Where were you at 6 months ?

[bjbass1]

I've been playing for 6 months now and I was just wondering where most people were at with their playing after 6 months. I was taking lessons briefly from a guitar teacher , but I'm looking for a bass teacher in the D.C. area . Also , Does it make any difference if I use a metremone or a drum track when I practice ? I find it alot more fun when I make my own drum track on my MPC and practice to that .

[Basseroni]

You know what? I really can't remember where I was at 6 months as it was over 20 years ago. I used to practice to tapes and vinyl records when I first started playing so if I had the choice between a metronome and a drum track I would choose the drum track.

My good friend, Walter Cosby, teaches bass in DC. You can reach him at http://www.myspace.com/bass2c. You can tell him that "basseroni" referred you.
As far as Walter's credentials, not only is he a great bassist but he is musically educated. He has played with many artists including songstress Julie Dexter, jazz pianist Marcus Johnson, and too many others to name. He is also currently working on his on solo project.

He plays electric bass and upright.

[Michael777]

The Good Thing about Music is that it definitely is a Journey thankfully and not a race. What are you measuring yourself against? and Why? Establishing a practice routine with goals in mind such as mastering a scale pattern at differing Tempos, learning a new tune a week, are both goals for example. Also getting out and interacting with other musicians helps develop many aspects of playing.These are good ways to progress.

[mjolnir]

Where was I at six months?... Still wondering what the hell the little string thingies were called and trying not to play on the frets (which at the time I called "wire dealies") so everything buzzed like the bass was possessed.

[TimMcG]

At 6 months (1988) I was listening to Beaver Felton's Superchops for Bass cassettes and trying in vain to tap in the key of "D-molished" & "E-gads."

[fourstringdrums]

6 months....taking lessons and getting fairly good at learning songs by ear and still going through the basics of reading.

Fast forward 7 years later and I've gone backwards. While I can read drum music my bass clef reading is terrible and I could definitely improve my ear. But, I haven't played very much in the last few years. I'm just now getting back into again after about 3 breaks in the last 2 years.

[bjbass1]

Thanks everyboy for the feedback especially Basseroni for that referal . I guess I asked that cause I'm 30 and I feel like I have to make up for lost time . There's things I can hear in my head that I want to do , but I dont have the technical/ physical aspect of it yet .

[kesslari]

There's things I can hear in my head that I want to do , but I dont have the technical/ physical aspect of it yet .

That part doesn't go away... just the things you hear get tougher

Get out and play with other musicians as soon as you can. It'll take your playing worlds farther along.
At 6 mos I was playing in 2 bands. That doesn't mean I was good... Just good enough to pump roots and fifths and simple basslines in time. But I learned way more and got better faster because of playing out with folks.

[BullHorn]

I think i joined my first band at around 6 months and we play simple songs.

We still play those songs, the only differense is that we figured they are not simple.

Btw, i've been playing for a bit more than 2 years now.