Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem
The Electric Bass Guitar is a fairly recent addition to the long history of musical instruments. In order to get the volume needed for really low notes, the non-amplified acoustic had to have a huge sound-box. Thus we have The enormous guitar that plays the bass part in Mariachi bands, the almost comical bass-balalaika in Russian ensembles, and, of course, the huge Double Bass (also called the "Bull-Fiddle) that graces Classical Orchestras, Country, Bluegrass, Jazz, and Early Rock'n'Roll. Not only are these Behemoths unwieldy and fragile, so much that one will not fit in a normal-sized car, but they are so expensive that a single replacement string can cost over $100. It takes a very dedicated musician to play one of these, as I found out many years ago as I was walking down Huntington Av in Boston, home to Symphony Hall, The New England Conservatory, and Northeastern.
A young student schlepping a Bull Fiddle came up and asked me, "Do you know how to get to Symphony Hall?"
At first I was going to give the classic Henny Youngman response, "PRACTICE!", but looking at the size of what he was carrying and imagining it being smashed over my head, I replied, "You're almost there. It's on the next block, this side."
In the 1950's, Leo Fender came up with an alternative. It was called The Fender Precision Bass Guitar and, though still larger than an electric guitar, was played the same way. The bass LINES, however, weren't much different than the ones played on the upright bull-fiddle. It took pioneers such as James Jameson (in the MOTOWN crew) to make the bass lines a signature of the song. When that bass-line starts, you know what song is going to ensue.
Because the Electric Bass is still considered a "new" instrument in the general history, bass players are the object of many jokes. Nigel, in "This Is Spinal Tap" gets trapped in a huge plastic pod onstage and needs to be rescued with a blowtorch, for example. The classic response to the statement "I play bass" is "What's your REAL job?" etc.
When I started playing bass in 2004, I noticed that EVERY bass player I knew had been to CULINARY SCHOOL. This was so that he would have something "to fall back on" in case he failed as a bass player. Not only have I not gone to CULINARY SCHOOL, but MY favorite thing to make for dinner is RESERVATIONS. I am in a lot of trouble.
Poor Peter! He had not only washed out as a Disciple, he had denied his Master THREE TIMES, with curses and oaths, even.
But at least he had the ol' fishing business to fall back on...and THAT didn't seem to be working out too well either.
Come and Pray For the Peace of Jerusalem, For Our FRiends in Need, For Persecuted Believers, and For Our Beloved Nation.
"The counsel of the LORD stands forever, The plans of His heart from generation to generation. Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, The people whom He has chosen for His own inheritance..” Psalm 33 NASB
God Bless America!
Blessings To All Who Visit This Garden of Prayer.
This Symbol Represents Christians in The Middle East, who desperately need our Prayers.
Hallelujah and Amen
ML/LTOS
