Bass Musician Magazine - SPECIAL August 2014 Female Bassist Issue | Page 49
Do you find that you constantly have to
prove yourself... as a musician, or a
musician that happens to be a female?
I think as a musician you should only have to
prove yourself’ to yourself. That’s part of the
whole learning process… Practicing, setting
goals, etc. The second you start trying to
prove yourself to other people, it takes the fun
right out of it and puts you a step back, in my
opinion.
What is your advice on how to be taken
professionally in the music industry?
Be yourself.
From a practical point of view, do you
find managing the weight of a bass
challenging? If so, do you have any
special techniques/advice?
When I was at Berklee and got
serious about playing upright,
I did face some challenges,
especially being petite. My best
advice is to work out, eat healthy,
drink lots of water and stay
fit. After that, I took Alexander
Technique with Bob Lada and that
was life changing. Being spatially
aware of your body and how you
interact with the world is so
crucial to playing an instrument,
being a musician and physically
holding an instrument as large as
the stand up bass.
What do you wish someone
had told you when you were
first getting started?
I wish more people told me to have fun;
musicians are so serious. When we first
started playing instruments, it wasn’t because
we all wanted to be serious, it was because
we wanted to be rock stars like Jimmy Page,
up there having the time of our life. It’s so
easy to get wrapped up in non-sense that isn’t
important. Music however is important.
Any advice for other females interested
in getting started on the bass?
I think a good mentor is crucial to your
playing. Someone who knows how to teach,
be supportive and honest. Aside from that,
playing as much music as you can and actively
listening to music, not just ‘hearing’ it.
What can we look forward to from you
in the coming year?
This year is going to be a big one! I’ve got
some new bands and all sorts of exciting new
stuff... that I’m not allowed to talk about :-)
bassmusicianmagazine.com | aug 2014 | #bassmusicianmag | the face of bass
people want to work with you it doesn’t matter
what sex you are.