A lot of [great] bassists have been playing since they were eight or twelve. I personally think that I started off kind of late, at the age of fourteen. Is it still possible to end up being one of the greats? I know that with a little time and effort anything is possible, but what is your take on this?

14 is plenty early enough. I didn't really start bass till I was 17.

16 for me and I was making a living at 19.

Thanks guys! Quick answers too. I guess all you really have to do is practice, practice, practice. Haha, I have no social life anyway so it doesn't really matter.

Thanks guys! Quick answers too. I guess all you really have to do is practice, practice, practice. Haha, I have no social life anyway so it doesn't really matter.:confused:

I guess all you really have to do is practice, practice, practice.


Got it in one ! (well.... three :D ). While starting young is an advantage ( and 14 is young IMO ) it is the amount of constant practice you put in that determines how proficient you will become.

:confused:

Haha I didnt quite understand your response till I read the post you quoted. Imagining you sitting in your chair reading his comment just cracked me the hell up. :p Well at least he is doing something constructive with his time, nothing wrong with that.

Anyways to answer your question I started on the bass 2 years ago, but abondoned it not too long after picking it up. I just turned 22 last week and just recently started back on my journey to becoming one of the greatest bassists ever! Its never to late to learn something. Also I'm sure you'll be doing a lot more socializing with the ladies when become a famous musician!

I'm pretty sure i read somewhere that the threshold for becoming a great is somewhere around 10 years of age, give or take 3 months. Sorry man.

Well, I didn't start until I was 42...

And remember: It's never too late to give up :D

I started at 18, not saying I am great, but we all learn and have fun. No you will not be a child prodigy, as you are past the point of being a child, but you can still be great, or good, or terrible, no matter what your age.

Maybe focusing on being competent will serve you better, at first.

I've been playing for over 20 years and I'm still working on it :)

age (and how long you've been playing) has NOTHING to do with greatness


just sayin..

remember.....contrary to oft quoted phrase...Practice doesn't make perfect, it makes PERMANENT! Perfect practice makes perfect. Not saying you have to be perfect, but practicing the wrong way for hours is worth less than practicing w/precision and concentration for shorter periods. Just my thoughts...and NO, 14 is not too late!!!

I'm God's gift to bass, and I started when I was 14!

haha just kidding!

I am currently studying bass at a pretty high end school in Toronto though. 14 isn't too young to start!
As long as you have the motivation, drive, and love for music, you're set!

What seems of a critical importance to me is that, as a human being, you start at zero, at least at the beginning. :D

Everything else is possible.

Is it still possible to end up being one of the greats?

Nope. Sorry. That boat's sailed, minus you. :p












Just be in the right place at the right time with the right skills and you *might* get lucky. I'd rather spend my time just havin' fun, y'know? ;)

Well the name Tal Wilkenfeld comes to mind, and she didn't start till she was 17 (she played guitar from age 14). Although not really a GREAT so to speak, she has gotten recognized enough to play with the GREATS. I think that what matters is that you get some good direction. It will be more advantageous if you get the best bassist possible to teach you. That will get rid of bad habits in your playing early on and get you focused on goals that you are able to push yourself to. Sure, you can read up all you want and shed as much as you can, but your advancements will come at a much slower pace than if you had professional guidance. Good luck :)

How do you classify the greats? Usually they're pioneers in some way, right? My take is you either have to be great at making musical arrangements, or do something new.

I read a story from Rage Against The Machine's guitarist, Tom Morello, and he described a moment that changed his mind on playing. He was in a situation where a bunch of guitarists we're playing - I think they were trying out for a lead position in a band. Every single one of them could whip Eddie Van Halen at his own game, a million notes a minutes, tapping up and down, bending and tremoloing everything. He was outgunned and couldn't compete. Then his perspective changed from working on speed and technique to using his ears to make something unique and musical. Now he hits the strings with allen wrenches and gets weird noises from the pickups. He plays solos more like a digital synth. Who else does that? Is he a great? He's been on magazine covers and in guitar-based video games.

go to Esperanza Splading's website and read her bio...some poeple can be great pretty quickly...don't worry about when you started...just put in the work. Look at it this way...if you wait until you're 40 to follow your passion, how much time have you lost? And trust me...it could happen.....just do what you love, ENJOY THE PROCESS and wind up where you may.

