How long does it take to become a decent bass player?

[c827]

Depending on how much you practice, I know, but typically how long would it take someone to become at least efficient at playing the bass.

6 months?

[Reverend179]

Depends on a lot of variables. Natural talent, previous musical history, style of music (you can pick up a ramones song and play it the first time you figure out what an 8th note is, but don't try playing funk)....

[Rowka]

A man gives his son an electric bass for his 15th birthday, along with a coupon for four bass lessons.

 

When the son returns from his first lesson, the father asks, "So, what did you learn?"

 

"Well, I learned the first five notes on the E string."

 

Next week, after the second lesson, the father again asks about the progress, and the son replies, "This time I learned the first five notes on the A string."

 

One week later, the son comes home far later than expected, smelling of cigarettes and beer. So the father asks: "Hey, what happened in today's lesson?"

 

"Dad, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to my lesson; I had a gig!"

[Fran da Man]

6 mos. isn't unrealistic for average people, some of these kids blaze after 6 mos.

Your age plays alot in to it too, also dexterity, musical inclination, and stuff like that. I'd say to play and practice up to a year before entering a band situation. Given that; playing in a band is one heck of alot more than just knowing how to play an instrument.

[T. Alan Smith]

1. start playing

 

 

2. play as often as possible

 

 

3. play for people

 

 

4. actually pickup cues on how your playing is affecting people. For example, are you making them move/groove? Are they looking around(for a way out? ) or talking over your playing. ...even though they tell you, "oh, your so good!"

 

5. try recording yourself. Don't listen to it right away. Wait several days. Then evaluate yourself. Personally, I find it best to have someone listen to it with me. Despite what they might say, I can always see it in their eyes what I need to work on.

[LO_RYDER]

As long as you may live.

[i_wanna_les_paul]

+1 to all of the above.

 

You'll also find your definition of "good" will change with time. When you start, you'll likely set a benchmark where you'll think "If I can play X song, I'll be a good bass player."

 

Once you're able to play that song, you'll probably think it's easy and have totally different goals. I think there's actually very few people who ever get as good as they'd like to be. And even the great ones still want to do more.

 

Nukebass or Bassius probably have a different idea of "efficient at playing the bass" than I do.

 

Dustin

[Rowka]

and don't forget there is a difference between efficient and effective.

[PaulyWally]

If you devote time everyday to practice... you could easily jam some pop music with a band within 3 or 4 months.

 

In fact, I would recommend it.

 

You wouldn't be good enough to gig... but if you're serious about being a musician, you need to expose yourself to other musicians and playing with other PEOPLE as soon as possible.

 

Another 3 or 4 months of playing with PEOPLE at least once a week... and you should be a "decent bass player" (meaning, you can hold a groove with a drummer, and that's about it).

 

As for technique and dexterity... that's all window dressing. And it'll take you a lifetime to master.

[bassplayer7770]

 

Originally posted by PaulyWally You wouldn't be good enough to gig... but if you're serious about being a musician, you need to expose yourself to other musicians and playing with other PEOPLE as soon as possible.

 

 

I agree. I was lucky enough to have some friends who played when I picked up the bass, so I was playing with people almost right away. Played some covers and wrote some original music as well.

[johnny6644]

As a casual, bedroom player, it's taken me over a year to get to the point where I don't embarrass myself.

 

But a large part of getting better was finally finding someone to play with. I got to the point where I wasn't so concerned with nailing stuff note-for-note, but playing as part of the band. Moving the song along rather than worrying about being precise. Keep the beat.

[i_wanna_les_paul]

 

Originally posted by Rowka and don't forget there is a difference between efficient and effective .

 

 

Much less proficient

 

Dustin

[mike fitzwell]

Originally posted by johnny6644 But a large part of getting better was finally finding someone to play with. I got to the point where I wasn't so concerned with nailing stuff note-for-note, but playing as part of the band. Moving the song along rather than worrying about being precise. Keep the beat.

 

What a GREAT piece of advice!

[RSBro]

I've been playing about 8 years (with about 20 of my 25 years being on some form of musical instrument), and the last 4-5 seriously.

 

I'd say as of last year or so, I'm comfortable floating in to any gig and could probably do it justice with a days notice and a CD to practice with. Not to say I'd nail it, but I'm more confident as a player, even if my "technical" skills aren't as advanced as others. Lots of gigs is a HELLUVA lot more valuable than 100 hours of theory, IMO.

[jnewcomer]

I had been playing drums for 19 years (and had 3 years of guitar lesson in high school) before I walked into an open jam one night, and they needed a bass player in order to have the jam. 20 minutes later I was on stage in front of people playing bass for the first time. Knowing the songs helped, even though there was a little bit of relearning songs I already knew in order know them on bass. The experience on drums definitely helped with establishing rhythm as well as locking in with the drummer, and the guitar lessons (albeit 10 years in the past) help with navigation around the fretboard.

 

I started gigging that night, kept working at it, and 4 months later I played a wedding on bass.

