Growing with your Bass

Semisweet · #1 09-11-2011, 09:13 AM

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading through this forum, this seems to be such a supportive group for all levels.

As an absolutely bare-bones Bass beginner in my 40's (former jazz bari sax player, but that was twenty years ago), I have a couple of questions...

When you first started out, how long did it take you to become comfortable with the Bass? When, as a beginner, did your preferred style emerge?

I realize everyone learns at different levels and there's not really a standard. Forum observations have taught me that generally speaking, 95% of the sound is the player, not the instrument...i.e. the "Scrap Lumber vs. Alder Bass" thread, which is epic. I've only had my second lesson and been playing for two weeks, so there's a long road ahead. Listening to some of your samples on the forum is both intimidating and inspiring since my (loosely-defined) "playing" is currently nothing short of scary and painful. (I had no idea fingers could actually be tangled up!

)

Anyway, your beginner stories and experiences would be most appreciated.

lpdeluxe · #2 09-11-2011, 10:53 AM

Welcome to TB. I was about 39 when I got my first bass, but I had been playing guitar for a few years. You did the right thing by taking lessons; I wish I had done so. Even so, as a late bloomer on bass, now that I'm retired, most of my paying gigs have been as the bass player.

Age is no barrier: the music director at the church I attend taught her (now ex-) husband to play upright, and has a middle-aged student now who has already gigged on upright and EUB (Electric Upright Bass), the last time as part of our "Baptist Blues Band" (me on Dobro, this time). It's all about feel, and hitting the right note once per measure in time is worth several gazillion notes played sloppily or poorly. I tell people that the lead guitar may be the siren on the fire truck, but the bass is the motor that drives it down the road.

Have fun!

Rockmusician · #3 09-11-2011, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semisweet

Forum observations have taught me that generally speaking, 95% of the sound is the player, not the instrument...i.e. the "Scrap Lumber vs. Alder Bass" thread, which is epic.

I hear people say this all the time. I have been playing for over 30 years. It is true that some of your tone comes from the player but not 95% of it. In my experience, I have found it to only be part of the equation. It really is a combination of your bass, amp, strings, your ability to hear and distinguish different frequencies and your technique. Having said that, a great player can make lousy gear sound good and a lousy player can make the best gear sound like crap.

StevieDaBassist · #4 09-11-2011, 11:14 AM

I would agree that it's great you started by taking lessons. That will develop a solid foundation of fundamental technique that allows you to grow towards the style you find you like.

As for the style, you mentioned you had been a jazz bari player. Are you interested in jazz music on bass as well? (just wondering, because since I am a jazz player I might have some more specific ideas about that) I think your style and tone develops as a product of the music you enjoy listening to and want to be able to play. Think of a song, solo, or even just a lick that you like and transcribe it. Work out fingerings for the lick that are easiest and try to get it sounding just like the recording.

About "knowing your bass": it depends on how much you play it. Practicing and playing on it a lot will help you discover nuances about your specific instrument that you find helpful or that you need to learn to work around. Marcus Miller says on his website that the quality of the bass is a lot less important than your ability to use it. He says learning everything you can about your instrument allows you to be more versatile. This doesn't mean all basses are created equal by any means, but it does mean that you are more important than what your instrument brings to the table, which you seem to already have appreciation for. Good luck on your never-ending journey to master the bass, we're glad to have you with us!

Mike 257 · #5 09-11-2011, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semisweet

I've thoroughly enjoyed reading through this forum, this seems to be such a supportive group for all levels.

As an absolutely bare-bones Bass beginner in my 40's

Semisweet , no beginner story here since I am also a bare-bone beginner in my late 40's . Im just 2 weeks in, I will also be taking lessons very soon. Right now Im just having fun with my new bass trying to follow some songs , fiddling around with the knobs on amp and bass. I am really loving this !

Semisweet · #6 09-11-2011, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevieDaBassist

As for the style, you mentioned you had been a jazz bari player. Are you interested in jazz music on bass as well?

I played jazz, blues and funk in college (under the heading "Jazz Studies")...with bass, my goal is a strong jazz/blues foundation but also become comfortable with rock, most likely classic rock. I'd simply like to be able to lock it in with the drummer and provide a solid foundation.

PBnJBassist · #7 09-11-2011, 06:55 PM

How long it took before I was comfortable with the bass? Almost instantaneously. I started out playing on the violin (way back in Jr. high) for 2 years, a drummer during my senior year in high school, then a guitarist (on and off) for a year around 2-3 years ago. I started the bass 2 years ago and my preferred style didn't emerge until recently. I went through doing covers of my favorite songs and progressed from metal > nu-metal > alternative rock > hard rock > progressive rock > classic rock > southern rock > blues > rockabilly > funk > fusion. Right now, I'm discovering soloing as getting out of my comfort zone from a 20-fret, 4-string Precision bass to 24-fretted 6-string basses and a bit into fretless basses.

Tone comes from the player, this is so true, however, I love to incorporate all the elements. As a beginner, I was doing all the wrong things and didn't discover what was meant for me until I stopped listening to suggestions and went completely with feeling. Small hands love skinny, jazz necks; mine don't. I absolutely adore wide & fat necks. I didn't use flatwounds until I read some threads on TB. I love playing them. I played a jazz bass exclusively until the beginning of this year - split-coil pickups produce the sound I want. Even 2 years after picking up the bass, I'm still learning and finding out new things, so I still consider myself a beginner.

Combo amps? No way. I love stacks and run two 1x15s just to own the bottom end. I used to love high-tension, thick gauge strings. Now, I'm running low-tension flats on an extra light set. Way too many things that I could talk about but it's probably a page and a paragraph too much. I'm stoked you found love with playing the bass, and perhaps we could even jam together. I too am I Texas resident (Garland, though).

