2.5 month progress

[Upandaway]

Hey everyone,

First post here after visiting the site quite a few times over the past couple of months

I’m 27, started playing bass near the end of April this year, so been playing coming up 3 months. I don’t really have a lot of previous musical experience, although I do love it, I’ve had guitars/keyboards etc and never got passed learning basic chords or 1 or 2 very easy songs over the years and never took lessons, always had a lot of trouble sticking with it and making any progress when it became challenging. I’ve never really learned any music theory either up until now.

I’ve been taking lessons for bass and I’ve done about 8 so far and I’m still feeling pretty motivated, I’ve been playing at least 1 hour every day, sometimes many hours a day and I’m just wondering what you think of my progress so far and what I could move onto and what exactly to practice

I can confidently name all of the notes on a bass staff, I can read the note rhythms too - I’m very slow when playing from sight reading though. I have an app where it shows me a note on the staff and I choose the correct note, I do 200 notes on it per day.

Can name all the notes on the fretboard confidently until the 5th fret and after that I have to take a second to think, but improving still

I can play major and minor scales and usually play them through in order A > G and then G > A major and minor for a warm up but I don't know so much in depth about scales, I can play these 2 but I couldn't name the notes in them or anything unless I slowly work them out etc

I can play the following songs: (in the order I learned them)

Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
What I’ve Done - Linkin Park
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
American Idiot - Green Day
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
All The Small Things - Blink 182
Yellow - Coldplay
Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE - Måneskin
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
Money - Pink Floyd (almost, still practicing to play along with actual track)
Hysteria - Muse (I can play the main riff at about half speed lol)
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers (teacher made me a quite 'simplified' (one page) version of it - but currently am learning the (way harder) original)

So my question is, am I doing ok for 2.5 months so far with lessons? I’m moving back to the UK soon from my Erasmus semester so I’ll be without a teacher for some weeks, so would like to know if there’s any advice for what to work on and practice

Also, I began by using the Hal Leonard Bass Method books, but I really have to force myself to pick it up now, I think its a great way to learn the theory and sight reading but its a lot less fun struggling my way through playing a very simple note pattern from the book when I can play a full song by reading tabs so much faster. I know its worth it in the end but it feels so tedious

Am I at the stage to join a band/play with others? My friends don't play instruments so any good advice on how to find other beginners?

Thanks for reading my massive ramble

 

[Arjan01]

You're doing fine because you practice a lot.

I always say, join a band as soon as possible. The fastest way to improve.

When I look for a band I go to the national website for musicians wanted (for me it's muzikantenbank.net) and I use Facebook pages. You probably also have local websites or Facebook pages like that.

 

[two fingers]

You are doing exceptionally well for only three months in! Just keep doing what you're doing. Do NOT give up on theory. It will serve you well moving forward. Combine the "boring stuff" with learning songs. Songs will teach you a lot. But having an understanding of music theory and good fundamental finger technique are both absolutely important!

Oddly enough, I started a thread a few days ago about bass lines that have taught us the most over the years. Many of the posts in that thread are very thoughtful and chock full of both information and inspiration.

What bass line(s) have taught you the most? | TalkBass.com

Welcome to TalkBass! My only advice about this forum is to keep an open mind. I came here a long time ago with many preconceived notions. Most of them have been blown to bits over the years. I've learned a lot.

 

[two fingers]

You're doing fine because you practice a lot.

I always say, join a band as soon as possible. The fastest way to improve.

When I look for a band I go to the national website for musicians wanted (for me it's muzikantenbank.net) and I use Facebook pages. You probably also have local websites or Facebook pages like that.

This is also great advice. Find a way to play with others as soon as possible.

By the way, welcome to you too @Arjan01 !!!

 

[Matthew_84]

You’re doing really well actually! Much better than I was 2.5 months in in fact.

I do definitely agree with you learning songs via tab for now. It’s a great way to learn songs quickly, and that’s always fun, and enjoying the process is the most important thing as a beginner (it keeps you motivated).

