Staring too late?

mdsmith · #1 12-01-2009, 04:40 AM

I'm sure a lot of you guys hate these questions, and I know it is different for everyone, but here is my situation. I'm 31 years old, and just had my first child 4 months ago. I work full time and go to school 2 nights a week. I got a bass guitar 3 years ago for Christmas, and have dabbled with it, but nothing more. I know a couple Bob Marley tunes, a few intros to different songs, and some easy blues bass lines. I've been down this same road with other instruments (ie guitar and mandolin), but I'm really starting to get into the idea of buckling down and learning how to play this bass, and hopefully being able to go to some jams. I'll probably only realistically have about 30 minutes 5 nights a week (I don't have time for anything on school nights). My question is, is it realistic to learn to play with this small ammount of practice time? The reason I ask is that while I do enjoy playing by myself, I wouldn't really be interested in it if I knew that I wouldn't be good enough to play out.

kr0n · #2 12-01-2009, 04:59 AM

Bass would probably be one of the easiest instruments to start out in a band context for sure. Mastering the instrument, just like in any other type, is years of constant work. Playing steady 8ths for basic rock or blues arpeggios in quarters to support a rockabilly band would be a good place to start.

I doubt it's never too late to learn new stuff, it just gets harder when you grow older and especially when your time is limited, like most people with jobs and families.

It really depends on what level you want to play. If you want to entertain your family with a song or two, I'd go for the guitar. Simple bass is there to support the song by laying down the foundation to build on. It is quite possible to play pretty stuff with bass when you get the hang of it.

Get a teacher right from the start. Good teacher can save you a lot of time.

Rico_2212 · #3 12-01-2009, 05:05 AM

With 1/2 an hour a night 5 nights a week you can actually get some decent practicing done. Like anything else, it depends on what you put into it. Check out some online lessons, youtube videos, talkbass (shameless plug.) Try to make a plan as to what you want to learn as opposed to "noodling" in front of your t.v. Set realistic goals for yourself, and don't get discouraged if you're not where you want to be within a couple of months. Most important is to have fun, because that's the main reason for doing this. Good luck. And have fun.

MalcolmAmos · #4 12-01-2009, 05:12 AM

Too old? Look at when I joined this forum, that's when I started Bass. In February I'll be 75. Yes the reaction time is affected and I'm not able to do some of the stuff, but, enough. Being retired I do have more time than you will, however after you get a few generic riffs in your gig bag Jamming with a group will be a piece of cake. Deciding what baseline to use and then hearing the chord changes was a biggie for me - largest learning curve. There are loads of play-a-longs on the Internet now days. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DACX...eature=related Jamming to blues - as the chord changes are pretty much the same on each piece (12 bar blues progression) should help with the chord changes. Root nothing, R-5, R-3-5-3 or the major pentatonic R-2-3-5-6 will play a lot of bass.

In case you need it here is the 12 bar blues progression. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUK5p...eature=related

Go for it.

dealbreaker · #5 12-01-2009, 05:13 AM

It's never too late to start. If you want to learn more and have the time, even 30 min 5 times a week, do it. Don't over think it. Have fun.

dave64o · #6 12-01-2009, 05:14 AM

Do it.

I played bass on a few songs in the band I played in when I was in college, but I really played guitar and sang. However, I was about 38 when I first really started to play bass and that was only for recording projects I was doing at home. Then last fall I started taking lessons - I was 44 at the time.

Here's my family situation - I have a 12 year old son who is on multiple sports teams at the travel level and higher, he also plays in two bands at school and is starting private lessons again, my wife travels a lot on business (about 1/3 time) so when she's away I'm single parenting, and my job keeps me at work late many nights plus I have regular rotations when I'm on call overnight and on weekends. Practice time is tough to come by!

