Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Am I too old....
- Thread starter pica
- Start date
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
I think one of the best things you could do is to get together with people and play some songs. Just practicing by yourself only goes so far both in learning the bass and being inspired to do it. Once you get in a room with some people and start playing, it puts everything in perspective and you start enjoying the music as a whole, rather than getting distracted by the details of the instrument. Even simple songs like Dylan's Knocking on Heaven's Door, just a few chords, can become a very enjoyable experience once it becomes about telling a story with a group of people. At that point, forget about the technique stuff and concentrate on dynamics. Does this part of the song need to be loud? Soft? Short notes? Long notes? At that point you can just live in the moment and all you have to remember is three chords! Even if you play wrong notes, that's much less important than the energy of the song. If you can type your post, you can play music with people.
People have made whole careers out of playing just a few notes and millions more just do it for fun!
Play scales and chords to a YouTube drum beat for 10 or more minutes a day, everyday for three months and you'll see significant improvement.
No. You are not too old. Ya gotta want to and you gotta practice. Otherwise, play the TV remote.
I was in your shoes. What helped me improve my memory:
I Started taking liquid B12 with B Complex and D3.
I also improved my sleep by paying attention to the details, especially having a supportive mattress and replacing sooner rather than later.
Cleaned up my diet a lot. Drink more water.
Lots of articles on the Interwebs about these things.
Good luck!
PS. See your doc ASAP to get a physical and complete lab work to get a baseline and possible treatment for any chronic conditions that may be affecting you.
Last edited:
I just started and I am living and breathing bass guitar. I'm in my 50s so it takes me forever to absorb all the new information. I am not sure what I am trying to strive for. I guess my goal is to at least learn a few songs that I can play with my friends band. Just give their bass player a break during a gig and let me play a couple of songs with them. Just to do it once and so I can call myself a real Bass Player would be the ultimate feeling for me!
I started bass "later" in life too, and I like the cooking metaphor.
Learning to play music is like learning to cook. There are a VERY FEW professional chefs who have been studying cooking for 20, 30 or 40 years, every day since they were 12 or 14 years old--they went through the finest schools devoted to cooking, studied for years under this teacher and that teacher, mastering skills that you could not hope to reproduce at this point in your life. Is it too late to be one of these chefs? Yes, if you're even asking the question, I'm afraid it's too late. And if your heart is set on ONLY cooking or food of this type, then you're limited to eating at those restaurants and watching the chefs who have mastered those rare skills.
BUT let's be serious about this--there's a lot more to cooking than just what the top .01% of chefs can produce. Everyone needs to eat, and what people eat VIRTUALLY ALL of the time isn't some Michelin-rated, Cordon Bleu chef creation. It's burgers, chicken, pancakes and waffles, spaghetti and meatballs. AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE THE PERSON WHO MAKES THIS FOOD. In fact, with some practice, you can become pretty highly skilled at making the perfect baked potato or an awesome cheeseburger. Making each of these items is FUN too, and they qualify as satisfying, nourishing, skillfully-prepared food just as much as the gourmet dishes do.
Anyway, for me, it's the same with music. I am comfortable with not being anywhere near the skill level of a professional musician. I know a few of these people--I am in complete awe of their training and skills, and it's clear to me that I will never get there in this lifetime. But I practice every day, go to rehearsals once a week and do shows 5-6 times per year, and I really love it, so who cares if the music is not professional-philharmonic-skills level? People really enjoy the music at the shows, and I enjoy the performances, and the skill you need to get to this level is shockingly low--I'm living proof of that!
Learning to play music is like learning to cook. There are a VERY FEW professional chefs who have been studying cooking for 20, 30 or 40 years, every day since they were 12 or 14 years old--they went through the finest schools devoted to cooking, studied for years under this teacher and that teacher, mastering skills that you could not hope to reproduce at this point in your life. Is it too late to be one of these chefs? Yes, if you're even asking the question, I'm afraid it's too late. And if your heart is set on ONLY cooking or food of this type, then you're limited to eating at those restaurants and watching the chefs who have mastered those rare skills.
BUT let's be serious about this--there's a lot more to cooking than just what the top .01% of chefs can produce. Everyone needs to eat, and what people eat VIRTUALLY ALL of the time isn't some Michelin-rated, Cordon Bleu chef creation. It's burgers, chicken, pancakes and waffles, spaghetti and meatballs. AND IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO BE THE PERSON WHO MAKES THIS FOOD. In fact, with some practice, you can become pretty highly skilled at making the perfect baked potato or an awesome cheeseburger. Making each of these items is FUN too, and they qualify as satisfying, nourishing, skillfully-prepared food just as much as the gourmet dishes do.
Anyway, for me, it's the same with music. I am comfortable with not being anywhere near the skill level of a professional musician. I know a few of these people--I am in complete awe of their training and skills, and it's clear to me that I will never get there in this lifetime. But I practice every day, go to rehearsals once a week and do shows 5-6 times per year, and I really love it, so who cares if the music is not professional-philharmonic-skills level? People really enjoy the music at the shows, and I enjoy the performances, and the skill you need to get to this level is shockingly low--I'm living proof of that!
Do you mean my dreams of becoming the next Victor Wooten are a bit ambitious! 
Actually your post is one of the best replies I have gotten. I am trying my best to learn as much as this old mind can handle. Wish me look! I'm thinking about going to Victors camp but I would like to show up with a little knowledge. Thanks again!!!
Actually your post is one of the best replies I have gotten. I am trying my best to learn as much as this old mind can handle. Wish me look! I'm thinking about going to Victors camp but I would like to show up with a little knowledge. Thanks again!!!
Do you mean my dreams of becoming the next Victor Wooten are a bit ambitious!
Ha! I actually went to Victor's weekend jam camp, and it was AWESOME. He is as good as a teacher of bass and music as he is a musician. I would recommend the camp very highly. Go and be prepared to play for as long as you can stand upright!
Good to hear! Are you pretty good? Did they have some crappy (beginner) players like me?
No, I am not good. Actually, I'm pretty bad. There were a few other beginners at the camp, and there was no problem at all with playing along with everyone else. Go and enjoy it! I'm jealous!!
I didn't, unfortunately. Victor was so nice to our group--we were basically like house guests staying with his family. I know this sounds stupid, but I thought it would be a little bit rude to ask him for something so crass like an autograph. All his brothers were there too. I should have been a bit bolder!
I never was a fan of getting autographs, which was even deeper instilled after I hung out in Hollywood in the early 90s.
What good are they anyway?
unless you're going to sell the item on evilbay, which these days that's what some artists suspect will happen to it
My memory is awful as well & I was shocked to read that practicing an hour daily for a year is just par for the course to even start to get better, DOH!
too much work for me & my feeble memory isn't getting any better
What good are they anyway?
unless you're going to sell the item on evilbay, which these days that's what some artists suspect will happen to it
My memory is awful as well & I was shocked to read that practicing an hour daily for a year is just par for the course to even start to get better, DOH!
too much work for me & my feeble memory isn't getting any better
It all depends on how good a learner you are, and what you're inspired by as well as what you want to learn. If you like learning the bass, and are inspired by learning how to play the bass, you should keep it up. But if you're inspired by the music, and want to play music, learn to play music on the bass.
Well I am willing to put in the hours, at least 2 hours a day, but if I don't see the progress I might get frustrated. As far as autographs I don't sell anyone I get. If I ask for Victors auto it won't be on a pickguard it will be on the body of my Fender American Jazz Bass. Just might serve as a motivational tool and also a memory of my time at the camp.