Cheers.

VitalSigns · #8 09-11-2011, 06:58 PM

I was 8 when I got my first bass... It was bigger than I was...

Spectrum · #9 09-11-2011, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semisweet

As an absolutely bare-bones Bass beginner in my 40's (former jazz bari sax player, but that was twenty years ago), I have a couple of questions...

I'm in my early 40s, and I'm a noob all over again. I started playing bass when I was 15 or 16 and then I left to do career, college, etc. But I always kept my first real bass, and last year when I decided to pick it up and get serious about music again, it was like riding a bike, my fingers just knew what to do.

Back when I started I knew nothing, so I had no bad habits to break, and I had a good instructor who taught me the basics of handling the instrument, hand positions, and good exercises. As a teenager I didn't have as many life distractions as I do now, but if you listen to your teacher and practice the exercises you'll get comfortable pretty quick. It took me a few months, and then I was in a rock band.

Now I'm learning to walk jazz lines and some basic theory stuff, stuff I blew off when I was younger, much to my regret.

turbo chicken · #10 09-11-2011, 07:48 PM

comfortable ... i dunno.. i suspect playing upright for a few years when i was a kid and a wee bit of electric too help me now...

but after a year and 8 months now... i realized the other day that i'm able to learn just about any song my band throws at me now... I'm picking up basslines faster than I thought I'd be able to.

I'm finally starting to put in my own fills on the fly that actually sound good... and somehow still in key...

that being said... im still not 100% comfortable... but I am happy with my progress and know i can only get better if i stick with it.

soon as you learn a blues progression... find someone to play with ... i've progressed more in the last 4 months of being in a band that i did for the first year.

Marsco · #11 09-11-2011, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Semisweet

When you first started out, how long did it take you to become comfortable with the Bass? When, as a beginner, did your preferred style emerge?

I got my first bass last Christmas, a Squier P, when I was 14 years old. My heavy-ish rock style came through in the same day. I was peculiarly comfortable with and able to hold down a hearty countermelody. Never having played a proper stringed instrument prior to then, I was only able to play songs on one string, but that's exceptional for having acquired the bass the same day.

I joined my scholastic jazz band early this year. Learning the blues scale shed new light on my style. I'm now rather fond of improv in blues scales; funk, contemporary and classic rock genres.

To directly answer your query, it didn't take me long to become moderately acquainted with bass, a month at most to use more than one string in the same diddy. My style emerged in the ensuing hours of Christmas morning.

I haven't taken lessons (aside from TB) and I've probably developed some pretty despicable habits so I think it's great that you're taking lessons.

skychief · #12 09-11-2011, 09:40 PM

Dont know if you read or not. But in either case, i would recommend learning to read bass clef. Had a drummer from a famous big-band walk up to me while on break on a gig to tell me he liked my bass playing. He handed me his card and said they were having auditions for a bassist the following week and he would like me to audition. He winked and said he could probably pull a few strings if need be. I told him id be there for sure. As he walked back to his table, he turned around and said "oh, by the way, you DO read, right?" I said NO. He took his card back and said Sorry man--we cant use you.

Semisweet · #13 09-12-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skychief

Dont know if you read or not. But in either case, i would recommend learning to read bass clef.

Sage advice. That right there is a huge deal to me....the ability to read music.

Yeah, I played in school band...did marching band...went to the UIL competitions and won awards...majored in music in college (even though I didn't graduate)....played in a ton of performances....

....and I couldn't read notes to save my life. I would physically write down the note name (E, B, F#) under the note. I knew how to read signatures, time, symbols, etc. but never what the note actually was. It was mostly playing by ear and cheat sheets.

Bari Sax plays in Treble Clef. My goal this time around is to become fluent in Bass Clef. It makes my progress a bit slower and I probably stumble over the learning exercises more than most, but figure that a strong foundation will be a huge asset later on.

Semisweet · #14 09-12-2011, 09:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marsco

I got my first bass last Christmas, a Squier P, when I was 14 years old.

What a wonderful age to learn! I first picked up the saxophone when I was 15, and two days later performed Greensleeves for my school band. (I had really, desperately wanted to play drums, but my father refused, saying "Drummers can't read music!" Haha, joke's on him, I still can't read music. I must be a drummer.

) I think 15 is the perfect age to begin to develop musical skills. My only regret today is that I was impatient and didn't learn the foundations like I should have...I just wanted to jump in and blast the audience.

This Christmas, ask for lessons! Do it for your old Auntie Semi.

**StrangerDanger** · #15 09-12-2011, 09:49 AM

Play in a band asap. Best way to learn imho.

Muttleybass · #16 09-12-2011, 12:06 PM

Hmm... well, I guess I was playing in my bedroom for about a year (1977) before I played in a band. Then some simple songs were comfortable right away and others I had to work at.

I think the first real emergence of my "preffered style" came when I joined a prog rock cover band around 1979. I focused on my lessons, crammed the material and worked my %$#@ing A$$ off. Yes, Rush, Max Webster covers, along with Who, Kansas... Then came the 80s and that was a major influence.

Advice: Join a band ASAP, never stop taking lessons. If that band tanks (and it probably will) join another one. The more styles you expose yourself to, the better.

poomwah · #17 09-12-2011, 12:32 PM

I felt comfortable with a bass the first time I picked on up. I knew instantly that it was what I was supposed to do. It felt right.
My preferred style... I'd say it emerged when I started writing basslines instead of just copying. That's the same why I found my true vocal style too.