[baracuda2004]

i find that playing with guitarist and drummers..who are freaking AWESOME(as mine are) made me alot better player a whole lot faster than I could have on my own..I was in a situation where it was me and another bass player competing for a spot and i really pushed my self to learn. Now when my guitarist plays one of his harder riffs to get down I find that I usually pick it up before he finishes running through it once..that's a really cool feeling to cliq with a group of people like that.

 

p.s. some of you might know him from the AMP forums as M-III he's got 3 of those badass M-III Gibsons and they play amazingly...*drooooollll*

 

+ they're both really cool people; we don't ever fight about anything...well until the singer comes then there are some issues, but they are usually handled pretty fast and easily.

 

EDIT: a little backstory. When I first tried out for CB I could only play a couple of Blink182 and Nirvana songs oohhh yeah and the basic riffs for SCHISM. I had seen the guitarist shredding at a couple of music shops and was like..

 

 

I didn't know that this was the same guy I was going to try out for until I got thereand without out saying a word to him I almost walked out.. but I gave it a couple of hours and after he worked with me..we wrote 3 songs and now i'm in a band.

[RSBro]

 

Originally posted by baracuda2004 i find that playing with guitarist and drummers..who are freaking AWESOME(as mine are) made me alot better player a whole lot faster than I could have on my own..I was in a situation where it was me and another bass player competing for a spot and i really pushed my self to learn. Now when my guitarist plays one of his harder riffs to get down I find that I usually pick it up before he finishes running through it once..that's a really cool feeling to cliq with a group of people like that. p.s. some of you might know him from the AMP forums as M-III he's got 3 of those badass M-III Gibsons and they play amazingly...*drooooollll* + they're both really cool people; we don't ever fight about anything...well until the singer comes then there are some issues, but they are usually handled pretty fast and easily.

 

 

 

+2.

 

Any time you play with ANY musician(s) better than yourself, you're gonna improve.

 

I find your level or below people really don't push you, and therefore don't make you work as hard.

[Funkee1]

Bass is an easy instrument to play, difficult to master.

 

If you are doing it correctly, you NEVER stop getting better, but you should be able to follow roots and groove a little in 6 months or less.

 

to become "decent" as in other people think you're good, a few years.

 

Not to blow anyone's method books out of the water, or anything, but the best thing to do to improve quickly is to play..... a lot, and with everyone. It will do so much more for you than any practicing, or metronome work or even lessons.

 

 

Now that is not to say don't take lessons, or practice at home. Just don't get into the mindset of "I'm gonna woodshed until I'm good, then show 'em" Jump into the pool, and learn to swim by not drowning!

[bnyswonger]

I've been at it 35 years and I'm still wondering...

[lug]

I refuse to answer the question.

[baracuda2004]

 

Originally posted by lug I refuse to answer the question.

 

 

you my friend are disqualified:thu:

[50calexplorer]

Originally posted by c827 Depending on how much you practice, I know, but typically how long would it take someone to become at least efficient at playing the bass. 6 months?

 

I don't know that anyone can answer that question.

 

I can tell you how it worked out for me.

 

I started playing guitar at 12 (I thought I woudl be the next Van Halen), but my dad wouldn't get me an electric until I knew how to play some Allman Bros. completely on the guitar. So I sat and hammered it out for about 4 months, then my dad got me an electric. Then when I would go try to jam with other people, who were always older than me, I would get stuck on the bass, because they were older and no one else wanted to play it, but me being eager I just wanted to jam. I always loved the bass playing of the Allmans and SKynyrd and Sabbath, so I got the mindset that I would learn the bass to the point that I owuld be so far over the heads of the guitar players that they woudl have to work extra hard just to keep up to me. After studying intensively all my Dad's southern rock and Sabbath records I soon moved up to Rush, thats when it got interesting.

 

Now I'm prepping for a move to Austin to see what music has in store for me. Just call me Ishmael, I'm in it for the adventure.

 

I was jamming after 6 mos, but the bass was a completely natural fit for me, I can still play guitar and a the saxophone (my first insturment), but I don't come across naturally and without thinking on those.

 

I guess in a short answer, your results may vary.

[RSBro]

Originally posted by 50calexplorer snip

 

hey man you still doin' the move to ATX?

[Thumper]

I was playing out after six months. That was in 1977, and I'm still learning.

[way2fat]

Originally posted by i_wanna_les_paul +1 to all of the above. You'll also find your definition of "good" will change with time. When you start, you'll likely set a benchmark where you'll think "If I can play X song, I'll be a good bass player." Once you're able to play that song, you'll probably think it's easy and have totally different goals. I think there's actually very few people who ever get as good as they'd like to be. And even the great ones still want to do more. Nukebass or Bassius probably have a different idea of "efficient at playing the bass" than I do. Dustin

 

The cycle you've described is how it is for me. Started out wanting to learn two songs to play at the party on the canoe trip. Ten years later I'm working on two more.