#419. Bass Player Face
Oct 11th by Jon
When it comes to worship, I do three very different things with my eyes. I close them if I’m feeling brave and know all the words. I watch the overhead screen and sing along to the words. Or I watch the bass player, because “bass player face” is one of my favorite things ever.
Even if you don’t have a bass player at your church, even if the idea of having an electric guitar plugged into your church’s electrical system sends shockwaves through your traditional values, you’ve experienced this to some degree. Bass player face is kind of like “face dancing” and it’s something that any and every musician can do, regardless of instrument. It’s where a musician, playing any kind of instrument, gets so into the experience that they just stop caring what their face looks like and start making outrageous scrunching motions with their mouth, forehead and cheeks. John Mayer does this when he plays guitar and the guy from Rusted Root used to do this all the time and it’s what Lincoln Brewster is doing in this picture.
I’ve never been a musician, but here is what I imagine is going through their heads:
“Boom boom ba doopy do bop. I am feeling this today God, whaaa, hittin’ all my notes! I want to dance like Kevin Bacon in Footloose but I can’t while holding this instrument so I’m going to let it all out with my cheek bones. Feelin’ it, feelin’ it, in my cheekbones! Ba dop!”
That’s it isn’t? If you’re a musician, can you please just comment and say, “That’s exactly right Jon, ‘boom ba doopy do bop,’ is what’s going on in our head, you have incredible musical insight.”
But I love bass player face because it encourages me to be more honest with my worship. When I see someone else letting go of the concerns of how they look, especially someone on stage, it inspires me to drop my guard too. To really worship instead of worrying what I look like. I might not go as far as to pretend I’m holding an air guitar, but I’ll definitely face dance from time to time. Sometimes you just have to, when you’re feelin’ it, feelin’ it in your cheekbones. Boom ba doopy do bop.
Comments
ha. i totally relate. i play the violin,and am sometimes guilty of face dancing … and if i’m really into it, i get a little foot stomp going… not too crazy, or i get too far away from the mike, and my eyes are closed,and it doesn’t sound pretty if i whack the mike with my instrument.
I play drums at church… and well…yeah… I do that. heck today I had my eyes closed most of the service… I wonder…
oh crud I think they video taped it.
I’m gonna have to watch that now. LOL!
Yeah Lincoln Brewster! I go to that church whenever I am in Roseville!!!!!
I linked to you- hope that’s OK. You totally crack me up! Love it.
I’m not sure if by saying “it’s something that any and every musician can do, regardless of instrument” you meant any instrument in the worship team (aka bass, guitar, drums, etc.) or if you meant any instrument at all. I play baritone, which is kind of like a small tuba–I don’t play it at church of course (can you imagine that? a baritone up there rockin’ out with the guitar. weird.), I play it in a symphonic band in my college–and I really can’t make an expressive face, except by squinting my eyes or something. Now that I think about it, I do frown sometimes when I’m getting really into it, but more often I end up swaying in my chair a little bit instead.
Great post! As always. Very entertaining!
I play bass and I totally do that. I also have a tendency to rock back and forth. Boom boom da doopy do bop and all that jazz. I laughed pretty hard while reading this entry.
It’s funny that I read this today because it was today after service that a friend came up to me and said “I like it when you play and get all into the music … it makes ME want to worship all-out”. And any worship leader will tell you that that is the ultimate goal. It made my day.
Although rare, one should also be on the lookout for “sound man” face. I was seriously getting into it yesterday.
In the middle of the set I caught one of our elders walking back to the sound booth (presumably to kindly tell me to turn down the bass, can’t you see that Edna’s ears are bleeding?) When he saw that I was “having a moment”, he waited a bit, then finally walked away.
Priceless.
Saw the bass player in church yesterday making this face. Keep up the great work!
i play bass and i shamelessly do this all the time when the music is more up beat with a lot of up and down the neck stuff.
but what a good/funny thing to point out.
As a bass player, I certainly approve of this post. I never had problems dancing with an bass slung over my shoulder, though.
“Bass face” for me was bass body, head to toes.
My favorite is the bass player head nod. It’s the kind of thing you’d expect to see on a nature show all about owls. If you turned off the music and put some Earth, Wind and Fire behind it you’ll see the connection.
This made me laugh because the bass player at my church totally does this – and I love that he is SO into the worship – sometimes he even STOPS playing to raise his hands. He is so in the moment, and I’m sure it’s a sweet sound and sight to God.
Yeah, like a few others have mentioned, I always notice it on the drummer. I love watching drummers, but then, I used to be one so maybe that’s why.
As for John Meyer, I love watching him too.
Oh yeah, I'm a musician and even though I was the keyboardist in the band I was on, I'd always be gettin' into the music with my face…& then dancing around when I didn't have a piece in that song.
So yeah, I was a drummer in church, and yeah I made that face, and yeah, that was pretty much what was going through my head. We always hoped it wasn’t too obvious. That was dumb.
oh yeah… i do that when i’m on the bass… i also do the pouting thing, pursing my mouth while nodding my head to the rhythm. plus swaying (and often consequently hitting others with the guitar). jumping, head-banging, and doing silent screams too when the music gets energetic. hehehe
hard to sing though ’cause you might get out of rhythm and lead others out of rhythm too.
I’m a guitarist for my praise team, but mine is more of a “Scooby doo-wah” than a “boom ba doopy do bop.”
Close, though. Good eye!
Somewhere along the way, the face our expressive bassist makes got called the “orgasm face.” (don’t judge me…you know what I mean)
Now of course, when I see it up on Imag while I’m leading, I have to force myself to think about something else so that I don’t equate the face with anything other than his time of worship.
Thanks for letting me confess that.
I went to a church one time where one of the singers happened to be a high school drama teacher. Her face was so cheesy the whole time…even worse than bass face.
Yeppers, it happens. That’s my baby making poopie face. I probably dance more than my face looks like it’s been hit by an invisible fist, but I do it. Every now and again…..I do it.
I am a bass player and I assure you that there is nothing going on in our heads while we play.
Just thought you should know so you don’t keep trying to figure it out.
This is totally a drummer thing too. I’ve got video proof of myself doing this. Its terrible and impossible to prevent. I should probably wear a mask while drumming.
Maestro,
This is intentional
If we do “bass face” and jump around like an idiot up front… then this is tacit permission for you to clap, and maybe even go completely crazy and sing.
It is silly and you have a great blog here.
As a classical bassoonist, I have to say… bass(clef) face is not anywhere near as cool as bass(guitar) face and this is a matter that distresses me most every day, especially as concerts draw near. But classical musicians do still make fantastic faces, and I certainly think in scat while I’m playing, so you’re right on that at least
Bass Face. Totally. We have a bass player or two that do great faces when playing.
One of my faves is David Amezcua of Under the Influence of Giants. Guy makes crazy faces!
I’m a bass player at a church. This is so awesome. It’s like the spirit falls over you and you can’t move enough to express you overwilming joy that it radiates all across your face. Awesome blog!! Bum bum pickit ta bow baw!
Actually, the king of what you’re calling “bass player face” is the awesome guitarist, Joe Walsh. No one does it better!
I have to say, I love the fact that I know the guy in that picture, he’s the worship pastor at my church!
But yes, He is definitely a common example of the “Bass Player Face” (even though he is definitely not a bass player!).
yyyayyy yipppeee spot on. I am a bass player in church. Love it.
http://bass-guitarist.blogspot.com/
Hahahaha! I was just made aware of my "bass player face" this last Sunday. Awesome. Glad I'm not alone.