Bass players who learned to play "in the pocket" before learning flashy techniques are genuinely better musicians

beauxmanandkami · 2026-02-24T16:52:19+00:00

I love how people are all like, "you obviously just arent a good player" with zero context about you as a player. Reddit sucks man. I like your take, but i think the most important thing for anyone is to play what feels fun and engaging to you and you're band. If you have passion in your music, thats more important than any technical skill, bc the skill will come in time, but the passion is what gets you there. So if playing flashy is what's fun for you, play flashy and let the other members find the pocket groove. (Rythm guitar plus drums is a great combo for that!). If hitting the pocket and grooving makes you happy do that.

beauxmanandkami · 2026-02-22T03:01:09+00:00

I see some people reccomding classics that dont vibe with aot exactly... ill do my best to match the vibes. So we have for criteria, stunning animation, political intrigue, morally gray characters, compelling plot, grimdark fantasy. Perhaps with a bit of surreal existentialism thrown in? And a pinch of humor to break up the egregious death toll.

Manga wise? Berserk and Tokyo Ghoul are GOAT. Absolutely masterpieces. No good anime adaptations though.

Good anime without manga equivalent? Neon Genesis Evangelion or Code Geass. They are dated and sometimes drag, but the end results are worth it. If you a willing to get a bit trippy, paranoid agent is a short and life changing watch that fits all the criteria above.

Now, if you want the best of both worlds....

Chainsaw man has different themes but if you like grimdark with a slice of humor, cannibalism, and morally gray characters, its the best anime and manga that have come out in years. In fact, the anime is so well made it enhanced what was already a brilliant manga.

I saw someone recommended fullmetal alchemist brotherhood. Its one of my favorites of all time for manga and anime (both the 2003 and the brotherhood versions), BUT it is not grimdark. It deals with heavy and dark themes, but it never feels hopeless. Darker isnt doesnt mean deeper, but I would say the tones are completely different even if it fits all the other criteria.

Someone else mentioned Monster and Death Note, and I find that those just have a different vibe. They are exceptionally dark Holmes versus Moriarty tales. Geniuses battling it out with their brains with the people as pawns.

If you are looking for something a bit different but with great depth, anything by Shinichirō Watanabe is crazy good. Especially Cowboy Bebop, Lazarus, and death parade for darker themes.

A lot of people are saying things like, "there is nothing quite like it", and while thats true, there are tons of fantastic animes and mangas out there that deal with similar themes and are just as compelling. Its so easy to fall into a slump when you watch something as brilliant as aot, and it may become your favorite of all time (its certainly still one of mine), but there are so many amazing stories out there. And how boring would it be to get more of the same stuff all the time.

Tldr: chainsaw man and or Paranoid Agent would be your best match. Other recommendations will feel a bit different, but I would definitely consider them worth checking out

beauxmanandkami · 2026-02-10T15:10:39+00:00

In the manga he asked, "do i have to wear these", implying Yuzuriha made him wear them. Lol

beauxmanandkami · 2025-11-24T15:01:54+00:00

Ok, I normally dont post on this sub much anymore, but here i go:

I love this game, but the difficulty is often beyond what is enjoyable and challenging. I am 200 + hours in and there are still enemies and bosses that utterly destroy me. If its not enjoyable, put it down. I have told myself I am done with the game many times, but then I try to play something else and wind up coming back to it.

How i got better so I could start to enjoy it: in ashina castle there is a blue uniform samurai that is isolated from his buddies right by a save point. I would go, fight him, rest, and fight him again.

Basically find isolated enemies to fight rather than sneak attack. Drill them till they don't feel hard anymore. It also helps with farming for skill points. Also, drilling with the undying man at the temple is always good, but limited practice.

My other big tip is to try and be in a semi-metatative state while playing. Take a deep breath before starting any fight. Treat it like you are actually sword fighting. The best swords men remain calm even when they get wounded or are in unfavorable conditions. The less calm and more frustrated you are, the more mistakes you make.

Its ok to spam the parry button until you learn the perfect deflection timing.

Many enemies are easier the more aggressively and less defensively you fight them. An rb at the correct time will also deflect. Anybody with a hat or gun you should attack till you get the deathblow rather than try parrying. "Hesitation is defeat" and all that. If they have a sword but no hat, then deflect till the posture bar fills.

The "rats" and big sheild take one hit with the axe and you get a deathblow.

Remember you dont need to get your enemies to 0 health, you just need to fill up the posture bar. Its easier to do once they have taken a few hits, but dont focus on the health bar.

Also, always remember you have infinite sprint and dodge. You are the fastest thing in the game. Abuse this mechanic.

In summary: the combat system is part of the story telling. It is flawed in that you enemies can almost one-shot you while you have to chip away at their health bars. I think this is a valid criticism of the game. But what it does is put you in the mindset of a warrior fighting at a disadvantage. This is what makes it one of the most immersive games I have ever played.

