Self Taught By Ear vs Lessons / Reading Music

Gary Rinehart · #1 12-06-2007, 10:19 PM

What do you think???

I played electric bass as a young man in a rock n' roll garage band until I went in the Navy, laid it down for over 30 years, then at age 52 I got an urge to play bass again, now at age 57 I've got 2 uprights and I'm having a great time jammin' and going to festivals.

I'm totally self taught, playing by ear...my question is;

Do you think it would be worth it / satisfying to start at square one with lessons to be able to learn proper methods, walking bass lines, and solo runs?

Gufenov · #2 12-07-2007, 05:24 AM

I think it's always a good thing to add to your base of knowledge.

Jason Sypher · #3 12-07-2007, 08:46 AM

You can play bluegrass your whole life without ever reading a note of music BUT, it is an easily acquired skill that can enhance your all around musicality and understanding of what you play and why. I say learn to read music, you could literally be reading at a good level with a few months.

lowEndRick · #4 12-07-2007, 11:06 AM

I taught myself to read music this summer. It has opened many doors for me.

Jake deVilliers · #5 12-07-2007, 06:10 PM

"can enhance your all around musicality and understanding of what you play and why. "

Absolutely rock solid wisdom there. It also enables you to communicate more fully with other musicians regarding what you want them to play or vice versa.

Marcus Johnson · #6 12-07-2007, 06:35 PM

Coming at it from the other direction... I have a hard time teaching students who don't read, beyond a certain point in their development. That's my shortcoming, not theirs. I need to address that, because there are a lot of guys who aren't interested in reading at all.

wineaux · #7 12-07-2007, 08:27 PM

I started the upright at 51 (in April). The learning came much faster after I started lessons and learned to read.

Steve Killingsworth · #8 12-07-2007, 10:11 PM

Since no one has really addressed the technique side of things, some lessons would certainly benefit you in that regard. Good left hand technique will help you navigate the neck and play those walks and runs fluidly with much less effort. Good right hand will help you generate a fuller sound and not wear yourself out.

Of course, if you are a lefty, reverse the previous info.

Cathead · #9 12-07-2007, 10:23 PM

Where I live teaching yourself is the only option.

Steve Swan · #10 12-08-2007, 05:23 AM

I have severe tendinitis in both hands, particularly my left, from bad playing technique that I transferred from electric playing when I started out 30 years ago. A few lessons from a decent teacher, even a struggling college student music major, would have saved me countless hours of pain and frustration. I even had to lay off of playing for two stretches of several years at a time. Find that teacher!

Nohandles · #11 12-08-2007, 08:04 AM

I have been playing for almost 30 years, not the bass but guitar and banjo, etc. I started bass 4 years ago and decided it was time to take an instrument to my fullest potential. I'm starting classical shortly an I believe it will make me me not only a better bass player but a better bluegrass/old time player.I don't think you can have to much knowledge and reading music will surly enhance anything you are capable of. As for proper hand technique's it is a very important thing for any musician so we can continue to play. Although I have seen many over the year who you wondered how they kept playing the way the did it without any trouble??????

Cathead · #12 12-09-2007, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Find that teacher!

Ahem......where I live teaching yourself is the only option.

Steve Killingsworth · #13 12-09-2007, 08:01 AM

Is it? Perhaps there are no teachers in the immediate area of Premier but what about within a 2-3 hour drive? Virginia Tech? The Roanoake symphony? The Charleston WV symphony? Sure, it might require a drive (I have taken occasional lessons from two different teachers--the closest one required a 2 hour drive one way. the more distant was 2.5 hours away) but in most cases finding a teacher is possible if you are willing to do what is necessary. In an age of $3 gas, weekly lessons probably wouldn't be an option but a lesson every couple of months might work. It worked for me and my teachers were a quick email or phone call away if I ran into something I couldn't grasp.

Besides, in the OP's hometown of Topeka there are probably several options between the city symphony and Washburn University's music program. I would venture that a few phone calls would connect him with someone who could work with him on the basics.

