How do/did you learn/study bass?

[Chunk-O-Funk]

Just curious how most people have learned to play bass over the years. I know things have changed quite a bit since I first started to play.

My very first introduction to music was in grade school (1970's) where I played trumpet and trombone. It was also the first time I have ever seen sheet music which was helpful because by the time I was in Jr. High I had started playing bass. I started to take privet lessons at the local music store and learning by sheet music was standard. I actually stuck with is for a few years and not only learned how to read, but with that also came fretboard knowledge, technique and introduction to theory.

After that I took lessons from a couple local bassist/teachers. The first was to improve my technique, and the second was from a Jazz bassist to help me with theory and chord studies. I wish I stuck with that longer than I did. He went on tour for a few months in Russia and I never contacted him when he got back. I wanted to have a better understanding on how to improvise and play over chord changes as well as solo. At that point I was already playing out on a regular basis so I didn't make the time to go back.

This was all pre-internet. There was no Bass Player magazine. The best we had was one article a month in the back of Guitar Player Magazine. If you wanted to learn a song you had to develop an ear or buy/borrow the sheet music and album. Point being the reference material and lessons online nowadays almost seems endless, never mind down-loadable songs. I sometimes wonder how I would have develop as a bassist with the internet.

One of the "what ifs" that will always be with me is if I decided to go to a high school that had a music program, (mine was a vocational high school) would I have continued to college with music.


So, anyway. Back to the question.

Will you post and list how you learned or are learning to play. Self taught? Privet lessons? Higher education?

Where are you in your education or knowledge? Reading? Theory? Technique, etc. ?

What are your aspirations or what do you want to achieve. Is it strictly a personal hobby? Jam with friends? Play out and make some cash? Go all the way and be a pro, or performer?

If you're a fossil bassist (pre-internet) like me list your progression. I feel the way I learned was pretty much the only way and how most people did it.


-Matt.

[kobass]

Hey Matt,
I'll bite. I started playing bass in 1973. I came up in the age of Don Kirshner's "In Concert." I took lessons for about a year, and then I realized that I could progress much quicker without a teacher . I attempted to learn most of the "cool' selections of the day (such varied artists as Deep Purple, Earth, Wind and Fire, Alice Cooper, Average White Band, and even Black Oak Arkansas !!!!!!!!! The basic drill was to listen over and over to the LP, and try to capture the essence of the bass line by slowing the turntable down or speeding it up. We're talking ancient history here! I played in mostly blues and rock cover bands throughout the late 70's/early 80's and even a large disco/funk band complete with a full horn section, so I had what I consider a well-rounded experience. I took an extended hiatus and returned to playing bass in 2001.

I currently practice at least one hour a day minimum-I make the time. I am playing "catch up." I have purchased a few DVDs that explain the fine points of theory (scales, modes and their applications). I am making up for lost time. There will always be so much to learn, and never enough time to do it. At age 49, I consider myself a solid, groove-based player. I'm always looking to learn and improve, but I'm content with being a weekend warrior. I'm really happy that I got back into playing again. I will never make the mistake of "taking a break" again.


Cheers,
Kevin

[Revvv]

I've been playing guitar since I was 14 years old. I'm 33 now. I learned through my attendance at "The School of Hard Knocks". Don't get me wrong, I had a little instruction, but not much. My father showed me a few chords and licks, and then let me loose. A year later I was in a band, jamming in bars and clubs. We played for about 3 years, and then I lost interest so to say. My musical knowledge was all self taught. I learned how read music, and understand a little theory through the books I read.

Off and on I picked up the bass because it was different. I hated the bass until recently. I had to play and fill in for my Church's praise team that was without bass. After a few weeks I became a lover of the low end. I started listening to artists such as Victor Wooten, Marcus Miller, and others that I see as prodigies of the bass world. I have taken off in my musical understanding and study. That's what happens when you love something. I buy as many books, CDs, and practice as much as possible. That's how I learn.

