Meet Ting Han Lin | Bassist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ting Han Lin and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ting Han, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
”There are no gains without pains” said Benjamin Franklin. Also, taking risk could be so painful since it is often portrayed as a leap into the unknown. Foy many, it’s probably a frightening prospect, fraught with uncertainty and potential failure. On the other hand, for me, risk-taking is not just a necessity but a fundamental part of my journey towards success. I’d say ”No taking risks, no gains.”

As a professional bass player hailing from Taiwan, I’ve dedicated over ten years of my life to mastering my craft. In order to pursue excellence and my dream of being on different stages around the world. I moved to LA where I embarked on a daring venture to further my musical education. Without a doubt, I took a huge leap away from my comfort zone. There are tremendous risks behind the decisions of coming LA. It demands not only my skills in my profession, bass, but also social skills which should be done in English. What’s more, it required taking loans and investing significant resources into an uncertain future. Nevertheless, I firmly believe that it’s through risk-taking that I reveal my true potential and pave the way for remarkable achievements.

To me, I consider risk-taking as an opportunity and a sign of incapability in a good way. In my profession, taking risks means taking on new challenges and responsibilities. Whether it’s experimenting with different musical styles or collaborating with umfamiliar artists, each of the risk opens doors to new possibilities. By doing so, not only do I earn the trust of my clients, but also broaden my horizons as a musician. Secondly, acknowledging our limits is the first step towards growth. Whenever I, unconsciously, stop myself from taking reasonable risks, it’s often a sign that I need to sharpen my skills or expand my knowledge. Instead of reckoning this as a weakness, I embrace it as an reminder for self-improvement. Every risk I take serve as a roadmap for personal and professional development.

Risk-taking has played a pivotal role in shaping my career trajectory. It not only helps me to push limits but also helps me to explore more. First, it challenges me to reach new heights. No matter it’s performing in front of a large audience or improvising on stage, each risk I take drives me to test my abilities and surpass my own expectations. Without these daring endeavors, I’d never evolve as a musician and performer that I am today. Moreover, by stepping outside of my safety nest, I’ve had the chance to cooperate with a wide range of artists, discover different genres, and perform in venues around the world. It expands my musical repertoire and enriches my artistic journey.

As the founder of Starbucks, Howard Schultz, said ” Risk more than others think is safe. Dream more than others think is practical.” As a bass player striving for excellence, embracing risk is an integral part of my journey. As I continue my musical odyssey in LA, I remain steadfast in my belief that fortune favors the bold, and the greatest rewards await those willing to take the leap of faith.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I play rock music mostly. ” Low-end guardian” is the name I gave to myself. It’s not only a funny name but also a name that reminds me to play things what the songs really need even if the songs only require simplest root notes from the beginning till the end. Sometimes, I put some fills or lines in between the songs if needed. Striking a balance between simple root notes and overbearing fills requires experience and personal tastes. Therefore, listening to different kinds of music, transcribing countless songs from different bass masters and playing with diverse artists could help! It’s definitely not easy to do and it’s a endless learning since there are always songs released every single day. I think we need to keep our curiosities and never stop exploring. When it comes to creating our own works, those practice, studies, and numerous experience will all come back.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’ll bring them to several venues where provide music show for sure such as, whisky a go go, viper room, Urban Press Winery(Burbank). These places provide different kind of shows almost every night. Besides, people feel more connected while going to the venue in that kind of size comparing to huge stadium. People can talk to artist directly and have unforgettable conversations.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would definitely shoutout to my band, NEONMOMS, which is my first rock band in the states. They gave me more room to create my own bass line in songs and trust me for the results.

The other person would be my wife,Alice. She gave up her career in order to come with me from Taiwan. I would never be fully focus on bass, if it wasn’t her being here helping me solving a lot of trivial things. Most important of all, her accompany gives me so much strength and resilience so that I can keep moving forward!

Website: https://neonmoms.com/the-band/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hankwahaha/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGYnVvRXjQ20YNoDwV84qZQ

Image Credits
Don Marcelo Photography