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Beginner Bassist at 47...
- Thread starter Kimberly Munn
- Start date
It’s funny. When I started at 12, it was just me and other junior high kids. We thought we were great. Played anywhere and everywhere. We weren’t great, but that didn’t stop us. It’s harder when you’re an adult. But really, who cares? If your instructor is matching you with people, that’s great. Just play and have fun. You’ll get there, but it takes time.Playing with others is my primary goal. Thanks to my instructor he has made that happen with some other students and even just jamming with him is awesome. For me to really search people out is gonna take some more practice on my part. The guy that I did just jam with did say that he noticed a huge improvement in my playing though. That felt great but then I'm thinking "but I'm still so bad!". But hey I will play with anyone. If there is a 4 year old who is good on the triangle and wants to jam I'm there!
Also 47, but have been playing since I was 14. Could read music thanks to piano as a kid and clarinet in middle school. Have played out on a regular basis since 2007? Anyway, always ready to learn and be blown away by other players.
I saw a young bassist play a few years ago. She played a Jazz bass in a rock trio and I was really blown away at how fearless she was. The music was rough, the drummer was not great, but she was so unaffected and just went for it. Did she overplay? Yes. Did it serve the song? Not so much. But did she own it? Absolutely.
When I talked to her after the gig, she said she'd only played bass for a year or so? I don't remember. These days, she's in a few up and coming bands in Seattle and she is still fearless. Really enjoy watching her from afar.
My .02? Develop a good ear. Listen to your bandmates when they play. Play for the song, but find your moments to have a moment.
The muting thing will come. I can't remember how I learned it, but now, like you said about driving a stick, it's second nature; I don't even think about it.
Playing bass is what defines me. It is who I am. Outside of family, it's what brings me the greatest joy. I hope you get much joy from it as well.
I saw a young bassist play a few years ago. She played a Jazz bass in a rock trio and I was really blown away at how fearless she was. The music was rough, the drummer was not great, but she was so unaffected and just went for it. Did she overplay? Yes. Did it serve the song? Not so much. But did she own it? Absolutely.
When I talked to her after the gig, she said she'd only played bass for a year or so? I don't remember. These days, she's in a few up and coming bands in Seattle and she is still fearless. Really enjoy watching her from afar.
My .02? Develop a good ear. Listen to your bandmates when they play. Play for the song, but find your moments to have a moment.
The muting thing will come. I can't remember how I learned it, but now, like you said about driving a stick, it's second nature; I don't even think about it.
Playing bass is what defines me. It is who I am. Outside of family, it's what brings me the greatest joy. I hope you get much joy from it as well.
I'm happy to hear that. I was trying really hard not to sound like an inspirational poster. I really mean what I said. We all have to start at the beginning. It's just how it is. Sometimes we then spend so much time judging ourselves that we don't allow ourselves to enjoy the process.This is really giving me the support that I so need right now. I'll try my best not to judge the process but to just truly do the best that I can and hope to someday lay down a groove like a master!
I'm 50 and been playing since I was about 16, but I'm nowhere near as good as I would think after all these years. And as I sit at home the last two weeks recuperating from surgery I've been watching bass theory vids and working on my technique. To say I'm as slow as if I was a beginner would be the because it's new to me. I'm trying to enjoy and learn, so chatting with you has helped to remind me to do the same.
That's so awesome! I love your story about the fearless bass player! I want to fearless!
Learning an instrument is harder than I could have ever imagined and I think at 47 I'm like "ooooo! The clock is ticking! I must learn this now, before I die!!!". I know that is morbid but I think if I was 17 I wouldn't be thinking this... I know that I need to let go of this race against time. I know that it will only hold me back but man it's hard to go with the process when it could be a really slow process."The pluses are that I'm in love with the sound and the instrument and I have great timing."
REMEMBER THAT!!!!!!!!!!!
Learning any instrument is difficult. I remember when first learning this beast trying to play bass lines that sounded SOOOOO easy, but I just couldn't get it. Then, one night, probably five months in, I threw on Sultans Of Swing, picked up the bass, and...
poopie! I CAN SORT OF PLAY IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
And you have those moments as you get better. After 30 year, I recently realized i can play Roundabout by Yes!!!!
I had NO IDEA!!!!
It's great to read that, Kimberley, I wish you a lot of fun with this wonderful instrument. And please tell your sister Olivia that she stops calling me, I'm not available.
You can do it! I started at 41 (with a fulltime job and kids), and by 46 was good enough to be in a couple solid play-out bands that gig regularly (and still do). So, if you want it bad enough, keep taking lessons, and practice a lot, it will happen.
Good luck
Good luck
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Welcome I have had similar experiences and find that the next day or the day after the problem areas are much easier, I think little and often works best, I try to play mornings and evenings every day even if I only have 15 mins, I find repetitions of simple exercises work wonders for the hands, it’s a matter of telling them who is in charge, keep at its amazing
That's not bad at five months. That one is on my list but I haven't tried it yet. A quick peek at tabs for it makes me think it isn't too difficult, but I've learned not to trust myself on that yet.