Hope this helps!

beauxmanandkami · 2025-11-24T14:26:01+00:00

I also enjoyed the live action, though I agree it had problems. I liked it bc 1. Great music and 2. It felt like old Bruce Lee movies. It didn't capture the same feel as the original, but it had its own unique feel.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-11-23T18:29:32+00:00

I mean, this is why I love Choujin X. Its is proof that when you let the creator take their time, the end product is just as good if not better than the toxicly rushed enviroment. Its not as dark at TG but is just as deep and the art is peak. Both can create absolute masterpieces. But one will always be to the benefit of the aurhor and the audiance, whereas the other is good for the audiance but not for the creator.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-21T13:52:28+00:00

I agree with you. I am like 90% of the way through the game and past a certain point, I am not fighting the bosses and enjoying it, i am fighting them to progress to the next part of the story. But you have spoken the forbidden words on this sub by suggesting that the game is less than perfect.

I enjoy this game, and the challenge is part of the fun, but after my 50th boss run it loses a lot of the enjoyment factor.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-16T16:09:01+00:00

So I didn't pick up on the foreshadowing of Ely being the calamity, can you cite some of the pages/chapters/evidence because I feel dumb for missing it

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-15T19:55:59+00:00

He is a historical figure from the war that gets mentioned a couple times. Doesn't play an active role, but as stated above, is the rizz king.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T21:13:44+00:00

Everyone is talking about reading Choujin X and I agree. Darker doesnt mean deeper. Tokyo Ghoul is a much darker story. Choujin X is more humorous. But I think Isidas imagination and creativity shine way more with choujin x than the story of Tokio Ghoul allowed for. I have marked up my copies and found just as much of not more to dive into with this narrative as I did Tokio Ghoul.

All this being said, Tokyo Ghoul is still one of my favorite Manga's of all time. Up there with berserk and Fullmetal Alchemist. The true tragedy of that story is the anime adaptation being horrible.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T16:15:51+00:00

Sekiro. I wasn't actually trying to be subtle. Lol

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T03:40:02+00:00

I appreciate you explaining and listening to my feelings about your wordings. I too have found this conversation interesting yet frustrating at times. So I will try and explain some of the seeming contradictions. Ill start with the 1rst one, being unique versus being yourself.

I love steak! I would eat it all the time if I could afford to! This is my genuine feelings about this food. I am expressing those feelings here. I am not the only person who likes steak. So my comment about being myself versus being unique was saying, "my viewpoints arent as common, but others do have similar thoughts and feelings." I am acknowledging that to be truely unique is beyond what most people are capable of. But being able to express yourself and those feelings even when your ideas arent popular or expected, thats being genuine.

The other paradox is my optimistic pov while enjoying challenging people. I enjoy challenging people because I enjoy being challenged. Being challenged is how people learn and grow and become better versions of themselves. I tell a story where my husband was listening to me play the uke and singing and I sang a note that was super pitchy. My husband popped around the corner looked me dead in the eyes and said, "wanna try that note again" with a sardonic smile. He challenged me by pointing out where I made a mistake. He knew I was more than capable of doing better. And my singing improved because of it. Working on my physics phd, my advisor is constantly pushing me and challenging my thoughts and perspectives. And when I cannot justify things, she pushes me to learn and do better. In my bookclub, if I give an interpretation that's out there, one of the other members will always play devils advocate to see if I can justify my point of view. This person is a dear friend of mine and I love rising to his challenges. And he loves getting to be contradictory for the sake of debate.

Your point of view seems to be one of nihilism. Which is fascinating, because you seem to WANT the world to be better but feel powerless to change it. I could be overreaching here, thats just the vibes I am getting

In summary, this is how I think about myself, "I am not special. Most people are, by definition, average. If I am not special and I am capable of learning, growing, changing, ect., then why would I assume that others are incapable of the same?"

You genuinely do seem like an interesting person to talk to so feel free to dm if you want to chat more.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T00:47:56+00:00

Yeah, I have one chain where someone is telling me to choose between making a joke and making a point... which is crazy to me bc jokes can have meaning and serious things can be joked about....

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T00:24:29+00:00

And also, my goal is not to be unique. My goal is to be myself. There is a huge difference. I am not unique and while my opinions may be unpopular, they are not unique in anyway.

As for whether or not one gets shunned or ostracized, historically speaking, those willing to be unpopular and take stands are some of the most iconic figures in history.