Eventually you may want to start trying to learn songs by ear. It will be very tough in the start, you will make many mistakes, and it will take a while to get good at, but start with very simple melodies you know and can sing from memory (Happy Birthday, Twinkle Twinkle, simple melodies (or even vocal melodies) from your favourite songs, etc). Don’t try to listen to the song and pick notes out one at a time, instead, sing the line and try to find the notes on your bass to match your singing. This will help you to not only hear and be able to play stuff you don’t have the tab for, but will also help you put the ideas you have in your head on your bass, which will be very helpful for improvising and composing later on. You seem to be doing a lot, so don’t add this on as something you need to do right away. Just and whenever you have the time and you’re in the mood. No pressure!

welcome to Talbass!

oh and…

I have an app where it shows me a note on the staff and I choose the correct note, I do 200 notes on it per day.

Since restringing my bass with new tuning, I could probably try this myself lol. What’s the name of this app?

 

[hrodbert696]

I don't know if there's any standard metric for what a new bassist should be able to do when. Maybe there are some curricula that do that. But I don't think there's an objective standard. Clearly, you ARE learning, and making progress, so I'd give you a thumb's up.

You've got a list of songs you know how to play - I remember keeping a list of songs like that when I was starting out. It's a sign you're ready to go and find some people to play with. Eventually you'll have been playing for years and no longer have any idea how many songs you know, you just know a bunch and figure out the set list for whoever you're playing with as needed. You say you're moving back to the UK soon, so maybe once you make that move start looking for a group - maybe just for casual jamming to start. You probably will not leap into a group that will all play (or even want to play) your exact list of songs - ideally, find people like-minded enough that they'll be willing to learn some of your favorites, and yourself be prepared to learn theirs.

There will always be a bit more to work on - technique, theory, and so on. But probably at this stage the next big leap will be interacting with other musicians, which is a whole other thing from playing along to a recording or a click. There's a whole art of feel and flexibility to it, because whoever you play with will have their own strengths and weaknesses and stylistic things and quirks, you'll realize you had depended on a particular cue in a recording that they miss or they'll throw in a fill you hadn't expected, stuff like that.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

Hey everyone,

First post here after visiting the site quite a few times over the past couple of months

I’m 27, started playing bass near the end of April this year, so been playing coming up 3 months. I don’t really have a lot of previous musical experience, although I do love it, I’ve had guitars/keyboards etc and never got passed learning basic chords or 1 or 2 very easy songs over the years and never took lessons, always had a lot of trouble sticking with it and making any progress when it became challenging. I’ve never really learned any music theory either up until now.

I’ve been taking lessons for bass and I’ve done about 8 so far and I’m still feeling pretty motivated, I’ve been playing at least 1 hour every day, sometimes many hours a day and I’m just wondering what you think of my progress so far and what I could move onto and what exactly to practice

I can confidently name all of the notes on a bass staff, I can read the note rhythms too - I’m very slow when playing from sight reading though. I have an app where it shows me a note on the staff and I choose the correct note, I do 200 notes on it per day.

Can name all the notes on the fretboard confidently until the 5th fret and after that I have to take a second to think, but improving still

I can play major and minor scales and usually play them through in order A > G and then G > A major and minor for a warm up but I don't know so much in depth about scales, I can play these 2 but I couldn't name the notes in them or anything unless I slowly work them out etc

I can play the following songs: (in the order I learned them)

Shadow of the Day - Linkin Park
Feel Good Inc. - Gorillaz
Smells Like Teen Spirit - Nirvana
What I’ve Done - Linkin Park
Boulevard of Broken Dreams - Green Day
American Idiot - Green Day
Stand by Me - Ben E. King
All The Small Things - Blink 182
Yellow - Coldplay
Learn to Fly - Foo Fighters
Should I Stay or Should I Go - The Clash
Otherside - Red Hot Chili Peppers
I WANNA BE YOUR SLAVE - Måneskin
Take Me Out - Franz Ferdinand
Money - Pink Floyd (almost, still practicing to play along with actual track)
Hysteria - Muse (I can play the main riff at about half speed lol)
Californication - Red Hot Chili Peppers (teacher made me a quite 'simplified' (one page) version of it - but currently am learning the (way harder) original)

