Benga tune (traditional Luo music). I also recalled one of my favorite local bassists, Sam, (one unfaithful instrumentalist) who, like myself, enjoys playing funk. Sam can take a boring pop song and funk it up, giving it a whole new and improved sound. Playing these songs, I believe, is helping me grow because it has forced me to be creative with my basslines as well as develop my individuality, since it is either I play below par because of boredom, or explore the potential to express myself and enjoy it. 

Day 8 - Band Things

So, ladies and gentlemen, I have joined a new band. Well, technically it's not new, because I have some of my instrumentalists from my previous band, and we have members from another band, so we are somewhat familiar with each other on a musical level. Finding a band that is "the one" is like dating seriously to find your soul-mate and settle down. Aside from the fact that I am a little bit picky, here's why I think it's been especially difficult:

1. Kenyan musicians, especially instrumentalists, are very unfaithful characters. Myself included. More often than not, you find guitarist so-and-so "committed" to bands W, X, Y and Z, while accepting a few one-time gigs with other bands. It's like in a relationship: if you and your partner are both seeing other people on the side and having one-night stands, then there is no time to really build your relationship. I officially only belong to two bands (yes); the church one and my new one. I hereby also promise to fight, with all my might, the temptation to play for another band. Unless of course this one breaks my heart.
2. If you are Kenyan and your parents support your music career, you either have very modern and internationally exposed parents, or they don't love you enough to care about what you do with your life. Sadly, music as a career generally in Africa is not as respected as in the West. I once heard a Kenyan MP use "musician" as a simile to describe poverty. Of course this is not necessarily true for all countries. I grew up in Southern Africa, where the arts and extra curricular events were quite supported, as opposed to here where more emphasis is on academics. The Nigerian entertainment industry is also doing pretty well. Anyway, because of this lack of support, our beloved musicians usually have a "hobby" mentality towards music, therefore they do not put in the extra work and professionalism required to excel. This has been an issue for me because I am quite a driven and goal oriented person. 
3. Working in any group is never an easy task. This is more so true when you toss a bunch of different characters with different missions in life. Say, for example, in one band you have someone who wants to pay their bills through performances, another one who comes to unwind from other jobs, one who lives a fantasy life and likes the swag of being in the band and nothing else, the one hungry for fame, the inexperienced guitarist just trying to get girls and of course the arrogant, off-key singers who get offended when you correct them. This, my friend, is a recipe for disaster.

To be continued...

Day 7 - Less is More

This past weekend has been a rather enlightening one:

Event 1 - Smart Percussionist

During my church band rehearsals, our band leader spoke. He is one of the very few people who's words have an impact.He either says something hilarious, like how he can never accept someone's unfinished chapati because he doesn't like moist chapatis (unless he moistens them himself), or something really smart. There are two main reasons why I really respect and look up to (that's funny because his Masaai genes have blessed him with some serious height) this moist-chapati-hating man. Firstly, he, quite like myself, I believe, is a very deep thinker. He has a great mind, and this is also apparent in his musicianship. He is the type of person who would go for a concert and quietly stay in his chair, analyzing the music. In relation to this, the second reason why I really respect him is because he is a percussionist/drummer. As opposed to other instrumentalists, percussionists are usually looked down upon because it is perceived that their musical ability begins and ends with rhythm. This guy, however, understands chords and their quality, musicality and performance. Back to the main point....Before our rehearsals, he gave a little speech, which in summary was:

• It's about Jesus on Sunday, so let it not be about your virtuosity 
• Always step back a bit as we get in worship mode, to allow us and the congregation to focus on what's really important
• If you're going to add funky stuff, only do so if it compliments the message of the music

Event 2 - Words of a Soul Singer

I have this friend who is an amazing vocalist. She has a powerful voice and is not afraid to let her insides pour out. I usually don't have much respect for today's singers because most of them lack artistry and musicianship. I've worked with some who have no concept of musical timing and some who can't tell when they are in the wrong key, and then get offended when you tell them. I really admire this one though, because she is an artiste in the true sense. Not only does she have a powerful voice, but sings and writes from the heart. Additionally, she has a great musical ear and the ability to produce accurate pitch. I remember at one of her rehearsals, she wanted the saxophonist to play a particular line for her song, so she sung the line. At the exact pitch. Her voice even sounded like a saxophone! Anyway, she visited me, and of course you cannot have two musicians in the same room and not talk about music. So we were watching videos of some of the newer African musicians, and critiquing them. One was of a Nigerian artiste, on which she commented that the lyrics were as if the singer was addressing a bunch of five year olds (quite simple), but they were very catchy and got to the people. Basically, you have failed as a musician if your audience can't remember your lyrics (or licks in my case). You don't always have to complicate matters.

