Posted by JRTapes on July 19, 1999 at 09:12:27:
Just a curious philosophical question from a rainy overcast weekend in Chicago-thus a little thinking time on my hands.
When I think of people I know who play more than one instrument, the thought occurred to me that most of them, if not all of them are tuba or bass players. I was reading a little bit of
OF WIND AND SONG about Arnold Jacobs, and noticed that he was playing trumpet in his early days, and also played bass, and of course is legendary for his help to all instruments.
I myself am a tuba player who plays a little guitar, as well as other things, none very well except guitar. In college I knew a guy who was also a tuba player, who did a recital on classical guitar.
So, do I just notice this because I know more tuba players, or is there something in our psyches as tuba or bass line players that enable us to stretch our minds towards other instruments ? One more example: Paul McCartney was the bass player of the Beatles, yet by the end he was playing guitar, piano, bass, trumpet, drums, and anything else he could get his hands on. Coincidence ?
Any thoughts on the subject, or any more famous examples one can think of ?