Should I quit now?

[scoopscallahan]

I posted a thread earlier about what was the 1st song you learned and how long it took to play decently. The average time period amongst the 50ish responses is probably around a day or two. Once guy posted 0.00.00 time. I picked up a bass for the 1st time in my life about 3 months ago. I had been trying to learn the guitar and had spent about 2 years on it before picking up the bass. I took 9 months of lessons on the guitar. I play on average around 4-5 hours per week. Family and work takes the remainder of my time.

I have been trying to learn Welcome to the Jungle for about 2 months now. I'm 2/3 to 3/4 of the way through it. I play along a lot with tracks pulled off of Rock Band and Guitar Hero posted on youtube.

If I keep going I'll estimate it'll take me another month to get it all down. That will be 3 months, grossly larger than even the one guy who posted it took him a month and that was a Tool song. After seeing responses of people learning songs in 30 seconds, 2 hours, 2 days, etc. I'm a little concerned that I'm guitarded and I'll never even be a hack. Is it possible for someone to love music but be completely devoid of the slightest ability?

Should I quit now or just keep after it in hopes of the lightbulb coming on?

[pilmat]

If you're enjoying it, who cares? Rock on!

[MagicMan_841]

I don't think that's an easy song to start playing.

[slaps76]

Well if you're learning just by ear, it could take forever to learn a song if your ear isn't developed enough. Not "promoting" tabs, but if you learned a song by tab, or sheet music, then you'd probably learn it quicker.

There are easier songs I've listened to, and picked up my bass and immediately played the whole thing note for note; and there are songs I've known for months already but still can't play them very well.

[Stumbo]

I suggest a slow downer program like Best Practice or the like. It'll isolate the bass and reduce the speed. You can also loop sections. If you increase the pitch by an octave, the bass usually is easier to follow(after slowing the tune down).

Here are a few links that you may want to check out:

~Online lessons
dmanlamius.com Dman's hands on videos and more
playbassnow.com MarlowDK's cool videos & more
Read music,lessons, online metronome,bass clef tutor & more
Studybass.com Sound files/tab/standard notation based lessons..more
thelibster.com Tech advice,drills, bass sound files & more
cyberfretbass.com Videos & more
activebass.com Lessons, backing tracks, articles and more. Xlnt site

~Software: Slow Down, Change pitch/key, Loop, Record, Metronome,Utilities
1 Slow down
2
3
4
BestPractice-PC based, free, easy to use, slow downer/pitch shifter/looper/vocal remover/bass isolator/ backing track maker

I suggest putting in a couple thousand hours and revisit this thread to let us know how you're doing.

Maybe learning some blues will put things in perspective?

[Skitch it!]

Dude, don't believe everything you read, 3 months on the instrument is no time at all so take it easy on yourself, there's no pressure and it ain't no competition neither. All in good time.

[WilliamSandoval]

I'm the guy with the 0'00'00 time...

I've been trying to learn 'The Lemon Song' for 6 months now...

The only reason why I could play Black Dog in 0 seconds flat, is because the guitar riff is exactly the same for the bass.

Don't get discouraged. You'll get it in time.

[jmattbassplaya]

Most of the people who posted in that thread were either lying, grossly over exaggerating just how good they really sounded, or had previous experience playing another instrument. Take anything anyone says over the internet with a grain of salt and just keep playing the bass until you start getting better.

I'll say that Welcome to the Jungle is probably not one of the best songs to start learning bass on. I highly suggest taking a step back and start working on some songs by bands like U2, Rage Against the Machine, The Cars, The Clash, etc... first. Getting the fundamentals down and getting your hands use to playing a bass will help you progress faster than by going straight into intermediate level stuff.

Also, how often do you practice and when you do practice how long do you play?

[Essen]

It takes time. During my first year of playing, songs took forever to learn (and we're talking tabs here)..
But it gets easier. Thankfully

[oniman7]

I started learning to play Schism by Tool a year and a half ago when I played guitar... I learned the guitar riff. Bought a bass just over a year ago and it was one of the first riffs I learned. But a year and a half later, I'm still trying to play it.