A lot of [great] bassists have been playing since they were eight or twelve. I personally think that I started off kind of late, at the age of fourteen. Is it still possible to end up being one of the greats? I know that with a little time and effort anything is possible, but what is your take on this?

I dispute the contention that a lot of great bass players started between the ages of 8 and 12.. where did you get that from?

I started when I was 25. I'm 34 now, and I get asked all the time to play in other peoples' bands (and I'm already in 4!). (Probably has more to do with my easy-going nature, and less to do with my bass playing.)

You're worried about 14? Good God, I'm just starting at 45...great is all in the mind.

Alembic Player said exactly what I was going to say... Age has NOTHING to do with it... does it help, of course... as far as "one of the greats" your asking a question based solely on the opinon of critics.. i doubt you wil ever define your self as one... i know claypool says one of the best things about great bass players... "I have seen alot of Michael Jordans at bass, I see myself as more of the Evil Kanival".. If you think your one of the greats.. you probably, well, suck... just keep practing and always try to get better worry about yourself not how people view you because what people think are only gouing to hold you back.. even if you are labeled one of the greats.. does that mean your suppose to stop practicing? Not quite.. dont be concerned with labels... I have been labeled many things one was of the "best bassists on long island"... that was one of the most retarded things i ever heard... cuz honestly the people who say that never know what they are talking about.. was it a nice comment, of course, was it a wrong comment, absolutely.. because what is "the best" anyway especially when there is always someone more talented, or that can plauy things you cant

In the classical world there is an oft-quoted figure of 10,000 hours of dedicated practice that is said to be required for virtuosity. That's approximately 3-4 hours a day of dedicated, constructed and utterly FOCUSED practice every day without stop for 10 years. This is a lot easier the sooner you start and don't have to worry so much about a job and a family, so thats why a lot of people who start young are able to get in those 10,000 hours a lot sooner than those who start later. Think you're up to the challenge?

I wouldn't worry so much about "being one of the greats", I'd worry a lot more about 1) getting the chops to do what you need to do professionally and 2) being the best that you can be. Worry about where you fit in the pantheon of bassists is rather irrelevant to how you make music and how you make a living.

I had my 2st band in the 6th grade so I must have ben 11.

14 is cool. no problem. Lock in and start practicing, not playing practicing.

blue

Funk-
Congrats on playing the bass. You will find it a rewarding journey even if you don't 'become one of the greats'. Although practice is important, don't forget to have a life outside of music. There have been a number of times where I've been called to replace a 'genius' bass player who lacked people/social skills. Perhaps they spent too much time woodshedding, not enough time learning how to interact with people. You'll need that in a band setting and it's especially critical for a bass player.

Wow, I started back when I was 47, I guess time to sell the 4 string and maybe I can make it as a 6 stringer, LOL

lol im 22 and just starting never tooo early or late to start, being a great player is a simple as timew you put in to.

14 is a *FINE* age to start playing. When I was teaching, I'd have kids of 11/12 come in that I would turn away - their hands weren't ready. 14 is GREAT.

What might make a difference is your musical training prior to starting bass. Did you take piano lessons, or anything else? Know some theory?? If you are *serious*, you should dig into that stuff NOW. Learning piano and bass at the same time would be fine - just more practice, that's all. You're young - just stop playing xbox/watching TV. Trust me - you will be *so* happy you did in a few years. SO happy. No man ever got a job or got a woman from watching TV or playing video games (okay, a select few - but not like music... right?)

I think that if the whole point of playing bass for you is to become "one of the great", you have the wrong attitude.

Worry about where you fit in the pantheon of bassists is rather irrelevant to how you make music and how you make a living.

+1.

No man ever got a job or got a woman from watching TV or playing video games (okay, a select few - but not like music... right?)