Sometimes it's frustrating because my instructor simply can't relate to my situation. His next oldest student is literally 1/3 my age - 15 - and his other students all several free hours a day after school to practice and they're progressing a lot faster than me, at least with some things. Also, my instructor is only 21 and he's either at the store giving lessons or is going to college so he not only is immersed in music all day, he has no personal experience with my stage of life, either. So when I don't do well in a given lesson because of lack of practice time and he starts to lecture me about dedication and the need to practice, I have to remind him to get back to me in 25 years and tell me if I what I've accomplished in the last year looks any different to him then than it seems to now.

Other than a few songs back in college I've never played bass in a band, but that is the eventual goal. I asked my instructor and the others at the store if they have other adult students or know of other instructors with other adult students who might have interests similar to mine. I'm thinking it could be interesting to bring together a group that's just starting out late in life like me and see what we could do together.

Like I said up top, just DO IT!

Billnc · #7 12-01-2009, 07:29 AM

Do it. I've had students pick up an instrument for the first time in their 60's and learned to play well. I can't recommend enough learning to read music, and transcribing, have set goals also. Avoid tabs at all costs.

mdsmith · #8 12-01-2009, 07:32 AM

Thanks for all of the encouragement guys. I actually played a few blues tunes at a big party last year. It was only 3 easy tunes, but it was such a good feeling. I can see how playing out could be addictive.Lookss like it's time to finally break out that "Bass for Dummies" book and start practicing.

Billnc · #9 12-01-2009, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdsmith

Thanks for all of the encouragement guys. I actually played a few blues tunes at a big party last year. It was only 3 easy tunes, but it was such a good feeling. I can see how playing out could be addictive.Lookss like it's time to finally break out that "Bass for Dummies" book and start practicing.

I played a lot of guitar, at 30 I bought a bass. I formed a rock cover band but when we were auditioning singers the best one was a blues singer so we became a blues band. In a rythm section you wind up backing a lot of people up, the blues is a perfect start, jump, funky, swing, jazzy, rock, gutbucket, quite a language there that doesn't require 4 hours practice a day. The blues, while I couldn't bear to do it 5 nights 3 hours anymore, was and is very kind to me.

INTP · #10 12-01-2009, 08:31 AM

I think that 30 minutes a day for 5 days a week is enough. I'm a big fan of shorter, more frequent practice sessions, rather than the inverse.

And it is a good feeling. If you can find a place to play with others occasionally, like you did at that party, then I'm sure you'll be able to see your own progress. Parties, open mic nights, etc. are a great way to get this interaction, and blues is a good genre for it because the changes are standard, but they still allow for some improvisation and interpretation.

I would suggest having a little order to the practice sessions, however. Set aside a few minutes of each session for different activities, like LH technique, RH technique, scales (theory), whatever works for you. Even a few minutes each day for each activity will make a big difference over time. Be sure to save some time at the end of the session for non-technical things like learning songs, jamming along with recordings, etc. If you have a general outline of what you're working on, the time spent will be more productive, I think.

Above all, hang on to that feeling. That's what it's all about, IMHO.

fearceol · #11 12-01-2009, 04:35 PM

Go for it !! I too, like a lot of people here, am a late starter. Took early retirement from my job, and decided to put the spare time to good use, doing something I've always wanted to do.. play the bass. That was four years ago when I was 49

I now play in a blues band, and am really enjoying making up for lost time. The time you have available to practice, should be enough, if you keep focused. A lot of people waste valuable time just aimlessly noodling. A site I found very good is : www.studybass .com

Best of luck, have fun, and remember... "better late than never" !

Orangeclawhamme · #12 12-01-2009, 06:01 PM

Your plan sounds better than what I did, which was to buy a bass on the eve of retirement at the age of 55. Even if you have to go slow because of insufficient time, slow is better than nothing! Enjoy what you can learn and what you can play. It's no crime not to be the next Jaco or Entwistle.

You'll probably progress a lot faster than you think you will.

The best to you.

And kick out the jams!

