Is 16 Too Old To Start?

[MissChris27]

So, if one is not allowed to begin playing until they're 16, is it too late? I mean, if that same person has taken piano for two years and has no itention of quitting that instrument, how long would it take to pick up bass? I've always wanted to play bass, but 1) I have to pay 2) I must be 16 (one year!) 3) I really gotta want it. That last one is taken care of. So, any advice is appreciated!!

[kesslari]

It's never too late, even for a very old soul at 16.
Pick it up when you can start, and put your heart into it, and you'll be kicking tail before you're 17.
And you'll be worlds ahead of most of the people.

[Marcury]

Yup, sorry you missed the cutoff. If you haven't started by 14 you'll never learn.



There are people on this board who waited till their 40s and 50s. I realize at 15 everything seems like if you don't do it now you never will, but you start when you start.

[Drifta]

I didn't start till i was 16(unfortunately) one thing is for sure Better late then NEVER!! i wish i had started earliar, but am grateful now that i even gave it a chance... its changed my life forever

[bassman_al]

I started at 18, in college, after I had been told that my hands were too small to be able to play bass. I'm 41 now and still playing, loving it more every day!

[jakrees747]

i didn't start playing any musical instruments until 16, and now i'm AWESOME at all of them!

[mister-o]

I started at 24, am improving steadily after a year and a half, and am having a great time playing. Starting at 16 may mean it's too late to be the next Victor Wooten (and maybe not even that, depending on a lot of factors!), but it's early compared to a lot of folks. Wait patiently until you get your first rig, then play the hell out of it!

[etoncrow]

Originally Posted by MissChris27

So, if one is not allowed to begin playing until they're 16...1) I have to pay 2) I must be 16 (one year!) 3) I really gotta want it.

First, I am interested to know who mandated the three criteria listed above? Demographics state that someone in your age bracket has enough discretionary income to provide yourself with a bass adequate enough to begin the process (see the innumerable threads on that subject). Second, I first picked up the bass when I was 32 years old (how 'bout twice 16); I did have the advantage of being a trained percussionist but, in retrospect, I would have preferred training in piano.

Nutshell: age is not a factor

[anonymous1225111]

I started at around 20 or so...

[cnltb]

there's no "too old" for music...quite sad really that some may think so.

[Thunder_Fingers]

No, its not too late, I started as 16(Well, late 15) and I don't feel im behind other bassists at my age, and one very famous other bass player did: Steve "'Arry" Harris of Iron Maiden.

[El Kabong]

Originally Posted by etoncrow

First, I am interested to know who mandated the three criteria listed above?

+1 why do you have to wait? mow a couple of lawns or something and buy an SX from Rondo and start lessons... Its not like you need a Ric or something to get started.

[bradjonesbass]

even 79 is not too old to start. I started at 20 (though I was a classically trained taubist [tuba] prior to picking up the bass) and don't seem to have suffered any ill effects

Curious why you have to wait until 16...

[Tapout73]

I'm 34 and just started. One of the best decisions I've ever made.

[professor_bills]

Age is not a factor although time may be... Tomorrow is too late... So start today.
Now 16 may be too old to join a Disney band.

[Dash Rantic]

You're nowhere near too old--there's no such thing! (I started at 17, myself)

If you have a background in piano, you're likely to have a solid understanding of a lot of the musical "basics"--theory, rhythm, etc. That alone puts you miles ahead of some people, before you even pick up the instrument.

Just pick it up as soon as you can, and never look back

-Dash

[thesteve]

I started playing guitar at 15 and didn't pick up bass until I was 20 or 21. No reason 16 is "too old".

[nickn]

I also started at 16. Like a previous poster said, better late than never.

[UncleBalsamic]

You're never too old. There is no reason a 16 year old couldn't pick up a new instrument.

[iriegnome]

I started at 15. 28 years later, I still am having a bunch of fun and I love playing as much now as I did then.
There is never a "TOO OLD" to start. There may be a too old to play in a band with a bunch of 16 year old's, but never too old to start.