...Have you seen some of the ladies at these "pro-level" video game conventions? :rollno:

Anyway, to OP - you're your own worst enemy. Either you want to do something, and do it right, or you don't. No number of threads on Talkbass are going to make you a better bass player, even if some of us wants it to. :bawl:

14 is a *FINE* age to start playing. When I was teaching, I'd have kids of 11/12 come in that I would turn away - their hands weren't ready. 14 is GREAT.

What might make a difference is your musical training prior to starting bass. Did you take piano lessons, or anything else? Know some theory?? If you are *serious*, you should dig into that stuff NOW. Learning piano and bass at the same time would be fine - just more practice, that's all. You're young - just stop playing xbox/watching TV. Trust me - you will be *so* happy you did in a few years. SO happy. No man ever got a job or got a woman from watching TV or playing video games (okay, a select few - but not like music... right?)

I've played the piano for five years, but stopped because we couldn't afford it. :bawl: I don't watch television AT ALL basically, and don't own any videogames or Xbox.

-- Thanks everyone for their answers. I was only expecting maybe one or two but got more than I bargained for.

10000 hours of practice, roughly speaking, is what gets you there.

ready set go!

Also, keep in mind most of your 'great' players do play in bands, mostly starting at a young age. Find some other talented musicians around your ago, and once you think you're ready to play out with other people, don't be afraid to try.

NO --- YOUR TOO LATE.

REALLY!

Practice, Practice. Learn your scales man. I started when I was 13 (I'm 20 now) and the first thing someone said to me was " learn your scales dude". I was lazy, and just kind of learned to play other peoples bass lines. In the past year, though, I have learned a lot of theory, scales, etc... and have gotten better in the past year than I did in my first six. I sure from taking piano for a couple of years that you can pick up on all of your scales easily. I started taking piano lessons when I was 7 and was able to play some classical stuff pretty well by time I was 10. Unfortunately I thought like all other kids I was going to play major league baseball so I quit piano at age 11. Anyway, practice right, and get a good music teacher/mentor that can answer questions and help you with the musicality of things ( doesn't just have to be a bass player, I learn most things from our piano player ). Good luck, you're never to young/old.

dude I was in my twenties when I started... you've got nothing to worry about.

Are you a natural musician? How well do you sing? How creative are you?
How disciplined are you in other things in your life? What motivates you?

Not having a social life may not be the best reason to fill your time with playing bass.

Check out the link in my sig. Lots of good info there to get you started.

Vetchking Here:

You can be great if you start at 50.

Later

I'm 82 and have been playing for 4 years.

14? You're nothing but a child!

No one famous played before 10.

Alex Webster didn't start till he was 16, its all about how much dedication you have.

Are you a natural musician? How well do you sing? How creative are you?
How disciplined are you in other things in your life? What motivates you?

Not having a social life may not be the best reason to fill your time with playing bass.

Check out the link in my sig. Lots of good info there to get you started.

You're exactly right Stumbo. Being a good musician is a complete thing, including having something to say.

Conversely, if you really want to be one of the best (whatever it means and not discussing if it makes sense) you must be prepared to resign from a normal social life, unless you're a genius.

What I can say personally, is that, more than the age, what is very important is who you will meet with: learning with good teachers, playing with talented musicians will certainly help you improving your bassist skills.

I'm 82 and have been playing for 4 years.

14? You're nothing but a child!

No one famous played before 10.

Victor Wooten, famously at age 2-3.

If you're original you can become a 'great' a lot quicker than if you try and just learn a load of other people's ideas so you're like an encyclopaedia with perfect technique. There are actually quite a lot of those players around already. There aren't so many original players.

You need to have something you want to say on bass guitar, whatever it is you love most about bass guitar, your playing should explore that angle or angles. Don't get hung up on trying to make sure you know every trick in the book that just turns you into one of the many pedantic nerds that nobody really gives a crap about. Music should be an artform, so engage with your self-expression and think conceptually about how you want to develop your technique. Otherwise you end up being able to widdle pretty good and hit all the "by the book' harmonies but you won't convey an identity in your playing. The whole point of a great is that their identity is connected to their sound, and it's recognizable, which means it's different to everybody else, which means it's original.

