At what age did (or will) you peak?

[Ggaa]

Happily, luckily, still improving. For now. 63.

 

[Low Commotion]

I’m 68 and I’m still getting better. I voted “over 75”. I’ll peak when I die.

 

[Dust2Dust]

I'm 58 and I think I peaked last month

Recently my playing has been miserable. There are certain songs that I've played over and over again because they are fun (to me) to play. I didn't even have to think about them anymore. My fingers were on autopilot and the songs just came roaring out. Now I pick up my bass and I have to think about everything as if I'm back to being in the process of learning the song.

Also, I think my fingers are shrinking
They don't stretch like they used to

Playing my 32" Jag feels almost full scale

 

[Tim Skaggs]

Depends on which “peak”.
In knowledge? Unknown yet, still learning.
In physical ability? Probably somewhere between 40 & 50, but my decline is very slight if even measurable.
In the ability to sing & play at the same time? Still improving.
In endurance / stamina? About 27
In maturity? I say about 35. Wife says about 15.

 

[BassBrass]

I'm 66 and starting to see some improvement. But I must admit, something about the band I was in 1988-1993 produced original music like I never did again and it was about not Knowing Better, taking chances, band chemistry (and lack of disorder) and being able to gig often in the Boston area that was a real scene with variety, low rent including rehersal spaces, venues, audiences from the many colleges and recording studios up the kazoo...all the support systems intact.

 

[Tnavis]

I'll have peaked when I either have learned everything or have stopped trying to learn. Theoretically, it's not possible unless you give up completely. There will always be some aspect of my playing that needs improving. Getting older gave me a lot more perspective than I had when I was younger. My playing now is far better than it was twenty years ago, even though I'm gigging less and practicing less overall. And I have to imagine I'll feel the same way twenty years from now.

 

[tlc1976]

I honestly think I peaked when I was 17. It was certainly when I was spending most of my time obsessing over the craft. There’s only so much time in the day these days, ya know?

I peaked at about age 19-20. College days. Besides going to class, I spent most of my time on the bass.

Once I started working 55 hour weeks, then adding a family to that, I didn’t have the same amount of time and brain power to play at the same level.

 

[darwin-bass]

Here is another perspective. Song writers often peak in their younger years. Singers hit their peak well before 60 typically. But as a bassist it seems like the sky is the limit.

 

[Discount Bassy]

It's been all downhill since I climbed outta my momma.

 

[michael_t]

I took up the bass for the first time at the age of 52. I'm 66 now and feel like I'm just getting warmed up! Hope to peak in the next 20 yrs or so.

 

[ProbablyTooLoud]

In theater school, our director of training told us about a Japanese concept called 'hana,' or the flower of your creativity. You water the bud during youth, develop it in middle age, help it grow, keep nurturing it and feeding it throughout those middle years, and when you're older - it finally blossoms into the full flower it was always meant to be.

Anyways, cool concept.

I just turned 54 and can say with certainty I have not peaked.

 

[JRA]

When do you feel you peaked as a bassist? Or are you continuing to improve and the peak is yet to come?

i was more capable, physically, up until about ~65 or so (i'm 73 right now), and on that count, i probably "peaked" in my 50s. but i'm 'inventing' new ways of compensating for that diminution (regression?) of the physical, so i can't say that i've peaked in my abilities, overall...i can still tear it up at the gig and i'm way more 'clever' than i used to be when i mostly relied on speed and fireworks.

i voted "over 75."


never give up!

 

[Killing Floor]

I try to improve every day.

 

[vvvmmm]

I'm holding back because tantric.

 

[BassChuck]

It depends on what you mean by 'peak'. I don't know if my hands are as fast as they were when I was younger, but I hear things better now. I definitely read better. Does all that make be better or not?

 

[Rumblejohn]

I'm 75 and still learn something new every time I pick up an instrument.

 

[bobyoung53]

When I was 19 I peaked as a packer at the local Pickled Pepper Plant.

Did you pick a peck?

 

[bassdude51]

Around 65ish. I'm now 71. Been loosing interest in playing. Although I still play, not as often and my speed and ability is waning.

Not matter how hard we try not to, we get older and we change in many ways.

 

[bobyoung53]

I'm 70 now and feel I'm better than I ever was, when I was young, my main aim was to be the fastest bassist on the planet, technique was more important to me than the musicality if that makes sense, I feel I've matured at least somewhat as a player and my ears are better and I've incorporated more styles into my playing, I just love to play, I can play anything I could play fifty years ago still and most likely a lot better with more taste, my sound has improved a lot I feel. I believe I'll peak the day before I die unless I have a physical problem that prevents me from playing.

 

[No Malarky]

Did you pick a peck?

Yes. I practically perfected Peck picking at the Plant.