Becoming a good bassist?

[Bill Murray]

Lessons from a good teacher are obviously the best way to immediate improvement. However, lessons only go so far. You should also start developing critical listening skills, let the music consume you and then hone in on what the bass is doing. Try to hum the bassline. After this just play along with the track, don’t worry about notes immediately, get the groove going.

The sooner you can start jamming with someone else, the better. Drums, Keys, another bassist, doesn’t matter. You can learn a language but you don’t know how to utilize it until you are talking with others.

 

[JeezyMcNuggles]

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

Play bass

 

[bolophonic]

I started playing when I was a teenager, but took a short break in my late 20’s. I re-started from the ground up when I was 30. Just make sure you play every day. You’re not learning if you’re not playing!

 

[Grinderman]

I only advocate that the fundamental motive for doing it, above or unencumbered by other expectations, must be the simple pleasure of doing the work and the rewarding feels derived from your growth resulting from your dedication to doing the work.

 

[rashrader]

If you’re having fun, you’re well on your way.

Enjoy.

 

[lfmn16]

It's bizarre. Is it just playing bass that the poster thinks this approach applies to? Why does Federer have a coach despite being a multiple grand slam champion?

As I say, a ridiculous comment!

I always say, “The arts is one of the few fields where some people think ignorance is an advantage.”

 

[GWGuitar]

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.

Plays the right notes: check!
Plays in good time: check!
Show up to practice: check!
Isn’t a dick: check!
Good bass player score: 100%

 

[Robscott]

Learning the bass involves musicality, which is knowing and imagining what you want to play, and technique, which is the skills to play it. Basic technique might take you maybe a year or so, but you will never stop improving and learning new skills. Musicality is dependent on your ear, which is largely innate although you can develop it. If your ear is not great you will have to learn from a more theoretical base which can take some time. Some people really seem to struggle with the music side of it, others just know what they want to play right off the bat, most are in between. So there is no single answer to your question because it totally depends who you are and what innate talents you are bringing to the table, not to mention what you want to play. However, if you have a passion for music and for the bass guitar, likely you will progress quick enough

 

[micguy]

26241719[/URL], member: 53358"]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.

I played ( without ever getting serious about practice) for 20 years. Then, a wrist issue sidelined me for 10 years. 12 years ago, I started all over again - I couldn’t play worth a darn. Now, 12 years and 7 or 8 thousand hours of practice, I’m a much better musician than I ever was before, I play gigs every weekend at a large church (different campuses on different weekends). I did my re-start at 52. At 30, you can absolutely do it. Practice never makes perfect, and I don’t think I’ll ever think of myself as an expert, but you can be very good with a bit of talent and a bunch of years of obsessive practice.

One thing that has helped me is constant (weekly, sometimes 2 in a week) gigs - when there is a time, a date, and an audience that can’t be postponed, the motivation to learn the tunes and play well makes practice have a much more obvious purpose.

 

[jdh3000]

I know an excellent bass player who didn't start until his early 20's and now in his mid 30s he plays with the best bands in our area.

Now he went from playing nothing and just started playing with friends. He went from 0 to pro in just a short time. He has an excellent ear for music.

Most people think one has to start real early, but I think it depends on the individual. Much depends on how much practice you put in, if you take lessons, and most of all, attitude.

Focus on your weaknesses and work on those the most. Self instruction is fine but this is where a good teacher can help. They can direct your abilities.

If you want it enough, it'll happen, just be patient.

 

[Bassamatic]

If you are having fun, that is the most important thing. To get to what you consider good -

1. You need the proper aptitudes. No one can simply be great at anything they want. We all have different sets of skills - some are better than others. To be a good bass player you need good finger dexterity, good sense and memory for rhythm, good pitch discrimination, and good memory for melody and good reading ability. If you are not 100% in ALL of these (like most people) you can be happy and play with others, but your end success will be limited. The super stars excel in all of these and you can see how few they are. Have realistic expectations. If you can't reach the level that you want, maybe another instrument would be a better fit. I know now that I would be a much better drummer than a bass player because I have only moderate finger dexterity.

2. Take lessons! Get one or more good teachers that can share years of experience and technique with you. You can only get mediocre being self taught, no matter how many YouTube videos you watch. And practice diligently! You will at least have a chance to be as good as possible.

 

[JW56789]

Of course, it all depends on what you want to be and where you want it to take you.

I can say to take this from a grey-headed veteran, and I indeed learned this the hard way:

A Goal Without a Plan IS a Dream. I'm proof of it.

 

[BlueTalon]

I am 30 years old and intermediate low self thought bassist. I proposed myself to become a good bassist and musician... is it really possible?

Yes. It is possible. Like anything else, how good you get will depend on how much work you put into it and how much aptitude you have for it.

