arrive late

[wishforbass]

Hi guys and girls .
I'm so happy here ,I have long story about bass .
I'm not native speaker ,please forgive me for my bad English .

Let's call me mat .I'm 20 now .
When I was 17 years old I liked to become a bassist .well actually after saw some good songs and found as bassist I can fit most type of music .
I hate jazz ,not into funk .
Well when I was 17 ,after a lot of hard time finding right bass (ibanez sr serious ) I searched for teacher find a good one that teache me all thing except funk and jazz .
My practice started and took around 1 years or less that a new huge problem start ,
My finger length .yes my finger length was too short and even short scale bass didn't find in my country .
That lead me hard time (my middle finger is 8 cm) ,well first my learning got slow ,and most people started with me got much better than me .I had huge problem that as my teacher said even stretching practice won't make it right .
I got so sad ,frustrated and disappointed .
Till one day my teacher told me don't waste my money and time over something I can't be good in and I can do other instruments that fit me.
That lead me leave class and put bass a side .my small finger problem on 34" bass was something that my teacher and his friends believed won't get OK .
After putting it a side I got depression (over other thing but this one had effect too ) and completely stop practicing my dad sold my bass because he wanted I don't see and get more sad .
They bought a guitar for me that I never touch it till today seriously .

Now I come to this forums that at least I can't be a perfect bass player because my short fingers but at least enjoy the forums.
I don't know maybe in some week after 2 years of depression I may try learn guitar .

Thanks sorry for my long post .

 

[Johns Bass]

First of all, there is nothing wrong with your English. I understand you quite well. Secondly, that was pretty poor advice from your teacher. It also sounds like he was too lazy to actually teach.

8 cm isn't that short. My index and middle fingers are cut off at the tips so my middle finger is less than 8 CM.
It doesn't matter how fast it takes to learn. I've playing for 30 years and I am still learning. It just matters if you enjoy it.
If a 34" scale isn't comfortable and you can't get a short scale maybe you could find a medium scale. They are about 32" and probably it would be pretty comfortable.

 

[MalcolmAmos]

.
...... They bought a guitar for me that I never touch it till today seriously .

Sorry to hear your Dad sold the bass. I do understand he had your best interest at heart. OK we have a 6 string guitar now. Let's make some music.

I came over to the bass from rhythm guitar. Which I still have fun playing. Now there are a zillion different chord fingering - you'll need 21, for example: Guitar Chords Chart

Get the - 7 major, 7 minor and 7 dominant seven (C, Cm, C7) under your fingers and the rest is just getting a comfortable strum pattern. After you have those 21 fingerings down call up some songs and start playing some songs.

For me, when just starting out on rhythm guitar, how and what to strum was a problem. It's not a big deal. The beat normally follows the lyric syllable. Two syllable word gets two beats, a one syllable word gets one beat. No that is not cast in stone, but, is pretty close to what happens.

Hap-py birth-day to you. Happy and birthday get two strums and then the words to and you get one strum each.

You'll need three to four basic strum patterns - all down strums, or up down up down, etc. Do a Google. rhythm guitar strum patterns - Bing video

Call up some fake chord sheet music and sing the lyrics under your breath. As that gets to flowing turn up the volume and start singing out loud while you strum the rhythm. Main thing is to hit the chord changes dead on.

Fake chord sheet music will be a friend. Again do a Google using key words Chords, "name of the song" For example: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

The bass has been sold -- you now have a rhythm guitar. Go have fun with your rhythm guitar.

 

[tilt724]

I like the forum name you chose, welcome to the forum.

 

[W.Roberts]

Hi guys and girls .
I'm so happy here ,I have long story about bass .
I'm not native speaker ,please forgive me for my bad English .

Let's call me mat .I'm 20 now .
When I was 17 years old I liked to become a bassist .well actually after saw some good songs and found as bassist I can fit most type of music .
I hate jazz ,not into funk .
Well when I was 17 ,after a lot of hard time finding right bass (ibanez sr serious ) I searched for teacher find a good one that teache me all thing except funk and jazz .
My practice started and took around 1 years or less that a new huge problem start ,
My finger length .yes my finger length was too short and even short scale bass didn't find in my country .
That lead me hard time (my middle finger is 8 cm) ,well first my learning got slow ,and most people started with me got much better than me .I had huge problem that as my teacher said even stretching practice won't make it right .
I got so sad ,frustrated and disappointed .
Till one day my teacher told me don't waste my money and time over something I can't be good in and I can do other instruments that fit me.
That lead me leave class and put bass a side .my small finger problem on 34" bass was something that my teacher and his friends believed won't get OK .
After putting it a side I got depression (over other thing but this one had effect too ) and completely stop practicing my dad sold my bass because he wanted I don't see and get more sad .
They bought a guitar for me that I never touch it till today seriously .

Now I come to this forums that at least I can't be a perfect bass player because my short fingers but at least enjoy the forums.
I don't know maybe in some week after 2 years of depression I may try learn guitar .

Thanks sorry for my long post .

Here's my comment to you with the short fingers -- yes, you can ABSOLUTELY play the bass. The "problem" lies with your teacher's fixed ideas about how the instrument is to be played. THERE ARE NO RULES TO MAKING MUSIC on the instrument of your choice. Case and point: look up a guy named Brushy One String. He plays bass lines on a one string acoustic guitar and sings like a drummer. One string and his bass lines are round, full, rock solid groove.

A note on teachers -- they're teachers on a mathematics level. Music is from one's soul. You gotta song in your heart? Say it, sing it, PLAY IT (courtesy of Jerry Jemmott).