Event 3 - Bassists Unite (and support the rest of the band)

I was recently on an online bass forum and the topic of discussion was basically "what makes a good bassist". The role of a bassist is mainly to support the band and and help the rhythm section. The main issue of debate was therefore, how much is too much. Here are some of the viewpoints (and my opinion in brackets):

• Basslines are like vocal lines....if it can be sung, it's a good one (agreed...it doesn't have to be overly melodic to compete with the singer/lead guitarist, but a decent amount of melody is good as opposed to sticking to one rhythm note. I used to only stick to root notes, played at the rhythm of the bass drum. This is not so bad in certain genres, like pop or soft-rock, or in certain places of a song e.g. at the intro or outro. However, it's very boring and your audience will definitely not notice you.)
• Technical ability makes a good bassist (agreed to an extent. Technical ability and understanding of your instrument is key in your playing. However, some musicians take to over-showing their technicality that the musical essence gets lost. It's no longer music but just a bunch of...technique. I find this particularly the case with guitar shredders, especially those who go past 20 seconds during their solos. Even 20 seconds is stretching it.)
• You need a 6 or 5 string bass to do good lines (disagreed...a good line can be done on any bass. It's up to you to know how to work it. Flea, pictured above, has some very memorable lines. He is among the world's top bassists, but I have never seen him playing a bass guitar with more than 4 strings. A 5 or 6 string can be good for certain sounds, but even then, simplicity is key. A very good example is in Zahara's cover of Brenda Fassie's "Vulindlela". The bassist here plays a 6 string, but keeps it quite simple, yet it has a line that can be sung, supports the lead and still keeps the rhythm. Quite memorably tasteful, if you ask me. Watch it here ->> Zahara - Vulindlela (Brenda Fassie Cover) )
• Keep it simple, listen, and only add in fancy fills where there are empty spaces (fully agreed. I couldn't put it better.)

What I've taken from this encounters, is that as a bassist, I should remain simple but augment the music with fills where necessary, have a holistic musical view, communicate the music, and that it is okay to be a supporting character as long as you do it well. 

Sidenote: In Sebene music it's a bit different as the lead, rhythm and bass guitars all have counter-melodies. I am still working on it and am yet to fully understand the playing. But it's quite fun to play and I imagine that since, compared to other genres, it's very interactive and the main purpose is for dancing, that everyone has a main role in one way or another to add to the adrenaline.

Day 6 - Abstract playing Pt.2

On Sundays, I play the keyboard at my church during Praise and Worship session. If there's anything that has thrown me in the deep end in my journey, it is playing for my church band. Firstly, not only am I playing with successful, professional musicians, but I don't know many gospel songs. The list of songs we do on Sundays is normally revealed on Saturdays, therefore the first time I would have ever heard a song is on the day before performance, and sometimes on the actual day or on stage. Of course this would make it difficult to remember a progression. Improvising and putting melodic fill-ins was a no-touch area as a result; it was like trying to form a sentence in Spanish when you don't know how the verb and noun pattern works.

I realized that if I listened more to the singers, the melody line would make it easier to predict which chord could be used at a particular point in the song. Abstract playing comes into work here. To be able to hear these changes before they take place, you need to first be able to hear the scale, intervals and chords in your head. This also applies to the bass guitar as an additional ingredient to "sound via shapes". Basslines become so much easier to create when you not only understand the physical pattern of melody and harmony, but if you can hear them before playing.

Something amazing happened in church the last Sunday, that I consider to be a milestone in my growth as a bassist and musician. Our professional and quite competent musician of an instrumentalist leader had not yet arrived during the run-through of the day's songs. Since we had not practiced the previous day, this was going to be my first attempt at playing the songs. Our band leader said that the vocalists should just practice on their own since the instrumentalist leader was not there and it was no time to start figuring out chords. Since the vocalists were gathered around the keyboard, as I sat there helplessly, I realized that with the lead melody, I could hear the chords in my head. So I tried it. And it worked. I was playing a song on the go that I had never played or heard before. Even she high-fived me. During the Praise and Worship session, our bassist was absent. As we played, I realized I was also playing a bassline in my head, a legitimate one at that, and I was so confident of my head-hand coordination, that had the bass cable been there at the time, I would have jumped up and played it. On.The.Go. I feel that to be a true musician, you have to play from the heart, and like in real life, matters of the heart are not always planned. You don't plan to feel angry. You don't plan to fall in love. It just happens, but once there, you can control the impact. I now feel I am on the way to becoming a true, heart-playing musician, as I work on my abstract playing.