Others here have mentioned lessons and practice. I will tell you something that helped me to grow and learn much faster on bass than I would have otherwise. In my bedroom, I kept my bass on a stand, and I kept the strap on the bass. It was always plugged into the amp, and the amp was always plugged in. That way, if I had a spare five minutes, I could spend all five minutes playing. I could just pick up the bass and play. I didn't have to spend any time taking the case out of the closet, taking the bass out of the case, putting the strap on, plugging it in, tuning it, etc.

I got hundreds of hours of practice time that I wouldn't have had because I made it really easy for myself to play it any chance I got.

 

[mike buzzetti]

Learn pentatonic scales and you can FAKE anything ( assuming you can play in time ?? )

 

[Winton]

Everyone here has great advice on practicing everyday and getting lessons from a good teacher. One advice I have is when you get to the level of being able to play along with songs, is to record yourself.

I first started playing bass when I was 16yo but was playing on and off at church. Fast forward 20 years and from the age of 35, I decided that I wanted to get good at bass. So I started recording myself on my computer. I began with songs that were very simple for me to build up from. Then gradually I went the next step by making videos of myself because I wanted to strengthen my concentration level (to play without stopping). I sought after a teacher but didn’t have any luck finding one in my area. So I started uploading my videos on YouTube as a way of keeping myself accountable. All in the same year.

And finally, 4 months ago, I was able to play Pino’s bass line from “Who Did You Think I Was” without stopping. That was a monumental moment for me! Yeah, I’m still rushing at parts but I’m able to get through it. Now, I’m asking a pro bassist for advice on how I can work on timing and playing in the pocket.

If I can do this, so can you.

 

[etoncrow]

Started drum lessons when I was 10. Played in bands at 14. Took up bass at 32. Health forced me off the stage at 71. Good advice has been shared with you here. I would add that you and the drummer should work as one. You and the drummer set and hold the tempo; lay down the groove together. Buy a drum machine and experiment playing with different rhythms. Start out being in synch with the bass drum. Emphasis the fills with the drums; straight 1/16th notes? syncopated? triplets? whatever! And remember it's the journey and not the destination that matters.

 

[Winton]

Another thing I did was I threw myself in situations where I started playing live gigs (as soon as I able to). I learned how to memorize songs without looking at sheet music. I even learned how to improvise! THAT’s something I NEVER thought I would be able to do!

 

[tvbop]

Forty years since I started and its only just starting to feel good...yeah crazy but its about becoming one with the instrument and we all reach that point at different times in our journey.
As soon as I could play I could pretty much play everything but I was merely hitting the strings and playing the notes...Now its all about "coaxing" the sound out of the notes, huge difference. I like to think of myself now as a pretty tasteful musician, but its taken a lifetime of practise and thoughtful application.

 

[bass12]

If you have a degree of natural talent, have discipline, and practice the right things then sure you can become a good bass player. A good teacher will certainly help, but it can be difficult to know what constitutes a good teacher when you are starting out. I’ve wasted a lot of time with not-so-great teachers.

One of the keys is to learn about music, not just about bass. That might sound obvious but it’s amazing how often the basics of music get overlooked when it comes to teaching bass.

 

[Outbush]

Lessons from a good teacher are obviously the best way to immediate improvement. However, lessons only go so far. You should also start developing critical listening skills, let the music consume you and then hone in on what the bass is doing. Try to hum the bassline. After this just play along with the track, don’t worry about notes immediately, get the groove going.

The sooner you can start jamming with someone else, the better. Drums, Keys, another bassist, doesn’t matter. You can learn a language but you don’t know how to utilize it until you are talking with others.

For my style of learning this is great advice. I didn't have access to a teacher - or a computer and video recorder for that matter - but I did have access to a mirror so I could watch my hands and work out comfortable ways of working around neck. That opportunity to see what your hands are doing is invaluable in my opinion even if it takes a bit of getting used to. And if you can, form or join a band as soon as possible with some good people who are starting out and focus on making songs sound good and groovy, not a perfect copy of the original.

Yes. It is possible. Like anything else, how good you get will depend on how much work you put into it and how much aptitude you have for it.

Others here have mentioned lessons and practice. I will tell you something that helped me to grow and learn much faster on bass than I would have otherwise. In my bedroom, I kept my bass on a stand, and I kept the strap on the bass. It was always plugged into the amp, and the amp was always plugged in. That way, if I had a spare five minutes, I could spend all five minutes playing. I could just pick up the bass and play. I didn't have to spend any time taking the case out of the closet, taking the bass out of the case, putting the strap on, plugging it in, tuning it, etc.

I got hundreds of hours of practice time that I wouldn't have had because I made it really easy for myself to play it any chance I got.

This is a great idea and gear looks great. Don't spend too much time playing without an amplifier or headphones or you'll develop bad habits. Do figure out a way you can play along to albums, the radio etc too.