Start with a simpler song... get a teacher. A teacher was immensely helpful for me starting out, even though I no longer go to him.

[BassmanSBK]

Originally Posted by Essen

It takes time. During my first year of playing, songs took forever to learn (and we're talking tabs here)..
But it gets easier. Thankfully

+1,000

When I first picked up a bass, it took me 3 months to learn to play Green Onions, which is a ridiculously easy riff. And I had sheet music. And tab.

Right now, you are struggling to learn both how to physically produce sound on the instrument, where the notes are, how the notes work together, how to distinguish notes by ear, and how to play with other musicians. It's not even going to begin to click for about a year (if you are doing it right--if you are just banging away at strings, you can pull it all together pretty fast, but you will suck). And it will take many, many years before it gets easy. (In fact, I am sure there are pros on this board who will correct me and say it never gets "easy," just easier than before.)

[markkoelsch]

3 months is nothing when first starting out.

Let me tell you, I am a big Rush fan. The first song I ever tried to learn by ear was Xanadu. I learned a bunch of it, but it took a long time. After getting that about 80% I realized I was barking up the wrong tree, and went for simpler tunes. Kicked back, and learned some more straight rock tunes. I spent a lot of time just playing to the radio, and if I had previously figured something out I would change the channel. It is a rapid fire way to improve your ear.

I would suggest finding some different tunes, and just work at them. 4-5 hours a week is not much time...when I was a teenager learning to play it was not uncommon for me to play 7-8 hours a day during the summers. It will take you longer jsut because your time is more spread out. Relax, do not worry about it, and have fun.

[slaps76]

Also, make sure you're spending enough of your practice time working on fundamentals, technique, scales, ect...my first year of "playing" bass I had the worst technique, didn't understand the fretboard at all, until I started taking lessons.

+1 on people suggesting easier songs too. First song I learned was Seven Nation Army by White Stripes(although technically there's no bass). I also learned a U2 song, Motley Crue song, things that weren't very difficult but still fun to play along too.

[PBnJBassist]

Originally Posted by BassmanSBK

+1,000

When I first picked up a bass, it took me 3 months to learn to play Green Onions, which is a ridiculously easy riff. And I had sheet music. And tab.

Right now, you are struggling to learn both how to physically produce sound on the instrument, where the notes are, how the notes work together, how to distinguish notes by ear, and how to play with other musicians. It's not even going to begin to click for about a year (if you are doing it right--if you are just banging away at strings, you can pull it all together pretty fast, but you will suck). And it will take many, many years before it gets easy. (In fact, I am sure there are pros on this board who will correct me and say it never gets "easy," just easier than before.)

+1,000 to this as well.

Keep on playing, Scoop! I (and I'm sure plenty of other players on here) started out in the same shoes, or at the very least, similar to your situation. For me, I was asking myself this around the 8 month mark, but I decided to keep playing since I loved every single second playing the bass - and above all - playing music. Around the 1 and a half year mark, a lot of things started to "click," not everything, mind you. At my current standing, I can play along with songs with sheet music/tabs in front of me and get a song down within a day; if it's a long and complex song, a week. Even then, it'll take me a week to perfect it and come up with my own lines and fills for it. Don't stop believing!

[SteveC]

Not to be a downer, but there are people who love music and can't play. I've had them for students. It's very frustrating for everyone. They want to play so badly and can't. And then there are kids who don't have to work at all. Not fair, but sometimes reality.

[Melodious_Thump]

I've only been playing for a year and half, but IMHO you might have bitten off more than you can chew with that tune. Like the others have said, consider some easier songs to learn and you'll be surprised how fast things can fall into place and the lightbulbs start coming on when you don't overload your brain. Generally, if it takes you more than a week or two to learn a song, it's probably beyond your skill level. Variety, not just complexity, helps us beginners because we've got EVERYTHING to learn. Good luck.