So my question is, am I doing ok for 2.5 months so far with lessons? I’m moving back to the UK soon from my Erasmus semester so I’ll be without a teacher for some weeks, so would like to know if there’s any advice for what to work on and practice

Also, I began by using the Hal Leonard Bass Method books, but I really have to force myself to pick it up now, I think its a great way to learn the theory and sight reading but its a lot less fun struggling my way through playing a very simple note pattern from the book when I can play a full song by reading tabs so much faster. I know its worth it in the end but it feels so tedious

Am I at the stage to join a band/play with others? My friends don't play instruments so any good advice on how to find other beginners?

Thanks for reading my massive ramble

Congrats!
You're doing great.
I'd add that "...struggling my way through playing a very simple note pattern..." is well worth the time, frustration, and effort.

 

[Malcolm35]

You are ready for the band and humans to play with. Start asking around, there is someone looking for a bass. Church, local jamming circles, the guitarist down the street. Yep, they do not know you, so you have to do the looking.

Any Good Ole Boy Band will hand out sheet music. Use that and pound out roots till something else feels right. HOTEL CALIFORNIA CHORDS by Eagles @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com

Notice Hotel California pretty well follows the AABA song format. First two verses have the same chord progressions, then the chorus is different and then add another A section to end. Ask Google about AABA. No one explained this when I started, and I waded around in the theory pond never getting my pants legs wet. Wet pants legs are your first goal.

Good luck.

Just read again your OP. Move away from tab. IMO tab teaches you how to play THAT SONG, nothing about the theory used in that song. Knowing what the songwriter had in mind when he wrote the song can be used with hundreds of other songs.

 

[BarfanyShart]

Learning theory while learning to play is great because the two sets of skills inform and encourage each other. You might write a riff on bass and immediately think "that sounds cool, why does that work, what would a guitarist play over that?" and the theory will start answering all that for you. Then you might learn about cadences in theory, and next time you're trying to write a riff and don't know how to end it, you'll think "I guess it needs a cadence, let's see which one sounds best ..."

More than anything, it just keeps practice interesting, and keeps you motivated to continue practicing.

 

[mambo4]

I couldn't name the notes in them or anything unless I slowly work them out etc

you should adopt Pac man's sure fire scale practice method for the next few months.
you'll miles ahead of where you are now when it comes to knowing what you are playing

 

[Cave Puppy]

Shoot - I don't think I was all the way done with my Mel Bay Beginner Bass book (Mel Bay Electric Bass Method - 1) in the first two and a half months, though I did try to jam with as many folks as I could as soon as I could. You're doing fine.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

Theory is great, I had years of theory, knowing the notes on the neck is great too.
BUT learn to play by ear also. We had a fill-in guitarist, if he could not find the song on his IPAD he could not play it. Face it, 75% of all songs use the same 5 chords (some minors) within the key the song is written in. Learn the patterns of chords and you will surprise your bandmates with all the songs you know. I do/did it all the time. All I needed to know is what 'key' the song is in. You 'feel' the song. Not theorize it. You may miss a couple of notes 1st time thru, but remember there is a Am in the chorus, the verse sounds like dark side of the moon, etc,,,,

 

[red_rhino]

Can name all the notes on the fretboard confidently until the 5th fret and after that I have to take a second to think, but improving still

I’m guessing that’s probably because you spend most of your time down there? Which would make sense if you’re working on sight reading; you want to hit the note without traveling long distances on the fretboard. Try spending more time higher up the board and familiarity with the notes will absolutely follow. (Some people will tell you “there’s no money above the fifth fret”. Do not listen to them. As your progress, you will definitely end up all over the fretboard. Learn the whole instrument, not just part of it.)