Heh, awesome song, great accomplishment. Also on my list, but in the "might not ever get quite to this one" category.
you are now a fellow bassist
I've been getting more serious about just playing scales and arpeggios. I definitely need to show my fingers who is the boss around here! LOL
Best thing I've yet seen for helping me, as a novice, to understand scales and chords:
Hi Kimberly, and welcome to TalkBass and to the absolutely incomparable world of the bass guitar!
I'm recently 38, and have done basic fingers-to-toes stretches more in the last 3 weeks than I have in the last 3 years. It'll take time to get down but I'll get there if I make sure to put in a little time each day. And if you put in a little time each day on bass, doing things that help you get flexible, you'll be stretchy in due course too.
One of the best lessons I learned about the stretch/reach thing is about the fact that players with small hands can rock out just fine by working on jumping rather than hurting the hand trying to reach distant frets with stretching. As long as we can hit the right note and be relaxed doing so, then we're playing the instrument right. Sure, weird chords will be an issue, but at the far end of the fretboard, no one wants to hear THOSE chords!
Take it a day at a time, and yes... scales and especially arpeggios are good for you (again, it's fine to move the hand rather than stretch!), and Talking Heads songs are maybe the best easy start for fun and playable bass lines.
And go easy on yourself! Musical instruments are not toys! They're literally instruments just like a scalpel is a surgical instrument: they take a lot of work to master. Luckily, our instruments don't have to be sharp if we tune them. (dad joke for the win)
I'm recently 38, and have done basic fingers-to-toes stretches more in the last 3 weeks than I have in the last 3 years. It'll take time to get down but I'll get there if I make sure to put in a little time each day. And if you put in a little time each day on bass, doing things that help you get flexible, you'll be stretchy in due course too.
One of the best lessons I learned about the stretch/reach thing is about the fact that players with small hands can rock out just fine by working on jumping rather than hurting the hand trying to reach distant frets with stretching. As long as we can hit the right note and be relaxed doing so, then we're playing the instrument right. Sure, weird chords will be an issue, but at the far end of the fretboard, no one wants to hear THOSE chords!
Take it a day at a time, and yes... scales and especially arpeggios are good for you (again, it's fine to move the hand rather than stretch!), and Talking Heads songs are maybe the best easy start for fun and playable bass lines.
And go easy on yourself! Musical instruments are not toys! They're literally instruments just like a scalpel is a surgical instrument: they take a lot of work to master. Luckily, our instruments don't have to be sharp if we tune them. (dad joke for the win)
Awesome stuff! Congrats on taking the leap!
I hear you about the finger-problem. I work in metal and have been doing so since i was about 14. My hands are pretty well developed and i'm always jealous of people with swift, nimble fingers when playing bass. For example, when i look at Flea playing the greeting song in the chad and flea show and i know i just will never get anywhere near that. Not that i ever imagine coming close to Flea's abilities on bass, just i won't get that speed in my fingers because they're too full of muscles (too heavy). Building up muscles by training them is easier than "building back". This sometimes annoys me but mostly i just enjoy playing. Specially with other people.
When picking up an instrument, no one expects you to become a phenomenon, so don't expect yourself to become one. The only motivator out there should be: Enjoy! Enjoy the music, enjoy making it, enjoy other musicians, enjoy mastering that song you're learning bit by bit... and tell us about it here
I hear you about the finger-problem. I work in metal and have been doing so since i was about 14. My hands are pretty well developed and i'm always jealous of people with swift, nimble fingers when playing bass. For example, when i look at Flea playing the greeting song in the chad and flea show and i know i just will never get anywhere near that. Not that i ever imagine coming close to Flea's abilities on bass, just i won't get that speed in my fingers because they're too full of muscles (too heavy). Building up muscles by training them is easier than "building back". This sometimes annoys me but mostly i just enjoy playing. Specially with other people.
When picking up an instrument, no one expects you to become a phenomenon, so don't expect yourself to become one. The only motivator out there should be: Enjoy! Enjoy the music, enjoy making it, enjoy other musicians, enjoy mastering that song you're learning bit by bit... and tell us about it here
Note that you don't have to keep your fingers in a stretched, spread out position all of the time. It's fine - preferable, even - to let your hand relax into a less stretched shape if the bassline you're currently playing doesn't need the stretch, otherwise you will probably find yourself getting tired more quickly.
Of course, some songs may require stretches all the way through, but as has already been mentioned there are techniques where you can pivot from your thumb to move your hand a little side to side rather than going for extreme stretches. Fortunately most basslines only have one note at a time, so you don't usually have to stretch to hold down two or more notes at the same time.
Also don't start a given session with a stretchy song, warm your hands up with something easier first.
Slow can be challenging too. Not so much the physical technique, but the groove, the fine control over how long each note should sustain for, etc.
I for one would be happy to jam with you, but the odds of us living in the same city are pretty low. (I don't want to post my specific city publicly, but if you're in Australia send me a PM and we can see.)
Big respect to you man! I sincerely hope you continue to improve and can keep playing