[MooCowMan]

My story's pretty lame. I've always been really into music, my dad introduced me to Pink Floyd at a very early age (I was in my mama). For a long time I wanted an instrument but my mom would never buy one for me (Although she bought my brother 4 guitars over the course of 3 years.. one being a $700 Ovation Elec/Acoustic which made me mad.. it made me think she didn't wanna spend any money on me, like i was a waste), I slowly learned on his guitars when I could. Guitar wasn't right for me though. When I was 16 my friend had gotten a bass for his band Fat People Jumping and well I wasn't in it, but he had let me try it out.. it was like love at first note, He showed me the right way to play.. I had a blast creating stupid little bass lines that were fun to play. When finally a friend sold me a Behringer bass for $75 a couple months ago. The first thing I did was find a bass lessons site and started learning what little bits and pieces of theory I could. Not getting into details but I ended up losing the bass to some kid. I went a few weeks without the bass and couldn't take it, I played a lot of guitar but it just made me miss bass more. My mom finally bought me a bass for my 18th Birthday. She bought me the nice Jay Turser P-Bass that I'm holding in my arms right now. I practice at least 4 hours each day. Music is my passion, bass brings me closer to my music, and that's how me and bass became buddies.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by kobass

Hey Matt,
I'll bite. I started playing bass in 1973. I came up in the age of Don Kirshner's "In Concert." I took lessons for about a year, and then I realized that I could progress much quicker without a teacher . I attempted to learn most of the "cool' selections of the day (such varied artists as Deep Purple, Earth, Wind and Fire, Alice Cooper, Average White Band, and even Black Oak Arkansas !!!!!!!!! The basic drill was to listen over and over to the LP, and try to capture the essence of the bass line by slowing the turntable down or speeding it up. We're talking ancient history here!

That's rings close for me. I don't recall 'slowing' down my LPs, though...I did wear out a few from repeated listening.
A "Song Book" which opened up a lot for me was Led Zeppelin Complete...when I made my mind up that I wanted to play, I spent an entire Summer (10-12 hours a day) working through that book with the recordings.
I never did have a "teacher"...my teachers were the older/more skilled players that I happened to rub up against (still happening, too).
Bass teachers were scarce. I'm still a firm believer that the mantra around here, "Get a teacher" is not always the answer.
Thecorrect teacher may not need be a bassist, either...while a beginner will need a bass player/teacher for form/technique...a more experienced player could benefit more from a "musician". I mean, after 30+ years of bassin'...the technical part, IMO, is now secondary. Give me some musicality.


As far as reading/theory-
I don't sight read; I can read well enough for the shed, I can chart out the grooves, figures, etc. that I learn/write.
I did have 4 years of Theory/Composition classes (as electives) in college. Easy A's.
My goal is simple: Best the best I can be...trust me, I had zero apititude for this stuff when I started. I still struggle & get frustrated.

A big advantage of learning in the '70s-
Ear developement through sheer will & determination vs. watching youtubers/DVDs (sometimes = a too passive role by the person trying to learn).
Rock/Funk was still pretty new, exciting, happening, experimental...

Today's advantage-
Bass books are a many, many times better than anything out back then.

[JimK]

Originally Posted by kobass

and even Black Oak Arkansas !!!!!!!!!

Couple weeks ago, I ran into a guy I used to play with (still a local virtuoso on keys/violin)-
He played in a latter version of BOA w/ Jim Dandy. This version had Shawn Lane on guitar. There is some youtube footage of Shawn & my friend trading 4s or 8s.
Just funny that I had not even considered BOA in decades...and now twice within the past couple of weeks they're brought up.

[kobass]

"Jim Dandy to the rescue"


"Go Jim Dandy, go!!!"







QUOTE=JimK;6078790]Couple weeks ago, I ran into a guy I used to play with (still a local virtuoso on keys/violin)-
He played in a latter version of BOA w/ Jim Dandy. This version had Shawn Lane on guitar. There is some youtube footage of Shawn & my friend trading 4s or 8s.
Just funny that I had not even considered BOA in decades...and now twice within the past couple of weeks they're brought up.[/quote]

[BassChuck]

I was a music major (trumpet) working a summer job in the music office. We got a call for a trio gig, the money was good so I booked it since I had a good friend who played piano. I couldn't find a bass player so, when it got down to a month before the gig, I bought a used one with an amp and taught myself enough to cover the gig. I already had taken two years of college theory so it was just a matter of learning the notes for the first five frets.