For example, some people think Vic Wooten is a great, I think Peter Hook (from Joy Division) is a great too, as is Paul McCartney on bass, or loads of other people - there's no reason why technique alone constitutes great bass playing. The choices you make behind how you play are often far more critical to making your playing stand out.

Victor Wooten, famously at age 2-3.

Incorrect... but close. (PS: Age 4)

And he's not famous.

Maybe in the bass community (even then...).

By greats you mean popularity? Among bassists or most musicians or just with the plain listener?

Standards vary, you'd be surprised. Just:
- have fun
- learn as much as you can
- play/jam/practice as much as you can

Believe it or not, HONESTY is the biggest factor in being a GENIUS. I started at 23 (now I'm 25). I'm no genius but I'm having a blast; I might die tonight and never make it as a great, or live till 100 and still be mediocre, but who cares - again, I'm having a blast :-)

Thanks everybody! I'm going to go practice now. ;D

Gotta also throw this in-
Learning bass at age 10 and not picking it up again until age 30 doesn't mean that you've been playing bass for 20 years. It means that you've been playing for 1 year.

It's not like violin, where there's an advantage to deforming yourself early. All about the (proper) practice and jamming/gigging.

Stumbo - you mean I can't be great because my singing sucks? That's hard, man. :D

To the OP - Success by the inch is a cinch. By the yard, it is hard.

Just enjoy your musical journey one step at a time, without worrying too much about your final destination. I'm certainly NOT one of the greats or anywhere within a million miles of that, but music has still been one of the most rewarding things in my life (I'm 46, started piano at 10 and bass at 16).

I think the main thing about the bass is that it's by nature a supportive instrument, which means you should really be playing alot of different music with lots of good, talented people. That's the ideal situation you want to be in, atleast. Sure, being able to play a nice solo is important, but I'd rather swing like hell if I had to choose between the two. Fortunatly, you can do both .. :) Just enjoy and love what you do and you might find yourself lucky one day.

Monk, I started at 14 and gave it up after a few years, and am getting into it again at 49. Could I have been one of the greats? Maybe - but I'll never know now, will I?

Just keep playing, and if you're really a Funkadelic Monk then things should go well for you. ;)

You know what all the really great bass players (and players of other instruments for that matter) do to become great? They work hard at it. They work on their technique, they work on developing their ears, they sight-read, they study the theory.

What you shouldn't do, is wonder if you'll ever get to be a great or not. Concentrate on playing your bass well and making music. And time spent on an instrument means nothing really. Some people have played since they were kids, and now in their 30's, they still suck. Where as some people who have been playing for a couple years in their 20's are amazing. It all depends on what you want to put in to it.

Hey
I started cello when i was 5
And here are the pros and cons
Pros
-better musical sense
-better understanding of the music
-more time to practice
-much higher chance of keep on playing the instrument
-more enjoyable experience with it growing up as you already know the basics
Cons
-takes longer to understand the theory behind the music
-practice time spent when young isn't as efficient as the present day, right at this moment
-if you hate it, you'll hate it forever
But yeah, im pretty sure that this applies to many instruments including electric basses
Starting early do help,
But not that much as long as you:
-Are Gifted
-Practices a lot
If both, even better
Good luck

WOW I am going to get depressed now!
I am 49 and just getting started playing bass.
I guess I had better sell all the gear I have been putting together, realize I'm not going to become great at anything, pick a place to rock my chair and watch the young people take all the greatness from my heart mind and soul.

OR

I could continue on learning all I can in life, celebrate my children, cherish my wife, spoil my grandkids, praise my Lord and God, realizing that being truely great has nothing to do with when you start or end or what thing you have done but that true greatness is made up of all the things you have done, how you have affected others and whether you have honered yourself, your family and your creator.
But maybe I can be that cover story about a guy who is a great bass player who did't start playing until he was 49!!

Go for it youg man, become great and make us and more importantly you and those if your life proud of you journey.

.....music has still been one of the most rewarding things in my life....

+100

I'm a legend in my own mind.....:D