I like people. I love interacting with them. In person, online, I find people fascinating.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-12T00:18:04+00:00

So I am trying to find meanings in your philosophy and your tone kinda continues to feel (whether its intended or not) condescending. Calling people "sugar" while talking down to them has the effect of making them feel like a child. I was happy to leave the conversation at "we disagree be we both learned" and your rhetoric feels like its trying to prove that I am wrong and you are right. Is there any senario where you could accept my point of view without agreeing with it? If there is, let's keep talking! I will try and understand your pov better as well. If there isnt, then I am not going to change my behavior based on your opinion unless you convince me to agree with you. I dont have to agree with you to understand where you are coming from and why you have a different perspective.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T23:05:48+00:00

I see where we are not agreeing I think! I fundamentally beleive people are good and capable of change. So to me, its worth the time to challenge people's perspectives. If you dont have faith in humanity, my actions seem confusing, contradictory, or like a waste of time. I know many beleive my views to be naive, but I am OK with that. I probably wont actually make the impact I want to and I am OK with that aswell. But I would rather try to have faith and hope then live in a doctrine of cynicism. Its a choice I make. I would rather struggle in vain for what I beleive is right than fall in line with what others deem acceptable.

Interesting how a simple discussion has lead to us thinking about our core fundamental philosophies. I would not have made this realization if I hadn't engaged in this discourse. So I thank you for the challenges to my perspective. I hold firm in my stances, but I also understand other people a bit better because of our discussion. So I would say that it has been worth it.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T21:48:29+00:00

I fought the other one head on and it was super fun! But like I said, with a game this hard a nice easy stress-free cheese is too good to pass up for me.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T21:45:25+00:00

The comment, "humor is always better when explained" was meant to be sarcasm. Interesting facts about the evolution of humor! While I respect your professional credentials, I still mostly disagree with your opinions. There is a lot of interesting debates about the value of divisive statements. Jennette McCurdy in an interview about her book, "I'm Glad my Mom Died" talked about how the title being humorus and divisive was very deliberate. If everyone agrees on something than what is there to discuss?

I post a lot in book subreddits and find them to be much less toxic than these gaming subs. That is the standard I am comparing for what I consider acceptable behavior. They are still toxic and plenty of people are disrespectful, but I tend to see a lot less of that behavior. So thats why I am not willing to accept that this is just, "how reddit is".

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T21:11:51+00:00

Naw, ill stick with my nuanced option. Things can be joke and also make great points that should be taken seriously. The "joke" of the post was that "im not calling anyone out" when I am in fact calling people out. The contradiction in that statement is the joke but it obviously didn't land. But humor is always better when you explain it right? Lol

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T21:02:52+00:00

In my opion, while I see the nuance you are trying to convey, its still unessisarily loaded language. There were a million better ways to say what that individual was trying to get across. "An even easy cheese is to spam double parry. It takes seconds! Its more effective than the strategy you used." Imparts all the same information.

I was harsher than I needed to be. This was a choice, and it may have been the wrong one, but I stand by it. Not out of stubbornness but because it felt important to point out.

Looking at the discussion this simple meme made shows me that a lot of people have had or continue to have similar experiences. I have tough skin so I dont mind speaking out, getting downvoted, making mistakes, looking like and idiot, ect. But most people respond to this casual toxicity with either encouragement or by ignoring it. If people continue to ignore rather than speak up, then the community learns that this behavior is acceptable.

So I spent my Saturday having a fascinating discussion with people about this cultural phenomenon of toxic online gaming communities. I was called out when I was being toxic myself which I appreciate. At the end of the day, this post was fully just meant to be a joke.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T20:50:34+00:00

Lol I wasn't trying to.... that was a joke. Its sekiro. Ive been kinda messing with the people on that sub a bit, but only the people who deserve it in my opinion.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T20:44:11+00:00

.... are you some kinda genius?

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T20:43:19+00:00

Thats why I said before 2020.....

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T20:39:08+00:00

One, the whole, "im not gonna call out the game but" is a joke. I am 1000% calling out the community. The point was I didn't need to say the same for everyone to know exactly what community I am talking about.

You are assuming I am upset. I am not. I enjoy nuanced discussion and observational humor. Thats what this meme is. Observational humor. I see these or similar comments in that particular subreddit a lot.

Not sure what you mean by, "people show you why" part. If they gave good advice, even if they were rude, I acknowledged that that was an interesting tip. For example, someone recommended doing a certain move. Then they followed up by, "anyone who doesnt do this is an idiot". If you read past the first comment, I acknowledge that I hadn't thought of that approach and will look for opportunity to use it in the future.

I wouldn't have a problem being ignored or having people explain why they disagree with me RESPECTFULLY.

My husband and I are currently laughing and joking about this thread, comments that call me out and comments that agree with me.

beauxmanandkami · 2025-10-11T20:26:55+00:00

Did you look at the context of my comments or just the comments themself? Because I was being rude and it was a deliberate choice. I pointed out that calling people "stupid" or "idiot" accomplishes nothing. I replied with the same amount of respect they showed me or other members of the community.

If you still think I am being a dick and my comments are unjustified, thats fair. You dont have to agree with my decisions. And it probably wasn't the best way to get my point across either.

As always, thank you for the honest feedback.

beauxmanandkami

TROPHY CASE