Members matt_bollinger Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I find that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know, and I think that's a good thing. I can better identify areas of my playing that I want to improve. If you work at it, you can be capable at six months, but that is only the beginning. Try not to see playing music as a competition. There will always be people whose technical ability in one area or another may be beyond yours. Instead of getting discouraged, try to use that as motivation and inspiration. How many of you have seen Victor Wooten and decided NOT to stop playing bass? And definitely try to play with other people as much as you can, particularly if they help you push to the edges of your ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ivanthetrble Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I have been playing for 27 years and I still suck so the answer must be >27 years....I hope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 50calexplorer Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by RockStarBassist hey man you still doin' the move to ATX? Yeah my friend (a great singer) and my bro (guitar player) and I are moving in April. We got all hooked up with an apartment rep adn are really all set, just getting a few loose ends tied up here. My last Wisconsin winter!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fran da Man Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by way2fat 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 the same two. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rowka Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 How long is a piece of string? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bbl Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by matt_bollinger I find that the more I learn, the more I realize I don't know, and I think that's a good thing. I can better identify areas of my playing that I want to improve. If you work at it, you can be capable at six months, but that is only the beginning. Try not to see playing music as a competition. There will always be people whose technical ability in one area or another may be beyond yours. Instead of getting discouraged, try to use that as motivation and inspiration. How many of you have seen Victor Wooten and decided NOT to stop playing bass? And definitely try to play with other people as much as you can, particularly if they help you push to the edges of your ability. Spot on! I've been playing the best bass I've ever played (now that I'm in a regular, gigging band), but the better I get, the more I realize how much I have left to learn. Enjoy the journey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted December 19, 2006 Moderators Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by bassgeek 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! Yeah, that "I'm gonna get good, then start playing" rarely works, if ever. You have to play with other people to get good at playing with other people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassgirl9 Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 It depends on what your history and expectations are. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shuma Gorath Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Just like alot of people have already said the key is to try to play with as many people as possible. I played alone in my bedroom for two years (yes, two years) before I ever played with another person and it was a complete disaster. To put it simply from all that isolation I played like a robot. I could lock in with the drums easily enough but when it came to playing with a guitarist I was like a deer in the headlights. It would have helped tremendously if said guitarists could have told me what key/scale they were playing in and started off with a simple groove instead of launching immediately into Yngwie-esque wankery to compensate for their 2 inch penises but that's besides the point. Still good lessons learned though. It took awhile for my playing to open up and become more organic. Another very important thing I'll add is you have to choose between attempting to play with the best musicians you know and the coolest people you know. Sometimes they are the same person but not too often. I was mentally scarred early on by the "You suck" type of constructive criticism. I only play for fun so I choose the cool people. I have a guy that I went to class with that plays drums wanting me to come over, drink some beers, and jam. Playing with just drums is great fun for a bassist because it lets you lead and be the creative one. I'm gonna call him today. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike fitzwell Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by 50calexplorer My last Wisconsin winter!!! PUSSY!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Shuma Gorath Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by achtung jackass I JUST CAN'T FIND PEOPLE WHO WANT TO COMMIT TO ANYTHING! I hear you there. I also have the problem that every musician I know either wants to play metalcore, death metal, or thrash metal. I'm a very mellow person and just don't have the attention span for hard metal. Doesn't anybody just want to play some bluesy rock anymore? Hell I'm even down for a power metal band. But no, everybody wants to be a member of Killswitch Engage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fireball_73 Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 I had my first gig in 6 months. But I would say it took me a year and a half before I was really a good bassist... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members c827 Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by 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 agree, this is good advice, thanks. I think it's also the same with guitarists. Too many overplay or try to play a thousand notes a second. Each instrument has it's part and sometimes playing less but being more creative with better sounds produces great music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members c827 Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by ivanthetrble I have been playing for 27 years and I still suck so the answer must be >27 years....I hope. That's not encouraging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassdudeguy Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 i was pretty good after about a year so ya and if you can play all of by-tor and the snow dog efortlessly i will call you a good bassist:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jnewcomer Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 See my sig below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LO_RYDER Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 What do you call decent? Thats a very subjective term. I may think you are decent but the next guy thinks you totally suck. You may be able to jame with one guys band but couldn't even think about it with mine. Just keep playing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members c827 Posted December 19, 2006 Author Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 Originally posted by bassdudeguy i was pretty good after about a year so ya and if you can play all of by-tor and the snow dog efortlessly i will call you a good bassist:thu: Centurion of evil, devil's prince!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rowka Posted December 19, 2006 Members Share Posted December 19, 2006 How long have you got? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members nukebass Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 No matter how much sex we have... we always want more No matter how much beer we drink... we always want more No matter how money we have... we always want more No matter how better we play the Bass... we always want more... That's why we are humans! Pointless to put a goal on life. It's all a matter of reference... Don't think on being a decent musician... just play and let the others think it of you... time will tell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 Ive been playing bass since 1981 -- and Im still horrible........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tylytle Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 Originally posted by bnyswonger I've been at it 35 years and I'm still wondering... Me too. 30 years anyway... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Gaindrain Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 I've bought my first bass yesterday and I'm decent. I have low standards No, actually, I'm with the guy who replied first. Depends on what you want to do in what type of music. If we're talking a punk band, yeah, I'm decent enough. But to be a truly good bass player, considering my background (10 years of classical guitar, so the fingerpicking's a breeze, 15 years of playing guitar in general, 8 years of band and stage experience...) I'm thinking it'll take about a year or two to be at the level I want to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cwatson Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 I've been playing for a year or so I play atleast 2 or 3 hours most days and i still think I'm crap lolI play piano for 5-10 Years, sax 5 years and guitar 2-3 years as well and have read music since I was six which kinda helps. I picked up the bass quickly but I'm still nowhere near as good as i'd like to be. Hopefully this year the band will break into the local scene a bit more succesfully than last time lol!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members REMUS Posted January 6, 2007 Members Share Posted January 6, 2007 I was ready in a month... But I was playing punk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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