Your Evolution as a Bass Player?

[sevenyearsdown]

I just turned 30, been playing since my teenage years. My guitarist and I were joking around at practice the other day about how we never really had lessons or proper training. It got me to thinking about how far I've really come as a bass player.

I started out playing three chord punk, but sometime in my mid/late twenties I just became a sponge - listening to stuff like Jamerson, Dunn, Schacher, etc. - got really serious about bass rather than just playing roots and such.

Fast forward - Now I'm in band playing jazz, swing, blues, rockabilly, surf....some stuff I would of shook my head at before ('cause I wouldn't have had a clue). Most of it is just stuff I picked up along the way. Never would have thought this 17 year old kid with blue hair would end up being a serviceable bass player for the mix I'm playing now!

Anyone else have similar experiences and stories?

[mjolnir]

Yessir I do. I never had a single bass lesson, all I basically had was a book by some creepy lookin' white dude with an afro and then jazz band when I got into high school.

That's what I learned first, reading straight jazz charts. As a bassist I didn't even touch rock music until I got to college, and I had a really strong foundation in reading and figuring out rhythms but not really any improvisational skills (it was high school jazz band, it wasn't often I saw a chart with a lot of changes I had to improvise over) and I didn't really know any theory in relation to the bass. That came later in high school and more in college.

Fast forward and now I fancy myself a mini-Marcus Miller, plus I finally found the pocket.

[cb_man]

Been there!! Wow! You really put a huge smile on my face today! I often had discussed similar things with my old band mates and think about that myself regarding my own personal experience!

I started out as a huge rock fan, moving up to metal (like really heavy stuff! Pantera, Sepultura, Cannibal Corpse!), aspiring to one day have a band to rock out on stage with but not doing an absolute damn thing to acomplish that! (maybe trying to actually learn an instrument anyone??) I just used to listen to the radio shows, buy the magazines and just connect with the pictures and the huge crowds these guys played to. Then one day my brother and his friends who had a death metal band invited me to join to play with them since they were in dire straits (which incidentally was a great band we liked to hear back then, if you can bealive that!) in finding a decent bass player to play with them. "But I don't know how to play!!" - "We'll teach you!" And so it all began! Literally, note by note! With a crapy old bass they bought at a local store, but it got me started. I'll never forget the first concert! What a rush!

As far as proper lessons and learning tools I just relied mostly on ear and a solid attitude to want to make things right. Of course my brother and the other guitarist would help me out with stuff and started giving me some inputs on theory (they had lessons before and would always pick up excercises from magazines or instructional videos and also other people to learn new stuff and always improve their own playing, as so I start to do also). With time we started to get into progressive bands like Dream Theater ("Images and Words" and "Awake" era) and Cinyc and Atheist, and also fusion-jazz like Chick Corea and Electric Band and the sorts, and our playing style evolved into more progressive areas. But still in a self-taught fashion, although the lessons we all had before at some point or another.

It was fun times, but then University came for them (I'm 5 years younger than all of them), and they got through it and then started to have full-time jobs and most recently families, and new goals settled in life. We never had any ambitions or plans to become "professionals" or trying to make a living as much as we could from that band. It always was, and that's what made it the more fun to be a part of, just a hobbie and a really fun and great excuse for those weekly reunions of just fooling around, having fun, generally annoying neighbours(!!), creating something that came from our own efforts, souls and minds, and it was a blast of a time!

But when life brought more responsabilities and less time to devote to it and we all started to scatter to different cities to work, study or live, we just peacefully ended that part of our lives. But which we all always fondly remenisce quite frequentely over cups of coffe.

One guitarist is a full time engineer and father of two, the drummer owns a coffe shop that he runs since his father's death some years ago and plays now and then in local covers bands, my brother also an engineer and father of one amanzingly cute and energic mo-fo s.o.b. (hei, it's my nephew and I love the guy, so I'm intitled!!), that at the age of 3 already posseses a great deal of rhythmic sense when clapping along to his favourite kids show tunes and loves to strum on the strings of his father's guitar or just bang around on my doublebass! And loves to sing and dance, so we antecipate a fun bright musician coming up in a few years! And all he needs from us he's gonna get it, if he wishes to play we'll encourage it all the way and support it in whatever way he can. I wish he can at least enjoy the kinds of sensations we ourselves had as kids playing in a band. It's a very heart-warming and very enrichening experience. My brother also plays now with a local garage band, in a kind of Porcupine Tree sounding project, which is setting to prepare their first concerts soon.