Sav'nBass · #13 12-01-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mdsmith

I'm sure a lot of you guys hate these questions, and I know it is different for everyone, but here is my situation. I'm 31 years old, and just had my first child 4 months ago. I work full time and go to school 2 nights a week. I got a bass guitar 3 years ago for Christmas, and have dabbled with it, but nothing more. I know a couple Bob Marley tunes, a few intros to different songs, and some easy blues bass lines. I've been down this same road with other instruments (ie guitar and mandolin), but I'm really starting to get into the idea of buckling down and learning how to play this bass, and hopefully being able to go to some jams. I'll probably only realistically have about 30 minutes 5 nights a week (I don't have time for anything on school nights). My question is, is it realistic to learn to play with this small ammount of practice time? The reason I ask is that while I do enjoy playing by myself, I wouldn't really be interested in it if I knew that I wouldn't be good enough to play out.

Let me ask you this.. if it were love and you had never loved.. would you ask if it was too late to love if you found someone that stirred that feeling in you?

It is never too late.. not to play music...

It may be too late to hit the road and have all the adventures and headaches that go with it.. it might be too late to make a living at being a full time musician.. but it is never too late to start to play.. and believe me.. You will find others to play with ... being good helps.. but I find that being honest in your playing is more important.. embrace it... give it what you have... and let it take you where it will..

GlennPagano · #14 12-01-2009, 09:59 PM

O wow I thought I was late, I am only 18 and really started playing in June. I started playing during my freshman year of HS but stopped after only 6 months of playing and I really regret this. This was mostly because I didn't have anyone to really jam with. Now I just picked bass up again and I am jamming with people and I love it. Really get out and Jam ASAP, you will learn sooooo much even if it is just playing the root notes. The only problem I am having now is getting out of the root note rut and I really want to just listen to some guitar riffs and just think of a good bass line hopefully this will come with time.

tobie · #15 12-03-2009, 12:02 AM

I bought my first instrument (a harmonica) at age 45. That has grown to a set of 23 within 3 years. 7 years later and I also now have a lapsteel guitar, pedal steel guitar and two dobro's. I know I'll never give the pro's a run for their money, but the amount of fun I have can not be expressed in words.

I'm in the habbit of spending about 2hrs per night (mon-thurs) to make it worthwhile...

PBass101 · #16 12-03-2009, 12:09 AM

If it's important to you, then you'll find a way to make it work. A half hour a day five days a week is plenty if you economize the time your spend with your instrument and don't waste any time messing around.

lindseyp · #17 12-03-2009, 03:41 AM

Go for it. You can play it anywhere in the house without plugging it in. The quality you get from your practice is more important than the time, in my opinion. As stated earlier you can do a lot with electric bass after learning 12-bar blues. Welcome to the forum.

Stumbo · #18 12-04-2009, 01:46 AM

If keep up the practice schedule over the next year or two and know some tunes, you'll be good enough to play out eventually.

YOu might want to check out the links in my sig. below for some great TB info that may help you along the way.

**derrellvis69** · #19 12-04-2009, 02:37 AM

Matt, like some other have said or implied, time is all relative. I decided after finishing school a 3rd time @ 37 that I was gonna use the newly earned free-time and seriously learn the bass. I took lessons for about a year and made some great progress, and then life happened.

I now have a son and he's 2, and he's "TROUBLE"

he's just like his Mom

, I have him from 6:30am til about 6pm, and then I go to work from 7pm til 4am. I'm lucky if i get to practice an hour or two a week, but I'm still plugging away at it (3 years now), and trolling TB trying to learn even more..... mostly learning that we're all in the same ocean in different boats, just rowing at different speeds, and to different destinations.

Have Fun!!!

dave_p · #20 12-04-2009, 06:03 AM

Its never too late. I started bass at 21, drums at 37, now messing with guitar and some synth as well at 41. I have earned money as a working bassist, but not since my kids came along. I have jammed with others and been in some garage bands in that time, just havent been out working clubs. Kids are older now, so it may be time to rectify that.
I can play drums competently enough to jam, with a minimum of practice time.

Its all about personal goals, thresholds and aptitude/attitude. If you want to, you can regardless of "obstacles".

Also, Its NEVER too late for anything. Age is a number, thats all. Hell, I took up pool skating at 38.