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Beginner Bassist at 47...

#121
A good exercise I learned years ago was to alternate every other finger touching my thumb. This will help break up the muscle memory in your hands an improve dexterity. Do this with both hands often. It's very difficult at first but after awhile you should be able to do it fast. Good thing about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere.....work, car, watching tv.
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#122
pappabass said:
STAY WITH IT !!! I started at 35. Don't try too hard, give it time. About muting other strings:
1. Play clean with your playing hand. Don't try pop slap right now. After 20+ years of trying I still can't do it clean.
2. I saw a video of this guy who fretted with all his fingers. Looked like he was playing bar chords. He fretted with his 1 st finger, the others muted the other strings. Sounded good.
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I'll keep on keeping on! Not worried about slapping at all right now. I just want to hold a strong groove! :)
 
#123
allenhumble said:
A good exercise I learned years ago was to alternate every other finger touching my thumb. This will help break up the muscle memory in your hands an improve dexterity. Do this with both hands often. It's very difficult at first but after awhile you should be able to do it fast. Good thing about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere.....work, car, watching tv.View attachment 3555261 View attachment 3555262
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This actually feels so good after all of the practice that I did yesterday! Thanks! :)
 
#127
Find a song that is "Your Song." You play it well and you love playing it. Start and end every practice session with this song. That way ever practice session starts and ends well, with a smile on your face. As you progress you'll switch up the song to keep it more challenging, but you'll still start and end every practice feeling good about your playing.
 
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#128
Kimberly Munn said:
Hello! I finally made the leap and bought my first bass about 5 months ago. I started taking lessons shortly after I got it. I'm 47 years old and I've never played an instrument in my life but I've always wanted to play bass. I love a good groove. The pluses are that I'm in love with the sound and the instrument and I have great timing. The minuses are a longer list. My fingers just don't want to stretch, my fingers don't always want to behave the way that I want them to and learning to mute unused strings has me frustrated beyond belief. I had a great jam session with my instructor and another student last week but the more I progress, the more I realize how much I still have to learn and work on. I'm trying to stay positive but I'm like a dog chasing my tail at this point. I'm questioning everything that I do and my biggest fear is that my fingers just won't ever stay down or spread out. It's laughable but it's also far from funny currently. I'm hoping to hear that this is normal because the negative voices in my head are really filling me with a doubt that I'm too old and I'll never improve. Help...
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Your expectations are unreasonable for yourself. It's good to have high standards but if you don't accept early limitations there is a large chance you will become frustrated and maybe quit. Have fun with it and I bet in a year you will be amazed at your progress. The only thing I would recommend is to learn a chordal instrument, like guitar. This will open your eyes to what is going on within the bass world.
 
#129
Kimberly Munn said:
I'm questioning everything that I do and my biggest fear is that my fingers just won't ever stay down or spread out. It's laughable but it's also far from funny currently. I'm hoping to hear that this is normal because the negative voices in my head are really filling me with a doubt that I'm too old and I'll never improve. Help...
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Don't sweat it, bass takes a lot of finger strength to hold those strings down. You *will* build those muscles with practice. The two biggest humps new players have to get over are building hand strength and building calluses. Those are both one-time things, once they're done they're done and you never have to go through it again. Once you're over those humps your learning will accelerate rapidly.

Welcome to the club!
 
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#131
Wish Id started at 47 instead of 61.. but we start when we start!
First level is unconscious incompetence
Second is conscious incompetence... where you begin to realize and know the problems your encountering, fingers feel sluggish, you can tell the difference in tone between what your playing vs what you hear others playing.
Its a phase and you are in the middle of it. But if you stick to it you'll move to conscious competence, the state where you know why your playing what your playing. And having fun doing it.
 
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#133
RoaDan said:
Your expectations are unreasonable for yourself. It's good to have high standards but if you don't accept early limitations there is a large chance you will become frustrated and maybe quit. Have fun with it and I bet in a year you will be amazed at your progress. The only thing I would recommend is to learn a chordal instrument, like guitar. This will open your eyes to what is going on within the bass world.
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My instructor has mentioned this to me. I may have to pick up a guitar at some point.
 
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#134
nickpc said:
Find a song that is "Your Song." You play it well and you love playing it. Start and end every practice session with this song. That way ever practice session starts and ends well, with a smile on your face. As you progress you'll switch up the song to keep it more challenging, but you'll still start and end every practice feeling good about your playing.
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If only I could play one full song! LOL
 
#135
I started exactly like you. Same age, no prior experience.
I borrowed books from the library and taught myself how to read music and basic theory.
I have had 4 different instructors in the past 10 years. Each of them valuable, bringing their own approach to the table.
I currently study with Todd Johnson. I wish I had started with him from the beginning. He does lessons via Skype (or similar).
Get the best instructor you can afford.
Learn music, not just the mechanics of playing the instrument. Understand music.
That’s the best advice I have besides just be patient and enjoy the lifelong journey.
 
#136
DeltaTango said:
I started exactly like you. Same age, no prior experience.
I borrowed books from the library and taught myself how to read music and basic theory.
I have had 4 different instructors in the past 10 years. Each of them valuable, bringing their own approach to the table.
I currently study with Todd Johnson. I wish I had started with him from the beginning. He does lessons via Skype (or similar).
Get the best instructor you can afford.
Learn music, not just the mechanics of playing the instrument. Understand music.
That’s the best advice I have besides just be patient and enjoy the lifelong journey.
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Great advice! I'll have to start studying music more for sure!
 
#137
Didnt read whole thread but play your current bass a lot and also go to stores to play other basses for fun. Once you've got some bass playing down might find out a different bass just feels better. But hard to know until you've wrangled with the one you have for awhile it's you or the bass.
 
#138
Uncorked said:
Wish Id started at 47 instead of 61.. but we start when we start!
First level is unconscious incompetence
Second is conscious incompetence... where you begin to realize and know the problems your encountering, fingers feel sluggish, you can tell the difference in tone between what your playing vs what you hear others playing.
Its a phase and you are in the middle of it. But if you stick to it you'll move to conscious competence, the state where you know why your playing what your playing. And having fun doing it.
Click to expand...
Thank you for the encouragement and isn't that the deal??? We start when we start! :)
 
#139
Nebula24 said:
Didnt read whole thread but play your current bass a lot and also go to stores to play other basses for fun. Once you've got some bass playing down might find out a different bass just feels better. But hard to know until you've wrangled with the one you have for awhile it's you or the bass.
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I definitely think it's me at this point. LOL!!! But that is great advice! I will play others To see if I feel a difference. I do love my bass though. :)
 
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