Sorry for the long sort of off-topic interlude, but as I read your post and thought about all my experiences I just thought that to play in a band or being able to connect in whatever way with the creation of music is a wonderful, mind-blowing experience, that makes us grow as persons in unparaller ways, and I think a lot of young guys out there (and sometimes some less youger people) should strive to remember and have in mind. And many don't. Sometimes I look at some posts in these kind of forums (or in Youtube for that matter) and I see all these kids very anxious to be the next big thing or to be able to do that lick or perfect that technique from their idols. It's fine to want to learn and do more and better with your playing, but music is about to have fun (or it should be!). Not copycating this or that guy with no deeper and further purpose, and neglecting and criticizing others that can't do it. Just take a minute to forget about technice, scales, bands, players, amps and effects... Just enjoy it! The simplest music you could ever play is already more than what every people that doesn't play an instrument or sing will ever be able to do and will be just dying of jealousy (but not in a bad way, the good kind!:P) as they hear you play. That kind of admiration is the purest sweetest form of happyness I can get from being a musician!

I'm recalling a recent episode (as I get back on topic!) which happened to me a couple of weeks ago that ilustrates just that. But just a quick note regarding my progression as a musician over the years before that. So, as we were playing along in our band and giving concerts my University time was approaching and I decided that music was the thing to do... but in what way? Being a bass player as a freelancer in actual paying gigs or being a top pro maybe wasn't something to consider at the age of 17/18 with less than a couple of years of playing experience... in a death metal band! And going to University to have another major has I evolved on my playing and then after graduating making music my way of life wasn't an option either, I just wasn't into anything else... even remotely! I would only be wasting time and my father's money. And not going to University to dedicate myself to playing full-time, having lessons and trying to land gigs wasn't an option either... but this was actually my father's call!

So I turned to another area that I also was fond of which was classical music! I wasn't very much into "boring" stuff like Mozart symphonies or Vivaldi concertos (well, and even today... :P), but I liked to hear very much those symphonic hollywood movies soundtracks! That was not boring at all! So I decided to enroll in a music academy, then University, and last year at 27 I graduated in Doublebass Performance! Now I'm freelancing in classical and symphonic orchestras and other groups and trying to win an audition to a full-time position in an orchestra, be it in my country or abroad. Actually I'm auditioning for the London Symphony Orchestra in a couple of months, but that's a way long shot, but it's good practice nonetheless.

So, a long way from being a self-taught bassist in a death-metal band, hum? As for the story I was telling before, I was last month at a gig, we were doing Stravinsky's the Rite of Spring, and a few hours before the concert I was on stage warming up. That concert hall in particular has guided tours all the time, sometimes even through the orchestra's rehearsals! But at that moment it was fine to show the people in and let them see the stage and explain some features of the hall's construction. Noone was suppose to be there anyway, except I was for a matter of chance. But it was fine by me if it would be by them either. And as I ask the tour guide if he minds me being there playing while she's showing them around, a man cuts in and says: "Oh there's no problem, in fact please do go on!" And so I did... just doing some long notes, slowly going up some scales and a couple of excerpts from the piece!! And they were in awe! Before they left the same man congratulated me and said he had never heard a doublebass being played like that, on his own, and he was just impressed by the dephtness of his tone! And then he wished me all the the best for the concert that evening. I was just smiling inside. Simple things make wonders!

Well, it's always fun to look back and take a deep breath and just be thankfull for having these opportunities... make every moment count and take all opportunities that won't repeat themselves!

Thanks for making my day without even noticing it! And enjoy your music! Peace out everybody!

[cb_man]

Originally Posted by mjolnir

plus I finally found the pocket.

Ah yes! And that too!

[sevenyearsdown]

Originally Posted by cb_man

A LOT! then...

Thanks for making my day without even noticing it! And enjoy your music! Peace out everybody!

Seriously great experience and story.

Something else that comes to mind with this stuff is every once and a while I run into someone I used to play with or hang with from my youth...and they're like, "you're playing what"? What happened to screaming, playing fast, and the stage diving!

[mjolnir]

Originally Posted by sevenyearsdown

Seriously great experience and story.

Something else that comes to mind with this stuff is every once and a while I run into someone I used to play with or hang with from my youth...and they're like, "you're playing what"? What happened to screaming, playing fast, and the stage diving!