Even though I felt like I was drowning in the beginning, I believe I am now learning to swim. I hereby declare in Jesus' name, that I will swim across the ocean and back.

Day 5 - Abstract Playing

Immediately I started playing classical music, I was training for my Associated Board of the Royal Schools of Music (ABRSM) exams. My main goal at the time was to get my three songs and technical exercises perfect so that I could pass the piano exam. Having skipped two grades at the advice of my teacher, I had quite a lot of work to do in a short period of time. This, I believe, resulted in me playing in a mechanical way as opposed to playing with analysis and deeper understanding. The piece was placed in front of me, with notes and performance directions. I knew what came next before I played it, because I could physically see it. However, I could not hear it before playing it, because I did not have that deep understanding. This ability to hear any piece of music in your head before playing it, and then translating it onto your instrument, is what I am referring to as "abstract playing".

One of the challenges I've faced as an emerging Kenyan musician and crossover artiste, is abstract playing. I was able to hear the sound I wanted in my head, but somehow along the way the translation would be lost and my fingers would not execute the appropriate sound. This was particularly frustrating because the Kenyan music scene mostly requires improvisation and on-the-go creations. As a self-taught bassist (before I discovered the power of Google and YouTube..woohoo!), since I did not know the string and letter names, I had to rely on shapes on the fretboard and connecting those shapes with sounds. I believe that this connection is what bridged the gap between my head and fingers. A lead guitarist friend of mine even remarked once that my musical ear (read abstract playing) is much better on bass than on the keyboard. However, sound via shape is just one of the ingredients for abstract playing.........To be Continued...

Day 4 - Sebene

Growing up, on Sunday afternoons, my parents would put on the radio at full-volume, listening to their favorite Congolese Rumba artistes such as Franco and Mbilia Bel, among many others. I grew up on Lingala music. However, not as an instrumentalist, but a dancer. I may have been quite soft-spoken, but when it came to taking Lingala on the dance floor.......aiyayaya! I would gather my family for a full show in my grandparents' home, complete with my brother's (as the MC) introduction and my dramatic emergence from behind the dining room curtain. I even won a dancing competition at the age of 5 years. My favorite musician was Yondo Sister. This woman could mooooove! I admired her so much, I copied her dance styles and even cut my jeans like she did, so my nickname was Yondo. Fast forward many years later..................

Now that I am an instrumentalist and have studied music, I appreciate Rumba music on a different level. Not only is it probably the most dance-able genre of music, but the instrumentation is beautifully intricate. Particularly Sebene. This is the section in Rumba music where the lead singer stops and the instruments play, as the performers engage the audience in dancing. The interesting thing about Sebene is that the instrumentalists somehow (yes, it's still magic to me) manage to turn a basic 1-5-4-5 progression into something wonderfully complicated. (please refer to the Interlude post to have an idea about progressions) This is how I visualize what happens during Sebene:

• Lead Guitar - plays and improvises on a melody based on a certain theme. He has now taken the position of the lead singer and is now the communicator of the music. 
• Rhythm Guitar - plays the 1-5-4-5 harmony, but using that, he plays an underlying supporting melody to the Lead Guitarist. His Guitar line could very easily have been a Lead part in another genre.
• Keyboard - From what I've heard, this one doesn't have much work other than entering the progression on time. He can add funky stuff, but stays far out of the foreground.
• Drums and Bass (where I come in) - Mr Drums has to have an amazing sense of time (and a strong foot) to keep the kick constant. Other than that, the rhythm is not too complicated, he'll live. Mr (or Miss, in my case) Bass has to have Multiple Personality Disorder. She plays a somewhat melodic line, responsive to the Lead's melody, while still keeping the progression, while occasionally sliding on the fretboard to assert her presence. Most importantly, she assists our Mr Constant Drum with the rhythm, like any other Bassist. However, this one is more involved. While she is conscious of her melodic line and keeping the harmony, her rhythm must also be prominent, making sure her thumb visits a lower register key at some point of her line, sometimes even playing the kick herself by muting and tapping on the lower strings. All this happens simultaneously.

