Becoming a good bassist?

[10emmanuel]

hello guys!I am 30 years old and intermediate low self thought bassist. I proposed myself to become a good bassist and musician. Is it a kid's dream or is it really possible ?
I know anything in this life is impossible but Realistically speaking, can that happen?

Regards to everyone, long life to music

 

[dreamadream99]

It takes a couple years to learn the basics, about five years to get pretty good, and about 10 years to become an expert. So if you’ve got 10 years, it can be done.

 

[el murdoque]

I often play with a drummer that is very good. He started at 39.

A good teacher is the starting point.

 

[Lee Moses]

I agree about the good teacher. Then lots of focused practice, learning the basslines and duplicating the styles of the greats, and playing with other musicians better than you.

 

[buldog5151bass]

You can start at any age. Lessons from a good teacher will help. Most important thing - play every day.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

There’s no substitute for time spent with your bass in your hands, and good instruction can make the time you spend more efficient. Everyone has different aptitude and dedication.

There’s a theory that it takes 10,000 hours to become expert at something. I don’t think it’s that straightforward, because it doesn’t account for the quality of the time spent, innate ability, or prior experience with similar skill sets. A capable pianist, for instance, would likely advance on bass more quickly than someone who had never spent much time playing music. But it does take a lot of practice and dedication.

You’re relatively young when you look at how long a career as a bassist can last. So putting in the effort now can pay off for decades. And for me, personally, the time I spend playing music really restores my mind and soul after a hard day of work. So if it’s something you want and it brings you satisfaction and happiness, the time will be well spent and you will become a lot better than just good.

Good luck on your musical journey!

 

[bassdude51]

To be really good as something, we usually have to make it our life. Do you want to make bass playing your life? Playing live nearly everyday of the week? Traveling? Usually, poor money.

Maybe you/we can become "good enough" bass players.

 

[JRA]

I proposed myself to become a good bassist and musician.

i'd emphasize "becoming a good musician." we're all bassists here, so on TB we're a dime-a-dozen, but the biggest differences among us are what we know about 'the music' (at large, writ large) without a bass in our hands.

take some lessons now. practice/exploit what you learn until you hit a wall. then take some more lessons. you'll know you're pretty good when you realize "it never ends!" good luck!

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

If you have to have the time and passion. Or you'd be an OK. bass player.

 

[bherman]

In order to answer your question, you need to tell us more about your goals. At age 30, it is definitely possible to become a good bassist and musician. It would be much harder to have that become your primary source of income.

 

[RichardW]

Define "good."

I picked up the bass at age 45 and it was the first time I'd played any instrument. After five years of lessons and woodshedding, I got together with some guys and we formed a band that is still playing together 13 years later.

Am I a good bassist? I can keep good rhythm, and can play and sing. I'm not particularly technically strong--not a super fast player, don't slap, and focus on the narrow range of classic rock and blues. Can't read music, and have only rudimentary knowledge of music theory. I'm a good "hang," don't bring a lot of ego to the band. Mix that all together and I would say I'm above average. I'm better than a lot of players and there are a lot of players who are better than me.

 

[41hzthunder]

Becoming a "good bassist" is a relative and moving target. When I started, good was just about anyone that could hit the fundamental on time and with some feeling. Quickly, moved past that. I got to know the diatonic scale, pentatonic scale, the chords for each note in each scale, and then modified scales. After, some time knowing these and how to move around the fretboard, it wasn't good enough. Then came focusing on eliminating all extra noise, buzz, and more on dynamics. Still not there! Using digital recording was great, but forced me to really think about timing, ahead of the beat, behind, dead on. I think focusing on each of these things would be easy in hind sight, but learning and "hearing" each takes time. You can make significant progress in just a couple years, but never attain "good". The encouraging thing is, you probably are better than you may perceive yourself. Its a journey, not a destination.

 

[40Hz]

It’s just a matter of some education. Because it’s really just another skill that can be learned like any other. No different than learning how to make a good omelette or pilot a space shuttle. You’re not born knowing how to do it. You have to learn, either by instruction or through trial and error. It’s all a matter of gathering the needed resources for learning what you want to learn and (ideally) finding a teacher to help you along. Having a qualified teacher - whose teaching style works for your personal learning style - is the single best way to smooth and shorten your learning path.

Can you learn it at 30? I’ll be 67 next month. In the last two years I’ve learned basic French, and got heavily into synthesizers on a technical level. Just recently I decided I wanted to learn about, and how to play, Metal style bass. I’m working on that as we speak. And I’m seriously contemplating finally picking up and learning to play the saxaphone, which is something I’ve been thinking about for the last 40 years. (I’ve played every family of instrument but reeds so far. Horrors! There’s a gap in my musical experience!!! ) Figured it’s now or never considering my age.

So is 30 too late? You tell me. In my case, as long as I’m still breathing I figure any time is a good time to learn something new. I’m always looking to acquire new skills and knowledge.

But that’s me. What about you?

 

[Discount Bassy]

There are worse things to do with your time.

 

[StatesideRambler]

Unless you are devoid of talent and/or unwilling to work at it you can certainly become a good bass player.

There are good players who are self taught but the better players get teaching that is more formal and broader in musical and playing styles. I encourage getting lessons because if you try to be self taught then your teacher doesn’t know any more than you do; how much can he teach you? A good teacher will recognize your musical strengths and weaknesses and address them in his lessons. If you follow through with those lessons you will improve and improve faster.

 

[bikeplate]

Get a local teacher and learn what you are actually doing. Then practice often. And get in a band or two

 

[MrLenny1]

You have to live it and work it.
The biggest advances I had were with good teachers
and developing your ears.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Lessons and hard work are the secrets.

 

[mb94952]

If you don't love it, you won't improve...

 

[Smooth_bass88]

It takes a couple years to learn the basics, about five years to get pretty good, and about 10 years to become an expert. So if you’ve got 10 years, it can be done.

this isn't necessarily true. Sean Hurley was touring with Arlo Guthrie at age 16. He started playing at age 12.