I've heard that many times. In my youth I was a rather thrashy guitard () who could sing like Dez from Coal Chamber (and later DevilDriver) and would cover Slipknot and MudVayne at will in the little jam sessions I would have with my friends. Strangely enough, my shift away from guitar and towards bass made me shift away from metal as well (maybe has to do with my lack of rock experience on bass), and now many of my old high school friends who see me play in an almost pop-ish southern rock n' roll band can't help but wonder what the hell happened...

[spade2you]

I used to be an old school metal head, prog metal, and hard rock player on guitar and bass. I still listen to the stuff, but I might shoot anyone who suggests I go back to that stuff! Oddly enough, my musical shift to stuff like jazz and fusion was due to the fact that the local genres I mentioned were full of drama, often treated me like crap, and weren't all that good. Ok, "not that good" was a generous description.

I joined Queue a few years back and they were the first band to treat me like a musician and I immersed myself into that kind of music. I picked up Surface to Air about a year and a half ago and they were also cool to me, which made me very inclined to pick up more unique music.

When I started playing guitar in 1995, I think I'd be shocked to learn that I'd become a fretless fusion player.

[cb_man]

Have you noticed how it's very common (as we all so far here atested) for a full-on hard-core metal-head (i like hiphening!) to evolve his way into classic music or jazz or blues or some other "nobler" genre, but you never see the other way around!! What's up with that??

[mjolnir]

Originally Posted by cb_man

Have you noticed how it's very common (as we all so far here atested) for a full-on hard-core metal-head (i like hiphening!) to evolve his way into classic music or jazz or blues or some other "nobler" genre, but you never see the other way around!! What's up with that??

(cough) No comment...

[cb_man]

whaaaat??? it COULD happen...

[aikakone]

It can. I agree with cb_man.

I love all kinds of music. I do play classical music. But not as a bassist. In fact, Shannon the bass player from John Butler Trio started out as a classical musician. He does all the band's string arrangements, too.

[DudeistMonk]

That's what I learned first, reading straight jazz charts. As a bassist I didn't even touch rock music until I got to college, and I had a really strong foundation in reading and figuring out rhythms but not really any improvisational skills (it was high school jazz band, it wasn't often I saw a chart with a lot of changes I had to improvise over) and I didn't really know any theory in relation to the bass. That came later in high school and more in college.

Thats pretty much my story too, except it took me till the end of college to get back into it and start learning the stuff I was missing. That and I was always into more complex music never punk or anything like that, and that made it really hard for me to start out...going back to roots now (well and 5ths ) trying to embrace some simple music and learn to write and play with others in a creative setting.

[bradjonesbass]

I'm a classically trained taubist (Tuba) and when I started playing bass in college I refused to read and would only play by ear. I was playing three chord punk and hardcore. Now, I'm playing gospel, funk, jazz and R&B and reading lead sheets alot.

I do have one friend who went the other way, but he's a guitard. Jazz performance major in college and some serious jazz chops. Now he's playing in an alt. country band - he's even playing some pedal steel . 3 chords and a smile as big as day on his face. He still picks up jazz gigs for money sometimes though, and to keep his chops up.

[cb_man]

Very interesting stories coming up!

Originally Posted by bradjonesbass

3 chords and a smile as big as day on his face.

Yeah! That's exactly it! That's what I meant in just being happy to be within a musical creative setting, no matter how many different chords we get in our way. Nothing wrong against playing some good jazz though! I would always show up to my University's Tuesday night's jazz jam sessions. As long as it's good music and people happy to play it, bring it!

Originally Posted by DudeistMonk

...going back to roots now (well and 5ths )

LOL

Originally Posted by DudeistMonk

trying to embrace some simple music and learn to write and play with others in a creative setting.

Ditto from above!

Originally Posted by aikakone

It can. I agree with cb_man.

I love all kinds of music. I do play classical music. But not as a bassist. In fact, Shannon the bass player from John Butler Trio started out as a classical musician. He does all the band's string arrangements, too.

Well, I was actually being sarcastic! I was more picturing the situation of a guy who played jazz and would end up playing in a hard-core death metal band, now that would be a strech! Although the other way around it's actually quite common. But my sarcarm got through to some people and was well understood! ("no comment" lol)

But you actually made a good point, and since I did mention other styles of music like jazz or blues, you are right in atesting that. Further more, I didn't knew John Butler and he has a great sound! Thanks a lot for that one! I'll try to find his cd, my brother's birthday is coming up, he'll like it I think! ...and so will I!