<<< Where my thumb usually hangs out when I play

Where my thumb will start hanging out when I play Sebene>>>

One of my challenges for the year is to learn how to play at least some very basic (but enjoyable) Sebene. My practice technique is to break a whole line down into 3 parts, rhythm, harmony and melody, and practice each part separately then put it together. Today I did the rhythm and harmony of Yondo Sister's "Africa". After perfecting this bassline and a couple more from other Rumba songs, soon I will get the drift and will be making my own Sebene lines. Wish me and my thumb some luck.

Interlude - Quick Music Class

In my next entry, I will be talking about the beauty of my new adventure, Congolese Sebene music. I felt it would have been really difficult to fully paint the picture without touching on some basic theory. So this is for my non-musician readers that I love oh so dearly and want to try to include them in the emotional ride that is Sebene. In summary:

Lesson 1: Common Band Instruments and Roles

• Lead Guitar - Plays melodic lines and fills in empty spaces. Sometimes may have a solo part to shine.
• Rhythm Guitar - Provides harmony and rhythm in line with the band
• Keyboard - Provides harmony and fills in where the lead guitarist or lead singer doesn't
• Bass Guitar - Works very closely with the drummer to provide rhythm and linking it with the harmony. Basically the bridge between drums and other instruments.
• Drums - Keeps the rhythm and controls the tempo (speed). He holds the time together, and it is said your band is only as good as your drummer.If you have a bad drummer, even if you hired Mariah Carey to be your lead singer, you cannot be helped. Sorry. 

Lesson 2: The Scale

Basically, a scale is an arrangement of notes according to pitch and intervals. Every characteristic of music, from harmony to melody and genre, is based on a scale. One of the most popular scales that we will focus on is a Major Diatonic Scale. That is simply do re mi fa sol la ti do. Everyone at one point or anther has sung the Solfa Ladder (do re mi...), so we are together up until there. This scale can be built from any key, as long as when you sing or play it, it sounds like do re mi..... The key where you start your do is the key of the song, for example if you start from C, you're in the key of C.

Lesson 3: Degrees of the Scale

If you count from the do you start with to the next do, you will find that there are 8 notes. This group of 8 notes is known as an octave. The degrees of the scale are simply the position number given to each note. However, since do is repeated, it is usually counted as 1 again. Assuming we are in the key of C:

Scale notes:           C  D  E  F  G  A  B  C   (*side-note: The musical alphabet only goes to G and starts over)

Degrees in Solfege: Do  Re  Mi  Fa  Sol  La  Ti  Do

Degrees in Numbers: 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  1

Therefore: C D E F G A B C = Do Re Mi Fa Sol La Ti Do = 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 1

I hope you are still with me here.

Lesson 4: Harmony and Progression

Harmony is basically two or more notes sounding at the same time. Harmony forms what are known as chords. We have what are known as primary chords. These are formed from the 1st, 4th and 5th degrees of the scale. For now, each chord will have 3 notes, while skipping a note in between, for example, C will consist of C-E-G. That will be chord 1(C), as it starts on the 1st degree. As such, chord 4 (F) = F-A-C and chord 5 (G) = G-B-D. A chord is named after the letter on which it starts.

A progression is how a song moves from one chord to the next, for example if you play chord C to chord F, then back to C and to G, then finish with C, that movement is known as a progression. In my experience playing in Kenyan bands, I have discovered that most have learnt to play by ear and improvisation and not had much theory lessons. Also quite commonly, while communicating in a band setup, chords are referred to as the degrees, therefore our above progression would be communicated as 1 - 4 - 1 - 5 -1.

On that note, I believe we are now ready to progress onto the next level.

Day 3 - Of Techniques and Improvisation

When I was younger, my tomboy self was involved in all the sports teams and competed against other schools. The teams I enjoyed most were hockey and soccer. As a member of these teams, I hated practice sessions where we would do drills and exercises, because at the time, my young, uninformed mind did not see how running up and down a hill twenty times would help me score a goal.....this was until I ran out of breath after running five steps during a game and got the ball ruthlessly tackled from me. 