[EamusCatuli]

About 2 years ago my wife bought me a bass for Christmas. I took lessons and practiced religiously, but after 4 months my teacher took a hiatus. I asked him what I should do to keep from losing what I had learned and he told me to play with other people. Two years later I’m on my 2nd band – I left the first because I felt I could do better, and I have. We play out regularly and are successful enough for me to have purchased a Music Man with the gig money. I’m far from Geddy Lee but I can hold my own. I’m almost 40, married with two kids and a full time job.

What’s the point? You can do this if you stick with it. Start by getting a teacher who will teach you, not just show you how to play a specific song. Being self taught is great when you want to measure your dick in front of other guys but the reality is lessons are cheap and readily available. One place to start is the blues scale – it's unbelievably versatile and you can use it in blues, rock, metal, etc. (Welcome to the Jungle is nothing but a blues scale, the whole song.) Second, you’re biting off a bit much by starting with G’n’R. Try the Police or Sting or U2 or Jimmy Buffett or Coldplay. Whether your a fan of them or not, these bass lines are easy – you’re just acting the part of a metronome which teaches you to ride in the pocket. Finally, find someone to play with. There are others out there like you who may want to jam. Hit Craig’s and be honest about your experience. Playing with others is a terrific way to learn and be inspired to keep learning.

Keep at it! Playing live music is an unmatched experience.

[MalcolmAmos]

Are you guys talking about playing the tune?

It never occurred to me to play the tune from start to finish. I leave that to the solo instruments, I play accompaniment using the chord progression as my guide. Even if I was given a lead break, 16 to 24 bars would be all that is necessary before I turn the lead back to the soloist and resume my accompaniment.

Give me some fake chord sheet music so I can follow the chords and I'll lay down a bass line, on the fly, to a song I've never heard before. Not bragging at all....... no way I could play the tune to a song with out weeks of practice. In fact I do not even want to play the tune, I want to lay down the bottom end and keep the beat.

But, give me the key and if it is Pop, Rock or Country I'll assume the chord progression and wing a root-5 for as long as the vocalist wants to sing the song.

I must be missing something here, there is another way... Don't stop, just work on playing accompaniment. Bands are always looking for a bass that can lay down the beat and call attention to the chord changes and not step on the soloist toes.

[Etchbass]

There is no pressure. Keep at it. At your own pace. Don't move on to something more advanced till you've perfected whatever you were practicing prior. Make sure you're practicing with a metronome.

As far as learning a song, I would set that aside and work on the basics. That is true for anyone really. Isolate only your plucking/picking technique and work on that until you feel like youve accomplished something... or until your hand feels like its going to fall off. Switch between different stings and make up patterns to strengthen your dexterity. Then do the same for your fretting technique, work on playing scales up and down the neck. You will probably have a slight advantage in that you've already played a bit of guitar.

There is no set standard for the ratio of time spent practicing to progress, but practicing the correct way will definitely be more beneficial.

Always use a metronome and don't get discouraged.

Oh yeah, and if something is too difficult at first, slow down your metronome until it is slow enough that you can play it. Practice that, then move up the tempo-slowly!

[BassmanSBK]

Originally Posted by MalcolmAmos

Are you guys talking about playing the tune?

It never occurred to me to play the tune from start to finish. I leave that to the solo instruments, I play accompaniment using the chord progression as my guide. Even if I was given a lead break, 16 to 24 bars would be all that is necessary before I turn the lead back to the soloist and resume my accompaniment.

Give me some fake chord sheet music so I can follow the chords and I'll lay down a bass line, on the fly, to a song I've never heard before. Not bragging at all....... no way I could play the tune to a song with out weeks of practice. In fact I do not even want to play the tune, I want to lay down the bottom end and keep the beat.

But, give me the key and if it is Pop, Rock or Country I'll assume the chord progression and wing a root-5 for as long as the vocalist wants to sing the song.

I must be missing something here, there is another way... Don't stop, just work on playing accompaniment. Bands are always looking for a bass that can lay down the beat and call attention to the chord changes and not step on the soloist toes.

+1,000,000

It may not seem glamorous to hold down the bottom and accompany the soloist. But once you start playing for people, the truth will dawn on you: If the guitarist stops playing, everyone keeps dancing (rocking, grooving, whatever). But if the bass stops playing, everyone sits down.