That reminded me of a guy I know who's also a classical bassist, completely classically trained and he's the leader of a regional orchestra here in my country (Portugal), studied in France, also studied the cello for a few years, but at the same he has a side project (and in the meantime in the last couple of years he created a handful more of them, so much prolific is his compositional rep) for 9 years already which is some of the most brilliant music I've heard in quite some time which has nothing to do with classic music. I've know that project for some 4 years when they were lauching their first cd, and I was mind-blown. And the thing which is most striking and admirable, first of all it's something you would only understood if you had the chance of knowing him, it's hard to explain by written words, but he has a passion and honesty about his playing and music which is uncany. And furthermore... he doesn't even play the bass on that project! He sings and plays the guitar (electric, acoustic, the portuguese, the electric portuguese, the cavaquinho - a tradicional folk instrument relative of the hawaian ukelele - and the braguesa - which is another kind of tradicional guitar, from the northen region of the country) and I decided I just had to mention him here!

His approach to his own music in that project is so unique, it's amazing, and he's such a great composer, it's amazing how many musicality and creativity exists within one single person...! He started that project in an attempt to create something personal, unique and that'd recall - and hopefully reconect - people to the original roots of portuguese music, like Fado and other regional chants and dances, but without the nostalgia and depressive tone that usually those music styles can have. Hence the name FadoMorse. The code of our music and roots. He's also original from a very distinct rural region of Portugal which accentuates that approach to the concept and music. So what does it sound like? FadoMorse! You just have to hear it for yourselves. He blends traditional chants and folk music, mostly through samples, with rock and classic and jazz and fusion and mc-ing and everything you might think of! Instruments include, besides the ones I mentioned, acoustic and electric bass, drums, sax, flute, bagpipes, assorted traditonal percussion, etc. The lyrics are also astonishingly genuine, thoughtful, deep and meaningful... unfortunately for you guys, it's in Portuguese! But they lend a sense of freedom and fight against the loss of traditional values that we all must strive to acess in our lives. I think that can be translated universaly and everyone can relate to that, with their own roots and traditions. To defend our symbols and rejoice and be proud of them, and at the same time incorporate them onto the present and leading into the future. Could music mean so much in the hands of a single person? Just to see how the spirit flows in his mind, the first cd was sold on a card case, instead of plastic, and the support for the actual disc was... a tile! Another traditional trademark from our country! In his latest cd the second vocalist tells all sort of stories about the migrant people that would travel from the rural regions to the cities and all the inherent conflicts of values and references, and other subjects, but all told in a clever tone, filled with a great deal of ironic humor. And even more, from song to song he emulates a different accent from all sorts of regions of the country! In 2006 they were the n.1 people's choice in the world music charts of Peter Gabriel's publisher. That was an amazing accomplishment!

I really enjoy him as a person, as a musician, as a creative and I apologise (well... actually, I don't, because this guy deserves it!) for the long rant but I just had to plug him in here, maybe at least to make him know of a few more people, as few as they may be, but it's always something worthy of accomplishment. I hope you can enjoy this that I'm sharing the same way I'm feeling it, which is always curious to observe how that may turn out, for people who don't get the same references that he uses as we do.

So for everyone that's curious about him, you can visit his myspace page: http://www.myspace.com/fadomorse and on his publisher MdP (Movimento do Povo - People's Movement) website (which is mostly in Portuguese but with some parts in English too) at: http://www.mdparte.com , where in the "Projectos" window you can see all the projects he has and hear several samples from his musics. Each of the other projects I think, but not sure, were very short-lived, just an outlet at some point or another to other styles of music he also explored throughout time. Here you'll understand what I meant about the prolific amount of his compositions. From pure jazz, to acoustical settings, orchestral and contemporary music and more experimental music. But FadoMorse it's his real baby and main group. And at the same time he's the working classical bassist!

Just a quick note on the musics from FadoMorse on the myspace page: "Indá pastores", a literal written rendition of a coloquial saying which should be grammatical correctly writen "Ainda há pastores" (There are still sheep-herders), is the "single" from his latest cd; "FadoMorse" is from his first cd, although the version you'll hear on myspace is already a remix which was released in a re-issue of that first album a few years later, with all the musics remixed by him, with new instrumentations, guest musicians, etc; "Entrudo" (a reference to our Carnival festivities) is from his second cd, with the same name, and I'm sure it's the one that most likely you'll enjoy, and that shows the true musicianship of this very talented and versatile guy and his band. IMHO it's true ZAPPA! Just check it out and tell me if i'm right or not. Ah, and since we're here on Talkbass... some amazingly tasteful and kick-ass bass playing!

