Every musical piece is an intricate interplay of three very distinct components, dictating all the various parameters that define the feel, look and vibe of the piece. Essential among these components is the bass section-the section that provides the foundation on which the proverbial “architecture and masonry” of the symphony is done.
Those deep thumps, that groove and rhythm, those changing patterns in the music that very subtly come and direct the piece-bass does all that And inconspicuously.
So, you will see the lead vocalist, the lead guitar, the drummer enrapturing and rousing the audience with all the energy,the oomph and the razzmatazz of the music, but there stands like a yogi-the bass guitarists-looking like a fish out of the water-silently playing along.
What the audience perceives is not what it actually is.The guy on the bass knows exactly how the energy and flow of the music will proceed. The setup he provides is something that has to be fool proof.Probably why there is relative calm oozing from where he is positioned, providing the imploding impact to the otherwise exploding expession.And he is happy in that position-unassuming, yet so integral.
Yet it is this component that provides the long-lasting memory of the piece with which the mind either remembers it, or doesn’t. If it weren’t for bass, musical pieces wouldn’t have any impact,being a languid lifeless force incapable of having the impact it has on human psyche.
Well, so does it also happen in our day-to-day lives. We are, knowingly and unknowingly, both the bass,and have many as the“bass” in our life.
So, who is a bass? How do you recognise one?
Not very difficult, if the characteristics of bass are kept in mind.
“Rhythmic and harmonic foundation on which the musical piece is built.”
The first characters that might come to mind, quite obviously, are parents. They are the strong supports, guides, intricate relations that one can always pick up from, fall back, go , and come back to-no matter how conditions might be. Time and tone, one can always refer back to them for refreshment,re-calibration,re-tempering dreams,ambitions,aspirations,priorities, in the “music” called life.
And perhaps it is only parents(and few like them) that selflessly want their children to build upon their upbringing, improve and excel in life.The cardinal feature of bass.
“The low-frequency, low pitch, high wavelength notes in a musical composition.”
Each one of us has a lot of hands holding and lifting us out into this recognition called life.They are essential to us in being the motivation and purpose we so often need going about everyday tasks.If not for their presence, much of everything would stop seeming to have any purpose or making sense to us.
True friends come in this category as well.Ever felt extremely depressed, low, angry; or extremely exuberant, lively,jubilant? Want to speak yourself out loud? Go to a dear friend. That friend of yours will become the canvas on which you can unequivocally “spill” yourself upon, and return feeling lighter,if not better.
“What is the point?”-That is a dangerous question, that can stump any musical piece into senselessness,discord and eventual ruin.And so does this apply to life.And that is where stands the bass,unbroken, in the background.
Are we also the bass in someone’s life?
Knowingly, or unknowingly, we do become one. The easiest relation to explain this would be the relationship between siblings-always at each others’ lookout,dynamically evolving-morphing into a friend,an ear,an adviser,a perspective,a channel-unjudging, understanding,unconditional,unbiased
Do you genuinely feel happy and rejoice when you see a dear/close one do well, excel, succeed in any of the endeavours he/she sincerely pursues? Do you find your happiness in their happiness?Well, you are the bass here then!
Like the way it is, finding good bass musicians who have established themselves to standards aspirants look is not a regular occurrence. There are only a handful of them who can be considered as the “A-Listers”.
Being the bass in someone’s life isn’t easy either.But strives can always be made.
Remember, there are a lot of people who form the bass to the musical piece-your life.
Divyansh Atman
2nd April,2017
You have certainly developed an uncanny knack of understanding the nitty gritty and the essence of things around you and finding the correlation between them. The way you have presented these analogies time and again only goes on to beautifully prove the unified nature of the grand scheme of things. It’s amazing that you understand so much at such great depth. In this superficial world where people aren’t able to read and comprehend even what’s superficially visible, I believe this is a God gifted attribute to have. Needless to say, I loved the blog. And what I loved most about the blog is the fact that you also wrote about being the bass in someone’s life and not only finding how many of such bass like people one has. Cuz it’s always easier to calculate, contemplate and mull over what one has from others but very difficult to understand what one is to others…
Bravo!!!
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Marvellous piece.. as a matter of fact I firmly believe this one to one correlation between music and life can only be made if someone has a deep understanding of life and music.. We often find life in music and music in life. The arduous task is to understand and feel the meaningful existence of it.
” are we also a bass in someone’s lufe”… wow!! It’s an inspirational thought worth applying in one’s life.
Loved your original thought, well executed through your writings.
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