SONICFROG DOT NET

Closer To Fine – The New Musical Challenge

Though I’m a bass player, I also play guitar. Bass is home, I’ve been playing bass for 30 plus years. It’s almost second nature. I have some skill on guitar, but it’s not on the same level as the other. Shiva Umesh, a drummer I’ve played with in the past, recently invited me to join the Indigo Girls inspired Close To Fine band he’s in, but as a guitar player instead of bass.

I am always trying to push boundaries, play and do things in music that I haven’t done before. It’s one of the reasons I’ve not been in a ton of cover bands. I could be like many of my musician friends and gig every weekend playing in three bands that play the same basic set list, but that’s not my way, at least, not at the moment.

I know a couple of the songs in the two sets we are working on, but most are new to me. And as I delved into those songs I realized had set myself up with a much greater challenge than I knew. The songwriting and musicianship of “The Girls” is amazing!!! Again, I’ve never been a guitarist in a band before. I’m not gonna lie, there are times when I was tempted to say, “hey, I’ll move back to bass”, because I hear what to play evertime we’re playing / practicing, but I won’t give in to taking that easier route.

I really REALLY am gonna have to up my game here. I wanted a challenge… I got it.