Any interest in this band and his music contact: fadomorse@hotmail.com and if you like that much just tell your friends, plug them in to as much people and places you can! They deserve it!

This was just to share something with you all that I find very dear to my heart, not only musically but with their message and attitude, that I hope you might enjoy too. And all the support that these guys can have will never be enough. And also to convey, as I've said before, and relative to the original topic (yes, I'm still aware that were on a forum and with a specific topic in discussion!), that music has no genre boundaries and it should be celebrated for what it simply is! Enjoy! (them, music in general and life!)

[cb_man]

PS - I hope all my speech sounds coherent to you!! It's past 1am in here, so try to understand!

Just to let you know, the guy's name is Hugo Correia! Silly to talk so much and forget to mention his name!

And if you got to YouTube and type Fadomorse there are also a few more live songs on there for you to hear! Take care!

[ryanj129]

I haven't been playing the bass for very long, but I feel the same way. I mostly listen to metal, I use to ONLY listen to metal, and play guitar. I only really played metal, thrash, death metal, black metal. But I started playing bass about a year ago, and since have been listening to and playing pretty much anything I heard that had a bass line that caught my attention (at least I TRY to play them, ill get there). I LOVE the bass, and have never been so interested in an instrument, I REALLY am enjoying it, and can't wait utile I can look back at my evolution as an artist.


Thanks for the stories, they really are inspiring.

[ryco]

Started playing DB in grade school orchestra 4th grade, age 9, '65
Acquired first BG in 6th grade — into rock, pop, soul in the '60s, age 11, '67

Quit DB in jr hi, 8th grade, age 13, '69 — band teacher encouraged me to quit (not orch teacher)
1st rock band in 9th grade, age 14, '70 — church dances, basement parties - Who, Kinks, Cream, Beatles, Stones, Hendrix

Joined Jazz Choir in hi school, 10th grade, age 15, '71-'74 — bebop, swing charts, pop - won many competitions
Added Jazz Band, 11th grade, age 16, '72-'74— big band charts
joined first pro rock band - union - hi school dances all over WA state - Doobies, Allman Bros, Satana, Who, Deep Purple, Zep, Stones

Worked straight jobs, trade school, independent bands '74 - '77

College CWU = Jazz Band, Jazz Chior = DB back up - lessons, Theory I - II, combos age 21, '77
Dropped out '79. Quit DB

T-40 bands '80-'85 - Seattle - Rock, Pop, Wave, Soul, R&B, Blues - WA, OR, AK, MT, BC, AB
Original bands '85-'96 Seattle

semi retired pick up gigs, moved out of WA metro area to the OR coast '96; cover band '96-'97, original hard rock band '98 -'01,
original rock/jazz fusion '98-'05, summer/fall jazz trio '96-present

[Dave R]

"Story of an Old Man" (Re-posted and updated.)

Started playing bass in 1966? 67? Anyway, it was cool to play in bands, and I thought bass would be easier to learn. Only 4 strings!

I was living in London at the time. My dad let me pick out a used bass at the big music store in town. I picked what looked cool--a '60s Burns Bison.

Started playing along with records. Couldn't find a bass book, so I got a Guitar book to learn from. How smart is that?

Actually, turned out pretty smart because it taught me chord theory (I, IV, V, ii, vi, etc.) and scales and arpeggios. Once I caught on to the chord progression thing, I was kind of a theory nut. It was great to figure out I could play any song in any key if I knew the progression...

Left London 4 months later. Back in the USA, I got asked to play in a band immediately. Original music, no less! So I put the theory to work, and the band liked me from the start. I found my calling.

As I played along with records, I kept running into some licks that just captivated me--and were really hard to figure out. All on different bands. Simon & Garfunkle, Fifth Dimension, The Association, etc. Turns out it was all the same studio guy on different albums. His name was Joe Osborn. He became my idol. Sorry, MoTown and Stax nuts, I never had too much trouble figuring out Jamerson and Dunn lines. But I spent a lot of time learning Osborn.

Played all through high school, and put myself through college. Learned the hard way that no one hires bands between New Years and Valentines day, and had to make $2.67 last 6 weeks. I lived on pancake mix and canned pears for a week, then my roomates found out, and they and all their friends kept me fed. Landlord waited till the Valentine's gig for Feb rent...