Music practice is like playing for a sports team. Doing exercises and drills is the most boring part, and most times we prefer to just jump into the fun action that is performing. Sadly but true, exercises are a very, very important part of your playing, even though they are painfully boring. I have grudgingly accepted that I need to focus more on my technical exercises. This in the long run will make playing even easier, and I believe that with good technique, you cannot run out of improvisation ideas. At least three eighths of my practice session will have to have technical exercises such as scales and spider exercise. Additionally, the session will include improvising a bassline over a backing track. During today's session, I found that it is easier to come up with reggae basslines. Rock is also fairly simple. I also practiced the blues scale, which I used to play over a shuffle backing track. I am now ready to take on the bass world. Let's see how this goes!

Day 2 - First Show of the Year: Analysis

Today was my first performance of the year. The good news is that it went well. The bad news is that it could have gone so much better. Sigh.

I was on the organizing team, and since I was away for about two weeks, I had to work under pressure when I came back. Nothing is more frustrating. Grrrrr!

The sound was sub-standard and we had to operate the sound ourselves because there was no sound engineer. Multi-tasking when performing is not my cup of tea. Again, because I was away for those weeks, not only did my band not have adequate practice sessions, but I did not have my individual sessions, so my fingers were not as flexible. Sigh.

Lack of practice => lack of performance confidence => poor quality performance. Minus 1 point because I did not look like this:

Some bands cancelled their appearances, which meant that the available bands (including my not-practiced band) had to have extra time on stage. Going with the flow had a whole new meaning. This wouldn't have been so bad if we had amazing chemistry. Note to self: bond with band. I also played for another band which had 50 songs I had never heard of before. Because of the poor sound, I could not even hear the rhythm guitarist or vocalists well enough to be able to follow well. Minus 6 points.


In my experience as a classical pianist, everything was strict and planned before the performance, except for sight-reading. For piano exams, we had to prepare the pieces a year in advance. I reckon it is because of this structure that I get severe performance anxiety when I feel unplanned, and this affects my performance. However, I find that there is an element of freedom in going with the flow, and since anything can happen on stage, I have made it a point to include improvisation of different genres, to backing tracks in my individual practice session. But this is only to be used to make a performance better. Otherwise, I have also learnt to not accept to perform when I feel ill-prepared, lest I give an unwanted impression.

Day 1 - The Embarkment

In the last couple of months, some rather life-changing events have happened. The biggest event was the death and burial of my dear Grandma. A few weeks after her death, I turned a year older. I never wanted to celebrate, as my heart was laden with grief. On my birthday last year, my Grandma sung "Happy Birthday" over the phone. The thought of never hearing her voice again, the sadness of losing someone so close and the thought of having to face the world, all seemed unbearable. I retreated into fetal position, as I, quite hopefully, awaited my turn.

Suddenly, some light from the end of tunnel shone through, and like a baby eager to know the ways of the world, I reached out and felt a sense of freshness. My Grandma finished her race and left nothing unsaid. She was renewed to a fresh beginning, closer to God.  Her promotion to glory, and my birthday, both symbolized the end of one thing and the beginning of another. With this, I embark on my journey.

I am an instrumentalist, and last year I started being more involved in the music industry, with a focus on bass guitar. Throughout the last years, I had always been self-conscious and I believe that this, as a result, affected how I performed. My former piano teacher pointed this out when he left the room as I practiced, and later came back and commented on the difference in quality of my playing when there are people in the room and without. He noted that I would play much better around people I'm comfortable with and have known, than around other people, and even better when alone. He always told me that he knows and understands that my playing abilities are much higher than that shown on the piano exam report card. However, as I have recently come to learn, out here in the industry, no one cares to understand; you're either capable or not.

It is commonly said that how you perceive and portray yourself, is how others are going to perceive and portray you. Despite certificates of excellence and merits in music, I perceived myself to be an inadequate musician. I have had people telling me to not try a song, because they consider it beyond me. Even after going ahead to play the song perfectly, much to their shock, they would still question my abilities. In my eyes, I lacked ability, therefore in theirs, I lacked ability. As a fairly new bass guitarist who has never received formal training on bass, I understand that I still have a lot of work to do and I'm very open to constructive criticism. However, such comments are restricting and imply that there is no room for me to expand my abilities.

With the new life, new confidence and new perspective, I will take the challenge. It is hereby my goal, to not only be one of the very rare local female bassists, but among the top bassists worldwide. Not only to prove to the world, but to myself, that I am adequate and to document my growth. This is the embarkment. This is my Bass Chronicles.