It’s good that you’re working with an instructor. Remember “one teacher at a time”. You’ll get plenty of advice from forums like this, but defer to your teacher when that advice conflicts. That person knows you best and should understand what you need in order to reach your potential.

Welcome to Talkbass.

 

[bherman]

I think that you are off to a great start. I'd reverse two of your priorities, however; learning songs by tab and learning to read notation. I understand that its more fun to learn tunes and tab is a good way (albeit much slower than reading notes once you are proficient). The Hal Leonard books, while not the most exciting things in the word, will set a great foundation for your future as a bass player if you can really learn how to read. I would make it an essential part of your practice every day, even if only for 15-20 minutes. You'll make slow but steady progress. Being able to read music (I'm not super-proficient at it, but I can read well enough to get through anything) has opened up a vast range of possibilities for me to learn more about the bass. Think about it in terms of a language - if you were unable to read English and went into a library looking to learn about something, your options would be drastically limited.

Learning songs is still great, and if tab right now is the best option for you then keep at it, but don't let it become a crutch. I'm sure my comments will attract naysayers about how great tab is and how reading notation limits creativity, but IMHO that view is wrong. It's like saying that being able to read and write a language limits your ability to express what you have to say.

Keep at it, you're doing great. The other advice I'd give (not sure if I'm repeating someone else's comments) is that discipline and consistency are the real keys to progress. If you are determined to work on something (scales or arpeggios, or learning to read) set a plan to do so every day. It doesnt have to be for hours (actually, its probably better if you don't as you'll get tired of it). But you do need to do it regularly over an extended period of time.

By way of example, I play in two bands, one of which requires that I constantly learn new material, some of which is hard. But my practice time (about an hour or so a day) is probably 3/4 technique and rudiments (scales, etc) and 1/4 working on material.

 

[pbassjbass]

Your doing well. I'd suggest adding some ear training to the mix. Even just singing a tune and picking it out on the bass will be useful. Take a simple melody, find it on the first five frets. Then find it on one string. Then move up the neck and find it in the second five (or seven, is better, the rest of the octave) frets. This will help both your ear and your fret board knowledge. I think knowing the note names of the fret board is important, but knowing the note sounds on the fretboard is the key to happiness (my two cents).

 

[kevindahl]

Well done, that's awesome progress.

Can you play the bass part from the songs you learned to a metronome? Just you and the metronome? This will ultimately give you an idea how well you know the songs.

 

[micguy]

I’ve been playing music for 56 years now, and I have met, over the years, people who, at first, I thought were “gifted” - they seemed like they had tons of natural talent. Whenever I’ve asked though, all of them admitted they practiced A LOT.

Music is, like many things in life, something you master by means of persistence. Keep going, keep at it, and don’t give up. That’s how you get to be good - the secret is that it’s no secret at all.

 

[thetaxmiser]

You're killing it. Keep up the good work and I'll second the suggestion to start playing with other musicians ASAP.

 

[Zoffy]

You are doing awesome, dude! At 2 and a half months I was just figuring out that the string side of the bass needs to face away from my body (just kidding ). But seriously, good on you for taking the time and effort to lay a good foundation. One thing I will suggest is to not get discouraged when you feel like you are not "improving" as quickly as you would like. It's not uncommon to hit a plateau for a while where goals are not achieved as quickly; that's normal - just play through it; don't give up. How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time - just keep at it!

 

[CryingBass]

Welcome to Talk Bass.

You are young ( compared to most of us old floggers on this site like me! ).

Breathe. Relax. Continue to play songs you like. If you want to get serious, continue to dive deeper into theory, technique, and of course a TB pre-requisite, gear Good live music is great, if not more-complicated lately.

"As I stride down the road to perfection, I am bound to stumble across excellence".

Best of luck with your quest.