Jason Sypher · #14 12-09-2007, 09:11 AM

There is probably someone in Blacksburg as well. It's a commitment no doubt about it. But as we all know, the difference between being a pretty good bass player and a great one lies squarely in that commitment. It's all about how much you want it. And, by the way, it's fine if you don't want it that bad...it's a hell of a lot of work, no judgements here.

boombloom · #15 12-09-2007, 10:50 AM

My 2 Cents....

I was a hot slab player and thought I could play anything at all. One day in the summer of '86 someone asked me to do some bluegrass gigs. I had to start all over again to play bluegrass. I had to work on tone, timing, and the real basics. It was great for my playing.

Cathead · #16 12-09-2007, 06:21 PM

Quote:

And, by the way, it's fine if you don't want it that bad...

Man......some people are soooo judgemental and think they know all the details of every situation. I run into this a lot on this forum. But there are also several people over here that are as nice as they come. Ain't nobody knows how bad I want anything but me.

Jason Sypher · #17 12-09-2007, 06:37 PM

I meant it, well, I meant it exactly as I said it. But apparently it didn't come across right over the web. Maybe it was the wording or a wrong tone. Let's start over shall we?

How about this:

I know many great musicians that don't read a note. You could very well be one of them.

Better?

I'm not wasting my time on forums trying to be rude to people, sorry if it came off that way. In my poorly worded way I was really just trying to say...I can understand if it's all a little too much. Because it is. It's hard and it takes a lot of time. That's all, nothing more or less. There is a lot of music that can be played by just getting in there and playing.

Incidentally, I bet if we met in person you would realize very quickly that I'm so focused on trying to become a good bass player myself that I can't even begin to judge other peoples playing. I'm really sorry to come off wrong. Good luck in all endeavors bass and otherwise.

And by the way. "Ain't nobody knows how bad I want anything but me" is a pretty great quote.

Regards,
Jason

Cathead · #18 12-09-2007, 09:37 PM

I certainly don't profess to be a great musician and I won't be so vain as to say I'm even a good musician. But, I do know that there is not a teacher close to me. I am not able to drive very much because my medications make me dizzy, so I can't just jump in the car and head to Roanoke or Blacksburg. I'm having a blast just playing the best I can with what I've learned. If I was 20 years old and pursuing bass as a career then I certainly would look at things differently, but I'm just an old fart and just want to fart around. Maybe I'm a little more defensive than the ordinary old fart, but I have been conditioned that way by years and years of being stereotyped because of my location or musical tastes. I am put off by arrogance. I am not saying you are arogant. I don't even know you, so I can't know that. Forgive my quick defenses, please. I need to be more careful about what I read into things I suppose.

Jason Sypher · #19 12-10-2007, 05:23 AM

It's ok, the more I become an old fart myself, the more defensive I get! (and the less anyone takes me too seriously) And as far as I'm concerned, there are few states as beautiful as West Virginia. I go to a few festivals in WV every year, namely Clifftop which is not too far from Beckley. I've lived in Bryson City and other bordering towns. The music of that region is stunning in it's beauty and complexity. The intricacies of some of that West Virginia bowing can make your head spin. So, don't think for a second you're receiving any stereotyping from me. I have some good friend from North Carolina that helped me to understand what the whole hillbilly stereotyping meant the them, how they hated it, how stereotyping is something they had to fight with their whole lives. I found the same thing with my true Cajun friends down in Louisiana. It's the same in Romania as it is here in the US. I'm put off by arrogance as well and one has to wade through it like an endless river here in NY! (most of it empty boastfulness and insecurity). For me there is nothing as humbling as trying to play the upright bass the way I hear it in my head. I mean, one has to have some arrogance to even think you can do it but that quickly fades as you realize how hard it is to even get a good sound out of the thing. Keep plugging away at your own pace, in your own way. I didn't mean to be so flip. It's kind of a knee-jerk response around here to "get a teacher, nomatter how difficult it is". It's born out of countless posts of little upstarts thinking they can get around the work part of learning the double bass. I guess this is when I realize I'm an old fart... My enlightened response would now be to look around at any bass players you admire in your general day to day and ask them for advice as you find them. Festivals are great for this because there is always going to be some great musicians around. You can pick up some good advice in a relatively short period of time if your fearless about asking for it.

Take Care,
Jason