As it turn out, we got 2 gigs from the first one, so we kept the group together and kept playing and I kept practicing. I just worked scales and chords (no books, internet or DVD's). Being able to read music got me all kinds of other gigs. This was in '73 and a lot of the jazz/dance bands were switching from DB to EB and the old players didn't want to learn EB so they quit... few younger players could read a bass chart, so I giged quite often.

The last 4 years I've really begun to take bass seriously (thanks TB) and I've gotten into all kinds of books from Simandl, Bille, Storch-Hrabe and other modern books, Chuck Sher, Rufus Reid etc. I have found that while the books are pretty good, NOTHING WORKS LIKE TRANSCRIPTION and jamming with recording and radio. That's where I spend most of my practice time these days. It really has paid off. Even though I didn't have an iPod in 1973 I did have records and I wish I had spent my time better back then. oh well.

[baalroo]

When i was 4-6 (I'm 28) my father's progressive rock/jazz fusion/southern rock group practiced at our house and I would stand in front of the drum kit with "shooting mufflers" on my ears and just stare at the drummer. I've always been infatuated with rhythm so my parents bought me a cheap learners drumset around that time. When I was 9 I graduated to a cheap-but-real drumset. In 7th grade some guys from school that I didn't know at all had heard I played drums and asked me to be in their "band", I accepted. This is how I was introduced to guitars. I spent the next fews years learning to widdle around on a guitar by myself and with a friend, and when I was a freshman in highschool I found out the school was starting a jazz program and needed a bass player, so I switched. I learned to read music, improvise, etc and got a full ride scholarship into a college for playing bass. When into college and couldn't stand having to constantly "prove" that I could play bass and having to do lessons where people tried to teach me how to play "properly" and sound like other people so I quit... I was a brash young man.

Since then it's been guitar, drums, bass, etc in and out of bands trying to find the one that's "right."

[scootron]

LOVED Black Oak, especially in the early days. The first three albums kicked much ass. It wasn't until the fourth studio album they came up with this "Jim Dandy" business, which IMO marked their attempt to go mainstream and the demise of the band.

Actually got to see them just after the release of the debut album.

The first and third albums are easy to find on CD. The second is almost impossible for some reason. The first live album (fourth release overall) has now been re-released with many additional tracks and is a huge upgrade over the original. I recommend these recordings highly. Anything past this point is hit and miss.

I learned bass mostly by ear, and mostly because the band needed a bass player. I loved it immediately, so I stuck to it.

I really want to learn more about the technical aspects, but am totally ignorant about basic music theory. Can anyone recommend a good beginners DVD that will help me learn things like when you use which scales, playing over changes, etc.? DVDs work better for me, because my eyesight is going and it is really hard to hold a bass and look at a book at the same time.

[KsToaDangr]

I've been into music for as long as I can remember. I started collecting LPs and Cassettes when I was 6(20 years ago), and still collect LPs and CDs today. When I was in elementary school, I signed up for orchestra. I wanted to play DB, but my parents told me it was too expensive, so I had to choose between violin and viola. Since my brother had already tried violin, I decided on viola. After dropping out of orchestra because I didn't really like viola, I bought a cheap Casio keyboard, and taught myself how to play it. In middle school, I was 1st chair tenor sax in band, and I started playing guitar on my brother's cheap acoustic. My grandmother gave me an electric guitar('57 Gibson Melody Maker) that had been sitting in her attic since my dad gave up after 1 lesson for Xmas when I was 12, and I taught myself bass on that before getting a a rogue bass from my mom for Xmas a few years later. Over the years, I've also taught myself a little bit of mandolin, trombone & drums.

[Oric]

In ninth grade in high school, my band director came up to me and said "we need a bass player for jazz band" (I play tuba also), and handed me a cheap right-handed purple Yamaha (I'm left handed- but I play right handed) and the sheet music. I started going to rehearsals, and basically learned by being thrown into the deep end. It got even more fun when they switched me from sheet music to lead sheets. After about a year, I got into the top jazz band (there are two), in which I got to play the school's nice MIA Precision.