Starting Over

StarscreamG1 · #1 12-22-2007, 06:34 PM

Hi all, I hope this is the right board for this thread. This post is kind of long so bear with me.

I am starting to play bass again after being out of it for a good decade (probably add a bit to that)....as I have stated in another post, the only things I knew about my instrument before was how to tune it and play it, that was all. The different pick ups and types of strings and this and that etc etc I was always clueless about. And the only thing I knew about 'high end' basses was that I couldn't afford them. I owned what I could run across and it was ok. ^_^

Not sure how to describe the style I had when I played. For some reason learning to read music was impossible for me, I played by ear and lots of original things. With the exceptions of maybe 3 lessons I was self taught. Because of that there would be things I would do on a bass that at the time I was told was 'not allowed' (?) like finger pulls, chimes, etc. Hey I didn't know the 'rules' so it was all good to me.

I was in a band but it was hard not so much that I couldn't keep up with them, they had trouble with me. The lead guitarist coped an attitude with me saying I was trying to upstage him... the bass was supposed to be in the background not take the front so to speak. The drummer and rhythm guitarists thought it was cool and wanted to follow me but he didn't....Yea that didn't last long there... *sigh*

Anyway, I ended up selling all my stuff and gave it up...then last year decided to get back into it. Part of it was because over the years I've heard more and more bassists doing things that I was looked down at for doing in the early -mid 80s. HAH so now things have come around and maybe I can fit in finally. And yes we have Tabs now, I can read that great so lets get back into it....

Ok Im rusty and thanks to a head injury in a nasty car wreck in the early 90s I discovered to my horror that I now have some weird coordination problem between my left hand and my right. It doesn't act up all the time but when it does I'm mortified...but I am proud to say even being rusty and that problem I was invited into the studio as the bassist for a project a few months ago. I declined because I don't feel anywhere near ready for anything like that...

This time around I want to do this right. I want some pointers, advice, suggestions...anything anyone wants to pass along. Before when I played, I did what I was told was called 'hybrid picking' I used a pick but my 2nd and 3rd fingers would pluck when needed. This time around I seem to be more fingering it then anything else and thats fine for now. Before I was into finger pulls, hammer ons, pull offs...same thing this time. I also like to work out riffs that I do not use my right hand, only the left to play.

I want to branch off into a 5 string bass this time around as well. This time I want to relearn to better fit in with a band. A friend of mine that is an amazing guitar player described my stuff as real mental (in a good way), lots of notes, time signatures and all over the place and I'm sure that won't work for a lot of bands out there (?) I guess I need to figure out just what my 'style' is first before I do anything else. But if anyone can point me in the right direction for online tutorials about technique, learning all the tech aspects of the bass as in string types, pickups etc. that would be greatly appreciated. I'm not exactly stupid but I don't know near as much as I should and I want to stop that. (Though I have learned how to adjust the truss rod and bridge (I hope that was the right term LOL))

Thanks in advance.

joevcool · #2 12-22-2007, 07:06 PM

Hi,I am sorry to hear about your accident.I think you should get a really good bass teacher to help you through the fundamentals of playing.How to read,improvise,confidence level and all the other aspects of playing and learning.As far as your technique I think a good techer can help you develop as a player,but everyone developes a certain way of playing to which they feel at home.No matter what is is it will be distincly your own.And your signature sound.I wish you all the best.Joe

StarscreamG1 · #3 12-22-2007, 07:32 PM

Well signature sound/style is something Ive always been told I have. ^_^ But yea, when that coordination problem flares up, needless to say it kills what confidence I'm building back. When it happens in front of friends, at first I was petrified and finally I just began to laugh it off. My other ax playing friends understand and don't judge my talent (and relearning potential) based on something thats truly not my fault. At the same time I am trying to work around it. Instead of just using my 1st and 2nd fingers plucking I am experimenting with the 3rd and 4th to keep the hand in a relative stable position to not aggravate whatever that neurological problem is that is a result from that head injury. And so far its working out fairly well. I don't seem to have a problem with my left hand on the fret board so thats a relief. I am also going to get reacquainted with my old style of hybrid picking and see if that can help compensate for my shortcomings now regarding the coordination.

Finding a teacher is next. Last time I had a teacher (for a couple of the only lessons I ever had in the past) it was the teacher that told me what I was doing 'you aren't suppose to do on a bass' (I was doing chimes)...yea some teacher, he lost me that night as a student too.

StarscreamG1 · #4 12-27-2007, 11:06 AM

I was hoping I'd get some replies from others that perhaps have had to overcome similar problems. I have been practicing a LOT lately and I have noticed if I use my fingers and not a pick that terrifying problem is happening less and less. But every time I use a pick or hybrid pick it periodically happens. Just doesn't make sense to me but I have a physician trying to determine just whats wrong. (helps that shes a musician herself and when I told her what was going on she said something was up. She said that I should be able to play without looking at what either hand is doing (shes right) and now shes on a mission LOL (thank god))

In the meantime, does anyone here have any suggestions for a good riff/scale/whatever in tablature that could help me continue to work through this? Something complicated and all over the board. The more challenging the better.

Thanks ^_^

DZIB · #5 12-28-2007, 11:52 AM

RULE #1 - Don't listen to a guitarist's opinion on bass. They all think they can play bass. In reality, they can't. They play guitar on bass. We don't call them guitards for nothing!!

StarscreamG1 · #6 12-28-2007, 12:15 PM

I had never seen that term before I joined this forum but I can agree with it from past experience. Though I must admit a guitarist that I know kind of doesn't fit in with the Guitard definition. He's like half my age and so talented. He will go far someday with his skill. He loves to practice with me and he's a guitarist that actually wants more bass in the songs. The bass player in the band he's in right now is just boring and quiet and he's always trying to get him to spice things up and turn it UP... O_O wow can you believe that? LOL He wants more prominent and complex bass in the band he's in.

But yea, even as talented as he is, he grabs my bass and plays and its like ... a guitarist on bass . . .