Played for the jazz ensemble and jazz choir. Did a USO tour and many school tours with performing groups. Started doing some studio work. Demo tapes, jingles, etc. Bought a '73 Jazz bass because I had to play disco...

Kept playing after I graduated, but decided I wanted a "regular" job when I got married.

Was out of music for many years.

Then my oldest son wanted to learn guitar. So I taught him. Then he wanted to play my bass--just for fun. I taught him "Say it Ain't So" as his first song on the bass. He learned FAST. Was a natural. Not too long after that, he was asked to join a band.

Turns out the dads of the other boys in the band had all been band guys, so we decided they shouldn't have all the fun. We founded a band.

I was back in the business. Played with that band for a while, then our awesome guitarist got recruited to play in a better band. Then he recruited me to play in that band.

Three years later--the band takes a break because the drummer had surgery on his hands to correct carpal tunnel syndrome.

Meanwhile, my dad's cousin gave me his old Mittenwald upright bass. I had always wanted one. He got a new one, never played his old one. Wanted a "good home" for it. So he gave it to me.

I get asked to play with a string section for our church, accompanying the kids special music program. So I had to learn to read music. (Well, re-learn. I got a minor in music composition in college and had to write a bunch of stuff.) Had to learn to bow the upright by googling videos on the Internet. Hey, Google knows all. Turned out OK, and got asked to do another one.

Meanwhile, one of the violinists asks me to play one gig with some friends of hers. Bluegrass/pioneer music. I totally dug it, and that group is still doing gigs.

And now the "electric" band is starting up again 'cuz the drummer has recuperated. Too many bands, too little time! Family and a day job really complicate your musical life.

But that's why we play bass. You get gigs...

[IAmTheDood]

i've been playing for a year and a half, but I grew up in music, piano, trombone, bass trombone, baritone, tuba ... I quit at 18 after high school, i'm 32 now, after my divorce a few years ago I decided to learn the bass after watching local cover bands and wanting to play ..

i didn't take lessons but knew theory, just had to apply it too a stringed instrument that I'd never played.

fast forward, I've been trying out for bands the last 2 months, got offered 3 positions out of 6 tryouts .. the last one who I tried out for last week, has a gig sunday, I needed to learn 22 songs in a week, and did it in 3 days.

When I tried out for them, they'd been playing for 20 - 30 years .. and said I made them feel like amateurs!!!

[paganjack]

i started out on the cello in elementary school. i really had wanted to play the double bass, but my parents...well they couldnt bear the shame i suppose.
come jr high, i was once again denied the bass, while playing in a punk band with friends, i was somehow relegated to the drums in spite of my stated preference to bass [drums are fun, and i still like to play them sometimes...sometimes]. later on i started playing the guitar by myself for fun. why i didnt just buy a bass at that point is unclear to me now- my mind must have been muddied by the guitar's foolish influence.
in high school another cellist [i played in the orchestras all through school] advised me to pick up the double bass for the jazz band since no one else was trying out for that spot. OK, i said and i tried it out. not too hard, i guess. a switch, for sure, but understandable to my cello-programmed brain. the tryout piece was donna lee by charlie parker. i tried my hardest to learn that and the instrument in a week in time for the spring tryout. well, it didnt go that well. i didnt make the cut [big surprise] but in the fall of the next year, the band director sees me doing nothing during jazz band, and he suggests i come play with them. i guess a willing novice was better than nothing. so i played with them, read some books, did an independent study and all that, and had a lot of fun that year learning. oh yeah, the other bass player in the band, who rocked the electric, went to berklee...so he was pretty good, yeah.
i continued to play jazz in college, and finally got an electric- my 5-string fretless, which was easier for me than a fretted bass- they just got in the way of my fingers. i started playing more rock, and filled in on cover bands, and a couple jazz combos, and the school jazz band once again.
now i play in a crazy jamband with an excellent guitarist and unbelievable harmonica player [both of them jazz-trained as well], which is going to start gigging within a few weeks (super excited). i just started an indie rock band with some friends too, and although im way better than them at music, its going to be fun too [its easier because they recognize the skills].
the bass just feels so right to me - i guess its because i have been lusting after it all my life. i got my full rig a few months ago (all GK stuff) and i practice like 1-2 hours a day, in addition to rehearsals with bands and a full time job as a researcher. i intend to keep playing music forever in some fashion or another no matter where i go, no matter what else i'm doing- i know that the bass will be there with me [how romantic]